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Hardscaping 101: Garage Flooring

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Looked at your garage floor lately? Concrete takes a beating and might benefit from a covering to keep it looking good and help it last longer (not to mention taking on new uses, such as a sport court while the car is out running errands). What are we talking about? Coatings and coverings that lend a new life and give a new look to your garage floor. 

Balance Associates Rainbow Rock Garage, Gardenista

Above: The floor in the Rainbow Rock Garage by Balance Associates has a steel trowel finish and was clear sealed. Take a Tour of the Balance Associates Garage. Photograph by Steve Keating via Balance Associates.

Why consider anything beyond your standard-issue concrete garage floor?

    • It is wise to protect concrete from the harsh chemicals and mysterious liquids that leak out of your automobile. Even the water, salt, and snow your car drags in can promote deterioration and cracking. This is especially true in cold weather climates.
    • Many flooring options are easier to keep clean than concrete. Untreated concrete gives off dust, so coating or covering it reduces dust. It prevents materials—not only from cars, but also from your other garage-based activities (gardening, building, painting)—from soaking into the porous concrete.
    • Flooring can cover up existing cracks for looks, safety, and protection.
    • Garage flooring options can be more forgiving to dropped objects (tools and sports equipment). If your garage doubles as a workspace, garden shed, or art studio, your body will benefit from standing on something softer than concrete.
    • There are aesthetic considerations. Coverings and coatings are available in a variety of colors, textures, and patterns. And, the concrete that was gorgeous when the floor was installed may not be so attractive with oil or other stains that develop.
    • New flooring might open up new activities in your garage. It could double as a sport court or workout space while the car is out.

Garage by Architect Cathy Schwab, Gardenista

Above: The floor in a garage by Bay Area architect Cathy Schwabe is scored concrete slab coated with a heavy duty epoxy sealer to make cleaning up easier and to prevent penetration of oil and other materials. "It has held up well, and one can even clean up the leaking oil from these two old cars and have it looking new again," says Schwabe. Photograph by David Wakely

What are the options for garage flooring?

Our research suggests that the options fall into two categories: coating and covering. Deciding on the right approach depends on how you plan to use the garage, your objectives (looks or protection), the current state of the concrete floor, and cost considerations.

Coating

The most common options are paint and epoxy, though new generation coatings are making their way from industry to residential use. Before you consider applying any sort of coating, it is important to check your garage floor for moisture.  Coatings need to be applied to dry and temperate concrete or they will not adhere properly (think peeling and puckering). Another benefit of coatings is that you can add non-slip materials and color or texture additives into the mix. Talk to your contractor or coating supplier to determine the requirements for the material of your choice.

Painting a Garage Floor, Gardenista

Above: Applying paint to a garage floor is relatively easy and inexpensive. Photograph via Garage Retreat.

Garage Floor Paint: Possibly the least expensive solution (all it requires is a few cans of paint and labor), painting is a quick way to upgrade the look of your floor. Painting is primarily an aesthetic approach to garage floor enhancement as it does not stand up to chemicals and wear and tear as long as other coatings. The two most commonly used types of paint are acrylic latex or an epoxy. Both will provide some protection (though not as much as other options) against mold, mildew, and moisture. Epoxy paint is tougher against chemicals and lasts slightly longer, and is priced higher as a result. Regardless of the material used, a concrete primer coat is recommended for to provide better bonding. 

Behr Epoxy Concrete Garage Floor Paint, Gardenista

Above: Behr Premium 1-Part Epoxy Concrete and Garage Floor Paint in silver gray is $31.98 for a gallon at Home Depot.

Textural Treatments and Clear Coating: What do we mean by textural treatments? Polishing, scoring, and acid-staining to name a few.  Concrete can be scored or stamped to look like tiles, large or small. Acid-staining has also become popular. Something to have professionally done, this process uses chemistry to stain concrete with irregular almost-fluid looking patterns in a range of natural colors. Sealing the concrete after such treatments is recommended to add shine and a protective overlay for the finish. 

Acid Wash Scored and Sealed Concrete, Gardenista

Above: This acid-washed scored concrete flooring almost mimics the look of weathered wooden boards.

Polishing concrete and adding a clear sealer dresses up, protects and prolongs the life of a standard concrete floor. A clear acrylic sealer provides a clear protective layer, not as durable as epoxy, but more than naked concrete, and adds a bit of refined shine. One gallon of Tuf-Top Silicone Acrylic Water-Repellent Concrete Sealer is $38.31 at The Paint Store.  

Epoxy: A very popular choice that is used in auto showrooms and professional garages (not to mention restaurant kitchen floors), epoxy is a tough coating that resists oil stains, beads water, and cleans easily. It is highly resistant to chemicals, chipping and scuffing. Essentially liquid plastic that is coated on top of the concrete, it offers a glossy finish that many find appealing. With installation, the cost runs close to $3 per square foot. 

Beyond projects that involve a glue gun, I am not a DIYer and would only consider using a professional for something as long lasting and with durability requirements as garage floor coatings. For those with a serious DIY proclivity, epoxy-coating your garage floor is said by some to be as easy as painting.  See This Old House's "How to Epoxy-Coat a Garage Floor" for detailed instructions.

Gray Epoxy Garage Floor by Espace Garage Plus, Gardenista

Above: A shiny gray epoxy-coated garage floor by Espace Garage+

Polyurethane-Based Coatings: Polyurea (related to Polyurethane) floor coatings long used in industry have become a new option for garage floors. A resin-based coating like epoxy, Polyurea cures faster and in a wider variety of conditions (but only by professionals!). It is a no-VOC substance that, unlike epoxy, is UV resistant, so it won't discolor or fade. These added benefits also bring a higher price tag than epoxy flooring.

Polyurethane Garage Floor, Gardenista

Above: A Polyurea-coated garage floor. Photograph via Mad Stone Floors

Coatings of all types are not a great choice for garages that contend with high moisture issues. Nor are they a good way to go on an already severely cracked floor (think adherence issues). In these situations, and when your budget is tight, consider the wide variety of floor coverings that lay on top of your existing concrete. 

Coverings

Garage floor coverings in the form of mats and tiles are an easy-to-install way to create a durable and attractive flooring surface. Available in several materials including rubber, vinyl, and polypropylene. 

Harrison Architects Garage, Gardenista

Above: Interlocking floor tiles used in different colors help define the parking from working zones in this garage by Harrison Architects. See more of this Green Topped Garage.

Garage Floor Tiles: Designed to withstand the weight and liquids generated by cars, modular tiles are a quick way to cover up and protect a concrete floor.  The majority of the tiles on the market are made of plastic, but you can also find rubber (not as durable), steel (for a car showroom look—we are not going in that direction), and stone (because of the cost and the concerns with grout, we don't list it in our selections). Available in a wide variety of colors, tiles can be used to create patterns or a solid color surface that is easy to clean and durable. Different surface options include diamond scoring, raised coin-like dots, smooth, and ribbed. Another benefit is the cushioning they provide for those standing in a garage for extended time periods. Priced from $3 to $5 per tile, the square foot cost is higher than some coating options.

Installing Garage Floor Tiles, Gardenista

Above: Installing garage floor tiles is fast and easy thanks to interlocking joints that snap together.

Racedeck Red Circle Track Tiles, Gardenista  

Above: Racedeck Circle Track Tiles measure 1-foot sqaure and are available in ten colors; $49.99 for a set of 12 at Hayneedle.

Swisstrax Recycled Rubber Flooring, Gardenista

Above: Swisstrax offers Recycled Rubber Flooring Tiles (available only in black). Contact Swisstrax for pricing and ordering information. 

Garage Floor Mats: Rubberized vinyl floor mats are a very easy and effective way to cover your concrete floor, contain liquids from your car, and create a clean and comfortable flooring option. The mats can be purchased in a variety of sizes, from a large mat that just fits one standard car, to mats that interlink to cover an entire garage floor surface. 

Diamond Deck Garage Mat, gardenista

Above: Flexible and easy to roll out, the Diamond Deck Roll Out Flooring Mat is available in a variety of sizes (that can be used together for large surfaces) and requires no installation other than rolling out on the floor; $217.95 for the 7-by-14 foot size (other sizes available) at Amazon.

Indoor/Outdoor Carpet: We are not talking about your 1970's garage-turned-rec-room shag carpet, rather heavy duty outdoor carpet that can withstand elements and weight. 

Flor Working Class Gray Tile, Gardensita

Above: Flor Working Class Carpet Tile is made of polypropylene in a dense, flat and coarse weave that will stand up to use in a garage. Each 19.7-inch square is $10 ($3.72 per square foot). Available in tan (as shown), light gray, and dark gray.

Thinking of transforming your garage into something other than car storage? Get inspired by A Garage Turned Garden Pavilion and Garage as Garden Shed.


10 Favorites: Indoor Bicycle Storage

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Not everybody has a garage. City dwellers know the challenge of where to park the bicycle indoors; here's a roundup of ideas. For an excellent selection of storage racks, see the New York Times Personal Shopper Slideshow and TreeHugger Picks: Bicycle Storage Options.

Above: Built-in bicycle racks in a staircase designed by Postgreen Architects; via Dwell.

Above: The Michelangelo Two Bike Gravity Stand is $75 at Public Bikes.

Above: A minimal white hallway with bike via House to Home UK.

Above: Photograph of the Bike Shelf by Chris Brigham via Cyclehoop; see our post High/Low: Wood Bicycle Rack.

Above: Photograph by Daniel Hertzell.

Above: Another view of Chris Brigham's Bike Shelf, via Knife & Saw.

Above: Photo by Toni Meneguzzo (L) and a photo by Ezra Caldwell via Flickr (R).

Above: If your bike is beautiful enough, just lean it against a wall. Photogrpah by Jason Schmidt (L) and a simple bicycle photographed by Mari Eriksson via Love Nordic Design (R).

Above: A bicycle in Amsterdam via Vittorio on Flickr.

And if you do have a garage? See more suggestions for bike storage in 10 Easy Pieces: Best Garage Organizers.

N.B.: This post is an update; the original story ran on January 30, 2009.

Shopper's Diary: Lila B. Design at Stable Café in SF's Mission District

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When San Francisco floral designer Baylor Chapman, owner of Lila B. Design, decided to change locations in the downtown Mission District a few months ago, all she had to do was walk a few steps from her old studio on Folsom Street to a new one down the block. Yet she somehow managed to move a million miles away.

At the Stable Café, where Chapman has set up shop (and an open-air studio) adjacent to the restaurant's outdoor seating area, the courtyard is suddenly in bloom year round. That's partially thanks to a miniature orchard of plum trees planted among the café tables—and partially thanks to Chapman, who has planted a perimeter of container gardens and climbing vines to turn a gritty downtown location bucolic.

Photographs by Liesa Johannssen for Gardenista.

Lila B flowers at Stable Cafe SF ; Gardenista

Above: From the street, you get a glimpse of the plum trees in bloom and a hint, from a window box, of the urban garden behind the fence.

Lila B flowers at Stable Cafe SF ; Gardenista

Above: "It's an experience to be in here," says Stable Café owner Thomas Lackey. At the rear of the café's outdoor seating area is a repurposed cargo container that Lackey had transported to the site from the Port of Oakland.

Lila B. florist at Stable Cafe SF shipping container ; Gardenista

Above: Chapman uses the shipping container as office and retail space; from behind a counter, she sells terrariums, fresh flowers, and hanging planters.

Lila B. florist at Stable Cafe in SF ; Gardenista

Above: Terrariums for sale.

How does it compare to her old space? Check out Shopper's Diary: Lila B. Design in San Francisco to decide for yourself.

Lila B flowers at Stable Cafe in SF ; Gardenista

Above: Chapman mounted metal trellises against the wall of an adjacent building to create a backdrop for instant container gardens.

The trellises, purchased from a Santa Barbara Nursery that was going out of business ("I had no idea at the time how I was going to use them," says Chapman), originally had ground stakes. Baylor cut off the stakes and with Lackey's help suspended the trellises from heavy duty metal wall hooks.

In front of the trellis a container garden is planted in a repurposed galvanized metal cattle trough. Chapman planted a mix of succulents—including aeonium and kalanchoe (with flowers tinged with pink)—and vines. A similar trough is available at Lowe's, where a 6-foot Tarter Galvanized Steel Stock Tank is $154.99.

Lila B flowers at Stable Cafe SF ; Gardenista

Above: Visible in the view from Chapman's office above the Stable Café is a tiered shelf of tiny succulents (for sale) that sits next to the wall trellis. The Stable Café building was renovated by architect owner Malcolm Davis, who transformed the rundown edifice into a space to incubate small local businesses such as Chapman's.

Lila B flowers at Stable Cafe SF ; Gardenista

Above: Last year, the Stable Café's six Santa Rosa plum trees produced 175 pounds of fruit for jam (served in the restaurant).

Lila B flowers at Stable Cafe SF ; Gardenista

Above: On the ground, a permeable surface: Lackey salvaged irregularly shaped pieces of concrete from a demolition site at 19th and Van Ness streets. He transformed the former pieces of city sidewalk into pavers, setting them in decomposed granite and pea gravel.

Lila B flowers at Stable Cafe SF ; Gardenista

Above: "There's a creek beneath this property—the old Mission Creek—that now runs through a pipe, all the way from Mission Dolores to Mission Bay," says Lackey. The path's permeable surface is forgiving if water wells up from underground after a rainstorm.

Lila B flowers at Stable Cafe in SF ; Gardenista

Above: In a galvanized trough, Chapman planted a mix of grasses and succulents, including aeoniums such as the variegated 'Sunburst' and the deep purple 'Voodoo.' "

Lila B flowers at Stable Cafe in SF ; Gardenista

Above: At the back of the courtyard is a covered space (and woodburning oven) where Chapman holds workshops and Lackey serves food at catered events. To sign up for upcoming floral design workshops, see Lila B. Design.

Nice work table; if you're as impressed with it as I was, come back tomorrow for a post about how to design and build a similar one for your potting shed.

lila b valentines flowers at stable cafe sf ; Gardenista

Above: We visited Chapman last week when the pre-Valentine's Day rush was in full swing. On her agenda that day: creating bouquets and arrangements of tulips, poppies, roses, and ranunculus.

Above: Lila B. Design is at 2128 Folsom St., San Francisco, CA.

For more, see Architect Visit: Stable Café in San Francisco.

Outbuilding of the Week: Rethinking the Pre-Fab Utility Shed

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At first glance, we thought that this meticulously detailed and carefully crafted building standing alone on a hill in the landscape might be a bijoux guesthouse or even a small chapel. Imagine our surprise when we discovered it to be nothing more than a prosaic utility shed—and a pre-fabricated one at that.

With a passion for quality craftsmanship, Kansas City-based design/build firm Hufft Projects conceived The Shed to store maintenance equipment for the property of clients for whom Hufft had previously designed a house. To save construction time while ensuring a high level of quality and precision, the firm decided to build the shed from a series of prefabricated elements. Hufft designed a system of modular frames, wall panels and roof trusses to be built by the company's studio. The galvanized steel frames were welded in Hufft's shop and transported to the site where they were bolted together.

Wrapped with a white oak rain-screen with translucent walls at either end, this is no ordinary utility shed. In fact, we’re thinking, “Could this be the world’s most beautiful pre-fabricated utility shed?”

Photography by Mike Sinclair

Hufft Projects, Pre Fab Shed in Kansas City, MO | Gardenista

Above: The Shed sits on a repurposed cul-de-sac sited to the west of the house on a winding entry drive in Springfield, MO. 

Hufft Projects, Pre Fab Shed in Kansas City, MO | Gardenista

Above: The Shed is composed of a system of modular frames, wall panels, and roof trusses. Frosted polycarbonate sheets (Polygal) on a steel frame on both ends of the building bring in natural daylight.

Hufft Projects, Pre Fab Shed in Kansas City, MO | Gardenista

Above: In the front, large operable doors with a built-in steel mechanism span the whole width of the structure allowing room for large scale machinery.

Hufft Projects, Pre Fab Shed in Kansas City, MO | Gardenista

Above: Hufft Projects also designed and built a custom workbench for the Shed.

Hufft Projects, Pre Fab Shed in Kansas City, MO | Gardenista

Above: Linear tubes of fluorescent lighting are seamlessly integrated into the structure.

Hufft Projects, Pre Fab Shed in Kansas City, MO | Gardenista

Above: The view isn't half bad either.

Hufft Projects, Pre Fab Shed in Kansas City, MO | Gardenista

Above: "With natural materials and simple construction methods, The Shed doesn't draw attention to itself but appears to be almost a sculptural element in the landscape," the architects say. 

Hufft Projects, Pre Fab Shed in Kansas City, MO | Gardenista

Above: At night, the strong rhythm of the structure is visible through the frosted polycarbonate sheets. 

Hufft Projects, Pre Fab Shed in Kansas City, MO | Gardenista

Above: On the exterior, the white oak for the rain-screen was taken from trees on the property. The facade is varied and richly textured because the wood was allowed to weather and gray over time.

Hufft Projects, Pre Fab Shed in Kansas City, MO | Gardenista

Above: The galvanized steel elements were delivered to the site pre-welded.

Hufft Projects, Pre Fab Shed in Kansas City, MO | Gardenista

Above: The pre-welded galvanized steel elements were bolted on site. 

Considering building a beautiful utility shed? See Utility Barn as Architectural Moment for more inspiration. Or forget utility because actually, most of us just want to live in a shed. Off the Grid: A Shed for Living will help to keep that fantasy going. 

Design Sleuth: Gardener's Work Table at Lila B. Design

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Secretly I believe all furniture should be on wheels—especially worktables under which you're forever sweeping or vacuuming or hosing. So it was inevitable that I would fall in love at sight with San Francisco floral designer Baylor Chapman's metal-topped rolling worktable when I visited her Lila B. Design studio the other day. Kindly, Chapman shared her sources:

Photographs by Liesa Johannssen for Gardenista.

stainless steel work table lila b florist sf ; Gardenista

Above: Chapman's custom made florist's worktable, based on the design of an Italian butcher table, has wheels to make it portable and a waterproof stainless steel work surface.

A comfortable waist-high height for most worktables is 36 inches. Chapman's table, made of redwood boards and planks cut to size before being screwed and glued together, has a slatted wooden base (which allows water to run off instead of pooling after she hoses off the table).

A selection of redwood, including 2x2x8 Rough Redwood Boards to make legs ($2.77 apiece) and 1x12x8 Rough Redwood Planks ($19.54 apiece) is available from Home Depot.

stainless steel work table lila b florist sf ; Gardenista

Above: A stainless steel tabletop was fabricated by SF-based NuStar Heating & Metal Supply, by folding a sheet of metal plywood shoebox-style around a wooden tabletop.

stainless steel work table lila b florist sf ; Gardenista

Above: Heavy duty tread lock casters swivel to make it easy to move the worktable. Chapman purchased a set of four zinc casters from SF-based California Caster Co. A pair of Heavy Duty 5 Inch Swivel Casters With Double Lock Brakes is $17.95 from Amazon.

stainless steel work table lila b florist sf ; Gardenista

Above: A telescopic double arm towel rail is also a place for Baylor to hang bags. Similar towel rails are available in a range of prices. A solid brass chrome plated Samuel Heath Two Arm Towel Rail that swivels is $320.46 from Perfect Home. A budget option is a Hafele Two Rail Towel Holder made of chrome plated aluminum; $30 from Hafele.

stainless steel work table lila b florist sf ; Gardenista

Above: Chapman's worktable sits in a covered outdoor space. For more, see Shopper's Diary: Lila B. Studio in San Francisco.

N.B.: Looking for more options for a shed or garage? See 10 Easy Pieces: Potting Benches.

Ask the Expert: Garden Friendly De-Icing Techniques

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Though I'm not one to complain about a beautiful snow fall, I'll concede that the slippery mess that a blizzard leaves behind can make for a treacherous morning commute. As I've navigated the streets of my snowy Brooklyn neighborhood this week, I've been grateful to neighbors who have taken the time to clear their sidewalks. But with so much rock salt (and other equally dubious products) being flung everywhere, I've become curious about alternatives to the super-effective, but environmentally unfriendly de-icer I've been spotting around the neighborhood. 

While rock salt (sodium chloride) is an effective treatment for ice—causing it to melt at a faster-than-average rate—it comes with a host of problems. It's corrosive to masonry and metals, irritating to pets' paws, and wreaks havoc on nearby vegetation. So what's the garden-friendly approach to de-icing?

I chatted with Ronnit Bendavid-Val, Director of Gardens and Grounds at Brooklyn Botanic Garden, to see how the park manages to remove snow and ice and still keep the visitors and the vegetation safe.

Photographs by Erin Boyle.

garden-friendly de-icing techniques | gardenista

Above: Snowy steps that if left untreated can become as slippery as a ski slope. Let's save the extreme winter sports to the Olympians.

EB: We've been hearing a lot about the risks of salting and sanding city streets and sidewalks. How do you manage the ice at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden in a plant-friendly way? 

RB-V: The thing that's tricky about ice is that there are many kinds of icy conditions. At the Brooklyn Botanic Garden we look each day at the specifics of the situation and have a toolkit of options for dealing with ice that depends on the particular conditions including ambient temperature, whether the ice is frozen or not-quite-frozen slush,  or an ice slick from melted runoff, whether an area is in sun or shade… 

EB: When you do have to use de-icers, what do you use?

RB-V: We do our best not to use any kind of salt— whether it’s sodium chloride (rock salt) or any other kind. But in areas that are consistently icy and create a safety hazard for visitors, we use calcium chloride only. For people considering what to use on your sidewalk, although sodium chloride tends to work the best, calcium chloride is less harmful for both dogs and plants. Magnesium chloride, another salt less harmful than sodium chloride, tends to be more pricey.

We're also currently experimenting with a brine solution—salt that's been diluted with water—and applied to a paved surface. This has been used by some municipalities in New Jersey and the Boston area. The advantage of brine, apparently, is that in diluting the salt and applying it this way, much less actual salt is used. This winter's been so harsh, however, that it's been more difficult for us to study the effects in the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. 

(N.B.: Ice Melt from Earth Friendly Products is formulated with magnesium chloride hexahydrate; a 6.5-pound jug is $11.)

garden-friendly de-icing techniques | gardenista

Above: Bright pink salt ready to be spread across the sidewalk in Brooklyn.

EB: Recognizing that each scenario requires a different course of action, what's your general process? 

RB-V: First, we clear away as much snow as we can, with a plow, blower, and/or brush. Then on icy patches we lightly spread some sand. Sand not only gives traction, but is a neutral addition to soil when it’s washed into plant beds, and is in fact already found in some soil mixes. Of course, we don’t use sand from a beach which has salt content, but rather clean sand procured for this purpose. 

garden-friendly de-icing techniques | gardenista

Above: Salty residue on the steps of a brownstone.

EB: Any advice for home gardeners managing ice?

RB-V: Definitely clear away any snow before applying sand or salt. Sand is preferable to salt because it's not harmful to the plants or soil as it’s washed away. It’s also less harmful to our rivers when it’s washed into the street drains. Another thing to keep in mind is that it’s important to clear away chunks of ice after it begins to melt, so that there's less chance of the ice and any ice-melt refreezing overnight. 

garden-friendly de-icing techniques | gardenista

Above: An icy booby trap.

EB: I've been hearing about people adding other things to their sidewalks, like kitty litter and sawdust...

RB-V: I think those options get offered because they might be easier to find at the corner bodega. Kitty litter is an absorbent, but it's mostly providing traction like the sand. Sawdust also serves that purpose. Sand is better than either, but if you have to choose between kitty litter and sawdust, keep in mind that the sawdust usually has less of an impact on trees and soil as it washes away.

garden-friendly de-icing techniques | gardenista

Above: A pile of rock salt on a Brooklyn stoop.

EB: If homeowners do need to use salt, is there anything they can do in the springtime to counteract the salt's harmful effects? 

RB-V: Sodium chloride, which is what the city uses to salt the streets, is extremely water soluble. If you want to do something nice, soak your tree pits with water in the springtime to dilute and wash away the salt residue.

Interested in hearing more from folks at the BBG? See Surviving a Storm: Expert Tips from the Brooklyn Botanic GardenFor Kids Only: A Hidden Garden in Brooklyn, and Uli Lorimer: Native Plant Whisperer.

The Week in Review: Patiently Awaiting Spring

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With the cold months coming to an end, we are looking forward to the purge that often coincides with warmer temperatures. This week we shared some of our favorite garage storage and organization solutions to jumpstart our spring cleaning.

Here is a collection of links we've loved this week: 

Primroses at Lila B. Design SF ; Gardenista

Garage with Green Roof | Gardenista

  • Above: We agree with Meredith when she says, "...a good garage is at home with the architecture of the house around it." Here's her roundup of ten garages with serious style. 
  • Sunset's chic houseplants remind us to bring more of the garden indoors. 
  • Is it almost wedding season already? Yatzer has us thinking about alternative ways to celebrate nuptials

66 Square Feet Frozen Fire Escape | Gardenista

  • Above: Frozen fire escapes in New York make urban gardening a real feat, via 66 Square Feet
  • Giant flowers as fashion.

Garage Turned Restaurant | Gardenista

 For more from this week on Gardenista, see Garage Envy.

Carolyn Murphy's Painting Studio—in the Garage

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Paul Gauguin may have had to flee France for Tahiti to find his painter's paradise, but Carolyn Murphy need only retreat to her own garage.

The model and actress—yes, you've seen her, in addition to appearing on Vogue and Sports Illustrated covers, Carolyn has been the face of Estée Lauder since 2001—lives in Santa Monica with her 11-year-old daughter, Dylan, and their dog, cat, rabbit, and chickens (plus horses that are stabled nearby). The mother and daughter share an artistic bent, so when they moved into a 1920 Spanish Colonial house, they targeted the freestanding garage as their studio. Decorator Schuyler Samperton was happy to take care of the transformation, which she miraculously executed from first shopping trip to complete finish in three days flat.

Photographs by Grey Crawford.

Above: Some of the best finds, including a pair of stripped-down French armchairs and metal lamp, and an American inlaid wood easel came from Galerie Half on Melrose Avenue. The wood bird cage, used as a light, is from Nicky Kehoe. Carolyn and her daughter treat the space as an all-purpose refuge. They draw, paint, and sculpt in it, and hold monthly Stitch and Bitch gatherings in which, says Carolyn, "other women and kids hang around and get creative."

Above: After the garage was freed of the usual accumulations—discarded furniture, surfboards, and boxes of Christmas ornaments—charmingly rustic wood-framed walls and concrete floors emerged. They were simply left as is, including a patch of graffiti that reads "Zorro was here." Taking her cues from Murphy's fondness for well-worn antiques and her naturalist bent (she lived for a time in Costa Rica and says, "if I weren't in fashion, I'd be a botanist or a shaman"), Samperton created what looks like a jungle retreat for a 19th-century artist, one with far-ranging interests and tastes. A kitchen garden filled with herbs, leaf greens, peas, and melons is right out front.

Above: Art supplies are stashed in a reclaimed wood cabinet from Big Daddy's Antiques. The striped kilims and botanical prints and specimens are from Nicky Kehoe. The box turtle shells—not from endangered species, Samperton assures us—were discovered on the website The American Headhunter.

Above: A vintage hotel letter holder from Big Daddy's holds tubes of paint .

N.B.: See more of our favorite garages in our Gallery of rooms and spaces.


Heat, Rinse, Repeat: A Sauna Hut in Sweden

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In Scandinavia, the ritual of sauna and bathing is a national pastime—a highly social and communal one, we might add.

How could it not be? Sitting together intimately in close quarters, conversing about everything and nothing, followed by a quick group dip into an invigorating cold body of water. Repeat several times, have a nightcap, and start over again the next day. Join us on a tour of an exemplary spa structure by Windgardhs.

Photographs via Windgardhs, unless otherwise noted.

Above: Annexed to an old farm in the countryside of Västra Karup, Sweden, the Mill House and its pool were designed by Swedish architecture firm Windgardhs, commissioned by a family from the nearby city of Malmö.

Above: A succession of woven willow screens creates a path to the Mill House.

Above: The sauna pavilion features an indoor/outdoor feel; photograph via Man Make Home.

Above: The Mill House serves as a guest house to the main farmhouse; image via Coester.

Above: Natural daylight connects the sauna to the exterior.

Above: The guest house and sauna are nestled into the landscape.

For more spa inspiration, see Outbuilding of the Week: An Island Cabin, Sauna Included.

Shopper's Diary: Behind the Scenes at Winston Flowers in Boston

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It all began with a pushcart. Since their first days wheeling flowers up and down Boston's fashionable Newbury Street in 1944, Robert Winston and his son, Maynard, cultivated a business based on rare and exquisite blooms as well as individualized customer service. Today, despite the company's overwhelming success, David and Ted Winston have never lost touch with their grandfather's vision. Their commitment to the entire process—from the small farmers who grow their plants and flowers to the customer who places them in their garden or home—is why Winston Flowers and Garden has always been one of my favorites.

This week, visiting Winston Flowers and Garden's flagship store in Chestnut Hill, MA, I was treated to an inside glimpse of how Boston's premier florist gets ready for Valentine's Day.

Photos by Michael Piazza for Gardenista.

hyacinths, anemones, callas at Winston Florist, Gardenista

Above: For me, entering any of the seven Winston locations around the Boston area is a bit like stepping into a fantasy world where radiant blooms and vibrant greens never cease to inspire. My favorite thing to do at Winston's is to browse the weekly selects, such as these green viburnum, plum calla lilies, petal pink hyacinths, and fuchsia anemones, which are available for Valentine's Day, and create my own arrangement. But if you prefer, the expert staff of designers is happy to help create your own custom bouquet. 

sweet peas at Winston Florist, Gardenista

Above: It was Maynard Winston who established the practice of importing flowers directly from the markets in Holland, which ensures not only the flowers' freshness, but also grants the company access to some of the rarest European blooms, such as these violet-colored sweetpeas.

Valentine selects at Winston Florist, Gardenista

Above: The textured concrete of the interiors, designed by architect Tim Techler and the Winston Flowers and Garden creative team, offsets the jewel tones of more Valentine offerings. 

anemones at Winston Florist, Gardenista

Above: Just like in the early days, many of Winston's flowers, such as these rare anemones from San Remo, Italy, are grown on small family farms.

quince of the counter at Winston Florist, Gardenista

Above: Behind the counter lined with delicate sprays of quince, Theresa, one of Winston's design managers, brings a fresh Valentine's bouquet for a client.

Valentine arrangement at Winston Florist, Gardenista

Above: The designs at each location, such as this Valentine's arrangement from the flagship in Newton, MA, are exclusive to that store. Not in the Boston area? No worries, Winston's bouquets are also available online

greens ans whites at Winston Flowers, Gardenista

Above: In addition to cut flowers, the Winston shops carry rare plants for the home and garden, many of which are cultivated in the greenhouse seen beyond these doors.

rose petals at Winston Flowers, Gardenista

Above: For Valentine's Day, visitors to the Chestnut Hill store are greeted by luscious tubs of floating rose petals.

red roses and purples at Winston Florist, Gardenista

Above: More Valentine's selects above feature Winston roses, which are cultivated according to fair trade practices on "boutique" farms in Ecuador. The small size of these farms ensures that the roses are never over produced and thus maintain their exquisite fragrance.

Valentine arrangement at Winston Flowers, Gardenista

Above: A complete composition: much like the flowers, Winston's vases are often handmade or small-batch productions fashioned by artisans.

ranunculus at Winston Flowers, Gardenista

Above: Dazzling raspberry ranuculus from Italy were among my Valentine's favorites.

paper whites and pale pinks at Winston Flowers, Gardenista

Above: The plants and flowers available at Winston Flowers and Garden change on a weekly basis, so there is always something new in the store. Here I caught the last of the previous week's selects.

hyacinths at Winston Flowers, Gardenista

Above: Note the wrapping on the stems of these plum colored hyacinths from Italy. At Winston, no detail is too small.

The Winston Flowers and Garden Flagship is located at 11 Florence, Newton, MA. Open from 9 am to 6 pm, from Monday to Saturday and from 10 am to 5 pm on Sundays. For more information and additional locations, head to the Winston Website.

N.B. Want to see what else I've done with Winston Flowers? See my DIY Desktop Zen Garden or Winter Romance Bouquet with Silver Brunia.

A Japanese-Inspired Ranch in New Mexico

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Rick Joy, the under-the-radar architect of the American West, is the design visionary behind Lone Mountain Ranch, a slice of modernism in the New Mexico desert. Owners Robert and Mary Lloyd Estrin spent time in Japan, researching the Wagyu cattle business, before engaging Joy to build their residence in Golden, New Mexico, the centerpiece of their Lone Mountain Wagyu Cattle Company. Not surprisingly, the design has Japanese overtones; the exterior is clad in charred shou-sugi-ban cedar, which makes the structure fire resistant, and the interiors have a Zen-like calm.

Photography by Peter Ogilvie via Architectural Record.

Lone Mountain Ranch Rick Joy/Gardenista

Above: The house was designed to nestle into a desert landscape of sagebrush and piñon trees. Landscape architect Michael Boucher's design is so discreet that the grounds seem unlandscaped.

Lone Mountain Ranch Rick Joy/Gardenista

Above: Walls of windows frame views of the desert.

Lone Mountain Rick Joy Architect/Gardenista

Above: "The project demonstrates a creative sensitivity to the site, climate, vegetation, and quality of light," according to David Heymann, AIA, Austin, a member of the panel that awarded the project the 2013 Harnar Award.

Lone Mountain Rick Joy/Gardenista

Above: Robert Estrin, who describes himself as a "weekend astronomer," requested a roof terrace for star gazing.

Lone Mountain Rick Joy/Gardenista

Above: The walled roof deck is discreetly recessed and is not visible from the ground.

Lone Mountain Rick Joy/Gardenista

Above: The galvanized standing-seam roof is "twisted to make two low points on diagonally opposing corners," Joy says in the Santa Fe New Mexican. "The gutter system directs water from these low points into two cisterns, one at either end of the structure."

Lone Mountain Rick Joy/Gardenista

Above: The site is surrounded by mountain ranges and views include Lone Mountain and the pine forests of the Ortiz Mountains.

Lone Mountain Site Plan Rick Joy/Gardenista

Above: The site plan.

For more desert landscapes, see Haute Bohemia: Korakia Pensione in the California Desert.

Ask the Expert: 10 Tips for a Zero Waste Garden

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My neighbor Bea has persuaded her family (including her husband, Scott, her two sons and a tiny dog) to live with less stuff than the average monk—and to produce no garbage. She's a high priestess of garbage-free living who owns a single pair of jeans, takes meat jars to the butcher to prevent him from wrapping her order in paper, and avoids dental floss waste by using a brass gum stimulator with a metal tip.

Bea, the author of Zero Waste Home, also simplified her garden; here are her top ten tips for zero waste gardening:

Photographs by Michelle Slatalla.

bea johnson zero waste lemon tree ; Gardenista
 
Above: On Bea Johnson's deck, a thriving potted lemon tree fertilized with pee.

Tip No. 1: Fertilize your potted lemon trees with urine. "All you have to do is pee in the pot two or three times a year," says Bea. "I didn't realize how much of a difference it made until one of my sons stopped doing it in his tree and the leaves turned yellow. Scott peed in it, and boom, it's back." 

Tip No. 2: Don't grow natives just because you think you should. While natives sound good in theory, your garden has a particular climate all its own. "We spent hundreds of dollars on edible, native vegetables, and it was a nightmare, because they all got eaten or died," says Bea. "I had to accept my limitations. Natives are very sensitive to their environment, and for example, it turns out the native thimbleberry raspberries I planted do well where it is quite moist in areas where there are redwoods. But our soil is 'oaky,' so they died."

bea aloe plant in kitchen zero waste ; Gardenista
 
Above: A potted aloe plant in Bea's kitchen; she cuts off a leaf and rubs it against burns or bites to sooth the sting. See How to Propagate Aloe Vera for tips on growing your own.

Tip No. 3: Get expert help to design a garden. It will save money in the long run. "After the natives died, I got a planting plan, for a garden that does not need much water or maintenance, and then Scott and I planted everything ourselves," says Bea, who worked with Sausalito-based Shades of Green Landscape Architecture to come up with a list of plants suited to her dry, sunny hillside garden.

The low-water plants in Bea's garden include fruitless blackberries, Berkeley sedge, New Zealand flax ("we got it because we wanted something really tall to cover the retaining wall behind where it was planted"), and asparagus ferns.

bea castile soap zero waste ; Gardenista

Above: A bottle of Castile soap, for washing dishes, laundering clothes, and cleaning the house.

Tip No. 4: To repel garden pests, use a natural solution of Castile soap and water.  (For Bea's recipe, see DIY: The Best Insecticide, No Harmful Chemicals).

 Tip No. 5: Get plants for free. "Often the same plants you are looking for are plants that other people want to get rid of," says Bea. "Our oak tree fell and we wanted to replace it. One day I asked the friends I walk with on Wednesday mornings, 'Anybody have a sapling?' Not longer after, I was having a party and one of my friends brought a sapling to me as a hostess gift."

Tip No. 6: Give plants away for free. If you dig up something, post a notice on Craigslist—"Free Plants"—and leave it at the curb in a pot. "Someone will always come by," says Bea.

bea vertical wall zero waste ; Gardenista

Above: A vertical wall of plants in Bea's living room.

Tip No. 7:  If you are installing or adding to your drip irrigation system,  buy pieces individually. Local stores will sell individual unpackaged irrigation pieces without packaging.

Tip No. 8: Keep your garden shears handy. "If they're right there, in a drawer next to where you stand when you contemplate your garden, you are more likely to use them on a whim." 

Bea Johnson zero waste vertical garden ; Gardenista

Above: A closeup view of Bea's indoor vertical garden.

Tip No. 9: Nurseries will take back pots. After you bring home plants, return the plastic containers.

Tip No. 10:  Take reusable sand bags to the store and fill them with bulk mulch to avoid plastic or paper bags. Also, if you have a pine tree, sweep up fallen needles and use them as a mulch; sprinkle needles over exposed soil to control weeds.

  bea book zero waste home ; Gardenista

Above: Zero Waste Home by Bea Johnson is $14.50 from Amazon.

For more of Bea's tips for simplifying life, see 10 Ways to Live With Less From Zero Waste Home.

N.B.: This is an update of a post originally published June 25, 2013.

5 Favorites: Stylish Rain Barrels

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A drought in California has us carefully considering the ways that we're planning to approach our gardening this spring and summer. In addition to planting Drought Tolerant Perennials, we're hoping to rely a less on water from the spigot and more on water from the sky. Harvesting rainwater is our No. 1 priority.

To catch some precious rainwater to save for later, here are five of our favorite rainwater catchment systems—rain barrels that are pleasant to look at and practical additions to any water-conscious gardener's arsenal.

Above: A modular system includes the Buttonwood Wood Slat System (contact Shift directly for ordering information) and the Fitzwater Raintank ($1,800) and Pennsgrove Planter ($910); both available at Horne. For more, see Minimalist Garden Products with a Mission.

Above: The Sheet Steel Rain Barrel is made from galvanized and powder-coated green sheet steel. The rainwater barrel features a brass tap with a hose fitting and has a capacity of about 40 gallons of water; €464 from Manufactum.

  5 Favorites: Rain Barrels | Gardenista

Above: The utilitarian Rain Barrel and Diverter attaches to metal and plastic downspouts to collect water directly from the gutter. Made of recycled food-grade polyethylene; $199 from Gaiam.

Above: For a serious DIY project, see instructions for this rain barrel made from a 55-gallon metal malt drum via Forgotten Skills.

5 favorites: rain barrels | gardenista  

Above: The Eco Square Wood Rain Barrel is made from long-lasting, heat-treated red pine that won't warp with use; $259.95 from Fine Garden Products.

N.B.: This is an update of a post by Alexa Hotz5 Quick Fixes: Collecting Rainwater with Style.

Drink Up: A Good-Looking Water Filter

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Ready to trade your plastic Brita pitcher for something a little more presentable? This new glass design from Soma just might fit the bill.

Its creation story goes something like this: at a dinner party, the host pulled out his water-filtering plastic pitcher from the refrigerator and while pouring it watched the top fall off and the black-flecked contents splash onto the floor. He and a friend vowed then and there to come up with a more effective and better-looking design for filtering water.

 

Above: The Soma is a glass carafe inset with a cone-shaped biodegradable filter that needs to be changed every 60 days. It retails for $49 via SF-based Soma and filters cost $12.99 each (if you sign up for Soma's subscription service, a new one will arrive in the mail when it's time to swap out the old one.)

Above: Soma has a pour-through lid designed not to fall off—ever. Tap water runs through a cone-shaped filter made of rustic high-tech combination of materials: coconut shell carbon, four layers of silk, and a plant-based plastic casing. Needless to say, there was a long development period between that first dinner party and the product launch, which began with a Kickstarter campaign.

 

Above: The cone-shaped filter has a removable inset. The hourglass shape makes the carafe easy to grab.

Above: The Soma holds about 48 ounces of water or enough to fill six glasses. The company says its filtered water is crisp and clean tasting. We're eager to try it. For more, go to Soma.

Prefer your water with a little flavor? See Herbal Essence: Just Add Water or spice things up with a Citrus-y Cleanse.

The Dark Mirror: A Backyard Reflecting Pool in Eastern Europe

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From the street, you would never know. A tall hedge of clipped yew hides a backyard reflecting pool whose surface is "a dark mirror," designed to reflect the sky and clouds above Brno in the Czech Republic.

Created by Eva Wagnerová for clients who had recently renovated a dilapidated old house, the shallow pool is lined with black granite slabs to create a reflective surface. An adjacent granite patio is just big enough to comfortably fit two chairs; a set of asymmetrical mossy pavers juts out into the pool. Stare at it for awhile. Do you feel yourself relaxing?

Photographs via Eva Wagnerová.

Eva Wagnerova pool Trnka ; Gardenista

Above: The color palette is limited to green, gray, and blue—punctuated by white-flowering cherry trees in spring and clematis flowers in summer. 

Eva Wagnerova pool Trnka ; Gardenista

Above: Mossy granite pavers are set into the side of pool, designed "to dissolve" into the water, the designer says.

Eva Wagnerova pool Trnka ; Gardenista

Above: The pool sits beneath a miniature grove of four cherry trees and is surrounded by garden beds planted with bamboo, grasses, and flowering perennials. On the fence, Clematis Montana is a fast-growing, white-flowering perennial vine that will eventually cover the whole expanse.

Eva Wagnerova pool Trnka ; Gardenista

Above: Clumps of large-leafed hostas, which prefer a moist environment, border the patio. The juxtaposition of the severe rectangular shapes of pool and pavers against the softer, unclipped silhouettes of grasses and shrubs creates a feeling of unforced order in the garden.

Eva Wagnerova pool Trnka ; Gardenista

Above: "The black slate bottom slabs shimmering through the water make the pool's surface reminiscent of a dark mirror," says Wagnerová. 

Something about this reflecting pond reminds us of poet Ian Hamilton Finlay's Garden in Scotland. Is it the water, or is it the use of stone slabs as garden ornaments?


Steal This Look: A Seaside Beauty in Marin

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If we had a seaside vacation home, we'd want ours to be architecturally refined, eco-friendly, and ultimately casual, just like the Seadrift House by San Francisco-based CCS Architecture. Located a half-hour's drive north of San Francisco, the 1,900-square-foot second home suits a three-generation Bay Area family. All energy for the house—including electricity, hot water, and heating and cooling—is generated via photovoltaic cells that actually send power back to the local grid. The house accommodates abundant entertaining, with variably sized lounging areas spread across several decks and patios. Here are some ideas for recreating the look:

N.B.: See more of Cass Calder Smith's architecture in his new monograph, Eat Live Work.

Project photography by Matthew Millman.

CCS Architecture Seadrift/Gardenista

Above: A Mediterranean planting anchors the courtyard of the Seadrift House, located in a gated vacation community at the tip of Stinson Beach in Marin County. Neighboring homes include designs by California architectural greats Joseph Esherick and William Wurster. (See a Wurster design in The Cult of the Courtyard: 10 Homes with Amazing Interior Light.)

Seadrift House in Stinson Beach California by CCS Architecture, Gardenista

Above: In anticipation of rising sea levels, local code requires any new construction to be at least three feet above grade. So CCS designed the house as a "pier," building decks that step down toward the water. Outdoor furniture is by American designer Richard Schultz, who designed the collection in 1966 to meet Florence Knoll's need for weatherproof outdoor furniture.

Western Red Cedar Lumber, Gardenista

Above: CCS used vertical cedar siding on the house with a bleaching oil finish in gray. Photograph via Bear Creek Lumber.

Richard Schultz for Knoll 1966 Dining Chair, Gardenista

Above: The 1966 Dining Arm Chair by Richard Schultz is $1,193 from Knoll.

Richard Schultz for Knoll Dining Table, Gardenista

Above: The 1966 Dining Table Rectangle; $2,499 from Knoll.

Richard Schultz for Knoll Chaise, Gardenista

Above: The 1966 Adjustable Chaise; $2,713 from Knoll.

Room and Board Chaise in Gray, Gardenista

Above: A little less pricey, the Montego Chaise with Cushion from Room & Board is $1,579 for the combination shown here: stainless steel and cement Sunbrella canvas.

Blue and Silver Richard Schultz 1966 Table for Knoll, Gardenista

Above: The 1966 20-by-32-Inch End Table in Silver and Marine Blue by Richard Schultz; $1,231 at YLiving. 

Stainless Steel Swimming Ladder, Gardenista  

Above: The house has a water-level dock for swimming and boating; for a similar ladder, consider the Three Step Stainless Steel Dock Ladder; $545 from StainlessDockLadders.com. 

Large Cape Rush Plant, Gardenista

Above: Cape Rush, or Chondropetalum tectorum, is a good choice for seaside vacation homes; it tolerates drought, excessive watering, and everything in between.

Outdoor Directional Lighting, Gardenista

Above: For directional outdoor lighting, the AWL.46 Wall Light is $348 from YLighting. 

Modern Chrome Outdoor Lantern Sconce, Gardenista

Above: For a less pricey modern outdoor lantern, try the Incandescent 1 Light Outdoor Wall Lantern by Progress Lighting; $38.79 from Wayfair.

Keep exploring waterside design in 10 Easy Perennials for the Seaside GardenA Seaside Landscape in Northern France, and A Historic Farm, Ocean Views Included

Shopper's Diary: Natural Flower Dyes and Silk Scarves, from Cara Marie Piazza

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As a florist and flower lover, I like to see flowers put to good use. The downside of working in the world of floral design is that there's a considerable amount of floral waste. Leftover flower scraps and past-their-prime blossoms too often find their way to the landfill.

I hate to see them go, even when blooms are old, dying, and no longer suitable for making arrangements. I especially hate it when I think about how many flowers get thrown away every day. So when I heard that Cara Marie Piazza, a textile designer in New York City, uses floral trash as one of the many ingredients for her natural dyes, I had to learn more. 

A trip to her studio confirmed that I have a newfound obsession with her work.  

Photographs by Sophia Moreno-Bunge for Gardenista, except where noted.

Natural Dyes | Gardenista

Above: Cara Marie Piazza's natural dye studio.

On a mission to find sustainable alternatives to the harsh synthetic chemicals and dyes used in the fashion industry, Cara collects floral leftovers from florists around New York City and uses them to dye her fabrics, transforming trash into textiles worth treasuring. Each textile she sells online at Cara Marie NYC is one of a kind—some with colors that serve as reminders of the flowers' past vibrancy, and others in softer, more subtle hues.  

Natural Dye with Flowers | Gardenista

Above: Flowers Cara will use for a "bundle" dye. 

Cara first experimented in textiles while studying at the Chelsea College of Art and Design in London. She began as a screen and digital printer, but found she didn't enjoy the process of working on a computer to create textiles. After taking a natural dye workshop, she was hooked. A self-proclaimed brown thumb and a lack of space to grow her own dye plants led Cara to start using flower and food waste as dye. She became addicted to "watching the experiments take form like a witch's brew." More than that, she explains: "Natural dyeing offered me a chance to be an urban alchemist and move my work away from my computer."

Natural Dyeing with Flowers | Gardenista

Above: Cara making a bundle dye with flower trash rolled onto a white backdrop.

Natural Dyeing | Gardenista

Above: Bundles (rolled with flowers) get steamed over a large vat of water to release the plant dyes onto the fabric.

Natural Dyes | Gardenista

Above: This textile was dyed for four hours with an assortment of red and green eucalyptus leaves, dahlia, and rose. Then it was dip-dyed in madder and set with white wine vinegar.

Pressed Flowers for Natural Dye | Gardenista

Above: Extra flowers that Cara will dry first, and then use as dye. 

In addition to culling from the waste piles of New York's florists, one of Cara's recent projects involves partnering with NYC restaurants to intercept their food waste. She's recently partnered with Reynard of the Wythe Hotel in Williamsburg, using the restaurant's Brussels sprout, cabbage, and onion skin leftovers to make dye. 

Natural Dyeing | Gardenista

Above: A silk Vesta Infinity Scarf dyed with twice-extracted madder and dried hibiscus measures 34 inches long by 20 inches wide and is $250. Photograph by Alberto Moreau.

Natural Dyeing | Gardenista

Above: A silk Devi Wrap Scarf in an itajime shibori pattern, dyed with logwood, iron sulphate, madder, and turmeric is 70 inches long and 20 inches wide; $275. Photograph by Alberto Moreau.

Natural Dyes | Gardenista

Above: A silk Freyja Wrap Scarf dyed with madder, iron sulphate and turmeric in an itajime shibori print is 70 inches long and 20 inches wide; it is $275. Photography by Alberto Moreau.

Stay tuned: Cara is working on a line of housewares and tomorrow she will be sharing her technique for DIY: Indigo Dye. 

Interested in more posts on natural dye? See Make a Natural Fabric Dye With WisteriaDIY: Black Walnut Tie-Dye Napkins, and Back to Nature: Plant Dyes from Permacouture.

Design Sleuth: Vertical Garden of Terra Cotta Pots

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In Australia, where drought is nothing new, we often spot clever ideas for creating eco-friendly, low-water gardens.

In this case, interior designer Claire Larritt-Evans used a custom version of an off-the-shelf vertical garden system to cover a brick wall in a townhouse garden with a grid of terra cotta pots.

With Larritt-Evans' help, we tracked down the components to recreate the look:

Photographs by Sean Fennessy.

Vertical Garden wall of terra cotta pots Larritt-Evans l Gardenista

Above: A one-story-high vertical wall of potted plants provides enough greenery to create an entire garden on a small, enclosed city patio. "We chose plants that provide a gentle fragrance for the owners and are also selected to best suit the climate and thrive in the existing conditions," says Larritt-Evans.

Vertical Garden wall of terra cotta pots Larritt-Evans l Gardenista

Above: Created by eco-garden proponent Joost Bakker, Vertical Walls and Vertical Garden Columns are available in several sizes and configurations.

Suitable plants include fragrant Mediterranean herbs, which thrive in a sunny, dry climate.

"The system we used can be custom made to size," says Larritt-Evans, "and we opted to have an inbuilt irrigation system on a timer." The irrigation system limits water use to a bare minimum and delivers moisture directly to the plants' roots. 

The mossy, aged look of the terra cotta pots looks particularly good against a brick wall. To soften the too-orange color of new pots, try our DIY: Transform Terra Cotta Pots Into Instant Antiques.

Joost Bakker vertical garden l Gardenista

Above: For more details about the metal Vertical Wall Columns, see our previous post about Joost Bakker's Vertical Wall Gardens.

Vertical garden wall terra cotta pots Joost Bakker Schiavello l Gardenista

Above: The Vertical Walls and Vertical Garden Columns are constructed of steel rods, available in two finishes: black powder coat or galvanized. For pricing and ordering information, see Schiavello.

Vertical Garden wall of terra cotta pots Larritt-Evans l Gardenista

Want to cover a wall with plants? See all of our favorite Vertical Gardens, plus a genius DIY Living Wall, Lazy Person's Edition.

Ask the Expert: 11 Tips for Designing a Water-Conscious Garden

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With offices in Phoenix, Arizona and Austin, Texas, landscape architect Christine Ten Eyck knows a thing or two about designing in arid landscapes. Lest you think the solution to designing a water-conscious garden is to cover the ground with hardscape and gravel and give up on the plants, we've sought out expert advice for fostering lush desert landscapes.

Before pulling out your divining rod and praying for rain, consider implementing her tips for designing a garden in an area where water is scarce:

tips for designing a water-conscious garden | gardenista

Above: A gravel gathering space surrounded by trees, low-water grasses, and succulents.

1. Use low-water native plants and don’t over water. Consider a beautiful low-water succulent garden and plant sedums, agaves, yuccas, and prickly pears.

2. Harvest air conditioner condensate and use to water plants. The beauty of this is that you get the water when you need it: in the summer in hot weather.

3. Use trees as the backbone of the garden. Trees give shade and keep the ground cooler. (Don’t forget to deeply water trees in times of drought.)

tips for designing a water-conscious garden | gardenista

Above: Van Eyck explains, "Brimming water features create an ever changing mirror that reflects the sky and psychologically cools." 

4. Build a brimming water feature. Stay away from fountains with jets that tend to lose water to spray. Instead, learn from the Moorish gardens in Spain and build a fountain that uses the least amount of water for the most effect.

5. Harvest rainwater in cisterns or by creating swales. Direct the water you collect to trees and gardens.

6. Use drip irrigation and separate shrub valves from tree valves. Drip irrigation helps maintain optimal soil moisture throughout the season and not just in times of drought. 

   tips for designing a water-conscious garden | gardenista

Above: A permeable driveway and retaining wall allow water to soak into the ground and move freely from one level to the next.

7. Use permeable pavers and gravel for gathering spaces and driveways. This allows water to penetrate the soil (don’t use plastic underneath).

8. Use mulches and compost on and in soil. Both help retain water.

 tips for designing a water-conscious garden | gardenista

Above: Stone check dams and terracing help hold water on a sloping property, providing water to trees and the low-water natives planted beneath them.

9. If you have a sloping lot, create check dams with stone or salvaged broken concrete. Check dams slow rainwater when it does come and help the water to percolate into the soil.

 tips for designing a water-conscious garden | gardenista

Above: Garden walls and shade structures shelter the garden from harsh midday sun.

10. Create microclimates. Use walls and shade structures to shade sections of the garden from the sun.

 tips for designing a water-conscious garden | gardenista

11. Shower outside with biodegradable soap. Direct the runoff water toward the plants.

For more from Van Eyck, see How to Transform An Abandoned Parking Lot Into a Wildlife Habitat, Marfa Edition. Designing a garden? See our complete archive of Ask the Expert posts, including Ask the Expert: 10 Tips for a Zero Waste Garden.

10 Easy Pieces: Rain Chains

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Downspouts are one of those items that homeowners like to ignore. And who can blame us? Downspouts are not very attractive. They can be loud when they are effective, and troublesome when they aren't (think leaf clogs).

Why not consider a rain chain? No clogs. No Dents. No water-rushing-through-a-pipe sounds. In fact, rain chains are like a built-in water feature: visually appealing, they offer a soothing sound when water cascades down. 

  Kim-Hoyr-Architect-Brooklyn-Rain-Chains-Gardenista

Above: Brooklyn-based architect Kim Hoyt hung rain chains in a townhouse garden in Boerum Hill.

How do rain chains work? It's easy. They attach to the gutter outlet with a connector spout that directs the water down the chain into a water receptacle or drainage bed where the bottom end of the chain is secured. This highly effective rainwater device has been used for centuries in Japan. Not ready to replace every downspout on your home? Consider updgrading at least those at your home's entry and other well-used outdoor areas where the downspouts are visually conspicuous. 

Here's our roundup of favorites:

Link Style Rain Chains

(Note: Link style, rather than cup-style rain chains, are recommended for climates with heavy snow.)

Stainless Steel Rain Chain ; Gardenista

Above: I am partial to the simple and utilitarian Stainless Steel Link Rain Chain. Made of very high marine-grade 316L stainless, the links are welded for maximum load capacity. Available in four thicknesses ranging from 1/8th inch to 5/16th inch, the stainless chain is from $98 to $139 (depending on thickness) for a 9.5-foot length at Gutter Supply. 

Zen Loop Rain Chain, Gardenista

Above: The Zen Loop Link Rain Chain is handmade of 3-inch copper rings; $119 for an 8.5-foot length at Gutter Supply.

Copper Rain Chain diamond links ; Gardenista

Above: Made of copper, an 8.5-foot length of Diamond Rain Chain is $108.95 from Japanese Style.

Copper Rain Chain ; Gardenista  

Above: A Copper Link Rain Chain is appreciated for the patina it develops over time. The Extra Links Copper Rain Chain features an extra link inset into the chain for improved water flow; $20.95 per linear foot at Rain Chains. 

Oval Loop Rain Chain, Gardenista  

Above: The aluminum Double Oval Loop Rain Chain in a metal gray finish is $49.95 for an 8.5-foot length chain at Rain Chains Direct.

Tearcrop Copper Rain Chain, Gardenista

Above: Monarch's Copper Teardrop Rain Chain; $75.99 for an 8.5-foot length chain through Amazon.

 

Cup Style Rain Chains

Channel Link Rain Chain, Gardenista  

Above: The Channel Link Black Rain Chain (L) is made of high quality aluminum finished in flat black powder coating. The Channel Link Rain Chain (R) is also available in 100 percent copper. Each is $49.95 for an 8.5-foot length chain at Rain Chains Direct.

Square LInk Rain Chain, Gardenista

Above: The Square Link Black Rain Chain (L) is made of high quality aluminum finished in a flat black powder coating. The Square Link Rain Chain (R) is also available in 100 percent copper. Each is $49.95 for an 8.5-foot length at Rain Chains Direct. 

Take Japanese Rain Chain, Gardenista  

Above: The Také Rain Chain is a modern play on the bamboo shape. A refined and expensive option, it's $657 for a 9-foot length with 24 steel segments at Goods from Japan.

Vintage galvanized rain chain ; Gardenista

Above: A one-of-a-kind Vintage Industrial Galvanized Rain Chain is 31 inches long with 2-inch-square cups; $55 from Green Cycle Design LA via Etsy.

Are you working on an interior remodel as well? See our archive of Remodelista: 10 Easy Pieces.

We've solved the problem of clogged downspouts; now it is time to consider Gutter Guards.

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