bwisegardening

Growing Up Crescent

2016-05-15T13:48:00.001-05:00

Growing Up Crescent - While at ‪#‎garden2grow‬ ‪#‎mossmountainfarm‬ with P. Allen Smith 25 social media influencers took a few minutes to learn about Crescent Garden planters and the history behind them from Crescent's owner Paula Douer. They then were able to go back in time and pretend to be 7 year olds to compete in creating miniature gardens in a Crescent Garden Juno planter. The result was lots of laughter and a little bit magical.
Growing Up Crescent Video

Growing Up Crescent from barbara wise on Vimeo.

Miniature garden furniture came from Fairy Homes and Gardenshttp://www.fairyhomesandgardens.com, potting soil was provided by Good Dirthttps://www.facebook.com/GoodDirt/, plants are Proven Winners plants https://www.provenwinners.com, those fabulous planters are from Crescent Garden http://www.crescentgarden.com, and the vibrant personalities of the folks pictured are all their own.

Social influencers pictured:

Michelle Slatalla

Jason Ambrosino

Brittany May

Penny Ausley

Rachael Brugger

Jennifer Burke

Melissa Caughey

David Ellis

Sara Gasbara

Daniel Bear Hunley

Amy Renea Kauffman

Luke & Sindy Marion

Nick & Allison McCullough

Russell McLendon

Tara Nolan

Gary Pilarchik

Jennifer Prock

Stephanie Rose

Nancy Wallace

Max Wastler

Kristy Wicks

Monica Willis

Brett Youmans

Spring at Franklin Park Conservatory

2016-04-18T23:13:00.000-05:00

I'll just let the pictures tell the story of Franklin Park Conservatory this spring.

Chihuly ceiling

Crescent Garden planters flanking the spiral staircase.

Win a Crescent Garden Planter!

2016-02-24T10:07:00.000-06:00

How about starting off spring with a new Crescent Garden planter? Lightweight, durable, and attractive, these planters are your plants' best friend with their double walled insolation, large cavity for plenty of soil, and food-safe, completely recyclable #2 resin material. Head over to their Facebook page for a chance to win one of their planters!

Crescent Garden planter giveaway - click here.

A Year of Gardens - Day 29

2016-01-29T21:41:00.000-06:00

The Getty - Los Angeles

A Year of Gardens - Day 26

2016-01-26T22:33:00.000-06:00

A summer visit at JJ DeSousa's home in Portland 2014. Viva de colores. I think that is French, or Italian, or just some language I mangled where I'm trying to say, "Look at all this great color!!"

Jj De Sousa, a Portland designer, lives life in color.

Charlotte Weychan in a pensive moment

Her home is a reflection of her eclectic and fun shop Digs - Inside and Out.

Doesn't everyone dream of a three carrot gate?

Check out the old pigeon coops on the wall growing succulents

A Year of Gardens - Day 24

2016-01-24T21:48:00.000-06:00

Last January the Colonel and I were in Kauai, Hawaii and were able to visit Allerton Botanic Garden. There was much to see in design and flowering plants that were stunning, but the roots on the Giant Australian Fig Trees (Moreton Bay Figs) kept me mesmerized. Wouldn't it be fun to grow up playing hide and seek among these roots?

A Year of Gardens - Day 23

2016-01-23T20:23:00.000-06:00

For all my friends who've been blinded by the white of the last few days of snow, here's a little color from the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles gardens. (Pictures taken this September 2015)

A Year of Gardens - Day 22

2016-01-22T22:44:00.001-06:00

Gardening is not just about the plants or design, but the weather that controls the life of those plants. This snowstorm will leave many plants damaged and many others sheltered from the cold. And it leaves me with visions of beauty.

A Year of Gardens - Day 21

2016-01-21T22:33:00.001-06:00

How about this for a creative hedge? These 'Little Gem' magnolias are pruned twice a year to keep them around 3-4 feet high around some of the homes at Watercolor Place in Florida. Plants are planted when they are 3 gallon size pot size.

A Year of Gardens - Day 20

2016-01-20T20:25:00.000-06:00

These great succulent gardens were found about 7 years ago at Itsaul Plants

A Year of Gardens - Day 18

2016-01-18T20:21:00.001-06:00

I'm realizing that daily blogs and manning trade show booths are not always a good combination. But there are times when we can show how you can have fun with plants. Yep, showing folks how to use our Crescent Garden dinnerware for succulent dishes.

A Year of Gardens - Day 17

2016-01-17T21:24:00.001-06:00

Lotus for the water garden

A Year of Gardens - Day 16

2016-01-16T22:06:00.001-06:00

Doesn't matter if you are a republican or a democrat. Bleeding heart (dicentra) can bring you joy in the shade garden. Blooms spring and sometimes again in the fall.

A Year of Gardens - Day 15

2016-01-15T22:43:00.001-06:00

I saw these terrariums at America Mart in Atlanta today and thought folks can garden anywhere! Flashback to the 1970s!

A Year of Gardening - Day 14

2016-01-14T20:34:00.001-06:00

Eucomis - a tough bulb with long blooming summer flower. Great variety options. You'll want to be ordering yours now to plant this spring! Grows in 6b to 9b.

A Year of Gardens - Day 13

2016-01-13T21:58:00.001-06:00

Here's a destination garden for you- the Getti Gardens in Los Angeles

Bougainvillea growing inside rebar tree trellis

A Year of Gardening - Day 12

2016-01-12T22:06:00.002-06:00

There are so many things to love about my job with Crescent Garden. One of best parts is finding our planters being used in stunning displays such as this at Franklin Park Conservatory in Columbus, Ohio. Next post will be on the Conservatory itself, which is stunning and well worth a visit. But for tonight I bring you knockout containers.

A Year of Gardens - Day 11

2016-01-11T20:44:00.000-06:00

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Spent the day meeting with some of the nicest folks at the CENTS show in Columbus, Ohio. I went to observe and network. Loved seeing our Crescent Garden planters at Acorn Farms.

A Year of Gardens - Day 10

2016-01-10T22:40:00.000-06:00

Last week I discovered a hidden jewel in Murfreesboro, TN. Hidden between neighborhoods in this college town is a CSA, organic farm, event venue, and beer garden called Sinking Creek Farm. Their story began with a tornado that resulted in over 500 dump truck loads of landscape and tree damage. What they built from the rubble is a welcoming and home-spun funky destination for weddings, parties, education, or beer tasting. Even on a cold, rainy day I wanted to stay and enjoy the atmosphere that calls you sit and stay a spell.

Check out their schedule of events here: http://gigisorganic.com

Learn more about the farm from Volunteer Gardener

A Year of Gardens - Day 9

2016-01-09T20:55:00.001-06:00

America's Mart Workshop

Jan. 15 and 17 at 2pm

A Year of Gardens - Day 8

2016-01-08T20:01:00.001-06:00

It may be freezing outside but it's blooming narcissus inside my house. Thank-you Rose Bradshaw! Wish I could post the fragrance.

A Year of Gardens - Day 7

2016-01-07T20:51:00.001-06:00

Today I was able to spend a few hours in an eclectic greenhouse in the company of a fascinating plantswoman. Andrea Henry of Little Marrowbone Farm has been growing succulents for years for local businesses and even winters over tender plants in her greenhouse for a small fee like the lime tree below. The scent of the lime tree blooms was heavenly.

This succulent planter in her greenhouse is about 4' tall.

My reason for visiting Little Marrowbone Farm was to pick up succulents for a workshop that I'll be giving on Jan. 15 and 17, both at 2pm, on building a succulent planter using our Crescent Garden Mini Gabrielle bag at the America's Mart in Atlanta

Everyone who comes to participate gets to take home their bag and succulents planted in Grow-Stone.

Succulent plants, according to Andrea, are the "cocaine of container plantings". What a great thing to say to a pot salesman like me!

A Year of Gardens - Day 6

2016-01-06T21:54:00.002-06:00

It's winter in Tennessee. It's finally raining in California. It's been snowing in Washington non-stop. It's crazy cold in Chicago and New York. Shoot, it's even cold in Texas! What's a gardener to do?
Here's my top five tips of things to do this month when the winter blues are wearing you down:

1. Take inventory of your garden tools, clean them well, and sharpen them. My buddy Martha Stewart has a good short video on that subject called How to Clean and Sharpen Gardening Tools. (A tip she is passing on just in case you land in prison and someone hides a hack-saw in your birthday cake.) For more detail on cleaning, check out University of Vermont's Dr Leonard Perry's "Cleaning Garden Tools" article.

2. Order seeds and plants from all the catalogs that are filling your mailbox. Some of those unique plants sell out quickly so order now for delivery later. A few of my favorites: Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Co., Brent and Becky's Bulbs, Botanical Interests Seeds (btw - they have a super fun coloring book you can download for grownups or kids based on their seed package covers! perfect for a snowy night by the fire), Plant Delights (true confession - I have every one of their catalogs from the last 10+ years...), Renee's Seeds (her website is chock full of great info), and Lee Valley Tools. There are plenty more great catalogs so feel free to chime in with your favorites!

3. Visit local garden centers and see what they have growing in their greenhouses or shops, talk with the folks there about what you are looking for in plants, supplies - like more Crescent Garden planters and outdoor garden items ;), or events you's like them to have, tell them how they have helped you in your gardening, buy a gardening gift for a friend. I'll have a later post on great garden centers that I am discovering.

4. Find out if your state universities have a trial or test garden and you visit it. (Check out yesterday's post.) And thank your extension agent for their hard work educating the masses.

5. Go to a garden show or seminar. A few of my favorites are the Calloway Garden's Southern Garden Symposium, Northwest Flower and Garden Show, San Fransisco Garden Show, and Nashville Lawn and Garden Show.

And here's a pretty picture because that what is expected on a gardening blog:

My friend Helen Battersby beautiful garden

A Year of Gardens - Day 5

2016-01-05T19:51:00.001-06:00

Today's post highlights one of Tennessee's best kept secrets - the botanical gardens at University of Tennessee Knoxville. Incredible collection of hostas, roses, and conifers, an AAS trial garden, a test garden for annuals and perennials, an edible garden that is wheelchair accessible, ever-changing works of art, and some displays that are just plain ol' fun!

I Love The UTK Gardens

In the greenhouse they are testing how light wavelength effects the nutritional value of food.

Japanese maples in the garden

a garden native

Don't get trapped in the maze!

Fall blooming iris

Iris 'Double Your Fun'

Metal Rose Sculpture

Those plants that get stuck in your head

Thumbelina's garden

All-American Selections Edible Trials

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'Mater!!

Okra

Red Salvia

The Rose Garden

A Year of Gardens - Day 4

2016-01-04T20:25:00.000-06:00

One of the trends that I am seeing in new gardeners is a desire to grow something that has a purpose. They want to grow food rather than flowers, flowers that will be used to decorate their home or dried for art projects, or herbs for medicinal purposes.

A few days ago I received Gardening for the Homebrewer by Wendy Tweten and Debbie Teashon to review from Voyageur Press. My first thought as I flipped through it was, "How timely for the going trend in gardening." My second thought when I looked at the front of the book again was, "I'm glad I'm not having to introduce Tweten and Teashon after tasting a few of their home brews." I'd definitely make a mess of those two last names!

The book is very practical and written with good horticultural information. Each product to grow has it's own inset with growing information and how to use it in brewing.
My favorite part, though, was the "Talk ____ like a Pro" where they give tips on how to use the correct terminology when talking certain beverage brewing. There is also some historical or fun facts about the different beverages that make this a nice little book to have on the side table to peruse.
And you know that muddler that was in great-grandma's kitchen that everyone wondered what it was for? Well, look on page 179 and find out how to easily put it to use.
So if you want to start gardening with an end result of something more palliative, this book would be a great resource for you. And come hear Tweten and Teashon this February at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show!