Today we’re returning to the gorgeous garden of Jeanne Erdahl in Sammamish, Washington. We’ve seen Jeanne’s garden a couple of times this year (check out those previous submissions here: Jeanne’s Spring Garden and Jeanne’s Midsummer Garden), and each time we’ve seen a little bit of the garden art that is scattered throughout this lush landscape. However, we’ve never gotten a proper tour of some of these fantastic sculptures until today. While we usually focus on plant collections here at Garden Photo of the Day, it’s always a delight to see the art and accessories that inject even more personality and style into a garden, and Jeanne’s garden art collection is a carefully curated gallery.
Starting with our spawning salmon swimming upstream in our dry streambed, with glass bubbles in their wake
Perestroika (my partner claims naming rights for most of our sculptures) is an imposing abstract metal cube, perched diagonally on one corner, which replaced a struggling alpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa, Zones 4–7) near our front entry. That fir was the last of three to succumb to the lowlands of Washington, where they had been unwisely taken out of their preferred mountain altitude.
My most recent acquisition of a 3-foot-diameter ceramic globe, which has nestled happily under the bloodgood maple (Acer palmatum ‘Bloodgood’,Zones 5–8)sporting many of the same mauve/green colors. Unnamed.
I am always surprised and delighted when our fall cyclamen (Cyclamen coum, Zones 6–9) pop up when and where least expected. One 4-inch pot was planted on a very dry slope years ago, and they have spread into family groupings 10 to 15 feet away from the original planting. Completely disappeared in spring and summer, but they start reappearing around August and bloom happily well into our rainy winter.
Close by, and also at our front walkway, are two rusty hens glaring at each other to see who has the best coat of “hens and chicks”(Sempervivum tectorum, Zones 3–8)thriving on their backs.
This arrival bell was crafted, I believe, from the top half of a diver’s oxygen tank. It has a surprisingly clear and mellow tone that reverberates long after the clapper is struck inside the cylinder.
This is one of my favorite things George has created from found scrap metal. He rescued this bent piece of conduit from a ditch alongside our street, considered it for some months, and then mounted it, along with a few rusty wrenches, on two pieces of cedar, shaped to become a bird and the worm. It’s a much-appreciated handrail going down the stone steps into the backyard.
Our most prized metal pieces are by Andrew Carson (andrewcarsonsculpture.com), the Seattle artist who is the creator of many windsculptures around the Seattle area and beyond. They are superbly crafted of cast colored glass and stainless steel; the glass cups face in opposite directions on each of five separate rounds so that each one rotates in the opposite direction from the one below. The first one we acquired (pictured on an earlier post) is now over 20 years old; has survived snow, rain, extreme winds, and falling branches; and still turns as quietly and smoothly as when it was installed. I got to name this one: She’s Tina Turner. She may turn crazy-fast on a stormy winter day as the wind comes up off Lake Sammamish, or just move at a lazy pace on a quiet summer day.
We know autumn is coming when the clumps of epimedium—another one of my most reliable plants—start turning color. I think this one is ‘Orange Queen’ (Epimedium × warleyense ‘Orange Queen’, Zones 7–9),named for the small orange flowers that hang from wiry stems in early spring.
Thank you so much for sharing your remarkable collection of funky sculptures with us, Jeanne! You and your partner clearly have an incredible eye for art, and I adore how much personality shines through in your garden.
Do you collect any art in your outdoor spaces? From whimsical statues to an assortment of incredible pots that are beautiful with or without plants, we would love to see the ways you inject more of your personality and style into your landscape. Follow the directions below to submit photos via email, or send me a DM on Instagram: @agirlherdogandtheroad.
We want to see YOUR garden!
Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!
To submit, send 5–10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.
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Fine Gardening Recommended Products
The Nature of Oaks: The Rich Ecology of Our Most Essential Native Trees
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The Nature of Oaks reveals what is going on in oak trees month by month, highlighting the seasonal cycles of life, death, and renewal. From woodpeckers who collect and store hundreds of acorns for sustenance to the beauty of jewel caterpillars, Doug Tallamy illuminates and celebrates the wonders that occur right in our own backyards. He also shares practical advice about how to plant and care for an oak, along with information about the best oak species for your area.
Lee Valley Garden Obelisks
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Sturdy yet lightweight, these obelisks provide ample support for climbing plants while being easy to install and move. The medium obelisk stands 68 1/2″ high overall with a diameter of about 9 1/2″, compact enough for smaller containers indoors or out. The large size stands 86 1/2″ high with a diameter of 15 3/4″, ideal for larger outdoor spaces and containers.
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– Slim, lightweight design, is made with toxin-free polyurethane and utilizes industrial grade, lead-free fittings
– 3 Pounds
– 1200″L x 0.43″W
– Manufactured in the USA
There’s no need to fertilize in-ground plants unless they are growing slowly then you can feed once in spring and once in late summer with a cactus and succulent fertilizer.
Container-grown specimens benefit from an application of fertilizer in spring and late summer.
Species and Cultivars
I can’t even begin to cover all of the incredible hybrids, cultivars, and species that are available.
I highly recommend heading to your local nursery and see if they have any. If they do, it will likely include the first plant on our list:
Arizona
One of the most popular hybrids is the 18-inch-wide ‘Arizona,’ with its dark blue-green leaves dotted with white spikes on the margins.
It’s often the one that stores will carry, and is the parent of so many other fantastic hybrids, including ‘Feather Star’ and ‘White Fang.’
‘Arizona’ was bred by Bill Baker, who was an avid plant hunter and nurseryman. He created numerous hybrids, some of which are the most popular and respected out there.
Dawsonii
The bronze leaves of D. dawsonii are lined with hooked spines on plants that can grow up to a foot wide, producing yellow-orange flowers.
With a little extra sun, the leaves can even turn dark purple. The species is fairly rare in cultivation, but there are several cultivars and hybrids.
‘Brittle Star’ is a Bill Baker hybrid that’s wildly popular and takes after its dawsonii parent with dark purple, nearly black leaves. It also has D. fosteriana and D. platyphylla parentage.
Delicata
My heartfelt thanks goes out to the botanists who found D. delicata species in the high altitudes of southern Brazil in 1996. This is such a cool species.
The foliage forms a compact rosette, with leaves that curl downward into a spiky little orb. The tips of the leaves can even dig into the soil or hang below the rim of a container.
Foliage can be green, red, or gray, all covered in silver flocking. There’s also a striking gold form with yellow-gold foliage.
The long, pointed spines might look intimidating, but they’re surprisingly soft to the touch. Go ahead, this is one dyckia you can safely pet.
Fosteriana
This species has narrow, silvery-white leaves accented by heaps and heaps of spines along the edges. The leaves are exceptionally curvy and can drape below the rim if you grow it in a pot.
The plants stay small, growing to just about eight inches tall and a bit wider when mature. Another check in the “good for container cultivation” column.
They’re quick to mature and send out offsets, so you’ll be enjoying clusters of these plants in no time.
Look for varieties like nivosa, which matures at just about five inches across, or the rubra form, which turns a deep burgundy in bright light.
Goehringii
If you like your plants to be vicious, this species is for you. The margins of the leaves are lined with spines, and those spines are hooked at the ends.
Want to keep kids, pets, or pests out of the garden? Like the look of what one bromeliad forum user called “a bouquet full of razor wire?” Goehringii it is.
This species is also a good option if you want to propagate the pups.
They emerge on short stolons that hold the offsets away from the base of the mother plant, rather than clustered tightly around it.
Pineapple
Pineapple dyckia (D. brevifolia) certainly bears a resemblance to the plant from which it derives its common name. It has the same type of green, strappy leaves that give it a familiar look.
One notable hybrid is ‘Naked Lady,’ a cross between D. brevifolia and D. encholirioides. It features pale green to yellow foliage and grows up to a foot tall and even wider.
Since it lacks spines, this one is a good option for growing as a houseplant or for placing in high-traffic areas.
White
The botanical name D. marnier-lapostollei may be a mouthful, but the plant itself is undeniably stunning.
It has small, claw-like spines along the margins of gray-green leaves that appear nearly white thanks to a heavy coating of trichomes.
The leaves are deeply curved, often curling back beneath themselves or dipping below the rim of a container. They’re lined with spines that are relatively soft.
At maturity, the plant reaches about a foot tall and wide and produces flower spikes up to two feet tall topped with orange blooms. It grows well even in partial shade.
The species was named after Julien Marnier-Lapostolle of Grand Marnier liqueur fame, as the plant was discovered growing on one of his estates.
Wide Leaf
Known as wide-leaf dyckia, D. platyphylla has broader leaves than many other species, though each still tapers to a point.
The foliage is covered in stubby but sharp spines and dotted with silvery scales. In bright sun, the leaves can take on a bronze, red, or purple hue.
At maturity, plants reach about a foot tall and up to two feet wide, sending up tall stalks of yellow flowers.
To be perfectly accurate, it’s not entirely clear whether this plant is a true species or a hybrid. It was first described in 1970 by botanist and bromeliad expert Lyman Bradford Smith, based on a specimen collected by Bateman Foster.
But it has never been rediscovered in the wild, and some experts suspect it may be a hybrid.
The hybrid ‘Cherry Coke’ inherits its glossy leaves from D. platyphylla, while D. fosteriana contributes its tendency to shift color in the sun.
I love the look of these geometric terrariums. They make me think of nineteenth-century conservatories or vintage apothecaries, yet the geometric shape feels fresh and modern at the same time. With a few small houseplants, some reindeer moss, and a little know-how, you can transform simple glass containers into lush, thriving terrariums in no time!
This post will cover…
Tropical Plants Indoors
Tropical indoor plants like pothos are used as houseplants because they tolerate the lower light and warm, temperate conditions usually present indoors. Tropicals often really love humidity, which is why they are such good candidates for closed-top terrariums or glass bell jars.
Soil and plants naturally release water vapor, and when they are inside an enclosed space like a glass terrarium, the vapor collects on the roof and sides of the container and creates a humid environment.
Succulents and cacti are wonderful houseplants as well, but with a terrarium that has a closed lid like these ones, tropicals are the way to go. Even though there is an opening in the front of this geometric terrarium, the covered roof still creates a more humid microclimate perfect for tropicals.
If you place cacti and succulents in the same terrarium, they need much brighter light, and that will also dramatically increase the temperature inside the glass. If you want to make a succulent or cactus terrarium, then use an open bowl and save these beautiful geometric terrariums for tropicals to thrive. They will grow and morph over the years and show so much personality!
Terrariums create humid microclimates, which are desirable for tropical plants.
Tips for Working With Glass Terrariums
Look for glass containers in interesting geometric shapes. I like the metal detailing on the terrariums I found—it gives the shape a dramatic outline and the slightly weathered look of the finish lends a vintage feel.
If you can find a terrarium with a plastic liner inside, that is ideal, as you can use it to keep the soil and plants in place, but if your container doesn’t have one, you can make your own out of a plastic tray from the recycling bin. It won’t look as attractive, but you can easily disguise your makeshift liner with a little strategically placed reindeer moss.
Keep in mind that glass terrariums are not going to have holes for drainage. If you are used to caring for houseplants and terrariums and are confident that you will not overwater the plants, don’t worry about the lack of drainage, and just be mindful of how often you are watering.
However, if you are concerned about overwatering, you can create drainage inside the terrarium by spreading out some pebbles at the bottom of your plastic liner. You could also add charcoal to the soil to help prevent damage caused by overwatering. Charcoal works to absorb and remove odour and toxins produced by pooling water.
You can also repurpose lanterns and candle vessels into terrariums.
How to Make a Glass Geometric Terrarium
Now for the fun part! Once you’ve gathered the materials, it doesn’t take long to put your terrarium together. It can take a little finesse and handiwork, but it always turns out so whimsical.
Materials
Make It!
Before planting in the soil, play with positioning your plants in different configurations to get a pleasing design. Place taller plants in the back and shorter ones in the front so that none of them will be obscured. Try to choose plants with different colours, textures, and shapes to get the most interesting display.
Play around with your display before potting.
If you are going to add drainage pebbles to the bottom of your plastic liner, do that first. Next, fill the plastic tray with soil and add your plants. Water the plants well and allow them to sit for half an hour, then pour off any excess water that they didn’t drink up. Place the planted tray inside the terrarium.
After planting, water your plants thoroughly and then drain the excess.
Now add your decorative elements. Try placing pretty stones, moss in different colours, and bark with interesting textures into the terrarium. Move them around until you get a design that you like.
Forage for some elements from your backyard for a cost-effective but personal touch.
One of my favourite decorations for terrariums is DIY clay mushrooms. I made the ones pictured, and posted a tutorial on how you can make them for yourself as well!
I also like to add some magic with waterproof LED fairy lights. These are battery-operated and made to go inside terrariums. They add just that little bit of magic that makes a terrarium its own special little world.
The clay mushrooms and the fairy lights are the perfect final touch.
How to Care for a Terrarium
Terrariums don’t take much care other than watering properly and replanting every so often. When your terrarium starts to look a bit overgrown or sad, follow these steps on how to refresh a terrarium. For regular care and maintenance, here is what you need to know:
For the most part, terrariums don’t require fertilizing because you actually don’t want the plants to grow large very fast and outgrow their small environment. However, if plants are looking weak, you can add a diluted indoor plant food formula to give them a little boost.
In a covered terrarium like this that produces a ton of humidity, you don’t need to water much at all. Simply water lightly every few months and otherwise let the terrarium do the work for you.
Enjoy!
More Fun Terrarium Projects
A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants.
Steel-framed doors and windows have become a very sought-after feature for anyone trying to add character to a home renovation. It’s obvious why, as the look works across different property types, such as Victorian terraces getting more modern updates, all the way up to barn conversions in need of an industrial design as they convert into offices. It’s a design choice that photographs brilliantly, looks great, and functions well in real life too, which explains why demand has shot up over the past decade.
The Steel Door Company is experienced in manufacturing and fitting these products across the UK. As such, they’ve developed a strong niche working with homeowners who want the Crittall aesthetic without necessarily buying from the original manufacturer. Given how many rogue outfits have appeared trying to cash in on the trend, knowing which suppliers you can rely on for quality is very important.
The issue is working out whether their pricing is going to scale with their craftsmanship, or if you’re paying over the odds for something that looks identical to cheaper materials being offered elsewhere. Here’s an overview of what The Steel Door Company offers to help homeowners decide if they’re the right choice for their project.
What’s on offer
The Steel Door Company designs, manufactures, and installs custom steel doors, windows, and partitions throughout the UK. Everything gets made to your measurements because no two properties are the same – especially older homes where nothing’s quite square or level.
Their product lineup includes:
Internal doors and partitions for dividing living spaces
External doors including French doors and sliding systems
Fixed and opening windows
Shower enclosures with steel frames
Entire glazed walls for creating open-plan areas
The company works with hot-rolled steel for the frames, which gives a more authentic finish compared to cheaper materials. Powder coating can also offer a number of colours, though black dominates as it’s become the definitive look people expect and you can’t go wrong with it.
The manufacturing happens in the UK The Steel Door Company’s facilities, and from there, personal installation teams handle the fitting directly. The whole process runs through one company, from initial talk to final completion. Let’s dig into how well this works:
The strengths
Everything gets made specifically for your property – Pre-fitted sizing doesn’t work for most homes, especially period buildings. Custom fabrication is offered here, meaning the finished product fits properly.
They know how to replicate the Crittall style accurately – This matters greatly, because getting the proportions wrong is common for cheaper alternatives. For example, the frame profiles need to be slim but strong, with the glazing bars positioned correctly, in order to improve the area instead of impeding on it.
UK-based manufacturing speeds things up – Lead times still run to several weeks because custom metalwork can’t be rushed, but it’s faster than importing from European suppliers. Having fabrication done within the country also makes resolving any issues much easier.
Installation quality is great – Using their own fitting teams means the planning process doesn’t get split between different companies. That means if something needs adjusting during installation, the people doing the work understand how the product was made because they’re part of the same outfit.
Experience with listed buildings and planning constraints – if you’re renovating a period property with heritage protections, they understand how to navigate the restrictions and work within what’s permitted. That knowledge saves homeowners considerable hassle during what’s already a complicated process.
The weaknesses
Pricing sits at the upper end of the market – As is natural, bespoke steel fabrication costs a fair amount more than standard aluminium windows or doors. The quality justifies the cost if you care about authenticity and longevity, but budget-conscious homeowners might struggle to afford them.
You have to wait for turnaround – It makes sense that work like this would take a while to get right, especially when everything is custom-made and installed personally. Eight to twelve weeks is typical, but it could be longer during peak periods. Anyone working to tight completion deadlines needs to plan for this.
Geographic coverage focuses on certain areas– Their main market is London and the South East, though they’ll travel for any good projects. Homeowners in the North or Scotland might find a slightly higher price due to the travel costs.
Who benefits most
Homeowners who are renovating older and listed properties, or converting industrial spaces, and who want steel framing that looks authentic, will likely prefer this service compared to others. In addition, anyone who cares about getting the aesthetic details right and would notice if the proportions or profiles were wrong will be happy with the in-house installation team.
If you’re not particularly bothered about historical accuracy and just want black-framed glazing, cheaper options might be good enough. However, remember that it’s best not to cost-cut for the sake of it.
Homeowners with relatively reasonable budgets who view steel doors and windows as a long-term investment in their property will be suited to The Steel Door Company products, as these aren’t disposable installations you’ll replace in ten years.
Final thoughts
The Steel Door Company proves and prides itself on well-made steel doors and windows that give you the Crittall aesthetic properly. Their custom manufacturing handles the challenges of fitting modern products into older properties, and the installation quality backs up what they promise.
Whether they’re the best choice depends on what you prefer and your budget. Some homeowners will prefer buying directly from Crittall despite higher costs and longer waits because of the heritage connection. Many have found the pragmatic balance The Steel Door Company offers between quality, lead time, and price to be an attractive option.
Blue cardinal flower, also known as great blue lobelia, is a tall native perennial that blooms for long weeks at the end of summer. Like its striking cousin, the red cardinal flower, this lobelia relishes plenty of water and is happy growing in full-sun rain gardens, bogs, and damp meadows. But it will also grow successfully without supplemental water in semi-shaded flower borders if its roots remain cool and mulched. Blue cardinal flower brings vertical interest to the garden and is a vividly blue counterpoint to the colors of late summer and early autumn.
Above: The spires of blue cardinal flower can grow up to four feet tall. Above: An illustration of blue cardinal flower from William Barton’s Vegetable Materia Medica of the United States (circa 1825).
Lobelia siphilitica’s species name is derived from one of its many Native American uses as a treatment for syphilis (in conjunction with other toxic-slash-medicinal ingredients like cherry and May apple—don’t try this at home).
Above: Blue cardinal flower with a late summer tangle of obedient plant, ageratum, and rudbeckia. Above: In the middle of a border, the tall spikes of blue cardinal flower hold their own with grasses and asters. Above: Blue cardinal flowers support a wide range of native bees and butterflies.
Cheat Sheet
Blue cardinal flower is native to eastern North America.
It is a member of the bell flower (Campanulaceae) family.
The species name of siphilitica is derived from an historical use of the plant in the treatment of venereal diseases.
Bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds feed on the flowers’ nectar.
Lobelias produce a toxic compound called lobeline, which makes them less palatable to deer.
Above: Blue cardinal flower appreciates afternoon shade where summers are hot.
Keep It Alive
Blue cardinal flower is hardy from USDA growing zones 4 to 9.
Plant its seeds or seedlings in rich soil with plenty of organic matter.
It thrives in damp soil and wet edges of ponds, rain gardens, or streams.
Plant in full sun only in cooler climates.
Where summers are hotter, plant blue cardinal flowers where it will grow in afternoon shade.
Last month we were treated to an incredibly colorful submission from Heidi Weirether in Redding, Connecticut, which showed off the incredible display of flowers that fill her garden in summer (Check that post out here: Heidi’s Flowers in Connecticut). And that was not the first time we’ve been treated to Heidi’s incredible floral showcases (Check out her previous submissions: Heidi’s Colorful Garden in Fairfield County, Peak Season in Heidi’s Garden, and Heidi’s May Garden), but today she’s already back to share how this incredible color continues even as the temperatures begin to drop and fall begins in New England.
As the golden hues of autumn begin to softly touch Redding, CT, Heidi Weirether’s September patio remains a vibrant testament to summer’s lingering charm. Heidi lovingly describes her patio as her “happy space,” a serene haven where she finds immense joy in the simple pleasures of dining amidst her flourishing flowers and the industrious buzz of pollinators. Despite summer’s gentle retreat, her annuals continue to burst forth with an undiminished array of vibrant colors, offering a delightful visual feast. Adding an extra layer of spontaneous beauty to her seasonal sanctuary, Heidi also shared the pleasant surprise of seeds casually tossed behind her barbecue blossoming into a successful and beautiful burst of cleome, zinnias, and assorted cosmos. Her patio truly embodies the spirit of “Happy Gardening!” a joyful reminder that beauty can flourish even as seasons turn.
The gardener in her element: Basking in the sun and color of her spectacular patio garden. Heather’s begonias and coleus are looking as fresh and vibrant as some of the most impressive peak season displays.
This sensational wall of color does more than create a pretty backdrop, it also separates the patio from the rest of Heather’s yard. This allows for a level of privacy and seclusion while not completely obstructing views of her equally-flower-filled beds and borders in the distance.
Heather implements the classic composition of thrill, fill, and spill to create this vibrant container display. White spider flower (Cleome houtteana, Zones 10–11 or as an annual) is a textural powerhouse and ivy geranium (Pelargonium peltatum, Zones 10–11 or as an annual) covers each pot with trailing foliage and flowers.
With all of those red flowers, Heather’s patio is a haven for hummingbirds.
To one side of the patio is a large planting of pink flowers that compliments all of that red. Even more spider flowers tie in the white blooms on the patio and marvelous mixed with zinnias.
Finally, a wide view of of all that color. This angle also reveals a cluster of hostas that cools down these hot plantings with lush greenery and flurries of light purple blooms. And as I mentioned above, the seating area is complete obscured by Heather’s incredible designs. Who needs hedges when you can plant up a wonderful wall of flowers?
Thank you so much for another amazing update from your garden, Heather! Your flowers are absolutely enchanting, and it’s a delight to see that color continuing into fall.
What annuals give you the best late season color in your garden? Don’t forget to take pictures of those last flowers before frost comes to put a pin in the show for this year, then consider sharing their final performance on Garden Photo of the Day! Follow the directions below to submit photos via email, or send me a DM on Instagram: @agirlherdogandtheroad.
We want to see YOUR garden!
Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!
To submit, send 5–10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.
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Fine Gardening Recommended Products
Hunter Industries MP-1000-90 Hunter Nozzle
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– 8′ to 15′ radius with an adjustable arc of 90° to 210°, radius can be reduced by up to 25% to fit landscape needs
– Double-pop technology flushes the nozzle during start-up and shutdown to prevent clogging
– Wind-resistant, multi-directional streams provide even coverage
Gardener’s Log Book from NYBG
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This weatherproof five-year log book includes the following features:
· Sturdy waterproof cover to protect pages from rain and muddy soil
· Lined pages and gridded paper for plotting beds
· Five years of 12-month bloom and harvest grids for recording what you planted and when
· Authoritative appendices on composting, pruning, pest and disease control, and container gardening
· Useful reminders by season on fertilizing, mulching, and transplanting
· Space for listing your favorite sources and suppliers.
Gilmour 811673-1001 Sprinkler
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– 43-ft. spray distance (up to 5, 800 sq. ft. coverage)
– Adjustable collar for partial- to full-circle coverage
– Dial precisely sets spray distance
– On/off switch eliminates trips from sprinkler to spigot
Wouldn’t you love to add the flavor of garden-fresh herbs to your hearty cold-weather dishes?
Well, there’s no need to rue(!) the arrival of cold weather, because a few of our favorite kitchen seasonings, like parsley, are cold hardy and continue to grow year-round.
Easy to overwinter in many regions, parsley produces crisp, fresh leaves at a slow but steady pace in cool temperatures.
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One of the most commonly grown kitchen herbs, it’s a favorite ingredient in recipes ranging from baked goods to savory dishes and smoothies.
And of course, it’s renowned as a pretty and practical garnish!
Being biennial, it’s a natural at surviving the winter. So, whether you grow some in a pot, a protected spot in the garden, or even on a sunny windowsill indoors, you can enjoy its tasty leaves throughout the year.
Join us now for a look at how you can enjoy the garden-fresh taste of parsley all year long!
A widely cultivated kitchen herb, parsley rewards with fast growth and an abundance of fragrant, lacy foliage.
A hardworking companion plant, its presence is welcome throughout the garden as a natural pest repellent as well as an attractive addition to beds, borders, and containers.
Photo by Lorna Kring.
Popular in a variety of recipes, it’s a favorite seasoning in casseroles, eggs, tomato dishes, sauces, soups, stews, and much more.
And with its fresh flavor and healthy nutritional profile, this herb makes a smart addition to green salads and smoothies as well.
Native to the Mediterranean and southern Europe, this member of the Apiaceae family offers two main varieties for the home garden – Italian, aka flat leaf, and curly leaf.
There’s also a third variety, Hamburg rooting, which is grown for its large, edible root.
Recently, we published a story on the trend toward more naturalistic-looking shrubs in garden design, but Michael P. Gibson’s Seussian topiary art may singlehandedly stem that tide. Michael is a renowned topiarist based in Columbia, SC, who has an undeniable way with shrubs, mostly evergreens, which he shears and prunes into delightfully otherworldly forms. The son of a hairstylist (his mom) and an artist (his dad), he seems to have inherited their talents, alchemizing them into a skillset that’s entirely his own.
Michael and his work, particularly his role in restoring Pearl Fryar’s Topiary Garden, have been featured in the New York Times, Garden and Gun,Magnolia and Moonshine, as well as podcasts. He was even a contestant on HGTV’s topiary competition reality show Clipped, with Martha Stewart as a host. “I have many projects coming up, but one I’m really excited about is next spring with The Rose Kennedy Greenway in Boston, MA, creating topiary sculptures from existing mature boxwoods,” he tells us. “I’m also in the process of working on my first book.”
While you wait for that book to be released, here’s a peek into his topiary-obsessed brain.
My first garden memory is, when I was around five, being fascinated watching my dad meticulously trim the shrubs around the yard into perfect geometric shapes. I was determined to learn and started clipping by age seven.
Garden-related book you return to time and again:
The Art Of Creative Pruning by Jake Hobson is a game-changer, highlighting pruning styles from around the world. The Night Gardener by Devin and Terry Fan (my kids love this children’s book). Topiary by Twigs Way.
Instagram account that inspires you:
Anyone posting about topiary! @topiarycatblack always has creative ideas. @amir_topiary_vrn is doing amazing work. And @hedgelover_ does a great job at showcasing topiary inspiration from around the world.
Describe in three words your garden aesthetic.
Refined. Imaginative. Peaceful.
Plant that makes you swoon:
Ilex aquifolium ‘Argentea Marginata is a gorgeous, variegated holly with creamy yellowish green leaves. The new growth emerges with pinkish margins. A beauty in any landscape.
Plant that makes you want to run the other way:
That’s easy: Berberis thunbergii. Not a fan of the thorns. Although I’ve created some interesting shapes, I would not recommend for topiary. This was actually the very first shrub I clipped.
Favorite go-to plant:
Evergreens make the best topiary, so I tend to stick to Ilex varieties, with Ilex vomitoria being one of my favorites. Grows nice and dense and can be sculpted like stone.
Hardest gardening lesson you’ve learned:
Always follow the vein of the branch when doing inner pruning to make sure you make the right cut and not pruning away a large amount of foliage. Also, avoid pruning in the rain or even after heavy rain, branches will be weighed down and will spring up when dry, potentially messing up your design.
Unpopular gardening opinion:
You can get a smoother, more refined look to hedges by avoiding swaying the hedge trimmer back and forth and just brush in one direction. Just like brushing hair. Changing directions in the right areas will make it look like shadows or shading.
Gardening or design trend that needs to go:
Planting the wrong shrub or tree too close to a building structure. Do research on the plant before planting to understand growth habits.
Old wives’ tale gardening trick that actually works:
Pinching buds will actually help encourage the side shoots to grow, allowing a denser plant.
Favorite gardening hack:
Pruning up a tree can add not only more space, but also prevent anyone from hiding behind it. That’s called the 3-6 rule. Keep smaller shrubs below three feet, and limb up branches to at least six feet on taller trees.
Favorite way to bring the outdoors in.
During the holidays, I find rosemary, lavender, or lemon Cypress shrubs from a local nursery that are around a foot in height and clip them into small table-top topiaries like spirals to have around the house.
Every garden needs a…
Focal point to draw visitors in. Consider topiary, a living sculpture that will enhance any space and continue to impress as it matures. Every garden should have at least one topiary.
Tool you can’t live without:
Tobisho Topiary Clippers allow me to use hand shears like a pencil. Feels like Edward Scissorhands, or a barber adding the final details.
Go-to gardening outfit:
Moisture wicking pants and long sleeve shirt, a safari hat, Gamecock neck gaiter, nitrile gloves, and Sketcher boots.
Favorite nursery, plant shop, or seed company:
Reese’s Plants in Columbia, SC, is my go-to nursery. A unique plant shop I recently visited was Elizabeth Stuart in Charleston, SC, which has a little bit of everything in their showroom and nursery.
Incredibly therapeutic to work in nature daily, especially for someone that grew up with ADHD. I have a true passion for beautifying public spaces with topiary and creating peaceful more loving spaces for all.
Thanks so much, Michael! (You can follow him on Instagram @gibby_siz.)
Hybrids and cultivars derived from this species are especially popular, with ‘Adams,’ ‘Crownfox,’ and ‘Solarflare’ among the standouts.
Maintenance
There’s very little maintenance with these plants. Trim off damaged, diseased, or pest-infested leaves as you see them.
When the flowers have faded, you can remove the flower stalk by cutting it off at the base or one inch above the base using a sanitized knife or pruners.
Replace the potting soil every three years, as the soil tends to break down, become compact and depleted, and sometimes even hydrophobic.
To do this, remove the plant and dump out the existing soil. Brush the excess soil from the roots.
Clean out the container with hot, soapy water and repot the orchid in fresh potting medium.
Outdoor plants don’t need any help to rebloom.
But indoor-grown Spathoglottis may need a little extra attention to encourage flowering. You can learn how to do that here.
Propagation
Orchid propagation is a wild, wild world. Talk to one grower and they’ll tell you one thing. Talk to another and they’ll tell you the exact opposite works for them.
Most serious orchid enthusiasts practically have a laboratory in their greenhouse where they work like mad scientists.
That’s probably why many of us leave the propagation to the experts and just buy our specimens.
But I can say from personal experience that if you go in with an open mind and a sense of adventure, you never know what you’ll end up with. You have nothing to lose, right?
From Seed
Yes, you can grow orchids from seed.
But it’s complicated, time-consuming, and definitely not for beginners. You’ll need special equipment, lots of patience, and a clean environment.
If you’re feeling brave, we have a full guide to starting orchids from seed to walk you through the process. You’ll learn a lot about orchids and propagation in general!
From Stem Cuttings
When your orchid has finished blooming, don’t toss the flower stalk.
Cut it off at the base, and then make another cut just below the last spent flower. That’s your cutting. Discard the top section.
Depending on the length, you can divide the stalk into five- or six-inch pieces.
Dip the bottom end in rooting hormone, then wrap each piece in a moist paper towel. Place each wrapped section in a zipper bag, and set the bags somewhere warm, around 60 to 70°F, with bright, indirect light.
Keep the towels moist. If they start to turn dark or smell off, replace them.
Happy long weekend, dear readers! We’re gearing up for a big week ahead for Remodelista and Gardenista. From October 14-18, we’ll be kicking off the NYC edition of the Architecture & Design Film Festival, for which we’re the official media sponsor. Stop by if you’re in town! And! Our latest book, Gardenista: The Low-Impact Garden, comes […]
KEVIN WEST begins his newest book, called “The Cook’s Garden,” like this: “This is a book about flavor,” he writes. “It is a book about how to become a better cook by stepping into the garden.”
His is not just a cookbook, though. It’s also a book about how to grow edible crops, from seed to harvest—so a cookbook and a gardening book all in one, highlighting exceptional varieties to cultivate and enjoy.
Since this is the start of serious winter squash season, and Kevin and I both delight in them, so growing and cooking winter squash was our topic for a recent conversation.
Plus: Comment in the box near the bottom of the page for a chance to win a copy of “The Cook’s Garden.”
Read along as you listen to the Oct. 13, 2025 edition of my public-radio show and podcast using the player below. You can subscribe to all future editions on Apple Podcasts (iTunes) or Spotify (and browse my archive of podcasts here).
Margaret Roach: Hi, Kevin. I looked back in my records and like 10 years ago or something, we talked about how to make apple butter on what was a radio program that I did [laughter].
Kevin West: That was a long time ago. And back then I was living in Los Angeles and shopping at the Santa Monica Farmer’s Market every Wednesday.
Margaret: Exactly. Now we’re not so far apart, we’re just across a little bit across I-90ish, the Massachusetts Turnpike, from each other I think or something.
Kevin: We call it country neighbors, right?
Margaret: Yes, exactly. I’ve been enjoying the book. It’s a big book. It’s got lots going on. As I said in the introduction, it’s gardening and cooking, so two areas to learn about.
And right in the book, another quote that I loved early in the book, you say, “Gardening is now a facet of what it means to me to eat well.”
So tell us a little bit about your motivation for writing this and how you would describe this sort of hybrid gardening-cooking volume.
Kevin: I love that you started with the line that this is a book about flavor. This is a book about eating well, about living well, about having a connection to our food, and to the seasonal calendar, and to seasonal vegetables in particular. It’s not fundamentally about self-sufficiency or homesteading or living off the grid or anything hyper-hippie independent back-to-the-land in spirit.
As much as I admire that kind of ambition, what I really want to do is to harken back to the way that I grew up around seasonal food, which is to say, as you mentioned, I come from a farming family on my dad’s side, and my mother who comes from Tennessee hillbillies really, my dad and mom both grew up around gardens and they were both gardeners all of their lives.
And so my experience of being around a garden is that you would grow some things: You would look forward to the tomatoes, and my mother grew all kinds of herbs that she cooked with every meal. You might have a favorite squash that you grew. My father always grows okra, so there’s always something in the garden. But you’re not depending on it because you’re also shopping at the farmer’s market or you’re also swapping vegetables with some of your neighbors, or you have an uncle or an aunt who is growing something.
So it’s this idea of just being close to the seasons, and being close to the garden. We called it cooking from the garden. But again, the idea is that you layered in some homegrown food into your everyday cooking. And that’s really the starting point for “The Cook’s Garden.” It’s this idea of taking your everyday cooking life and making it richer and more flavorful and more creative by using seasonal vegetables and some homegrown herbs and vegetables.
Margaret: Right. And so now your garden, where you are now, the part where your edibles are grown, is it raised beds or is it in the ground or how big is it? Just describe it briefly for us.
Kevin: Yeah, my garden is about 60 by 75 feet approximately. It’s in the ground. The garden is divided into quadrants, which makes it easier to rotate, to schedule my rotations, and also just makes management easier generally. It’s principally a vegetable garden, although I also have some ornamentals in there, such as irises and some lilies and some peonies—it’s my cutting garden as well. And then I have herbs scattered here and there. And there are little strips of grass and little strips, little places where I let the weeds come up to benefit the pollinators. And it’s surrounded by a deer fence.
And my neighbor Del Martin, on whose land I actually garden—strangely, my garden is not on my place, it’s on a neighbor’s place—and the property, the garden has a slight southern tilt, south-facing tilt. And so that slope, that gentle slope improves drainage. And as you know, we’ve got a lot of heavy New England clay here in the Berkshires. So that gentle slope improves drainage, and also because it’s tilted towards the sun in the springtime, it helps the garden wake up a bit quicker and it’s just such a good garden spot that I can’t give it up.
Margaret: O.K. [Laughter.] And you have a cooperative neighbor, so that’s good.
So I promised we would extol the virtues of winter squash, which is probably my favorite vegetable of all. And a funny story for this year, 2025: I kind of gave up my vegetable plantings because we were having heat domes and drought and whatever, and I just thought, “Nope, uh-uh, I’m going to go to the farmer’s market. I give up.” But my compost heap didn’t give up [laughter], out popped a tangle of winter squash vines and I didn’t know what it would be. And it was obviously something I had had scooped out in eating a winter squash however long ago and put the seeds in there, composting them so to speak.
And so these vines were crazy wild all over the place, and I just left them and I harvested seven very good-sized, they’re ‘Delicata’ type squash [photo above]. Amazing. They are just absolutely delicious. You never know. What did you grow this year accidentally or on purpose? Which winter squash?
Kevin: Wow, that’s amazing. It reminds me of something that Mother used to say. She would say, “A seed wants to grow.” And she would say, “Look around your compost bin and look into your beds from last year, and you’ll see a million volunteers coming up, particularly squash and volunteer tomatoes.” And that was her way to reassure me that the garden would be fine: “A seed wants to grow.” We’re just kind of helping out the process. So it’s a wonderful saying I always carry with me because it’s reassurance that even if you’re a little nervous about having a garden; it’s reassurance that things are going to work out O.K.
So Margaret, to answer your question about what I grew this year, I have a dire confession to make before you and your listeners-
Margaret: Uh-oh.
Kevin: …which is that I didn’t grow any winter squash this year because of commitments I had around my book launch and things like that. I grew summer squash, but I didn’t get out any winter squash.
However, having said that, I typically grow a couple of different varieties that I choose for flavor because I love them so much. And one of them is ‘Honeypatch,’ which is the newest iteration of ‘Honeynut,’ which is a squash that I’m sure you know, developed by Michael Mazourek, a plant breeder who came out of Cornell and who’s one of the co-founders of Row 7 Seed Company with Chef Dan Barber.
And ‘Honeypatch’ is—imagine a ‘Butternut,’ and then shrink it down to about one-third the original size. But all of the flavor of the original ‘Butternut’ is concentrated in that little package. And the ‘Honeypatch’ or the ‘Honeynut’ is absolutely delicious in flavor, and the size is just right for two servings. So they grow prolifically, they produce very generously, and they’re just wonderful to cook. So that’s the winter squash that I go to every year, except this year. And there are many other varieties that we could talk about, but that’s my Number 1 recommendation for anyone.
Margaret: I know In the book, you also mentioned another variety, I think also from Row 7 Seed, and I don’t even know how to pronounce it: ‘Robin’s Koginut.’
Kevin: That’s what I say is ‘Robin’s Koginut.’ I’m not sure I’ve heard anyone pronounce it [laughter], who knows what they’re talking about. So you and I can decide.
Margaret: And in that one, the recipe in the book, I believe you stuff it, you have it as a stuffed squash [photo, top of page], which is kind of, I’m a vegetarian and I cook for one. And so I’m kind of boring sometimes [laughter]. And so a lot of times I just take the simplest route and just roast a squash or whatever. But it looked so beautiful.
Kevin: Oh gosh, it’s a beautiful squash I made. I developed that recipe for Thanksgiving because I wanted to come up with a vegetarian alternative to the Thanksgiving turkey. And I was looking for something that would be beautiful and would be dramatic and would be delicious and would be able to hold the table in the way that a whole roasted bird holds the table.
And so I had grown ‘Koginut’ that year—this is, I don’t know, three or four years ago, four or five years ago—and the ‘Koginut’ had done very well. It’s not huge, it has a pumpkin-like shape, but it’s relatively modest. Each one weighs maybe, oh, I don’t know, 2 to 3 pounds, let’s say. And it’s just the right size to cut off the top and scoop out the seeds and stuff it and roast it whole. And the flavor, again, is delicious, and the skin is edible, so that when you bring it to the table, you can just cut it into slices, almost like cutting a layer cake. You know how you cut out a triangular slice?
Margaret: Yes.
Kevin: And the thing is bronzed in color after being roasted in the oven. And then the inside I use a cornbread stuffing and with lots of onions and shallots, and I use some chestnuts in there. You could use mushrooms if you wanted to. A non-vegetarian could throw in some oysters, even, if they wanted to for an oyster stuffing.
But at any rate, you open it up and there’s this just fragrant, aromatic stuffing inside. And it was such a hit that my friends Del and Christine, Del and Christine Martin, whose land I grow on, their daughter asked for the recipe. She loved it so much. And so in the book, the recipe is dedicated to Claudia, because it really was such a great compliment to me as a cook that she liked it so much that she wanted the recipe.
Margaret: So whichever squash we grow, and we can talk about some more, one thing that’s really important as a gardener, besides picking a good variety to start with and starting it at the right time and caring for it and all the good horticultural cultural things is picking it at the right time, harvesting at the right time, and also curing, I think, with the squash. I bought at the co-op not long ago some ‘Delicata,’ and they were flavorless.
It was very early in the season, in the harvest season, and whoever had sold them to them just hadn’t cured them. And I think that’s a step that a lot of people don’t realize. You don’t just take it off the vine and sometimes it works. Sometimes it’s had enough sunshine and warmth out there, and it’s at the right stage of maturity that it’s kind of cured, so to speak. But other times it can really use a little extra warmth and TLC before you eat it, yes?
Kevin: Yes, that’s right. And I’m so glad you bring that up because one of the things that as home gardeners we have to adjust slightly is how we get things from the garden to the kitchen. If we go to the grocery store, then everything is already ready for us. Even at the farmer’s market, most of the big decisions have been made.
But in the garden, there’s a little bit of learning, which my book goes into, around what’s the best season to harvest and how to prepare things for the kitchen. And as you say, winter squash, they take quite a long time, right? Yes. The squash vine is large and vigorous. The squash itself is a fruit. So it comes late in the growing season, or late in the life cycle of the plant, once the plant has reached its mature size, and winter squash are eaten ripe.
So you add all of that together, and it takes (at least here in New England, southern New England) all of the growing season to get the vine up and growing, and then the fruit to set and then the fruit to ripen. And what I want to do typically is to harvest the squash once the stem has started to dry. Because once the stem has started to dry, the plant is shutting down and essentially the plant has put all of its energy, all of its carbohydrates, all of its goodness into the squash, and now it’s sealing off that stem. At that point you can pick it and bring it inside. And as you say, I like to leave them in a front room that fills up with afternoon sun, so it’s warm.
Margaret: That’s exactly what I do [laughter].
Kevin: So it’s the one room in the house where you don’t need a sweater in the fall because it stays warm and it’s very dry. And the squash then kind of finished their ripening process. And I think what happens is part of it is that the skin firm,s up, they get an almost slightly waxy coating. They close themselves down for the winter, and then they’re ready for storage, and at that point they’re ready to eat and they have maximum flavor.
Margaret: And the starchy, whatever—I don’t know if it’s technically starch is converted to sugar, but it’s something—I may be oversimplifying, but that’s kind of what happens. Similar with when people grow sweet potatoes, which is probably my second-favorite vegetable. And then they think you can just eat them right away, and boy, you’re missing out on some of the sweetness if you don’t cure those. [Curing and storing various vegetables for winter use and beyond.]
Kevin: You’re in for a disappointment if you bring it straight from the garden.
Margaret: Exactly. So looking up the aftercare of these is worthwhile. Yeah, I mean that’s because you’ve gone to the trouble of growing it, picking the right variety and growing it all the way through. So there’s that.
Kevin: And Margaret, I love sweet potatoes as well. Having grown up in the South in East Tennessee, I ate a lot of sweet potatoes, because we just love them down there. I haven’t had great success with them here in New England. And in a way, my response to not having great success with sweet potatoes is to grow more winter squash [laughter], because they occupy a similar place in the kitchen. They, they’re orange, sweet, starchy, delicious. And so I kind of gave up on sweet potatoes and went all in with winter squash.
Margaret: So there’s another recipe in the book that surprised me. Speaking of what works in the kitchen and so forth, there’s a stew, a Winter Squash Stew [photo above, recipe below]. It has ingredients in it that I’ve never combined with winter squash, and I’m not 12 years old, either. It has tomatoes and tomato paste, and I don’t think I’ve ever had winter squash with a tomato, do you know what I mean? And a sauce with tomatoes. It’s just so interesting. I looked at it and I thought, “What? What would that taste like?” It’s funny because I feel like I’ve tried so many flavors, and maybe that’s very obvious and commonplace, but it wasn’t to me. So tell us about that stew, because it’s lovely. It sounds lovely.
Kevin: That’s interesting. I love this stew, and I make it every year for a big party I have at my house the day after Thanksgiving, I do a chestnut roast here for all of the neighbors to come in and change their palate away from Thanksgiving. And the reason is it works well at any scale, you can make it a small pot or you can make a huge pot.
The key to the recipe, I think, is this advice that a friend of mine gave me. It was winters the cold of winter, and I was standing in my kitchen and I was looking at these ‘Koginut’ squash that I had just pulled out of storage, trying to figure out what to do with them. And my friend Wes, a chef from Los Angeles, Wes Whitsell, he called and he said, “What are you doing?” And I said, I’m trying to figure out how to cook these ‘Koginut’ squash. And he pronounced these generous words. He said, “Warming North African spice.” And I thought, “Oh yeah, totally.”
So when I started to think about North African spice, I started to think about sunshine. And the winter squash is a kind of congealed or coagulated sunshine. But also tomatoes; tomatoes carry the flavors and colors of summer into the wintertime. And I don’t know, just had the idea to put them together and started throwing spices at it—a little coriander, a little cumin, little shaving of cinnamon, black pepper, all of those flavors that kind of evoke North Africa without being too literal about it.
Margaret: Right. Well, it sounds delicious, and that’s definitely one that I’m going to try. So I was glad to see it. Again, just I was like, what? [Laughter.] Do you know what I mean? You have more confidence as a cook, obviously, than I do, but it may have seemed obvious to you and it surprised me so much. So I’m excited about that.
And then even with your basic roasted squash, a lot of us will cut a ‘Butternut’ or the equivalent in half the long way and roast it. You roast it on parchment paper, I believe in the oven, on a tray with parchment. But you have a little twist that you add sort of shortly after it comes out of the oven.
Kevin: This is a naughty trick. Do you want to…should I share the naughty trick?
Margaret: Tell us. Yeah.
Kevin: O.K. So as you say, it’s the standard thing. You cut the squash in half, you scoop out the seeds and you roast it cut side down until the juices start to caramelize a little bit; that’s how you know it’s going to be done, and if you mash it, it’ll be soft. And so then I pull it out of the oven and I turn the squash cut side up, and then immediately while it’s hot, I pour a tablespoon or a little bit more of heavy cream into the cup, into the seed cavity, and the cream will soak into the squash. [Above, baked ‘Honeypatch’ squash with cream just added.]
If you want, you don’t have to let your guests know. You can kind of hide the evidence, because it soaks in, and it creates just this rich, custardy texture and adds some richness, of course. And you don’t really notice it except you just notice that the squash is so delicious. So a sprinkling of flaky salt and a little group cracked black pepper over the top, and basta, that is dinner. And people love it. People really love it. They say, “Oh, I didn’t know I liked squash so much.”
Margaret: It’s that little something extra that’s almost invisible at that point.
Kevin: Correct.
Margaret: No, I love that. So to switch gears back to the sort of garden, half of this book, so to speak—and it’s not half and half, they’re entwined together, like squash vines [laughter]—you have a list of seed catalogs, and now I’m going to ruin your life and blow your budget by suggesting a couple that aren’t on your list. So watch out, Kevin.
So you’ve confessed also that you like sweet potatoes and that you’ve kind of not done well with them. So the person with the most sweet potatoes and the most winter squash in the country, if not the world, is this person in Iowa, Calamus, Iowa, called Glenn Drowns, who founded in I think 1988, a place called Sand Hill Preservation Center, all open-pollinated seed, and he used to have 700 different varieties of winter squash.
Kevin: Oh my goodness.
Margaret: Yeah. So watch out. He now lists “only”—”only” she says, in quotes—119, plus a dozen or so pumpkins, so like 140 kinds. The entire collection, originally, he gave to Seed Savers Exchange many years ago, and he’s been very active with them for a long time. So they weren’t lost, the other 500 or 600 or whatever. But at any rate, it’s just for a person who likes winter squash, it’s pretty fabulous to do some reading.
And for a person who likes sweet potatoes but has failed with them, someone like Glenn—reading his descriptions, he’s in Iowa, the climate, it’s not a southerly place, is what I’m saying. There may be one that’s more suitable to here than the ones you’ve been getting. I mean, that’s the other thing is finding things that are regionally appropriate.
Kevin: A hundred percent, a hundred percent. I love having that suggestion. I’ve written it down here. And the point that you just made about varietal character and how varietal character is, let’s see: The thing about varietal character is that it covers all kinds of different traits. So it may cover traits such as flavor, but it also covers traits that are sort of invisible, so to speak, which is to say how adapted that variety is to a certain set of growing conditions. And so there are certain tomatoes that are more adapted to cooler climate, like the ‘Amish Paste’ tomato, as opposed as to the Italian ‘San Marzano’ tomato. And the same holds true for every kind of crop, really. So I’ll go and see what he has to offer for Northern growers.
Margaret: Don’t blame me; don’t blame me [laughter]. And then locally near both of us is Turtle Tree Seed, the biodynamic seed company, and they have a ‘Butternut’ that they’ve been selecting, only using the seed from the longest-lasting squash each year from their harvest becomes the seed crop for subsequent years. And so they’ve been selecting for lastingness for 25 or so years. So their ‘Butternut’ is like, wow, it really lasts well late into the next year. So that’s a great thing.
I just want to say something about cleanup, because before we may have already harvested or we’re harvesting, and cleanup is so important with squash, I think, especially if you’ve ever had any pests and everything. Do you, because you’re an organic gardener like I am, you’re not spraying stuff, so do you have any put the garden to bed tips? And you mentioned something about rotations earlier. I just was curious. Any tips about that?
Kevin: It’s funny, I say it just exactly the same way you did. I think about putting the garden to bed at the end of the year. I clean up all of the debris, clean up old vines. I don’t like the mess lying around because it potentially harbors pests.
Kevin: So I clean up the plant residues, and then I put down a thick layer of mulch to overwinter the garden. And that mulch by next spring—when I say mulch, I’m typically using leaf mulch—what happens that by next spring, that mulch is well on its way to being compost. And so you have a headstart on next year’s fertility, while the mulch also protects the integrity of the soil over the winter, so you’re not suffering any winter erosion.
Margaret: Right, right. Well, Kevin West, I mean, it’s fun to talk to you about this, and it’s fun to be near neighbors. I guess someday we’re actually going to have to get together somewhere in between. And I hope I’ll talk to you again soon. Maybe we can do some virtual shopping for seeds together on the program in December or January.
Kevin: Let’s do it.
(All photos except as noted by Kevin West, from “The Cook’s Garden;’” used with permission.)
winter squash stew
Serves 8
Ingredients
3 tablespoons grapeseed or extra-virgin olive oil 1 large onion, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 teaspoon dried savory or thyme 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, toasted and ground 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted and ground 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more for sprinkling 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste 3-pound winter squash or pumpkin, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks 2 cups canned tomatoes with juice 2 tablespoons tomato paste 2 to 3 cups vegetable stock or water Sourwood or other raw honey Walnut oil Grated lemon zest or chopped preserved lemon Fresh cilantro and mint leaves, roughly chopped
In a large Dutch oven, heat the grapeseed oil over medium heat until it shimmers. Add the onion, garlic, savory, coriander, cumin, cayenne, cinnamon, black pepper, and salt. Sauté until translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the winter squash, stir to coat, and cook until the edges soften, 5 to 7 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, and enough stock to nearly cover the squash. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a steady simmer, partially cover, and cook until the squash is very soft, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Don’t overstir, but shake the pot occasionally to prevent sticking. Add more stock as needed.
Once the squash is tender, uncover and adjust the stew’s consistency, either adding more liquid or boiling off excess as needed. Taste and adjust the salt.
Ladle into individual serving bowls and finish by drizzling with honey and walnut oil. Sprinkle with some cinnamon. Garnish with lemon zest. Scatter with the chopped herbs.
I’LL BUY a copy of “The Cook’s Garden” by Kevin West for one lucky reader. All you have to do to enter is answer this question in the comments box below:
Grow any winter squash this year (and what way do you enjoy eating it most of all)?
No answer, or feeling shy? Just say something like “count me in” and I will, but a reply is even better. I’ll select a random winner after entries close Tuesday Oct. 21, 2025 at midnight. Good luck to all.
(Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.)
prefer the podcast version of the show?
MY WEEKLY public-radio show, rated a “top-5 garden podcast” by “The Guardian” newspaper in the UK, began its 16th year in March 2025. It’s produced at Robin Hood Radio, the smallest NPR station in the nation. Listen locally in the Hudson Valley (NY)-Berkshires (MA)-Litchfield Hills (CT) Mondays at 8:30 AM Eastern, rerun at 8:30 Saturdays. Or play the Oct. 13, 2025 show using the player near the top of this transcript. You can subscribe to all future editions on iTunes/Apple Podcasts or Spotify (and browse my archive of podcasts here).
A dahlia tuber is the below-ground portion of the plant.
It’s a starchy storage organ that holds the food, nutrients, and water needed for growth as the plant establishes feeder roots.
They come in a variety of shapes. Some look distinctly yam-like, others can be long and thin, plump and rounded, or elongated teardrops, depending on the variety.
Photo by Lorna Kring.
For the purposes of storage and division, there are three sections to be aware of:
The fleshy crown located at the base of the stem.
The thin neck that attaches the tuber to the crown.
The large tuber that’s attached to the crown by the neck.
The crown is only the only part of the plant that develops growth eyes.
For this reason, don’t try to propagate new plants using tubers that have grown from others – without a piece of crown, new plants won’t develop.
Also, should you inadvertently break off actively growing eyes, it’s not a problem. New ones will push up from the crown at the same location.
Dig and Lift
When first lifted, dahlia tubers can have fragile necks.
If possible, dig them out in the morning and allow them to sit on the ground for a few hours before cleaning and dividing – the necks will be less brittle and easier to handle.
To remove a clump, cut down stems to approximately 12 inches from the ground, if you haven’t done this in advance.
Mark a radius of approximately 12 inches around the clump and use a garden shovel or fork to dig down six to eight inches to loosen the soil.
When the soil is loose, insert your fork under the clump and lift it carefully. Grasp the flower stems to help you lift it if needed.
Gently knock off any large lumps of soil from the clump and rinse with a garden hose to remove any remaining dirt.
With a sharp, clean knife, cut away any pieces that are damaged, discolored, soft, or rotting.
Photo by Lorna Kring.
Invert the clump and set it upside down in a dry location for a few days. This allows any stem water to drain away and helps to remove excess moisture from the tubers.
This time spent drying, or curing, is important to prevent contamination from bacteria, fungus, mildew, and winter rot which can damage or destroy your tubers.
After the skin starts to wrinkle slightly, the tubers are dry enough for storage.
Winter Storage
Storing tubers is straightforward and a wide variety of containers can be used including cardboard or wooden boxes, paper bags, or styrofoam ice chests.
Your dahlia tubers should not be stored in plastic bins, containers, or bags as these tend to trap too much moisture which can easily lead to mildew and rot.
Photo by Lorna Kring.
They will require a dry to lightly moist packing medium. Coconut coir, peat moss, perlite, sand, sawdust, or vermiculite all work well for packing tubers.
For storage, line the box bottom with several layers of newsprint then add a generous layer of your chosen packing medium – two to three inches deep.
With clean, sharp garden shears, remove any long feeder roots growing from the tuber and any remaining pieces of stem.
Dust the tubers with a fungicide powder such as garden sulphur before storing, and ensure you apply it to any cut surfaces as well.
Place clumps of tubers inside the box on top of the packing medium ensuring that they’re not touching. Add more packing material on top until they are completely covered.
Close the box and store it in a cool, dark location such as a basement, cellar, garage, or shed.
To ensure viability, temperatures need to remain above freezing and below 50°F, with an ideal temperature range of 40 to 45°F.
Every month, inspect the tubers carefully and discard any that show signs of softness or rot.
In late winter or early spring, move your containers to a warm (60 to 70°F), dark location.
Every week, sprinkle a tablespoon of water on top of the packing medium until you are ready to plant them out.
The warmth and added moisture help the growth eyes to develop, which makes division easier.
Divide and Plant
After all risk of frost has passed, when you are ready to plant, remove the clumps from storage and gently shake off the storage medium.
Inspect the clump and discard any tubers that are moldy, soft, or rotten as well as those with broken or damaged necks.
Whenever I feel a little under the weather or sense that I’m coming down with something, these essential oil roll-on remedies are the first thing I turn to. These essential oil roll-on recipes are super simple to put together and really work. I’ll show you my favourite recipes to help relieve symptoms from headache, insomnia, and cold and flu viruses naturally!
Roll-on remedies are a quick and natural first line of defense against common (yet super annoying) ailments: headaches, disrupted sleep, and cold and flu viruses. They are made with high concentrations of herbs and essential oils in a gentle dilution of carrier oil that is convenient to use.
Today, I’ll share the three essential oil roll-on recipes that I turn to so I can avoid popping pills.
This post will cover…
Herbs have many different healing properties, depending on which you choose.
Do Roll-On Remedies Work?
In a word…yes!
Somehow, I’m always surprised at the effectiveness of my homemade roll-on remedies. Even though I use a lot of essential oils and remedies on myself and with my family, I still have the tiniest jolt of awe every time they work.
And why shouldn’t they? Herbal healing has been around for longer than me, or you, or Western Medicine, for that matter. The power of plants is something that you can easily harness into a pocket-sized roll-on bottle to help with little ailments before they get out of control.
I include essential oils in many of my recipes both for their scent and herbal properties.
Selecting Essential Oil for Your Roll-On Recipes
Before I give you the recipes for my roll-on remedies, I want to share a little about essential oil brands. I’m not affiliated with any essential oil network marketing companies and, to be honest, I’ve only tried a few of the products they offer.
Over the years, I have tried a large number of brands from traditional stores, though, and I like to shop around for different brands to experiment with. I use my nose and other senses to evaluate how the oils work for me.
I have researched and even chatted with the makers of a number of brands and have learned two things:
There is no certification or industry standard for essential oil brands, meaning the quality of the products is all over the map.
More expensive oils are not necessarily better. Some brands that have high price points have far inferior products than those with lower price points. Yes, ingredients are one reason for the price of the bottle, but that number is also influenced by marketing, customer demand, and supply scale, among other things. I used to bypass the inexpensive essential oils brands, thinking that they were of poor quality, when in fact the price of some brands is low because they produce so much that they are able to gain more economies of scale.
Do your research to ensure your essential oils are of good quality.
Are Roll-On Essential Oils Safe?
Essential oils are compounds extracted from plants, meaning they are supercharged with the plant’s aromas and herbal benefits. They’re potent and strong, one of my favourite herbal ingredients, and completely safe for use when used right.
When using essential oil roll-ons, it’s important to get the dose right. Typically, you never want to place pure essential oil directly on the skin. That is why I dilute it with a high-quality carrier oil to make it completely safe for skin application. Certain essential oils should also be avoided for skin use, such as cinnamon bark and oregano.
And as mentioned above, you want to make sure you’re using high-quality essential oils. So do your research into any brand before buying, regardless of price point. This will make certain that you’re actually getting results from your roll-on oil!
Essential oils will need carrier oils to be safely applied to the skin.
How to Use an Essential Oil Roll-On
I made three of my favourite roll-on remedies from the essential oils, and I used grapeseed oil as the carrier oil to dilute them.
To apply your roll-on oil, make sure to perform a patch test beforehand to see how your skin will react. To do this, wash your forearm with soap and pat it dry. Roll on your essential oil remedy and wait 24 hours to see if there is any kind of reaction.
I apply every one of my roll-on essential oils differently. Some I like on my face, behind my ears, on my chest, and even on the bottom of my feet. I noted for each roll-on oil how I like to use it, but experiment for yourself. Just make sure to keep the oils far enough away from your eyes!
So let’s put these oils to good use, shall we?
Headache Relief Roll-on Remedy
Add the drops of essential oil into the roller bottle and fill with grapeseed oil, leaving a bit of headspace for the roller cap. Pop the roller into the bottle and add the cap.
How to Use
When I first feel a headache coming on, I use this roll-on for headaches by creating a halo around my head. Rolling it around my hairline from my forehead to temple, around the nape of my neck, and back up to the starting point. If I catch a headache before it gets momentum, this remedy will help take it away.
Sleep Well Roll-on Remedy
Add the drops of essential oil into the roller bottle and fill with grapeseed oil, leaving a bit of headspace for the roller cap. Pop the roller into the bottle and add the cap.
How to Use
I apply this remedy before bed to help promote restful sleep. To use, I roll it behind my ears, the back of my neck, and the soles of my feet. I also apply hand and foot lotion at night, so I roll the ball in the palm of my hand, mix it in with the lotion, and then rub it into my hands and feet.
Cold and Flu Roll-on Remedy
Add the drops of essential oil into the roller bottle and fill with grapeseed oil, leaving a bit of headspace for the roller cap. Pop the roller into the bottle and add the cap.
This one has a lot more ingredients, but every drop is worth its weight in gold! Having gone through every single virus the last few years that my son was in daycare, I stopped getting 80% of them when I started using this combination.
How to Use
I apply this remedy in cold and flu season and when there is a virus going around. Usually, I roll it on my chest and the soles of my feet. I also use it as a hand sanitizer when I’m out in public and can’t wash my hands.
Thanks to their small size, you can bring these remedies with you on the go.
For fun, I added some fresh herbs to my essential oil roll-ons to help me identify them. I added a tip of young rosemary to the cold and flu remedy, and a few small peppermint leaves to the roll-on for headaches.
I also added small lavender flowers on the stem, plus some purple Centaurea Classic Artist Mix petals (because lavender doesn’t hold its colour in oil, but Centaurea does) to the sleep remedy.
Add fresh or dried botanicals for appearance.
But…you can go a bit more traditional by using a label maker to identify the name of each of the essential oil roll-on recipes, too.
Add labels, especially if you plan on gifting these remedies.
Either way, you’ll be sure to love these fantastic essential oil roll-ons. I recommend mixing them up so they are ready for you the next time you feel symptoms coming on. You’ll be thankful you did!
More Ways to Use Essential Oils
A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants.
Outdoor lighting can be challenging to get right; there’s a wide range of products available and the issue of power cables often poses a safety risk. Insight Cordless Lighting provides an interesting solution with its cordless table lamps that are designed not only to give you indoor elegance, but also endure the elements outdoors.
But do these stylish lamps really deliver for outdoor lighting? In this article, we’ll take a look at some of their key features, benefits, and limitations.
Design and aesthetic appeal
Insight Cordless Lighting‘s cordless table lamps are undeniably stylish. Their minimalist designs fuse modern and classic elements, allowing them to blend in effortlessly across a range of settings, from casual patios to formal indoor dining areas. Their sleek finish and neutral tones make these lamps suitable for almost any decor style.
Aesthetically pleasing as well as very functional, these lamps make an eye-catching statement about style. But stunning looks doesn’t guarantee a great outdoor lighting solution. Although these lamps exude high-end sophistication, some may find their subtle designs too understated for large outdoor settings. But if you see lighting as more of an accessory than a statement, their design strikes the perfect balance of elegance and subtlety.
Pros
Versatile designs for indoor and outdoor use.
Compact and lightweight construction makes these units easier to transport.
Cons
Minimalist aesthetics may not stand out when placed in expansive outdoor settings.
Impressive battery performance
One of the benefits of Insight Cordless Lighting’s cordless table lamps is their impressive battery performance. Thanks to their high-performing rechargeable battery, these lamps can give you up to 84 hours of lighting on a single charge.
Even more impressive is their battery’s longevity. It’s designed to handle up to 2000 charging cycles, which means that these lamps could last 5-10 years depending on usage frequency.
Of course, long battery life only becomes beneficial if the brightness level of the lamp is enough. Insight Cordless Lighting lamps have adjustable brightness levels that allow you to create the perfect environment and conserve power if necessary. However, heavy outdoor users that are looking for consistent high intensity light may find they need charging sooner if the lamps are kept on maximum brightness settings.
Pros
Long battery life of up to 84 hours on one charge.
Very durable for years of use.
Cons
Brightness settings can impact the battery life more rapidly when in full output mode and this could deplete it more quickly.
Built tough for the outdoors
Cordless table lamps face more challenges when they are outdoors, including exposure to dust, rain and other elements. Insight Cordless Lighting’s lamps meet these challenges with an IP65 rating. That means that they are protected against dust particles while also being resistant to water jets from any direction. This allows you to use them in light rain or poolside splashes, which makes them suitable for poolside parties or covered patio use. But don’t go too overboard – it doesn’t mean you can leave them in prolonged rain conditions or immerse them in water.
Pros
IP65 rating gives protection from outdoor conditions.
Durable construction designed for longevity.
Cons
Not entirely waterproof, unsuitable for heavy rain or flooding conditions.
Versatility across settings
Insight Cordless Lighting’s cordless table lamps stand out for their adaptability across many environments. From indoor to outdoor settings, they can adapt, making them the ideal multipurpose lighting solution. Use them at dinner parties on the patio, at events outdoors, or even as emergency light sources on camping trips.
However, some limitations can happen in regards to light coverage. While their cosy glow creates an inviting ambience, they don’t cover large areas with intense lighting. Outdoor enthusiasts needing wider light may need additional light sources.
Pros
Highly portable and adaptable for various environments.
Produces warm ambient lighting perfect for small to medium spaces.
Cons
Limited light range and not ideal for covering larger areas.
User experience and setup
Thanks to their cordless design, the setup for these table lamps is very easy. Simply charge, place them where you want, and adjust brightness. There are no wires to trip over or cords blocking your view. Still, some users may find their rechargeability an inconvenience at long outdoor events where access to power may be limited.
Pros
Cordless design makes sure you have an organised setup.
Rechargeable battery may be inconvenient for longer events without power access.
Environmental and economic impact
Insight Cordless Lighting’s cordless table lamps stand out in terms of sustainability. Their long battery lifespan and low maintenance needs make these lamps more environmentally-friendly than disposable or lower-quality alternatives.
The rechargeable feature reduces wastage over time, saving you resources and money in the process. Although the initial price might seem a bit high for these cordless lamps, their long-term financial benefits make up for any initial setbacks in cost.
Pros
Rechargeable design reduces environmental impact.
Longevity minimises waste over time.
Cons
Higher initial costs compared to basic alternatives.
Insight Cordless Lighting’s table lamps give you the perfect blend of elegance, functionality, and durability, making them suitable for use both indoors and outdoors. These lamps feature long battery lives, stylish designs, and IP65 dust and water resistance ratings, making them the perfect choice for creating an inviting ambience in any outdoor setting. Their limited waterproofing, light coverage and occasional charging needs mean they are best used in casual outdoor settings rather than heavy-duty or all-weather use. Even with these minor drawbacks, these lamps are ideal as flexible lighting solutions that combine looks and convenience.
Many pet owners want to protect their cats without harsh chemicals, but choosing the safest and most effective flea collars for cats can feel confusing. Natural cat flea collars offer gentler protection and use ingredients like essential oils to help keep fleas and ticks away. However, not all collars deliver the same results or safety, so knowing what to look for matters.
A good natural cat flea collar protects cats from fleas using plant-based ingredients while avoiding harsh substances. Important features include long-lasting protection, a comfortable fit, and materials that work well for the cat’s lifestyle – especially for indoor and outdoor cats. Checking for common essential oils in the collar’s ingredients list, as well as waterproof and adjustable designs, helps pet owners choose wisely.
Cat owners who understand these key details can make the best choice for their pet’s comfort and health.
How to choose a natural flea collar for your cat
Choosing a safe and effective flea collar helps protect cats from pests without risking their well-being. Knowing the differences between types, checking for safe ingredients, and considering the home environment keeps both pets and families comfortable.
Understanding natural vs chemical flea collars
Natural flea collars use plant-based oils or extracts to deter fleas and ticks. Chemical collars often contain synthetic pesticides designed to kill pests directly. Natural collars, like those made from cedarwood, peppermint, or eucalyptus oils, attract owners who want to avoid harsh chemicals.
Natural collars may not kill fleas instantly, but they can help prevent bites and reduce pest numbers over time. Chemical collars typically provide longer-lasting, fast-acting results but could cause skin irritation or allergic reactions in sensitive cats. Some natural options, such as the Fur Life flea collars for cats, claim long protection – up to 8 months – while using only natural substances.
Evaluating active ingredients in natural collars
Active ingredients in natural flea collars often include essential oils like cedarwood, citronella, geraniol, or lemongrass. These oils act as natural repellents by masking the scents that attract fleas and ticks to cats. However, not all essential oils are safe for cats, and products should always specify ingredients and concentrations.
Labels must list all active compounds, and safer collars avoid artificial additives. It’s crucial to read product instructions closely to prevent allergic reactions. Some cats react poorly to certain oils, so monitoring is important after first use. Scientific evidence shows mixed results, but many owners report fewer fleas after switching to collars with only natural oils.
Safety considerations for cats and households
Cat collars should be adjustable and lightweight to avoid choking or causing discomfort. They must fit snugly, leaving enough room for two fingers between collar and neck. Cats with sensitive skin or known allergies may need collars with milder ingredients.
Strong smells from some natural collars can bother cats or people with scent sensitivities, so choose a collar with a mild aroma if possible. Always watch for skin redness, scratching, or changes in behaviour in the first days of use. Replace the collar if any side effects appear or if it shows signs of wear.
Maximising protection: flea control and prevention strategies
Natural flea collars use plant-based ingredients to target fleas while avoiding harsh chemicals. Understanding how these collars fit into a broader flea protection plan can help keep your cat healthier year-round.
How do natural flea collars work?
Natural flea collars usually contain oils and extracts such as neem, lemongrass, or rosemary. These ingredients block fleas’ ability to feed and breed on cats. Oils often create an environment that feels unpleasant to fleas and ticks but remains gentle for felines.
Most natural collars release their ingredients slowly for ongoing flea and tick prevention. The scent and chemical properties act as a barrier. Some collars may include breakaway safety features to prevent injury if the collar gets caught.
Natural collars focus on deterring fleas and ticks from landing on or feeding from cats. Unlike some chemical products, they do not kill pests on contact. Their main purpose involves keeping pests away and limiting bites that can cause discomfort or infection.
Effectiveness against fleas and the flea life cycle
Natural collars mostly prevent adult fleas from biting and living on cats, but they don’t always disrupt flea eggs or larvae. Flea protection works best before an infestation occurs, as natural collars focus on stopping new insects from choosing a host.
Fleas have a complex life cycle:
Egg: Laid on the cat, then falls into the bedding or carpet
Larva: Hatches in carpets or cracks
Pupa: Forms a cocoon, tough to remove
Adult: Jumps onto cats to feed
As flea collars do not treat carpets or bedding, owners should combine collar use with regular vacuuming and hot water washes. For cats living or playing outdoors, frequent fur checks and collar inspections will help you spot reinfestation early.
Using natural collars with other flea control products
Pet owners often ask if they can pair natural collars with topical flea treatments, tablets, or sprays. Combination use can help, especially during outbreaks or in areas with heavy flea activity. Topical products target adult fleas and sometimes larvae directly on the skin. Oral flea tablets may kill adult fleas quickly and break the flea life cycle.
However, it’s important to avoid using two products with similar active ingredients to prevent skin irritation or allergic reactions. Always consult a veterinarian before deciding on a flea control regime for your pet.
Natural collars provide ongoing protection, and adding other products only as needed helps limit exposure to chemicals while increasing overall flea control. For homes with multiple pets, treating the environment and each pet stops fleas from returning.
Natural flea collars offer a gentle way to protect cats without unnecessary chemicals. These collars often use essential oils to help keep fleas away. Choosing one with a long-lasting, water-resistant design and safe ingredients can make a real difference in a cat’s comfort. Make sure you monitor your cat for any signs of irritation after putting on a new collar. Reading labels, checking for safety features, and following product instructions can help keep your pet happy and protected.
New York landscape firm Harrison Green is the name behind some of the city’s most interesting public and private gardens—on rooftops and terraces, and tiny, hidden backyards. Longstanding members of the Gardenista Architect/Designer directory, the team, run by husband-and-wife duo Damien and Jacqueline Harrison, is full service: they specialize in not only designing, but planting and maintaining their work year-round (The Row and Mark Jacobs are clients).
The Harrisons now stand ready to furnish and accessorize outdoor spaces: Galerie Green, their new online-only emporium, presents hard-to-find antique and vintage garden elements, from 1920s carved wooden mushrooms to carefully refinished French sunburst chairs and stone tables. Their offerings, they say, are about “craftsmanship, proportion, and patina” and the case for “longevity and authenticity over the new and disposable.” Caveat: this is a weighty collection in every sense of the word and prices are steep. Join us for a look at the initial offerings presented in Harrison Green’s own Brooklyn studio garden.
When Remodelista founder Julie Carlson attended a benefit dinner at Wave Hill, a public garden and under-the-radar treasure in the Bronx, she enjoyed the beautiful plantings and the breathtaking views of the Hudson River, but it was the garden chairs she saw on the property that bowled her over. (She is a design geek, after all.)
Turns out, the Wave Hill chairs have been bewitching visitors for decades. They were designed in the 1960s by landscape designer Lester Collins, who based the chair on a 1918 design by architect Gerrit Rietveld; Collins later allowed Wave Hill to make his version of the chair for use in their public garden.
Good news for Julie and others who can’t stop thinking about them: Wave Hill sells DIY plans for the chair.
Above: The beauty of these chairs is that you can use cheap store-bought planks to build them and paint them in the color of your choosing. To purchase the plans, contact The Shop at Wave Hill at 718.549.3200 x249, or email [email protected]. Above: Horticulturalist Dan Benarcik designed his own version after becoming obsessed with the chairs at Wave Hill. On his site, he sells the plans for his chair for $35; a DIY kit with all the materials you need for $325; a workshop to make a chair for $350; and a fully assembled chair, in western red cedar, for $425. Find details here. Above: You can also purchase pre-made Wave Hill chairs in your choice of wood—white ash, white oak, walnut, cherry, red oak, reclaimed oak, reclaimed pine, maple, or cedar (pictured) from Hugo and Hoby. Above: While we like the look of the untreated wood chairs that age with time, we also quite enjoy them painted or stained (Margaret Roach writes about her painted versions here). Photograph via Dan Benarcik.
For more on garden chairs, see:
N.B.: This post was first published July 2019; it has been updated with new links and photos.
Yesterday Laura Axel shared her mom’s gorgeous English garden that inspired her to get into gardening as an adult (Laura Shares Her Mom’s Mature English Garden), and today we’re continuing the theme of gardens that inspire with a submission from Gail Scala in Ontario, Canada. Just as Laura felt compelled to share her mom’s lively landscape, Gail wanted to show us the unique plantings of Jacob Kelly, a legend to those that encounter his adventurous plantings in Dunnville. Far from the expected cold-hardy plants that are usually found in Canadian gardens, Jacob’s landscape is full of cacti, succulents, and tropicals.
Nestled in the charming town of Dunnville, Ontario, on the northern shores of Lake Erie, is a Zone 6b garden that provides a stunning variety of unusual plants even to the most discerning gardener. From cactus gardens and lush tropicals to the fantasy of a sandy beach complete with a boardwalk, this extraordinary garden has it all.
Sixteen years years in the making, owner Jacob Kelly searches far and wide for unique and exotic plants to add to his creative vision. At the height of the growing season, his gardens are bursting with color, texture, and unexpected delight around every corner.
He constantly tests the limits of his Zone 6b growing climate and has an impressive heated greenhouse for the more tender and less hardy plants to stay in during the winter months. He has three cactus/succulent gardens that are rebuilt every spring. In September he begins the labor-intensive work of digging up and repotting the desert-loving plants before moving them all into the greenhouse along with an extensive variety of less cold-hardy plants. The greenhouse provides a verdant tropical-paradise retreat during the cold winter months.
You can also view more photos of Jacob’s gardens on the Garden Ontario Facebook page.
Incredibly, these curvy beds in Jacob’s front yard might be some of his most traditional. While tropical cannas can be seen dotted throughout, coneflowers, hostas, and a beautiful birch are among the classic garden plants that northern gardeners enjoy.
However, it’s not long before things get unusual. No, this isn’t a photo from a trip Jacob took to the Southwest United States—this is an Easter lily cactus (Lobivia ancistrophora, Zones 9–11) surrounded by a delightful array of other cacti and succulents in his Ontario garden.
Unlike other cold-climate gardeners who keep many, or all, of their tender plants in pots that they can easily move outdoors in spring and back indoors before frost, Jacob opts to plant and transplant his tender plants in the ground each year. While this is a bit more work for him, the results in his garden speak for themselves.
Jacob’s decor matches the out-of-the-box vibe of his desert garden. A faux skull looks right at home among purple heart (Tradescantia pallida, Zones 10–11) and ‘Angelina’ sedum (Sedum rupestre ‘Angelina’, Zones 5–9), and is even more fitting as we approach Halloween.
This photo really highlights the amount of work that goes into this garden. While some of these are cold-hardy plants that stay in-ground all year, most of these are not hardy to Zone 6b and will be making the move into Jacob’s greenhouse.
Moving from the desert to the tropics, Jacob’s job is not done when his cacti and succulents are dug up and transferred to pots for the winter. He also has an impressive array of tropical plants to overwinter, such as these two incredible elephant’s ears: ‘Redemption’ (Colocasia esculenta ‘Redemption’, Zones 7–10) on the left and ‘Mojito’ (Colocasia esculenta ‘Mojito’, Zones 7–10) on the right.
The benefit of tropical plants is that many grow in bulbs or corms that are a bit easier to overwinter and store than Jacob’s cacti and succulent collection. This is true for the elephant’s ears above as well as this vibrant tiger flower (Tigridia pavonia, Zones 8–10).
One last view of the tropical garden and the explosion of color Jacob is able to achieve through foliage alone: While I could never manage the workload myself, I completely understand why he invests the time he does into these marvelous plants.
Thank you so much for sharing Jacob’s amazing garden with us, Gail! We always appreciate someone who goes out of their way to share a garden they think deserves more attention, and Jacob’s designs are a prime example.
If you know of a gardener too shy to share their own garden but willing to have you send in photos on their behalf, we would love to see their landscape. Maybe a parent is overly humble about their designs, or a neighbor is too busy to share photos. If you’re planning on giving their garden a visit this weekend, consider mentioning Garden Photo of the Day to them. If you get their blessing to take some photos to share, then follow the directions below to submit photos via email, or send me a DM on Instagram: @agirlherdogandtheroad.
We want to see YOUR garden!
Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!
To submit, send 5–10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.
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Your home should be a safe haven that provides comfort, tranquility and above all, security. However, it’s easy to overlook potential electrical hazards that can turn your home into a danger zone.
To ensure protection of your family members, particularly the youngest and the elderly, it’s essential to maintain electrical safety standards in every room. These electrical safety tips will help you keep your home and your family safe and could also avoid costly repairs.
Finding the perfect spark: hire a professional electrician
If you’re a DIY enthusiast it can be tempting to take up the gauntlet of rewiring a malfunctioning socket or installing a light fixture. However, it’s vital to remember that electrical tasks are not only complex but also pose considerable risk if not done correctly. Issues such as poor wiring can lead to dangerous fires, while incorrect grounding may cause electrical shocks.
To stay safe, it’s best to hire an electrician in Birmingham or wherever you’re based. Hiring a qualified professional ensures the job is done safely and correctly. Professionals have the expertise to diagnose and resolve issues efficiently, keeping your home safe and compliant with building regulations while protecting your family and your property’s value.
Nursery and children’s bedrooms
Children are naturally curious and may explore power outlets or cords. It’s critical to make sure all outlets are childproof. Use safety plugs or outlet covers which will prevent children from sticking objects in them.
You should also keep all electrical cords out of children’s reach and ensure all appliances are switched off and unplugged when not in use.
Living room
Overloaded power points pose a common risk in the living area. Avoid plugging in too many devices at once; it’s a disaster waiting to happen.
Arrange the furniture so that it doesn’t press against any cords, which could lead to wear and eventual damage. Fairy lights should also be checked regularly for deteriorating wire insulation.
Kitchen and dining
The kitchen is home to many electrical appliances, and as such it’s a hot spot for potential hazards.
Always ensure appliances are turned off when not in use, and never handle them with wet hands. Keep appliances away from sinks, stoves, and any sources of water, as electricity and water make a lethal combination.
Bathroom
In the bathroom, never use electrical appliances near water, and install ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) on outlets to protect against electrical shocks. Make sure to dry your hands thoroughly before operating any switches.
Garage and outdoors
In the garage, make sure power tools are stored unplugged in dry areas, and that any installed lighting is enclosed to prevent accidental breakage.
Outdoors, be aware of any overhead power lines that could potentially be disrupted while working with tall tools and ladders. It’s also wise to periodically replace your fuse box if it’s old or showing signs of wear – this can prevent serious electrical hazards and keep your home running safely..
A comprehensive safety-first approach
Home electrical safety begins with teaching your family about the dangers of electricity and promoting safe behaviours. Discuss the importance of not overloading sockets, avoiding water when using electricity, and the necessity of adult supervision when children are around power outlets.
In addition to these precautions, you should also schedule regular electrical inspections by certified professionals. They can assess for any potential risks and rectify them before they become hazards. Use of Residual Current Devices (RCDs) is highly recommended, as they instantly break an electric circuit to prevent serious harm from an ongoing electric shock.
Keeping a keen eye on your electrics and taking preventative measures when necessary means you can create an environment that is not only comfortable but, above all, safe.
Do you have any home electrical safety tips to add to this list?
Perestroika (my partner claims naming rights for most of our sculptures) is an imposing abstract metal cube, perched diagonally on one corner, which replaced a struggling alpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa, Zones 4–7) near our front entry. That fir was the last of three to succumb to the lowlands of Washington, where they had been unwisely taken out of their preferred mountain altitude.
My most recent acquisition of a 3-foot-diameter ceramic globe, which has nestled happily under the bloodgood maple (Acer palmatum ‘Bloodgood’, Zones 5–8) sporting many of the same mauve/green colors. Unnamed.
I am always surprised and delighted when our fall cyclamen (Cyclamen coum, Zones 6–9) pop up when and where least expected. One 4-inch pot was planted on a very dry slope years ago, and they have spread into family groupings 10 to 15 feet away from the original planting. Completely disappeared in spring and summer, but they start reappearing around August and bloom happily well into our rainy winter.
Close by, and also at our front walkway, are two rusty hens glaring at each other to see who has the best coat of “hens and chicks” (Sempervivum tectorum, Zones 3–8) thriving on their backs.
This arrival bell was crafted, I believe, from the top half of a diver’s oxygen tank. It has a surprisingly clear and mellow tone that reverberates long after the clapper is struck inside the cylinder.
This is one of my favorite things George has created from found scrap metal. He rescued this bent piece of conduit from a ditch alongside our street, considered it for some months, and then mounted it, along with a few rusty wrenches, on two pieces of cedar, shaped to become a bird and the worm. It’s a much-appreciated handrail going down the stone steps into the backyard.
Our most prized metal pieces are by Andrew Carson (andrewcarsonsculpture.com), the Seattle artist who is the creator of many windsculptures around the Seattle area and beyond. They are superbly crafted of cast colored glass and stainless steel; the glass cups face in opposite directions on each of five separate rounds so that each one rotates in the opposite direction from the one below. The first one we acquired (pictured on an earlier post) is now over 20 years old; has survived snow, rain, extreme winds, and falling branches; and still turns as quietly and smoothly as when it was installed. I got to name this one: She’s Tina Turner. She may turn crazy-fast on a stormy winter day as the wind comes up off Lake Sammamish, or just move at a lazy pace on a quiet summer day.
We know autumn is coming when the clumps of epimedium—another one of my most reliable plants—start turning color. I think this one is ‘Orange Queen’ (Epimedium × warleyense ‘Orange Queen’, Zones 7–9), named for the small orange flowers that hang from wiry stems in early spring.
