The Rusted Trowel

We're On the Move!

2011-11-02T16:53:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to let everyone know that we're finally moving this blog over to our actual website. A new location with a new look (to match our website) but the same kinds of ideas, stories and images. Please make a note of our new address, which is easy to remember:
LenkinDesign.com/blog

You will be automatically redirected in a few seconds!

2011-10-10T15:07:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to share this lovely bouquet used to welcome a special visitor. Daylilies, hydrangeas, roses blend in a delicate palette of creams and pale lavender. We're not quite sure what the geometric dried flower clusters are, but they punctuate the composition beautifully. From the always amazing Jacob Maarse Florists in Pasadena.

Rainy Day Snail

2011-10-06T15:26:00.000-07:00

The last few days have been a first glorious taste of Autumn, with clean, crisp air, and a subtle shift in the color of the afternoon. Oh, and yesterday it poured rain all day long. Anyway, the new moisture has delighted the garden, and brought out more than a few critters as well. Today we found a tiny Glass Snail (oxychilus draparnaudi), which is generally found in more damp climates. Their flat shell is beautiful and glassy (thus their common name) and works well for hiding under pots and stones… Which is where they'll be back next week when temperatures go back up into the 90s. Fall in Los Angeles never arrives definitively until November…

Would you believe this was shot with an iPhone?

Cocoa Coordinates

2011-10-03T15:12:00.000-07:00

We were just minding our own business, selecting fabrics for an outdoor living room and custom daybed, when a French friend (and client) dropped by with gifts…

Such a harmonious intersection of design and edibles really should happen more often in the office. How lovely, for a change, to use words like mocha, cocoa and coffee without referring to paint chips or fabric swatches!

And yes, another box of divine macarons, this time straight from Paris, rather than Heathrow!

2011-09-21T10:26:00.000-07:00

A little while ago, we started work on a Pasadena Craftsman home, not far from our office. We had such a great time working with our client on a complete makeover of the front and back that they asked if we could spruce up the interiors (Heather has a degree in interior design as well). After many fabric and furniture specs and several completely new bathrooms, we finally had time to shoot a few photographs.

What was previously an unsightly service corridor is now green wall, providing soft focal points outside the living room and dining room windows. An assortment of ferns were planted in an easy-to-install vertical garden system - Woolly Pockets.

Custom cabinetry and tile work in the new guest bath.

Custom mosaic floor in the new powder room.

Custom shower in an upstairs bath, featuring truly gorgeous fixtures from our friends at Waterworks.

More photographs at our Flickr page.

Oops…We Did It Again

2011-09-13T15:14:00.000-07:00

Introducing Elizabeth, the latest troublemaker to join the crew here. "Bessie" is a King Charles Cavalier Spaniel with a sunny personality and plenty of energy to explore the world. Hilarity shall surely ensue…

Of course, not everyone is thrilled with the new arrival…

Summer Tablescapes

2011-08-26T10:35:00.000-07:00

Whether you are having guests over or not, tablescapes are a great way to add visual interest to a space. Creative compositions can even be conjured up with a just handful of household items and a few fresh flowers from the garden.

This tablescape was created with seashells from the bathroom, candles, and a small potted succulent from the garden.

Not designed for eating, this cottage garden tablescape is decorated with garden tools, old teacups, and Euphorbia tirucalli ‘Sticks of Fire’ and Kalanchoe blossfeldiana ‘Opala Pink’ in pots.

This contemplative garden has sushi plates, decorative lanterns, marbles, and colorful pots. Remember, tablescapes don't need to be bound to the table!

The mirror underneath the centered pots create depth while knotted lavender ties echoes the greenery beyond.

This living tablescape is composed with moss and mixed succulents in a handmade and painted wood centerpiece. Sunset Magazine featured this a while back, along with a "How To" guide.

The striped white and purple sand contrasts with the plump leaves of the Graptosetum ‘California Sunset’ and the bright yellow tablecloth.

Pots: Focal Points of Color and Texture

2011-07-27T16:47:00.000-07:00

Composing arrangements in pots is fun way to create powerful points of interest in your garden. Here are a few examples: each pot is chosen to compliment or contrast with its planting and surroundings, in color, texture and size.

These echeverias are arranged in a grid, echoing their polka-dot pot in color, rhythm, and whimsy.

In this composition of soft blues and greens, a spray of Helictotrichon grass plays off the roundness of the succulents and the smooth pale green marbles. Marbles are a great way to put the finishing touch on a pot.

LEFT: Polygonum capitatum trails downwards while Dasylirion explodes upwards, penetrating the vibrant red and orange of a grape vine (Vitis vinifera) in late autumn. RIGHT: Phormium ‘Pink Stripe’ drawing your eye to the classical terracotta wall plaque. The color is balanced between the flowers on the Justicia brandegeana vine above and the pink geraniums below.

The Garden Alphabet

2011-07-26T17:47:00.000-07:00

Mississippi artist and writer Laurie Parker sent us this charming children’s book in the mail. It’s an "I Spy" type of book that invites children (and adults) to sharpen their eyes while exploring gardens through clever rhymes and captivating collages. Visit her website here.

From Heathrow with Love

2011-07-05T12:48:00.000-07:00

Heather has just returned from a little trip through Spain and Portugal. Photos, of course, will be shared as soon as we sort through them all! In the meantime, here's what almost made her miss her flight home.

A New Twist on an Old Favorite

2011-06-17T15:12:00.000-07:00

Paying attention to details is an important part of almost any creative discipline, and in many spiritual practices as well. A garden is a wonderful place to exercise this. There is always something new to see, from subtle shifts in color to explosions of growth to movement perceived only over the course of weeks, months or years.

Only yesterday did we notice a curious mutation on a Dusty Miller shrub right by the side of the pathway that leads to our office. It has clearly been at eye level for some time but nobody has noticed it until now. The stem is flat and wide, like pappardelle pasta, but inexplicably curled into a loop. The jacobaea maritima keeps its characteristic color and texture, just, you know, with a twist.

UPDATE: A garden specialist we work with explained that this phenomenon is known as fasciation, or cresting. It can occur in woody or herbaceous plants, succulents, and even cacti. Causes are varied, from genetics to bacterial infection, to chemical or physical damage. The Royal Horticultural Society of Britain has more information here. For more in-depth information (and pictures) see this article from Colorado State University.

Strawberry, Lemon, and Basil Soda

2011-06-13T17:22:00.000-07:00

With fresh fruit and basil from the garden, this homemade soda is a perfect summer treat! The recipe is based on the recipe from BON APPÉTIT but is tweaked a little to appease our sweet tooth.

Ingredients:
2 fresh lemons
6 fresh basil leaves
6 fresh strawberries
2 tablespoons sugar
A touch of salt
Soda water

Directions: Remove seeds from lemons. Chop in half and squeeze both lemons into a cup. Chop basil and strawberries into bite-size pieces. Put all ingredients into the cup and muddle until sugar dissolves.

Strain all the liquids into your glass with ice

Add soda water and a strawberry or lemon garnish

Serve! We made a pitcher by quadrupling the recipe.

Designing Around Pools

2011-05-31T11:34:00.000-07:00

Summer is here, bringing heat, longer days, outdoor BBQs, and pool parties. When the temperature soars, pools are great places to hang out as well as keep your backyard cooler.

An important aspect to think about when creating a backyard pool area is the outdoor furniture and scale. There is a lot to consider when it comes to size, shape, and materials. Notice how we used bright colors and patterns make each of these unique landscapes look vibrant.

To give the area height, rhythm and depth, we installed twelve concrete bases topped by large urns — six on either side of the pool — each with ‘Tiny Towers’ cypress trees and surrounded by two different liquorice plants: Helichrysum petiolare and Helichrysum ‘Limelight.’ One appears silvery and the other appears more golden yellow.

The water feature at the end of the walled area provides color and the sounds of the fountain playing on the masonry and tiles is soothing to the ear. The area is shaded by a striped awning that Heather had custom made to replicate the original 1931 awnings of the house that she saw in an article about the house in Architectural Record of the same year.

Grass in between pavers ties the lawn to the pool as well as keeps the concrete cooler on hot summer days. Notice the deep royal blue carried throughout the landscape.

New to this xeriscape landscape is a pool, a jacuzzi, and fire pit. Lawn area was reduced and decomposed granite pathways were created leading to the new ‘fire pit’ snuggled into giant boulders under the shade of ancient deodor cedar trees. In order to conserve water, we eliminated part of the lawn area, installed drip irrigation and put in decomposed granite through which irrigation water and site drainage easily filter back into the water ground table.

Coming Up Roses

2011-05-18T13:48:00.000-07:00

With the recent heat, the roses have really taken off. It's been very challenging to capture their sheer abundance and exuberance, so we've tried a few panorama shots. You may have to stretch your browser window open to see them in their entirety. Or just click them to visit our Flickr page.

Top: the single Polka rose bush in the cottage garden is just getting started, already bursting with saucer-sized blooms…

Bottom: We started training Sally Holmes climbers over the trellis that runs the length of the Mediterranean Garden. They haven't yet reached the top of the trellis, but are already blanketing it with blossoms.

April Showers Bring… Garden Parties?

2011-05-12T09:54:00.000-07:00

In April and May, the slow windup that begins in late Winter culminates in a glorious explosion of color, texture and scent. Which means it's a great time to have visitors. We've had a number of lovely tour groups visit us, and while we were at it we threw a big birthday party. Our wonderful friend David has already so eloquently captured the day in prose and photos on his blog that we'll just let him tell the story. He even got pictures of the food (provided by the always amazing Gale's Restaurant in Pasadena) and adds a receipe! Click here to read David's blog post.

After everyone left we took a few more shots which really do little justice to how the Gardens have clothed themselves this year…

Flora reviewing her "troops:" narcissus, foxgloves, jasmine, Heather Lenkin roses, Sally Holmes climbing roses…

The Madonna Garden: understated color allows structure and texture to shine.

Our clematis has finally taken off, framing this lovely alcove.

The view down from Heaven (the highest point on the property).

Even the Infirmary area made for an intimate corner to chat.

King Alfred daffodils stand at attention as Princess Mini leads the way.

The Heather Lenkin Rose in all her glory!

As always, there are plenty of additional pictures on our Flickr page.

Cleanup Crew

2011-05-11T11:24:00.000-07:00

May is always a lovely time the gardens here; the incipient summer heat summons the roses forth in a hurry. This means we have a lot of visitors and therefore much cleaning up to do! This year even Hebe had to lend a hand…

Ready for His CloseUp

2011-04-28T09:51:00.000-07:00

The Gardens have been exploding in color and fragrance thanks to the heat of the last couple of weeks. We've been busy shooting in the garden, but busier with other things, and so haven't posted any photos just yet. Soon, though! In the meantime, we present to you Frank (Ol' Blue Eyes), who was visiting with a friend.

Tiger Beat, look out!

The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival

2011-04-20T16:41:00.000-07:00

In April, one hour outside of Seattle, WA, a small town called Skagit hosts one of the most beautiful festivals on the West Coast - The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival. Fields and fields of tulips line the streets of Mount Vernon and people gather from all over the county to admire the picturesque tulips. When the weather is right and the tulips are in bloom, it is truly enchanting.

If you happen to live in Seattle, you must visit the festival between April 1st and April 30th. I would recommend going later in the month so all the tulips are in bloom and the weather is warmer. And if you happen to need a relaxing vacation, the Tulip Festival is a great destination with Seattle, nicknamed the city of flowers, only a short car ride away. Three tips for your trip: bring cash because it’s $5 to get into each festival (Tulip Town & Roozen Gaarde), wear close-toed shoes because the mud is thick, and bring a camera!

Tulip Town, Skagit, WA

Roozen Gaarde, Skagit, WA

Experiencing Richard Serra at the Olympic Sculpture Park in Seattle

For more pictures, visit our Flickr page!

Edible Flowers

2011-04-20T12:08:00.000-07:00

No, we're not talking about nasturtiums, chrysanthemum or squash blossom. These buttery blooms come from our good friends François and Diana at Girard Gourmet in La Jolla, California.Vibrant frostings adorn a delicate and flaky interior, straight from the European tradition. It would be nice if these grew on trees…

If you're ever in the San Diego area, François and Diana also offer a full menu of similarly delectable, European-style dishes for breakfast lunch, dinner and dessert!

Birthday Surprise!

2011-04-14T09:41:00.000-07:00

It was someone’s special birthday so we decided to create the perfect birthday gift. After digging through baby books and family achives, we found a list of flowers given to the birthday girl’s mother from her father when she was born. With the help of Tommy Farmer and Steven Carmona of Tommy Farmer Studios, we were able to recreate this exquisite bouquet. Here it is!

This classic arrangement includes (among many things) white hydrangeas, yellow calla lillies, african violets, miniature daffodils, variegated needlepoint ivy, and dwarf azalea.

Spilling out of the basket are the delicate shades of ornamental 'Kent's Beauty' oregano (origanum rotundifolium).

And, of course, a Chanel handbag cake for the birthday girl, thanks to Leslie at Fantasy Frostings!

More wanders in the garden

2011-04-06T14:32:00.000-07:00

We're in the midst of some early Spring cleaning, and the weather is teetering between baking sun and chilly fog. But the Lenkin Gardens continue bursting forth in color and scent. Here are a few excerpts from our Flickr page.

UPDATE: We are pleased to be linked to the Fishtail Cottage blog's Cottage Flora Thursdays, an active community of creative gardeners and do-it-yourselfers. There are lots of great ideas and photography; check it out!

First clematis!

The wisteria on its way to filling in…

Dewdrops on a throng of osteospermum.

Mama Piggy waiting in the wings for final placement in the garden.

Little Piggies waiting for mama.

The cranesbill geraniums are really starting to take off!

The Garden to see in April: The Lenkin Garden

2011-04-04T10:03:00.000-07:00

April has arrived and the Lenkin Garden is blooming and ready for spring. The spectacular Syringa vulgaris and Jasminum polyanthum has produced a lucious aroma that fills Lavender Hill (the purple-themed garden) and encourages anyone walking by to pause, draw in fresh air, and sigh because nature has produced such a sensational moment for us to experience. Since we can’t share their fragrances, we have attempted to captured their beauty in our photographs for you. Enjoy!

Syringa vulgaris var. alba

Jasminum polyanthum

Violets on our roof garden

Prunus persica 'Alba Plena’ produces beautiful double white blooms in the spring

Herbalicious!

2011-03-22T17:58:00.000-07:00

After walking by our decaying herb garden for the thousandth time on Friday, we decided that a change was in order. Our goal: to freshen up our miniature herb garden for less than $50, and provide us with herbs and fresh lettuce for the season to come!

Here are some of our sad, sad before shots:

Step 1:
Remove the old pots (or get your new pots ready). You can plant your herbs and lettuce directly in the soil, but little pots like these ones make it really easy to quickly snag a pinch of dill or a couple of leaves of Buttercrunch.

Step 2:
Clear and level the soil. This will give a clean and complete look once you're finished.

Step 3:
Plant and place your pots.

Here are some of the plants we chose.

We spaced them out so we could plant strawberries in between. Mmm!

Our finished garden!

Planting edibles can be one of the best ways to reconnect with your garden space. Whether it's small or large, you will enjoy your meals that much more when your own efforts have put the food on the table.

Enter Springtime - Pink Jasmine is in full bloom!!!

2011-03-16T10:06:00.000-07:00

It's about that time of year again in Pasadena, where spring time is signaled by apple blossoms, plum blossoms, cherry blossoms, wisteria, and of course Pink Jasmine. It's one of our favorite smelling flowers and you'll find it blooming all over Los Angeles right now. Grab a sprig for your bedside table and enjoy.

Landscaping Hillsides

2011-03-14T10:03:00.000-07:00

Landscaping hillsides can be one of the most difficult parts of designing a backyard, but there are several tasteful ways to go about it: create terraces, arrange low retaining walls, construct zigzag pathways, design several landings carved into the hillside, or plant dense, strong-rooted plants in staggered rows. Strong-rooted plants include Artemisia, ceanothus, cotoneaster, creeping mahonia (Mahonia repens), ice plants, juniper, rockrose, California buckwheat, Japanese buckwheat, and rugosa roses. On hillsides, it is important to install drip irrigation so plants get the amount of water they need without a lot of runoff. If you notice “ponding” on flat ground, this can mean poor grading or uneven soil settlement. Surface drains, berms, retaining walls, and terraces are all effective erosions controls. Here are several different examples of well-landscaped hillsides. (Sunset’s Western Landscaping, 2006)

A natural looking hillside with native plants and stone steps

A rock retaining wall with dense planting

Strong-rooted hardy plants such as Agave are great for hillsides

A gravel pathway cuts through a hillside held up by natural rock and dense planting

A terraced hillside with full-grown native planting

A formal Italian hillside with stone walls, pillars, and stairs

The most natural looking hillside with stepping stones, wild flowers, and a dense colorful ground cover preventing erosion