seedbyte

Edible flowers

2011-09-03T16:56:00.000-07:00

Edible flowers have a place in the garden design and then on our taste buds. Mmmm, these look delish!

This is so pretty, I love how this brings the outside in.

More info at Stone Gable blog.

A growing tradition

2011-08-21T21:20:00.001-07:00

"I guess I've gotten to a point now where I feel as though it's time to stop imagining and start making things happen." says Thomas, creator of the blog A Growing Tradition. This blog is inspiring for its Asian twist and the tradition of growing food with your kids. A recent post on Thai basil really hit the spot for me.

Thomas and his son. Teach your kids about growing their own food.

Worlds largest flower basket

2011-08-17T10:53:00.001-07:00

Wow. Check out the lady in the basket. I want her job! The design team won't be able to claim the eighth wonder of the world but they are shooting for the wonder of London. Weighing more than a quarter ton the basket hangs twenty five feet above the sidewalk. Look out below! No worries, the design crew included engineers.

More here, plus a video.

This info came to us via an email news letter from A Green Planet (interior foliage), thanks guys!

Bold Botanical

2011-08-01T23:12:00.000-07:00

Tobey Kaplan and Deborah Kuchar

My writer friend, Tobey Kaplan called me and said she was reading at a literary event being held at the San Francisco Conservatory of Flowers. And did I want to go?
The Conservatory?
At night?
You couldn't keep me away.
We got there before the crowd and here is what I saw... big, bold, and botanical.

Birds Nest Fern

Staghorn ferns

Tiger Striped Bromeliad

Begonia

Heliconia

Clerodendron

Giant Hibiscus

Anthurium

Papyrus

The literary event is called Quiet Lightning and the line up of writers was lively, entertaining and sometimes quite touching. It was great to hear Tobey read, the girl has got some chops. Quiet Lightning will be doing two more events at the Conservatory, one with a Labor Day litnic, and another in October as part of Lit Quake. Check it out.

Looking at Montana

2011-07-06T17:20:00.000-07:00

I lost track of Dave Kirk somewhere back in 1998. A carpenter by trade, he is an artist all the way through and a hell of a nice guy. We had a lot of good times raising our kids together. I remembered him talking about Montana and then he was gone. I googled his name from time to time but nothing ever came up. Just recently, I found him.

An email turned into a phone call and in short order the phone call turned into a flight to Butte. He picked me up at the airport and we drove off into some of the most beautiful country this great land has to offer.

Turns out Dave found himself in Willow Creek, Montana looking for what he calls "the best tool store I've ever seen"; quite a statement coming from a bay area transplant. But it is all true, Willow Creek Tool and Technology is a incredible tool store located in Willow Creek, population 290. And no, it's not a quick drive from anywhere else.

Willow Creek has a two block main street and there are no stop signs or any thing of that sort. There are three business establishments, Willow Creek Restaurant and Saloon, Willow Creek Tool and Technology, and Aunt Doef's Hall of Recent Memory, a contemporary art gallery. It wasn't a gallery when Dave bought it, it was a grocery store that hadn't been open in decades.

And the people came. The word spread throughout the arts community and the trades community as well. What was up with this guy? A contemporary art gallery in rural Montana?

Dave installed planter boxes in the store front windows. He created little doors you can open and see the roots of the plants growing. At first the locals were suspect but the kids led the way and soon everyone was taking a peek.

The state of Montana heard about Aunt Doef's and awarded Dave an arts grant that kept shows going in the gallery for a good year. Then the calls from New York art reps started, word had spread and even the well known wanted a show at that gallery in rural Montana.

Dave has kept art works from several of the artists who have graced the walls of Aunt Doef's. The wire art piece above is made from baling cast offs.

The work shop at Aunt Doef's

The gallery. Group show.

The private quarters look out onto the garden.

Dave has been at Aunt Doef's for over ten years and in that time has gathered together quite a collection of artists and unique characters that reside in and around his area of Montana. Many events and parties have taken place at Aunt Doef's and at one of them the resident artist threw strings of beads into the gardens sour cheery trees. I hung out in the garden for a full day before I noticed the tiny bits of glint coming off the strands, I looked up and was enthralled at the delicate and intricate spectacle that was so impromptu.

Just down the road there is a house where a couple lives, April and Phil. They raise chickens and sell the eggs. This was the most 'green' truck farm I'd ever seen.

After passing the egg truck I came to Rick and Julias place. I stood there wondering what was going on with the ditch. Looked like a clean out but then Rick came along and explained.

There is a lake near by. And with the snow pack melting fast the water is high enough to be filling the ditches along the road. Rick cleans them out to provide swift passage and then he dams up the ditch at his property for the weekend.

The yard floods and the trees get watered. Then the back floods and the veggie bed gets watered.

Rick says he only has to do this for one weekend and it keeps the trees watered for a month. Julia does need a little more water in between times for the veggies. It's a short growing season in these parts but wow! what a great veggie garden.

Garlic

Dave took me to see a house he had a hand in building. Sleek contemporary design but for me the joy was in the landscape, "hello valley and mountains!"

The big doors that cover the glass are very important, the snow piles up about eight feet here in the winter.

Lots of cool details.

Interesting use of recycled sheet metal.

So this is the view from the house interior, not too shabby if you are like me and love wide open spaces. The fellow that lives here has seeded native wildflower that sets the view ablaze with color in the spring.

It was great to see the gardens of Montana, from artsy beads in trees to green roofs on egg trucks. But best of all it was great to see my friend Dave again and drive around in his funny car. One night we went way out on the dirt roads and stopped to walk among the fireflies. I can't believe I use to catch them in a jar when I was a kid, seems so impossible now.

The Apple Farm

2011-06-29T17:16:00.000-07:00

The Apple Farm is located in Philo, a two hour drive north of San Francisco. There is a lot going on at the farm but what drew me in was the cooking classes. When I inquired about the classes I spoke directly with Karen who teaches the classes. The Apple Farm is all about food and family.

My daughter and I went together and we planned to spend the night. Taking the leisurely route we stopped in Petaluma to take a short break from the road. I explored The Seed Bank while she checked out the antique shops.

First of all, I thought it was very funny that The Seed Bank is an actual bank, a historic building in downtown Petaluma. Now that's a paradigm shift I can get up behind! Beyond that the store has the largest selection of heirloom seeds I've ever seen. They also have tools, books and magazines, food and gift items.

We continued to our destination and though we were in Anderson Valley, known for its brewery, we were focused on two things. Food and wine.

The Apple Farm offers wonderful accommodations that I would highly recommend. However, I like to spread myself around when I visit an area so I chose a different location for our overnight. We stayed at the Toll house Inn a historic Boonville landmark since 1912.

Our suite was very cozy and had its own entrance. The rest of the Inn was charming and the inn keepers made sure we were comfortable and had everything we needed.

It was great to soak in the claw foot tub supplied with local bath goodies on the side board but the vineyards of Anderson Valley called.

Toulouse Vineyard run by Vern and Maxine Boltz was a pleasant surprise. The atmosphere was casual and friendly and the tasting bar was lively and informed. I was after some good Pinot Noir and we left with two bottles of the Pinot Noir Estate 2008 which Vern himself noted is his favorite. By the way, the name of this winery is taken from the Toulouse goose, a large gray goose with origins from the south of France. This grand bird graces all the labels. Nicely done and a good compliment to great wine.

Another winery of note is Phillips Hill Estate Winery. Vintner Toby Hill combines his art and wine making into one barrel. The tasting room is a delight to the senses with artwork that swirls with the wine as you raise your glass. Elegant wine with a label worth saving.

We arrive at The Apple Farm in Philo, just seven miles past Boonville. The farm is huge and there is no way we will get to explore all of it. There is so much going on there. Out buildings, lodgings for overnight guests, intern lodgings, chicken pens, horse pens, goats that get moved around to do the weeding, numerous produce gardens, the orchards and the kitchen proper. There are cooking classes and events. And family. Karen, who teaches the classes talks about her mom (of French Laundry fame) while she teaches. She brings in tales of how they cooked together and what her mom taught her. All this while her own daughters work the outdoor grill or prep the produce they just brought in from the garden.

The cooking class lasted about four hours and was completely hands on. We made and ate four different dishes. The class size fit the kitchen perfectly and everyone helped. It was amazing how many tips and techniques Karen could fit into one dish. She provided us with notebooks that have information on the history of the farm and the family, the recipes used in the class, and blank pages for taking notes which was really helpful.

First we poached eggs in a vortex then lowered them onto a plate that had a spoonful of basil mayonnaise and garnished with a sprigs of a few different types of basil. This was a tasty first bite that kept us going while we learned how to make other more complicated dishes.

What followed were recipes for basic Bechamel, Moussaka, Red Pepper Tapenade and Apricot & Cherry Clafoutis.

Some of the best tips and techniques that I learned follow.
- taste everything all the time. This helps your taste buds develop a 'inventory' which you can refer to.
- cook ahead.
- under salt while cooking, you can always salt at the table.
- when making basic bechamel keep your nose over the pot.
- with meat, stir and leave it, stir and leave it.
- even better, toss don't stir. Step outside to learn this until you can toss without loosing any ingredients.
- goat is good but it depends on what they are feeding the goats
- frozen roasted tomatoes are a great item to have handy.
- keep the blender going as you add ingredients, they wont stick to the side.
- fresh oregano from the garden is great, dried is much stronger, be careful!

On our way out of town we stopped at the Boonville Hotel for dinner and some fresh Apple Farm Cider. It was a great way to end the day. The hotel is lovely and I especially liked the gardens around the hotel.

Greenworks

2011-06-07T10:24:00.000-07:00

Greenworks is a Swedish company that has a leaf in place of the letter o in their company name, I wish I'd thought of that! I liked the above picture because I thought the movable green wall was staged nicely.

Greenworks offers small to large scale creative works.

Section two of High Line NYC

2011-06-04T11:32:00.000-07:00

In a earlier post I shared my friends trip to NYC and her photos of the High Line.

The High Line was built in the 1930s, as part of a massive public-private infrastructure project called the West Side Improvement. It lifted freight traffic 30 feet in the air, removing dangerous trains from the streets of Manhattan's largest industrial district. No trains have run on the High Line since 1980.

The city was going to tear the High Line down. But people banded together to create a fresh garden space above the hustle of the city streets.

As reported by My Modern Met the second 1/2 mile section of the High Line opened this week and now completes the 1 mile park.

Aquascaping

2010-12-03T20:03:00.000-08:00

Aquascaping is underwater garden design, and it is incredible. Similar to terrestrial garden design aquascaping has its own hobbyists and professionals around the world that practice the art and strive for perfection in a evolving, growing, living environment.

Though contained these submerged gardens, like any well designed garden, capture our attention and transport us to another state of mind. And we revisit them again and again because of the responses they elicit from us.

There are several different styles of aquascaping. Dutch, which is a lush use of all the aqua elements such as stones, fish, plants.

Nature, the Japanese style.

Biotope, which reflects habitat directly, even in the water used. The Paludarium style allows for the design to be above and below the water line, this being appropriate for the introduction of amphibians. And Salt water reefs style, using saltwater and focusing on rock and coral to mimic actual reefs. The Salt water reef style is keen on lighting because of this.

Just like soil gardening, techniques need to be learned to successfully aquascape.

A defining ascpect of aquascaping is paying attention to how the garden grows in and fills the space. Designers will state their vision, what they did to direct the growth and evolution towards their desired outcome.

An aquascaper may join the Aquatic Gardeners Association and compete in the annual, worldwide Aquascaping Contest. Its worth a visit to the site just to view the gallery of entries.

Or you can just head over to The Aqua Forest Aquarium, a small but packed shop in the Filmore district of San Francisco and gaze upon real aquascapes. Most of the pictures here are from their gallery. They have everything you need to get started and are very helpful and encouraging. I instantly liked the challenge and the creative aspect without being overwhelmed by the scale. I can start with a 2 gallon tank, keep it simple and small and expand once I get my feet wet.

Bus Roots

2010-10-13T07:23:00.000-07:00

The "Bio Bus"

Marco Castro Cosio’s “Bus Roots” idea connects citizens with their community while trying to use the least amount of resources and improving the quality of the environment around it.

Marco states that if we grew a garden on the roof of every one of the 4,500 buses in New York city MTA bus fleet, we would have 35 acres of new rolling green space in the city.

The first prototype has been installed on the roof of the BioBus. It has been growing for five months traveling around New York City and as far as Ohio.

The Bio Bus is unique in that, unlike living roofs and living walls, it is mobile. It brings life to urban streets which don't allow for much in the way of green space.

Read more here.

geeking out in miniature

2010-10-12T15:36:00.000-07:00

Fun stuff. Curbed.com recently launched Curbed National and in doing so sent dollhouses to six preeminent shelter publications with an invitation to put their own spin on the decor. HGTV showed up with a focus on the garden.

See more images and learn about the book that inspired here.

Publishing from San Francisco Dwell Magazine submitted their take on the dollhouse with a rooster, an egg, and a miniature Eames chair.

See all the dollhouses here.

Emeryville, California. Yellow

2010-09-22T09:57:00.000-07:00

Elbow Grease Designs

2010-09-19T09:08:00.000-07:00

Jenny Hurst of Elbow Grease Designs.
All products are made from recycled banners.

There is a great Saturday market happening in west Berkeley that you just have to check out. It's called The Beehive Market and it is a green lifestyle market Saturdays from 10am to 2pm in West Berkeley at 1701 San Pablo Ave (the parking lot at the Berkeley Adult School).

One of the vendors, Jenny Hurst of Elbow Grease Designs explained to me "you know those banners you see at conventions? Well I recycle them into tote bags, laundry bags, garbage containers, book bindings and purses..." Every item is its own unique piece and if you look around the Beehive market Jenny has brightened the public seating areas with her designs. I thought the seat covers were really cool, especially in groupings, but when I looked up and saw the umbrellas I said "Wow, I want that for my garden spot."

I thought the re-use of milk crates with Jennys covers was brillant. So colorful and durable. A good fix for people who chow down on the great food at the Beehive. I bought the item that sits on the table. I'm going to use it for all paper recycling in my office.

High LIne

2010-09-08T08:13:00.000-07:00

What we have here is a guest appearance by my friend Nola. She recently visited the High Line in NYC and took these pictures. I always enjoy her pictures because she incorporates the graphic elements of her surroundings.

The High Line was built in the 1930s, as part of a massive public-private infrastructure project called the West Side Improvement. It lifted freight traffic 30 feet in the air, removing dangerous trains from the streets of Manhattan's largest industrial district. No trains have run on the High Line since 1980.

Friends of the High Line, a community-based non-profit group, formed in 1999 when the historic structure was under threat of demolition. Friends of the High Line works in partnership with the City of New York to preserve and maintain the structure as an elevated public park.

The city was going to tear the High Line down. But people banded together to create a fresh garden space above the hustle of the city streets. What great design and reuse.

Neighbors revisited

2010-08-20T10:00:00.000-07:00

Back in the spring I posted up on my neighbors wildflower landscaping. Wildflower gardens are rare in urban neighborhoods. This garden is located in west Berkeley. Here's a follow up on the development of the garden.

The wildflowers have an under planting of perennial plants and shrubs, that's the green you see now.
Our street trees are Sycamores. They drop leaves constantly. It's really unpleasant. In my own garden I have found I have to wear a mask because the fallen leaves have a lot of dust and pollution that they bring down and it irritates me. Also, I can't really plant short or small plants as they get buried by the leaves in between clean ups. I get a break in the winter when the trees are defoliated.
I like that the garden next door is seasonal and will have a big show during the spring and then go quiet for the rest of the year. I like the variety. I like seeing nature in action, even if it means a wait.

Will salvage for food

2010-08-19T16:41:00.000-07:00

Jim Resourceful

When I want to get rid of stuff I don't need and I want to get rid of it fast, I put it on Craigslist in the free section. It's always landscaping stuff. Broken concrete, flagstone, empty pots, discarded odds and ends, and soil.

I gave Jim several cubic yards of great garden soil. In turn he asked me to drop by and I got a tour of a remarkable garden that he and his girlfriend Julia created over concrete slabs and old juniper beds in north Oakland. They salvaged everything and only paid money for truck rental, seeds and plants.

Jim just finished a masters in biology from UC Berkeley and got a fellowship to do his masters in library information science. I'm envious of his involvement and commitment to the garden.

The front yard was all juniper which they tore out and brought in wood they salvaged from construction sites to build the boxes for the front vegetable garden. One time Jim literally pulled wood off a truck going to the dump. This planter has a lot of basil and the neighbors are welcome to help themselves.

Zucchini plants spill over the edge of boxes made from salvaged wood and the soil I put on Craigslist.

Oh the zucchini that gets away...

The other side of the front yard has native wildflowers to aid our native pollinators. Jim is leaving open ground for them as they are ground dwelling bees. We spoke for a while about Professor Gordon Frankie, his research on native pollinators and his bee friendly gardens.

California lupine.

Step stones salvaged from Craigslist. A neighbor had her tree cut down, Jim talked to the tree trimmers and took home the wood chips in a cart attached to the back of his bicycle.

Jim and Julia are big on grains and beans. He said they each had 22+ jars between them when they moved into the apartment. Though technically not a grain, but similar to grain is quinoa, which they grow in their front garden. It's not enough to keep their cupboard stocked, they grow it for the pretty flowers that will turn purple as the plant matures. Not only is quinoa high in protein, but the protein it supplies is complete protein, meaning that it includes all nine essential amino acids.

Salvaged box with pretty flowers for the entry of the apartment.

The back yard is all cement, but the plants are gaining ground.

All plants are from starts that came from local growers or seeds. Here Jim mentioned Food Justice . Food Justice is communities exercising their right to grow, sell and eat healthy food. Healthy food is fresh, nutritious, affordable, culturally-appropriate and grown locally with care for the well-being of the land, workers and animals. People practicing food justice leads to a strong local food system, self-reliant communities and a healthy environment.

Almost all of the seeds in the garden are purchased from Botanical Interests Inc providing better quality seed and more informational tools to help and inspire gardeners. Check out there seed packets, each one is a booklet of information.

Recycled recycling containers make good vegetable growing boxes.

A found wooden box houses Botanical Interests seeds and more of the free soil.

Clean and discarded buckets become homes for tomato plants growing in free dirt.

This organic gourd is from Phat Beets Produce. Phat Beets Produce was started in North Oakland in 2007 as a guerilla produce stand in a North Oakland park. They now facilitate two certified, clinic based farmers’ markets, one youth led school farm stand and community nutrition hub, and a youth market garden in partnership with a local hospital obesity prevention program.
BTTR (pronounced Better) Ventures is turning used coffee grounds into gourmet mushrooms and in the process diverting waste from landfills, providing sustainable local food and new urban employment. Once BTTR Ventures harvests their shroons they give away the mushroom compost. Jim is right there scooping it up and bringing it home. He says the vegetables jump in growth after an application.

I had to ask what a little conifer was doing amidst all these veggies. Jim explained that it is their holiday tree, it only grows a couple of inches a year and is reusable.

The adjoining neighbors back yard is not in the best of conditions. Bit of an eye sore. Jim salvaged bamboo culms from a neighboring yard and is growing a edible screen of beans.

Though this garden seems to be non stop action I saw obvious chill out spaces and Jim munched on various veggies during our tour. He and Julia have accomplished a lot and spent little. Look out concrete jungle.

Regional Parks Botanic Garden. Spring 2010

2010-05-02T09:49:00.000-07:00

New sprouts

If you have been to seedbyte before you probably know I am a big fan of the Regional Parks Botanic Garden. Here are some photos from the latest trip. Enjoy!

Lichen and mosses

My friend Sean Craven sketches. See more of Sean and his artistic abilities at Renaissance Oaf.

Neighbors

2010-05-02T09:09:00.001-07:00

New neighbors. They stripped the yard in the fall and for awhile I wondered what was up. There were a few young shrubs here and there but not much. Then over the winter the ground began to turn green with young sprouts and I caught on. They had seeded a meadow.

Their yard really stands out on the block. I've talked to several people about it and most people don't like it. They say it looks weedy. The ones that do like it are very enthusiastic.

I think it looks better from a distance. Unless you really know what you are looking at and get excited about all the wildflower varieties.

What a great way to enter your home. I'm envious.

I'm happy to be living next door. This garden is so interesting to me. Can't wait to see what it will look like as the wildflowers die down and the perennials and shrubs establish.

Parting shots

2010-04-24T09:57:00.000-07:00

Judy found me on the internet. She had 7 garden spaces but only two were developed. She wanted my help designing and constructing the other five.

Facing another round of cancer treatment after a 7 year remission Judy wanted to create a special garden refuge. She was an avid gardener despite the treatments and a bad leg. One time I arrived for a meeting and she was surrounded by water lilies and lotus that just arrived from a nursery run by monks in Texas. Another time the patio table was covered with 2" lavender pots from a specialty lavender nursery she found on the internet.

After the installation of the first two gardens we began working together on maintenance and
planting additions. We always toured the garden and set up work days where my crew and I would come in and plant copious amounts of bulbs, bare-root roses, specialty plants, whatever Judy had picked up locally or bought off the internet.

Judy made it through her round of treatments and a few emergency stays at the hospital and is in the clear now. Due to personal reasons she has decided to move to a new location. I have only been with her gardens a year but they are very close to my heart and she and I have become fast friends. Judy and I will create new gardens at her new home but it's been tough for me to say goodbye to these gardens. While the trend in gardens is contemporary with lots of architectural plants my heart belongs to the flower garden and people, like Judy, who live to buy plants and dig in the dirt.

Front Garden

Geranium 'Biokova'

Broccoli

Cabbage

Rainbow Kale

Blueberry

Artichoke

Appropriately named 'The Secret Garden'

The Secret Garden

Argyranthemum

The Secret Garden

Large flowering Clematis

Dutch Iris 'Oriental Beauty'

Geranium sanquinea

Tellima grandiflora

Large flowering Clematis

The Secret Garden

Realtor staging signs.
They forgot the sign that says
Gardens Everywhere

Some kind of surprise

2010-04-07T23:58:00.000-07:00

Sourcing again. It's fun, just looking around, checking in, seeing what's out there. I'm not even sure what I was photographing here, saucers, water features, birdbath??? When I loaded the pictures onto my laptop later and took a look I was surprised. I like the images better than the real thing! Here's to taking garden art to another level.

Images taken at Pottery and Beyond, Emeryville, California

Emerisa Gardens

2010-04-03T10:30:00.000-07:00

Viola 'Columbine'

Scouting trip to Emerisa Gardens, a family run nursery in Santa Rosa California.
Here are a few of their fabulous selections.

Rehmannia elata

Viola 'Royal Robe'

Viola 'Rebecca'

Brunnera macrophylla 'Hadspen Cream'

Heuchera villosa 'Tiramisu'

Geranium 'Vancouver Centennial'

Pelargonium hortorum 'Mr Henry Cox'

Chrysanthemum parthenium 'Aureum'

American Soil and Stone

2010-03-31T16:28:00.000-07:00

Napa Basalt cobble and
Classic Oak sandstone flagstone.

I currently have three garden designs on the table with quite a bit of stone in each. Boulders, flagstone walkways and steps, stone walls and stone sit walls. All the stone choices have to be coordinated and presented to my clients for review.

American Soil and Stone is my go-to spot for when I want to rock. Convenient, friendly, and full of great materials to choose from. Here are just a few of my gleanings from today.

Sunset Sandstone

Fantasy Quartz

Red Antique Quartz

Red Antique Quartz

Navajo Fire Snap sandstone and
Antique Red Quartz

Display of Smokestack facade.

Display has a Mariposa slate roof

Polished stone table display

Turkish gate.

Turkish gate

Imported fountain I have been lusting over for more than a year.

Why I am lusting and not buying

The littlest big exception

2010-03-26T05:08:00.000-07:00

This is a cutting of Streptocarpus saxorum in a shot glass. Very little thing on the windowsill at my kitchen sink. It surprised me with this bloom. All colors of the spectrum are okay with me, but, I don't live with any purple, lavender or mauve. Not my thing. But I am making an exception here because I had insomnia and this is what I found at 4am.

If you haven't been to Plants Are The Strangest People you should go. Funny plant person who writes well.

Recipe for a great birthday

2010-03-15T10:40:00.000-07:00

Sally and best friend Danielle

Take your daughter (and her best bud) to a wholesale interior plant place and give her carte blanch.

Some of the selections...

Alocasia caladora big leaf plant in back.
Dizygotheca elegantissima DIZZY-GOTH-ICK-UH, love that name,
it's the black plant
Dracaena 'Limelight' is the chartreuse colored plant down in front.

Mother Fern, Pteris Fern, Star Pine.

Pothos pictus 'Satin'
Felty green leaves with silver markings.

These pictures represent about 1/2 the plants brought back to the apartment. Air quality was noticeably improved.

Around the house

2010-02-28T10:41:00.000-08:00

In-your-face cut flower from my Leucadendron shrub.

Birds nest fern fiddle head unfurling. Try saying that real fast 10 X's.

Crocus superb

2010-02-12T10:26:00.000-08:00

Crocus superb.

My experiment with the minature tulips did not work out so well. I'll spare you the gory photos. I brought them in too soon, probably shouldn't come in at all. I fertlized them and they burned. The new buds all aborted. Next year I'll plant them in the ground. Meanwhile I got a few pleasurable moments from the crocus I planted. Especially the one growing in my long time favorite minature hanging pot. I am such a hobbit at heart, sigh.

Spring shots

2010-02-12T09:41:00.000-08:00

Papaver rhoeas. Annual poppy.

Walking around an early spring day with the fits and bouts of raindrops. I see a lot of orange flowers this time of year. A perfect contrast to the austere gray days.

Aloe.

Chasmanthe

Chasmanthe is a great plant. It's a corm (bulb like), comes up in the winter with long grass like leaves, blooms orange in the spring, then dies back to the ground. Cut it down all the way and it disappears until the following year when it shoots up and does its thing all over again. Pair it with a ornamental grass so that when the grass is cut back in late winter the Chasmanthe can shoot past it and give appeal to the landscape. Cut the chasmanthe down after it is finished which is when the grass is filling in. Best thing about Chasmanthe. Requires no irrigation. Full sun to part shade.

Euphorbia

Euphorbia does not have orange flowers but its chartreuse bloom stands out on a rainy day. Pair with indigo flowers of Ceanothus which blooms at the same time.

Plum blossoms.

I think spring color falls into two catagories. Orange and pink/white. But then, I've been bringing in bouquets of Helleborus (Lenten Rose) which have green or purple flowers. And if you include the time period of spring when the weather clears up and the sunny moments battle for more play time the yellow blooms start showing up in Daffodils and Acacias. I don't count the wide array of tulip colors because they are expensive annuals at the mercy of our design fancies.

Single petal plum blossom.

Orchid Care

2010-02-01T23:01:00.000-08:00

Observing what is new and observing the results of your actions will teach you many things about plants and gardening.

I have four orchids that came to me randomly as rescue plants or impulse buys. I never gave their care much thought until I observed that some of the leaves had an accordion-like crimp.

In researching information on the strange leaf crimp I learned the basics of orchid care. The crimping is caused by too much or too little watering. Orchids do not like to sit in their water nor do they like to dry out completely between waterings. Clean white roots indicate a healthy plant.

It's February 1. I observe my orchids are sending out fresh new roots. This tells me spring is on the way.

All orchid roots like air and some will extend outside of the root ball into space. The long root on this orchid probably broke when I was moving it around.

I have a watering system for all my house plants. Two of the containers are filled with plain water. One container has bloom food, one has food for non-blooming plants, and one is a weak fertilizer mix that is for my ferns.

When I water my orchids I take them out of their decorative pot, hold them over this basin, and pour fertilizer water through the root ball. When I am done I pour the water from the basin back in the container and use it over. I don't like fertilizer water going down the drain and out to the bay, it's wasteful and bad for the environment. I water my orchids like this once a week.

To keep track of bloom times I take the label from the orchid and write the bloom period on the back of it.
I tuck the tag is so it doesn't show.

Orchid care can be pretty simple if you follow these steps.
1. Look up the name of your orchid and find out what kind of light it likes.
2. Water regularly. Keep it short and sweet by having water and fertilizer mixes ready to go.
3. Don't just water and shelve the plants. Take a good look at them and see what's new.

Rock, asphalt, succulents

2010-02-01T10:58:00.000-08:00

This little oasis of plants in a vast asphalt parking lot was a surprise. I think the large moss rock creates an appropriate transition point from the expansive asphalt lot to the miniature landscape.

Yoga Zen

2010-01-31T11:06:00.000-08:00

A yoga studio in Berkley has a nice zen courtyard and entryway. In the back of the building there is an all asphalt loading dock with a basketball hoop. I like it!!!

Not to be disrespectful to the deity but she does look like she's checking her iphone.

This is a birdbath that is reflecting the sky above the entryway.

The courtyard is a long narrow space packed with long stemmed Aeonium and climbing vines.

Lady beetle

2010-01-12T19:44:00.000-08:00

Today I came home to a lady beetle perched on my door just above the lock. Lady beetles are actually Coccinellids, thanks for asking. These cute little beetles are one of the most loved insects around the world. Considered a sign of good luck because they eat garden and crop pests. I gladly slipped my key in as gently as possible to avoid disturbing my good omen.

Two facts most people don't know about the cute little red bump with black polka dots.
1. Ladybugs are migratory. They fly from the hot valleys to the high regions of the Sierras (5-6,000') in May/June. Feeding on pollen and nectar they fatten themselves before going into hibernation. In the fall they migrate down the mountainside along rivers. When the Sierras begin to warm in February/March they fly back to the valley.
2. Ladybugs don't always look so cute. They actually have four stages to their life-cycle, egg, larvae, pupa, adult (that's the cute one). The larvae stage looks like a minuscule orange alligator.

A good place to see migratory Lady beetles is at the Regional Parks Botanic Garden but you need to go in right after the first rains, before it gets too cold.

Pink Camellia

2010-01-02T10:47:00.000-08:00

Camellias can be a pain because they get the disease camellia petal blight. It causes a browning of the petals. The best treatment is to pick off any infested blooms before they fall, clean up any that have fallen, do not compost. Remove any contaminated mulch, keep mulch fresh.

Regional Parks Botanic Garden in Winter

2009-12-11T21:22:00.000-08:00

The path, bridge and stand of Cornus sericea invites you.

The winter is a choice time to visit the East Bay Regional Parks Botanical Garden. There are less visitors and the natural beauty is easily experienced and soaked into the soul. The dominating color of the dormant garden is the red of dogwood and manzanita glistening in the seasons moist air. To see a summer comparison or to learn more about the history of the garden click here.

Cornus sericea aka American Dogwood

Cornus sericea aka Red Twig Dogwood

Raindrops cling to Cornus sericea

East Bay Region Parks Botanic Garden

Salvia sonomensis aka Creeping Sage

Salvia sonomensis

Inviting paths beckon, more to see, more to explore...

Dudleya pulverulenta aka Chalk Dudleya

Dudleya pulverulenta

Looking down the hill I spot manzanitas

Arctostaphylos pallida aka Alameda Manzanita

Arctostaphylos pallida aka Oakland Hills Manzanita

Arctostaphylos pallida, known from approximately 13 populations in Alameda and Contra Costa counties was listed as endangered by the California Department of Fish and Game in November 1997. The two largest populations are owned by the East Bay Regional Park District.

Arctostaphylos hookeri franciscana

In 1942 Alice Eastwood, who was at one time the Curator of Botany at the California Academy of Sciences informed James Roof, director of the East Bay Regional Parks Botanic garden, that the last known A. hookeri franciscana plant to exist was about to disappear. Located in Laurel Heights Cemetery in San Francisco the bulldozers were coming to move the cemetery out of the city limits and the manzanita would be destroyed in the process. Story has it Roof literally snatched the plant from the jaws of the dozer and procured cutting materials which he successfully rooted. Those plants were planted out in the botanic garden and are what you see in the photos above. The plant, extinct in the wild, is now available at most native plant nurseries.

Arctostaphylos hookeri franciscana
Flowers of Arctostaphylos pajaroensis 'Paradise'

Arctostaphylos auriculata aka Mount Diablo Manzanita

Native bulb bed

In the latest newsletter from the garden I read that the staff is developing a new native bulb bed. I went in search of the new bulb bed and found out that the existing bed focuses on bulbs from the Sierras. The new one will be local bulbs that are not rampant self sowers. I can't wait to see it in bloom and explore the chosen species.

Native bulb bed

Creeping Arctostaphylos makes its way along the steps

Feeling refreshed and enjoying a sense of calm I get from being in nature, I climb the steps out of the garden and made my way back to my truck.

Sage smudge sticks

2009-12-07T18:51:00.000-08:00

Smudge sticks are bundles of herbs, typically a sage, that are lit and allowed to smolder. The smoke permeates the area and clings to bad energy. When the smoke clears, so does the negativity. I recently moved from a little cuckoo's nest high in the timbers of the inner city to a sweet little Victorian in a residential neighborhood. I smudged, and it worked.

Smudge sticks, or wands as the more metaphysically inclined are apt to say, can be purchased at any hip natural foods store type of place. Or you can grow/collect some and make your own. Because it is a sage plant smudging feels simple and natural to me.

First I did a smudge walk inside, then I left the stick to burn at the front door and the back door. I brought it back inside and let it rest in each room until it finally died out in the front room. I liked taking the time to focus on cleaning out my new place. Some people use Pinesol and that's ok too but I think it's a lot more work and doesn't smell as nice.

Miniature bulbs part 2

2009-12-07T18:10:00.000-08:00

It's the smallest hanging pot I have ever owned. I saved it for the right plant to come along. I am excited that the miniature tulips I planted have begun to sprout.

On Nov. 2nd I posted on planting miniature bulbs. I thought I'd give you an update. It was tough at first to keep the pots moist but not too wet. They dry out quickly being so small. I watered them every morning (such dedication!) and only exposed them to gentle morning sun.

Bulbs of all kinds tend to abort if the pot gets too hot sitting in the sun. It's a balancing act for sure. I finally relaxed once the temperatures dropped and stayed low and it started to rain more often. Only a few pots have sprouted and I'm keeping an eye on the rest.

New year indoor bulb display.

2009-12-07T14:20:00.000-08:00

There comes a time in every girl's life... just kidding. I bought some great Amaryllis bulbs from Van Engelen Inc. my favorite bulb source ever. These Amaryllis bulbs are best suited to indoors as they have large, spectacular trumpet flowers that wouldn't last a day exposed to outdoor winter weather.

I had a bag of red lava sand left over from a previous project and I wanted to use it for the growing medium. Indoor bulbs are often planted in something other than soil. Glass containers can be used with pebbles or sand and you can see the roots of the bulb develop.

I mixed in some Dr. Earth Bulb food. It's important to feed plants, they get hungry being so beautiful for us.

I chose something exotic for myself. Amaryllis cybister 'Emerald' is a brand spankin' new variety just in from Holland and only Van Engelen carries it. 'Emerald' has spidery petals that are white with streaks of red and a green throat, oh my!

The Amaryllis bulb gets planted with its nose (emerging leaves) just above the rim of the pot, the shoulder (thickest part of the bulb) should be just above the soil surface.

For a stunning display I planted three bulbs in one pot, shoulder to shoulder. After they bloom I will separate them and give them more room.

I skimp on the growing medium until I have everything in place then I add more if necessary. Trying to remove any when there is too much messes everything up.

For my 'Emerald' amaryllis I chose a Raku pot I wasn't using. I think the two will look great together.

When ordering the bulbs I asked my favorite (and only) daughter, Sally K, what color she would like. After hearing the choices she responded "Rose." So be it, I ordered 'Rozette' a double pink with white highlights. She's very girly, the daughter, not the bulb, but actually the bulb is too.

I look at these photos now and I know what these bulbs are going to look like as they send up thick tubular stalks topped by phallic buds that unfurl into huge trumpet shaped blooms. You can click on the links, or check back as I document the progress. Really, as far as the plant kingdom goes, these bulbs are worth the price of admission... stay tuned, plugged in, listen for the ping...

After all was said and done I found a lonely daffodil bulb in the bottom of the Amaryllis box. Not a freebie. I had ordered over 200 daffs, 100 tulips, several freesia and other miscellaneous bulbs, so this one got away and was left behind. I took pity on it and gave it cred for being the rebel that it is.

I used a favorite vintage glass container.

When this puppy gets tall and sticks out the top with its blooms it should be quite a sight. I had ordered several pink cup varieties of daffs this year. I'll be happy if this turns out to be one of them.

All potted up and ready to go these indoor bulbs now join some of my other houseplants. I kept the tags with the pots so I could keep track of which variety was planted where. And the lonely-no-more daffodil has one of my favorite toys for company.

Kids sand pit

2009-11-24T09:02:00.001-08:00

Recently, Green Alchemy returned to Amy and Cam's place to install more landscaping. Our first installation occurred when Amy was pregnant with Lucas, who is now fourteen months old. His sister Chloe is four.

When we designed the garden the first thing we did was take out the fence along the driveway and a buxus hedge that enclosed the lone tree. A gate was designed and installed farther down the driveway to ensure privacy and safety.

After opening up the back garden I suggested a sand pit for the kids. It's a great location, within steps of the house.

To break up the angular shape of the sand pit I added small boulders. The kids love to play on them. My idea was to facilitate their interacting with the whole space. They could walk up the driveway and step on a boulder, then jump down into the sand. I chose one boulder that had a depression in the top because it could hold water. I was told that Chloe's first reaction to that boulder was to sit on it and declare she was a queen.

Amy says the kids use the sand pit all the time. Friends of Chole's can't wait to be invited to play at her house. There is a little maintenance on Amy's part. When the leaves fall she has to rake them out of the sand and so far she's had no problems with cats coming around to use the sand as a litter box. If it does happen it can be handled by throwing a tarp over the space.

How this sand pit was constructed.
We first excavated to provide a smooth sub-surface, being careful not to hurt the roots of the tree. Then a thick drainage fabric was installed to cover the soil. The tree has lighting and low voltage wire was put in place. We used Felton sand which is similar to the play sand you get at the hardware store. There are a lot of types of sand out there. Many are used for construction and should be avoided because the fine dust or grit they have in them can be harmful to kids.

Water Catchment

2009-11-20T13:10:00.000-08:00

Amazing things can happen in a space 4 feet wide.

Green Alchemy recently had the opportunity to help install a DIY water catchment system. My client found used food processing containers for sale, $200 bucks for a 270 gallon container. That's a good deal!

We had to go over the top of the clients garage to drop the containers into a 4' wide space on the other side.

Ray found a fun way to get down from the roof.

The first container was lowered into place.

Then a second.

And a third.

After looking it over our client thinks he'll spring for 2 or 3 more. The containers will be hooked up to the gutters and will collect water to be used on the garden during the summer months.

Winter color

2009-11-08T20:01:00.000-08:00

Cyclamen in red and pink are a favorite winter color combination.

It's that time of year when summer flowering plants get pulled out and winter-flowering plants get planted. In public settings in will typically be cyclamen, a hardy reliable winter bloomer. These plantings remind me the holidays are fast approaching with twinkling lights and festive ornaments soon to follow.

Cyclamen are great plants that will last for years in the garden. Some are very fragrant. Other winter bloomers are pansies, poppies, primrose, stock, and ornamental cabbage. The tip for great winter color is to plant 4" or one gallon sized plants. It's too cold for the little cell pack plants. If they survive they won't get very big.

What a difference a boardwalk makes

2009-11-08T00:16:00.000-08:00

The Lee family was not thrilled with their front entrance. They tried a DIY project with tiles but with a toddler in the house and a new born who just arrived the project went south and wasn't adequate.

Green Alchemy designed and installed a wooden boardwalk. The intent was to warm things up with the red tones of the wood and to provide safe secure footing from driveway to front step.

The driveway was bordered by an area of cobblestone that was really bad to step on when exiting the car. The old brick retaining walls were crumbling and needed to be replaced.

We moved some of the cobblestone around the base of a Mugo pine, which is a dwarf pine tree. The retaining walls, constructed of the same wood as the boardwalk, now give continuity to the entry way.

We wanted to do more, like ripping out the concrete steps and aggregate landing at the front door, but we kept it simple and cost effective.

Once the cobble stone was removed we installed a simple slab of concrete to facilitate entering and exiting the car. The slab was then surrounded by shrubs in the 8" range to provide a bit of barrier. We planted more grasses and deer resistant plants in the retaining wall beds to match what is existing. The front entry is now both functional and attractive!

Passiflora mollissima

2009-11-07T19:58:00.000-08:00

Passiflora mollissima a.k.a. Banana Passion Fruit

There are many types of passion vines. All are tropical and exotic looking. I found this beauty growing along a cafe parking lot in El Cerrito. What grabbed my attention were the fruits. I've never seen a fruiting passion vine before.

I love the vivid shade of pink and extremely pendulous blooms.

Orchid time!

2009-11-06T19:38:00.000-08:00

Can you spot the hiding Green Alchemist? She's wearing a yellow shirt so she camouflages better!

Miniature tulips

2009-11-02T22:07:00.000-08:00

Tulipa humilis alba coerulea oculata
Species tulip, 5" tall. Blooms in April.

I love bulbs. Bulbs are cool because I plant them once (in the right place), they push up out of the earth with fresh green leaves, produce fabulous blooms, and then die back and disappear until next year when they pop up and do their thing all over again. I enjoy the seasonal interest.

Tulip Biflora
Species tulip. 5" tall. Blooms in April.

I have had a fascination for miniature tulips that only grow about 5" tall, max. Cute. Very cute. And this year I am on top of it. I purchased my order before the miniature tulips were sold out.

All the pots in my collection are no more than 3" across. I put 1 - 3 bulbs in each pot.

These bulbs are all of 3/4" in length, which in bulbsville is very small.

One of my clients gave me 3 antique terracotta pots. They are hand made and rustic. I am so happy to be planting them with miniature tulips! I have a hanging pot that is only 3" and I have been waiting forever to find the perfect miniature plant for it.

I buy my bulbs from Van Engelen Wholesale bulb company. They have good prices on bulk buys and some very unique bulbs.

Some beautiful porch action

2009-10-26T14:14:00.000-07:00

As always, you can click any image to see a larger (and more detailed!) version.

Green Alchemy is conducting more work over at Nola's residence. While they were there my mom snapped some great shots of the plants on one of Nola's porches. Pretty cool looking, huh? I'd love to come home to that.

It's a big deal.

2009-10-18T12:20:00.000-07:00

Giant pumpkin at the Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival

I love good marketing. How can I resist an event that uses phrases like The Great Gourd, gigantically enormous champion, and smashing entertainment?

Winner of the 39th annual Half Moon Bay Pumpkin Weigh Off

Don Young of Des Moines Iowa grew the 1,662 pound winner and is just 27 pounds shy of the world record.

Photo:Harry Baumert of the Des Moines Register

Don has a good story, tree trimmer by day, giant pumpkin grower by night. Read more here about Don and how his wife Julie hopes to be the first women to win the giant pumpkin title. Fun pix of Don's winning moments here.

Giant pumpkin carvers at the Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival

San Francisco Succulents

2009-10-16T23:53:00.000-07:00

On my way through the Potrero Hill neighborhood of San Francisco I spotted a couple of entryways decked out in succulent collections. Enjoy!

Horticultural Cubism

Aeonium
Yes, it really is that pink

The antennae look alike plant above is another Aeonium. They can get elongated like that and look really outer spacy cool. I take care of some that now reach 3 - 4' high and are truly twisty.

I think they made this shabby planter bed look pretty cool by filling it with succulents. Of course this person figured out that succulents are really easy to reproduce and grow.

Rain from the day before left these succulents splashed with jeweled drops.

Persimmon 'Hachiya'

2009-10-14T09:38:00.000-07:00

Persimmon 'Hachiya' flowers

Well-cared for fruit trees are super beautiful in the garden, none more than the persimmon.

The fruit begins to develop behind the flower

Fruit starts to develop in April

The persimmon has leathery light green leaves in spring that mature to a dark green over the season.

The foliage turns brilliant yellow, orange and red in the fall.

Developing persimmon fruit

The fruit of the persimmon ripens late in the year. This means that the bright orange fruit still hangs on when the branches are bare, quite a sight.

In October the fruit is the right size and the color develops.

Persimmon 'Hachiya'

I encounter a lot of persimmon as I make my rounds in the winter. A persimmon tree can produce great quantities of fruit that are good for sharing with people (like gardeners who muck about in the rain). And they aren't just for humans. One year, a good friend of mine who is an avid cook managed to hold back and leave some fruit for the birds. I admired this tree with its pecked-at fruit, even the birds like a bit of sweet on a cold and grey winters day.

Learn more about this plant on the California Rare Fruit Growers info page. Recipes and preserving techniques are found at the Seasonal Chef.

First storm of the season

2009-10-12T21:37:00.000-07:00

9 am. View from the Berkeley hills. The storm approaches.

Most of my time is spent manipulating the gears of nature. I decide what to plant, how to prune, when to fertilize. But when a big storm blows in I like to step back and enjoy the big picture.

The approach of the storm is great for me. I like to get out and poke around, muck about... Once the storm is present it's time for me to go inside and do those things I tend to skimp on during my busy season, like slow cooking and writing blog posts!

Bench and Madrone at Berkeley Regional Botanical Garden

One of the first places I go is into the hills to the Berkeley Regional Botanical Park. The most romantic spot in the bay area, especially on a day like today. With fewer people visiting during inclement weather I can hear bird calls, water moving along the creek and the wind in the trees. I can get up close and personal with the local lichen, explore a new plant, or goggle at leaf color without interruption. It's serene, it's fascinating, and it's my type of playground.

Acer circinatum, aka Vine Maple

Acer circinatum leaves offer a variety of fall color

Populus tremuloides aka Quaking Aspen

Not too much quaking going on now that the leaves are gone.

Lichen on Quaking Aspen

The California Lichen Society (CALS) seeks to promote the appreciation, conservation, and study of lichens. The focus of the Society is on California, but it's interests include the entire western part of the continent. Anyone interested in California lichens may join the Society. The monthly bulletin is a gorgeous production with beautiful photographs and lots of geeky lichen text. They have many events and active email discussion groups.

Hello! My name is Sally and I just visited a rose garden

2009-09-21T20:39:00.000-07:00

Click any image for a larger view

Oh, hi there! My name is Sally Kuchar. My last name is the same as Deborah's, the woman behind Seed Byte (the blog you're currently reading). That's because she's my way cool mother! My mom recently asked me if I'd do some blogging for Seed Byte, which made me very happy because this blog is WAY COOL and gets CRAZY AWESOME hits! Anyway, from now on you'll see me around these parts. I'll be talking about plants, conducting interviews, showing you cool projects Green Alchemy is working on, that sort of thing.

By the way, like mother like daughter, I'm also a designer. But I focus mostly on residential interior design! And I've spent a lot of time blogging for design and architecture blogs like MoCo Loco, Apartment Therapy, Curbed, The Apartment Broadcast, 7x7, and my own site: sallyTV.

Yesterday was a beautiful day to be in the bay area, which is where I live. San Francisco, specifically. I took a bike ride with some friends up to Golden Gate Park so that we could bask in the sun and enjoy the scenery.

Golden Gate Park is huge, I mean really huge. It's bigger than Central Park in NYC! Did you know that? Wow! One of my favorite places to visit in the park is their rose garden. It's right off of Fulton St. and Park Presido Blvd. It's on the smaller size but it's still nice to have a rose garden to frolic in in a city that's super dense with people.

It's me!

We're in the middle of September, so most of the roses have done their thing. But I did manage to snap some pretty pics. Take a look:

Aren't they pretty? What's your favorite rose? And why? Leave a comment and let Seed Byte know!