Friday, May 29, 2009

BEGIN LANDSCAPE WITH ITS END

Studying old landscapes abroad it's obvious what survives. Trees. Tree design: canopy, understory, weeping, horizontal, pyramidal, evergreen, deciduous, conifer, variegated, burgundy, green, waxy, pubescent, peeling bark, colorful bark, single trunk, multi-trunk, spring bloom, summer bloom, fall bloom, fall foliage, fragrant, butterfly host, bird host, shade house, buffer winter winds, increase property value.
.
I took the pic above about 2 weeks ago in North Georgia in MR. JIM'S garden. He's hired me to write about his garden. It will open to the public in 2 years and I want you to start planning your trip.
.
For now, what about the trees in your landscape?
.
Garden & Be Well, XO Tara

Thursday, May 28, 2009

DESIRE FOR LANDSCAPE LIGHT

Designing landscapes to light interiors came later. Not in college, or studies abroad. Simply living. Realizing garden light throughout any day, any weather became necessary to serenity. Adoring how the light of sunny days, rainy days, sunrise, humid late afternoons, fall sunsets, and 100's more configurations touch my furniture, art, books, cats and me. Natural morning light, no camera flash, above. Thought you would like to peep inside my home.
Afternoon light streaming into my office landing on Laskett.

Petunia in my office by lamplight before a winter's sunrise. I adore the transition from dark to dawn to sunrise to daylight. Dark, when lamps are on in the morning knowing, soon, my garden will awaken around me.
.
Some days seeing the landscape, from inside, as chiaroscuro. Walking outside in my gown during those few seconds of magic. Being greedy, wanting a magical gloaming on the same day.
.
Nobody tells you these things about a landscape. They imbue you with a desire for its light.
.
Garden & Be Well, XO Tara

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

LANDSCAPE INSPIRATION FROM AN INTERIOR DESIGN BLOG

Chaos of blue/white makes me smile. Seen at PIGTOWN DESIGN it was a blog header for AN AESTHETES LAMENT. Where does inspiration come from? I saw museum quality blue/white in a similar chaos display at Chatsworth in England. Oh my, is 'Chaos Display' a new design trick? Without inspiration.
It may take a few weeks but I'm field gathering blue/white china now. I'll place it on this patio table. It was originally a sofa table. My frogs will be on the move. Don't know where yet. But it will be fabulous, where ever they land.
.
Is any of this important? YES. Why? It makes me smile.
.
What makes you smile in your garden?
.
Garden & Be Well, XO Tara

DESIGNING A SMALL PATIO: SHOPPING

SAY SAB likes pink and everything traditional. Her tiny walled patio is hot, humid, buggy and viewed often thru the windows of her office and kitchen. Two years with nothing I forced her, last week while in TEXAS, to start the patio. Should I tell you SAY SAB is my big sister?
.
Time wasn't on our side to shop & she didn't want to spend much money on a patio to be viewed more than used.
Art, above, for the brick wall from TJMaxx $30.
Large urn, a composite, above, Target $70. Only 1, I wanted her to get a pair. Oleander will be planted.

White marble table, $60 TJMaxx, looks old adding instant character.

A pair, $12 ea. TJMaxx, medallions to go on the brick wall above a pair of windows.

At the door, Target $30. From their Smith & Hawkin line.

Metal art, from Ross $20, to go over a yet to be bought table.

Pair of cast aluminum chairs, Lowe's $98 each, with good curves, traditional style, and most importantly, comfortable.
.
Look at the concrete. Ugh. We will stain it a gray field stone color.
.
This is the pace of REALITY SMALL PATIO DESIGN. Magazines & TV create illusions of great speed. Ha. I'll keep you posted on this project. I doubt it will see much change unless I'm in TEXAS with SAY SAB.
.
In a perfect world we would shop consignment, thrift and garage/estate sales too. And wait for sales. Instead, SAY SAB already waited 2 years and I was only with her 2 days. A determined 2 days.
.
Garden & Be Well, XO Tara

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

LANDSCAPE & INTERIOR DESIGN

Good landscape design flows from the center of the home to the property line. Landscapes, too often, begin at the curb looking into the home. Why be an outsider to your own life? Go inside your life, begin your landscape there.
.
On Mother's Day, SHE shared her home, cooking, family, garden & time with me. Can you tell she likes white flowers in her landscape? Want to see the landscape SHE asked me to design? Of course you do. But not yet, the portico is being put on next month.
.
Where does your landscape begin?
.
Garden & Be Well, XO Tara

Monday, May 18, 2009

CLEAN DESIGN: LINE, TEXTURE, FORM, COLOR

See why I chose to stay with my hosts last week in Birmingham? Could a hotel compare? This is the view as I drove into their driveway.
.
What is the view pulling into your driveway? In a subdivision.
.
Houses are everywhere here. Below, I'm standing in the garage shooting the same border + lawn.
View, below, from the neighborhood sidewalk.

Design elements are met, below.


Trees contrast form: cone & oval, canopy & understory. Clean line of turf: dramatic frisson turf + bed. Colors: contrasting shades of green + flowers. Textures: large leaves next to small leaves. Contrasts: calm of turf + energy of plantings
.
It's no surprise professional photographer, Joe De Sciose, designed this landscape. Color, line, form, texture are all components of his day job. Joe & his wife Gail planted, and maintain their own landscape.
.
Their joy is evident.
.
Garden & Be Well, XO Tara

Sunday, May 17, 2009

DECADENCE ON THE LAWN

Masterpiece Theatre, decades ago, had Miss Marple. The English settings were incredibly decadent. Furnishings on the lawn. Tea on the lawn. A notion inextricably appealing.
.
Oakleaf hydrangea are peaking now at Aldridge Gardens, above, in Hoover, AL. Their hydrangea festival was last week. After I finished lecturing box lunches were served in the garden.
.
Why share this ridiculous notion? Without direct effort my life has included countless repasts in the garden for decades, at home, with friends, clients & lecture venues.
.
What began as an infatuation has, indeed, become a way of life.
.
Garden & Be Well, XO Tara

Saturday, May 16, 2009

GARDEN WALKABOUT IN BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA

My hosts in Birmingham produced a proper custom garden walkabout. It began in the English Village area on Cahaba Road at Continental Bakery. Of course I had a scone, orange cranberry. We lolled about in conversation & laughter before heading out on foot in search of enticing gardens. Less than a mile away we found our quarry.
This little garden, literally, 2' wide, and about 45' long.

Crunchy gravel, lovely understated pots, lots of serene green, touches of chaos, touches of order. Big dose of tasty aged architecture. Can you believe this is Birmingham, ALABAMA and not Birmingham, ENGLAND?

THE Norman Kent Johnson, landscape architect, bought a falling down shed 2 decades ago and created this Norman delight. Notice thru the window, above, the house is 1 room deep. It has only 1 bedroom (upstairs).

Yesterday I forgot to mention, rub tools with boiled linseed oil if you want to copy Norman's idea. Don't worry it comes boiled. You don't need to do it.

To the left of the front door a most civilized welcome. Don't you want to go inside?
.
Garden & Be Well, XO Tara

Friday, May 15, 2009

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT: NORMAN KENT JOHNSON

He had me faster than hello. Shooting his spray of tools & 2' strip of landscape I was in SERIOUS CRUSH.
.
Do you know what talent it takes to create a landscape with NOTHING? And he did! He saw me shooting & came outside. NORMAN KENT JOHNSON, yes the norman kent johnson, talked with me outside his charming cottage for over an hour.
Met him while meandering the streets of Birmingham, AL where I lectured yesterday.
.
No time this morning. Will give you more about NORMAN KENT JOHNSON tomorrow. But wanted to get you his SPRAY OF TOOLS. Fabulous, yes?
.
Garden & Be Well, XO Tara

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

LANDSCAPE MUSE: SHARING A WOMAN

Who is this woman? SHIP MAN sent her to me. As his name implies he travels the globe. In Capri a couple of weeks ago, this woman fascinated him. He knew I would be fascinated too. I've kept her to myself for 2 weeks wondering if she was relevant for my blog. Yes.
.
She taps into my heart, intellect, muse, hopes, fantasy, fears. Fears? Not of aging but of some of her experiences. But without those experiences she wouldn't be an incredible woman pausing on a sidewalk in Capri 2 weeks ago.
.
I've examined, closely, her hair, skin, eyes, ears, mouth, posture. She is beautiful. And her clothes are perfection. The quality of the fabrics, their color. The stunning collar of her shirt, the collar of the coat. Is the shirt Egyptian cotton, the coat cashmere?
.
What are her stories? Her loves, losses, pets, gardens, favorite books, recipes to cook, music, interior decoration and what do her shoes look like?
.
Simply seeing her feeds my muse. Greedy, I want to meet her. Selfishly thinking what she knows of life would add magic to my landscape designs.
.
Thank you SHIP MAN, seeing her is magic enough.
.
Garden & Be Well, XO Tara

Monday, May 11, 2009

A CHAIR IN LANDSCAPE DESIGN

Sir Walter Scott's landscape had a well-placed chair. I copied the idea and learned it was more than first epiphanied.
.
Blooming today, oh so fragrant Marchessa Boccella. She's remontant, blooming till frost and an antique rose needing no chemicals. A couple of weeks ago, below, Chinese snowball petals. A few are evident, above.

Soon, below, mopheads will be blooming again.
And the great southern drama, below, snow. When the teacup snowstorms begin I grab the camera & run.
Need to get the camellia blossoms in bloom with this chair and fall leaves. Who knew? Copying Sir Walter Scott I thought I was simply creating a single photo op with a chair. Instead it's seasons of beauty. And the random bird or squirrel alighting on the chair to dine.
.
I dine there too, on occasion.
.
Garden & Be Well, XO Tara

Sunday, May 10, 2009

LANDSCAPE DESIGN AT BREAKFAST

A tray in the garden is quite common. Oh the delight of my impromptu breakfast & accidentally matching.
.
Seeking accidental still life in the garden is one of my pleasures. Tiny moments writ large.
.
Garden & Be Well, XO Tara