p o t a g e r

Poppies and Primping

noreply@blogger.com (Linda Vater) — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 19:25:00 +0000

I first noticed it at the shopping mall during the Christmas season. A number of beauties were sporting the look both behind and in front of the check out counter. It was flirty and youthful, this look...no matter the age, coloring or wardrobe of the wearer. I was completely smitten by the effect.

My female friends, I give you

Poppy-colored lipstick.

Lying somewhere on the color wheel between coral pink and tomato red. More of a stain, really. Absent any gooeyness or heaviness.

Fresh and feminine and

perfect for spring.

You won't be seeing me in pale blue nail polish or glittery green eye shadow...a little too Cirque du Soleil, albeit trendy, for this gardener. But I HAVE been coloring my smooch in that juicy and au currant poppy hue. Every cosmetic line has their version, and one that I feel sure would be right for you. But if you're not sure where to start in your search for the perfect shade, try these inexpensive brands as testers:

NYC's #407 'Smooch'
OR
Wet and Wild's #520E 'Hot Paris Pink'

Still feel that it looks a little too 'Barbie', not 'poppy'. Then tone it down with a nude lip pencil or a mixed coat of a neutral shade in your existing lipstick wardrobe.

And blot, blot, blot.

The effect we're going for, ladies, is popsicle mouth.

With all of its innocent charm, and vibrancy, and
yes, perkiness.

(Come on...you can still do perky, can't you?)

My 'Shirley' poppies won't be blooming for weeks yet.

I'll just have to wait it out with a little poppy-colored primping.

(I'll wear the shade on NewsChannel4
at 4:30 this Friday. You can give it a thumbs up or down. Oh, and we'll be talking about seasonal rose care... NOT poppies. :)

Do's and Don'ts for the Garden: Late February

noreply@blogger.com (Linda Vater) — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 02:29:00 +0000

If the weather isn't pleasant enough to be working in the garden tomorrow...

then tune in to watch my Do's and Don'ts segment on News Channel 4 at 4:30.

Cure For Gratuitous Cuteness

noreply@blogger.com (Linda Vater) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 19:55:00 +0000

First of all, let's make the assumption that it is possible to recognize and revel in ubiquitous cuteness without reacting at the checkout stand. Of course, I'm only talking about gratuitous and unnecessary cuteness here.

That cute journal/spatula/scarf/pillow...that you not only don't need, but oft times won't even use. Why? Because it just too dern CUTE to use/consume/give away. We save it for that special something or someone or special occasion that never materializes. (And if it does, we forget where we put it.)

My solution to this dilemma is a shopping technique I think of as

Temporary Custody.

Go ahead. Give in to temptation. Put that darling little knick-knack in your basket. Imagine where you will place it to maximize it's cuteness. Set the table with it, wear it, plant something in it...and then put it in your shopping cart. (This works both in brick and mortar stores AND online, I might add.)

Continue your shopping...for the things you REALLY need.

Pretty soon you will begin to notice that it's not QUITE so cute off the display shelf. Unaccompanied by its color cousins and back up band it's not QUITE so tantalizing. It slowly dawns on you that it really doesn't fit into your kitchen's color scheme...doesn't enhance your thick waist/ankles/skull...or is more 'precious-moments' cute than 'shabby-chic' cute.

Further cart possession eventually leads to a new sentiment about your knick-knack:

You need it like a hole in the head;
don't have the cabinet space for it;
realize you already have three almost just like it;
are already bored by it, and

the coup de gras:

You can already see it in the trash or, more likely, the Salvation Army donation box you've just put on the front porch.

Voila! A new definition of a product's life cycle is born.

And you put your little knick-knack back on the shelf.

Well done, you!

The Ubiquity of Cuteness

noreply@blogger.com (Linda Vater) — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 22:53:00 +0000

As I write this I am listening to the jaunty lyrics of Alouette in the most recent TARGET commercial, Color Changes Everything (just click to watch)...

(Isn't this potting shed cute?)

which brings me to the topic the Ubiquity of Cuteness, a thought bubble that has been floating around in my head for several days now (not unlike that little French ditty.)

There was a time when one could make a trip to TARGET (or Walmart or the Dollar Store for that matter) and return home, relatively unscathed in the pocket book department. We, for the most part, stuck to our list and avoided the temptations of Point of Purchase displays and seasonal chotskes.

We may have to go back a few years, but there was a time when, yes, quite frankly, things weren't just all that cute in the stores we frequented often.

Now we are accosted by cuteness EVERYWHERE.

One no sooner walks in the door of almost any store than one is overwhelmed by seasonal or thematic cuteness. Cuteness in every color, for every age group, for every size, for every weather condition, for every fad, for every hair color, for every gender (well, two anyway)...sometimes edible, sometimes not, cuteness. Customized, colorized, categorized, cleverly-packaged

"Cuteness"

It can be absolutely exhausting, this cuteness. Enter its pearly gates and checking out just one of its aisles becomes a virtual impossibility. If the contents of Aisle One are this cute, what might be EVEN CUTER in Aisle Two? If the office supplies aisle is this charming, what, prey tell, is charming (only in numerous different patterns) in the gift wrap aisle?

Enticing SPRING cuteness beside the even MORE enticing (and now on sale!) FALL cuteness. Oh, and for both the INSIDE and OUTSIDE of your waiting-to-be-further-cutified home.

And all you came in for was some Jet Dry and toilet paper.

Earlier this week I went and had lunch with my friend Sunshine who is a buyer for one of the epicenters of cuteness, Hobby Lobby. She showed me her new office and gave me a tour of the fantastical warehouse world of craftiness, in all of its iterations.

"Oh, look at this!" we would say over and over again to one another. "Isn't this CUTE!"

We would both acknowledge the item's inherent cuteness (though we both also acknowledged the fine, often VERY fine, line between CUTE... and TACKY).

And if it isn't cute in the pastel version, it might very well be cute in primary colors. Or in lamp form.

But I confided to Sunshine that I had my concerns about all of this cuteness, and whether or not its sheer ubiquity diluted its value. I can remember a time when I actually created cuteness. With pinking sheers and polka dot paper scraps and leftover twine. Now this version of cuteness is available in packages of twelve in the Notions Department, and quite often, for less not only time, but money.

"Now EVERYONE can be or do cute", I told Sunshine. "With little or no imagination".

And I pondered out loud whether or not this easy access to cuteness diluted

its very value, its very specialness. Yes, we both decided, the ante had definitely gone up in the cuteness department. Mere cuteness just doesn't cut it any more.

Something now must be.......extra-ordinarily cute.

Sigh.

Does our misery never end?

(Check in with me tomorrow and I'll reveal my favorite technique for warding off the cuteness epidemic. Till then, have a cute evening. )

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcgwgkyU4sY

Roman Holiday

noreply@blogger.com (Linda Vater) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:02:00 +0000

Head verses Heart

Risk verses Return

Practicality verses...

ROME

Such is the deliberation my oldest son has been engaged in this past week. One would think it a no brainer, going to Rome. Especially since the raison d'être for the trip is a spring break visit to a girlfriend in Italy on a semester abroad.

But that would diminish the level-headedness and seriousness and deep analysis with which he approaches nearly everything. (Not to mention the availability of Dad's airline points and Pop's willingness to part with them...)

It will not be his first visit to Italy. Husband and I took our boys to many dream-inducing places around the world (though as they often remind us, never Disneyland...) Cherished time recorded in journals and pictures we

created together. Recorded memories that with very little effort can reduce me to a blubbering blob of inconsolable parental longing... and heartache over the passage of time and the transience of childhood, of life, of moment, of chance.

So when he approached me with his comprehensive list of pros and cons about the trip

wanting input, wanting confirmation, wanting assurance... that he had covered every issue, every angle, every outcome

I told him (after determining that there indeed were enough airline points...)

that you're only young once;

in like (if not love) with the possibility of romance in one of the planet's most sensuous cities,

with a world of potential at your feet

(not to mention the metabolism of a 21 year old)

with a chance to spend a week in ROME .

If not now, my darling

When?

But then, isn't that true of me too? I am at this very second the youngest I will ever be and the oldest I have ever been.

With prospects for love and opportunity and potential...and moments of possibility

Same lesson. Same advice.

Just different dreams for different dreamers I guess.

And for both of us...for all of us

If not now

When?

Superbowl and the Schnitzelbank

noreply@blogger.com (Linda Vater) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:41:00 +0000

Sometimes, things just don't seem right. Or sound right. It doesn't mean the thing doesn't have merit. Just that it is kinda-off if you know what I mean. For example, I was recounting to Color Girl the blissful weekend that had just been mine. All of my men-folk were gone, you see. Sons at school; husband gone fishing. Me alone, gorging on solitude and closet-cleaning-outing and past episodes of Downton Abbey ... and, of course, eating whatever I wanted for dinner.

On Saturday, I told her, I had a can of smoked oysters, and muesli mixed with Greek yogurt for my repast. She acknowledged that I had obviously enjoyed it, but didn't sound as if it would have been her first choice. (Or second, for that matter.) After some clarification... that the smoked oysters had NOT been mixed in ALONG with the yogurt and muesli, she sounded somewhat less repulsed by my choice; still, I could tell it just didn't sound right to her.

Last week was my Dad's 87th birthday. L'il Sis was driving him around for a day of birthday adventure, and in the course of their traveling, my Dad asked her how old he was. (Why is it that the older we get, the more difficult it is to remember our age...) Anyhow, she told him he was 87, to which he responded with a resounding denial that that was the case. She asked him how old he THOUGHT he was, to which he responded with an emphatic "73!"

After working through the math, he grudgingly acknowledged the number, but ended the discussion with "well, that just doesn't SOUND right". True that, I am thinking, true that.

Dad's day of birthday fun included a meal at a local German institution-of-a-restaurant...the Schnitzelbank. German fare for this uber-German birthday boy.

Given that the entirety of Indiana is consumed with Super Bowl fever, birthday fun wasn't the only thing on tap (along with the German beer) at the Schnitzelbank. My mom was downright giddy at the prospect of voting for the Schnitzelbank bratwurst as HER favorite contender in the Indiana Superbowl 46 Sandwich Playoffs. (Click here to join the fun and vote Bratwurst!)

After all votes were cast, L'il Sis took the tired birthday boy home...a person can handle only so much excitement after all. She did, however, take the time to read a flyer about more impending fun at the Schnitzelbank:

A Spay-ghetti and (No) meatball fundraiser being held this weekend by the local Humane Society.

Good times. Good times.

HAPPY SUPER BOWL! EVERYONE

Journaling with 'Charisma"

noreply@blogger.com (Linda Vater) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 03:27:00 +0000

Garden Journal Entry: 23 January 2012

HIGH: 57 LOW: 36

Tips of tulips have begun to appear over the past couple of weeks. Am thrilled to see lots of viola seedlings from the violas planted last fall...hope they mature in time to join the party. :( no sighting of golden feverfew seedlings though. Even saw a forsythia in bloom yesterday.

Way too dry and warm...will this arid pattern never end? Possibility of a good rain tomorrow. Keeping my finger crossed. I deep watered this afternoon, so maybe that and a car wash will bring it on.

Lovely words from Colette...though I'd replace 'winter' with 'drought' in our case. The warm winter weather beckons...but also intimates that another dreadful growing season might lie ahead.

For now though trying to remain hopeful and feeling kinda giddy about the coming season. Maybe gullible is more like it, but the emerging buds and warm sunshine are so optimistic...gets me every time.

Meanwhile, I'm adoring my double amaryllis, ('Charisma', I think) Pretty sure these are the ones Bubba got for me... Love the drama of all three of them blooming simultaneously. Contorta branches as supports give them a certain Sleeping Beauty and the brambles kind of vibe...love it. Will always plant in threes again...so striking.

Especially like the way they glisten when light passes trough them. Pearl-like. Erotic and exotic. Effect changes with the angle, time of day, age of bloom.

Will definitely want to grow these again next year. Luscious is what they are.

And Dreamy.

So Romantic.

Would be gorgeous for a wedding.

And Valentine's Day. Hopefully they will last that long and new stalks will emerge in time.

Meanwhile, 'Samba' times three waits in the wings. :)

THE GAGE HOTEL AND MEMORIES

noreply@blogger.com (Linda Vater) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:33:00 +0000

" If the world were perfect, it wouldn't be." Yogi Berra

Or so I am thinking as I sit in the waiting room at Orthopedic Associates while my youngest has hand surgery. A case of fist meets steel door resulted in an injury requiring titanium pins and anesthesia and deductibles and co pays and nervousness.... and, yes, the

BOING!

phenomenon whereby your college kid returns to campus only to bounce back home when life happens.

Life also happened a couple of weekends ago when a much anticipated, long-weekend trip with my men

didn't quite turn out as planned.

Husband had been talking up the wonderfully remote GAGE HOTEL (click here for more information) for a very long time. Located in Marathon, TX, and ever so close to the epically beautiful BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK, the GAGE is my kind of place...my kind of experience.

Redolent with old frontier charm and grace, the Gage is the perfect place to stay while enjoying and marveling at the craggy, prickly, breathtaking landscape of southwest Texas and the magnificent Big Bend.

(cue sountrack to GIANT)

A hiker and photographer's dream...an artist's fantasy, a designer's muse.

a people-watcher's heaven.

Not that I personally enjoyed any of these traveler delights.

Oh, no.

On the way home from Enid on Christmas Day, my men and I were listening to Garrison Keillor as he recounted memorable Christmases of the past, one of which was memorable because his family was visited by, and I quote

"the Dark Horse of Projectile Vomiting..."

Well, let's just say,

my trip was memorable (though, thank God, not necessarily projectile...)

and resulted in Husband's visiting a pharmacy in a town an hour away. (I had good sense to marry that man.)

On top of the visiting dark horse, our already-short-to-begin-with excursion was cut even shorter

by a snowstorm in central Texas

that threatened to leave us stranded in our little desert oasis for a bit. Fortunately, my men avoided the stomach curse, and managed to get in a long, sunny hike...more than one Chili Rellenos breakfast...

and, yes, more than one cerveze and shots of tequila.

Oh, I did manage to take lots of pictures though;

granted... through a phenergan-induced haze.

Please don't let my experience dissuade YOU from visiting this magical place.

I plan on visiting again, soon I hope.

Though not necessarily on horseback, if you know what I mean.

Small Changes, Small Luxuries

noreply@blogger.com (Linda Vater) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 17:07:00 +0000

It can be difficult to transition from the profligate excesses of the holidays to the austerity and requisite discipline of the new year. Consequently, I think it's important that we identify and savor small delights...the freshness of a small, but statement-making change, or petite, inexpensive little luxuries we treat ourselves to as a reward for our extra gym time and healthy living.

So when the Christmas wreaths came down, the pinecone wreath dripping with nandina berries went up...still speaking the language of the winter season and the upcoming February holiday.

Out went the glorious white arrangement of last week and in came two huge bundles of hypnotically-scented tuberoses, again in winter white, again in their crystal vase.

Last, but not least. A dollar's worth of freshly sharpened black pencils for my desktop. Banished were the mismatched, stuffed-into-the-pencil-holder-I-really-don't need this many, writing implements, now bundled with a rubber band and placed in the Habitat for Humanity box.

There's nothing quite like writing with a newly sharpened No. 2, don't you think?
******************************************
A couple of you requested Nutrition Facts for the MAPLE BANANA FLAX MUFFINS of a previous post. Here goes:
Number of servings per recipe: 12
Calories: 200/serving
Carbs: 32g
Protein 5g
Fat 7 g
Fiber 4g
Also, the image showed a bottle of applesauce, which I considered using as a substitute for a portion of the oil. I didn't do so, but forgot to take it out of the image. Sorry for the confusion. BTW, my sister-in-law has already made a couple of batches. I assume everything is running smoothly at her house...

Secret of Adulthood: Fiber

noreply@blogger.com (Linda Vater) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 22:26:00 +0000

I've been asking friends and acquaintances about their New Year resolutions. Some said they resolutely had no resolutions (and, I might add, seemed to be in a bad mood when they said it....hmmm). Other responses were more mundane, mostly not very specific.

One of the fun-to-contemplate concepts in the book The Happiness Project (visit her blog here) was her list of life's wisdoms she calls "Secrets of Adulthood". I liked her list, and have, at her suggestion, started compiling my own.
As someone who has suffered from tummy trouble for a good part of adulthood, I submit to you one of my secrets:

It's ALL about the fiber...

Potty humor aside, it's hard to get too much of the stuff. I am constantly on the hunt for tasty, on-the-go sources. In my world, fiber and flax are two big players in the fountain of youth, and this recipe on a Kashi cereal box has both. I made them this week.

MAPLE BANANA FLAX MUFFINS

1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour

2 cups Kashi 7 Whole Grain Flakes cereal (crushed to one cup)

1/4 cup ground flax seeds

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2)

1 cup low fat buttermilk

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

1/4 cup canola oil (I used Flax Oil instead...)

1 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional

In medium bowl, combine whole wheat four, cereal, flax seeds, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.

In large bowl, combine bananas, buttermilk, maple syrup, oil and vanilla. Add eggs, beat well. Add flour mixture, stirring until just combined. Stir in walnuts. Portion evenly into twelve 2 1/2 inch muffin pan cups coated with cooking spray or lined with foil bake cups.

Bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let stand for five minutes, transfer to wire rack to cool.

Easy, tasty, fiber to go!

White Flora and Custom Cut Glass

noreply@blogger.com (Linda Vater) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 22:24:00 +0000

We didn't get a white Christmas, so I'll just have to make up for it in January. My own version of it, that is. As a reward for the sad, thankless task of taking down the holiday decorations, I decided to treat myself to a huge bouquet of white and green
flora in my living room. Those precocious paper whites started it all, looking so fresh and lovely and dainty. They were not content by themselves however, and neither was I.

Enter Casablanca white lilies, white freesias, and silvery eucalyptus pods...and lots of miscellaneous greenery cut from my garden. Quite dramatic and pristine and just the right kind of color cleansing for all of the red and green of last month.

I do so love the arching nature of these aromatic freesias, and the way the tight buds of the lilies just keep unfolding.

But do be careful of their perilous stamens... luscious as they are in their tumeric-y delicacy. They will irrevocably stain your clothing, yet I cannot bear to cut them out and deny myself their beauty.

Fortunately, my tablecloth is protected from this hazard by a gorgeous half inch thick piece of 42" round tabletop glass (with a beautiful one inch bevel) that I bought myself as an early Christmas present.

I had lusted after this LARGE piece of glass for many a while, but the quotes from local glass companies were just too rich for my blood.

Then I discovered Dulles Glass and Mirror, a wonderful source of custom cut glass of all kinds...for a FRACTION of the locally sourced cost. Since I discovered them I have ordered shelving of all sizes (order some here if you're interested), and even with shipping costs, they sell a wonderful quality product at a dramatically lower price...and with great customer service.

Flowers, glass, crystal, books, texture, scent. Such a sensual way to start out the year. Sighing with contentment,
p o t a g e r

The Happiness Project and 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Linda Vater) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 21:22:00 +0000

For many of you, including me, this book is s-oooo 2011. On top of that, I rarely recommend a book whose author gets on my nerves, and who is one of the more irritatingly, over-the-top self promoters out there.

Still, if you want a break from your normal heavily intellectual material, and need a good New Year kick in the pants, I highly recommend this. It is clever, practical, wise, amusing, and yes...will make you think about your own degree of happiness, and your investment in it in a novel way. She is a master communicator in getting across her message.

Color Girl gave me one for my birthday last year and I am re-reading it this week whilst comparing notes with L'il Sis who received one for Christmas. Double-double-double the fun. Just a little recommendation for the New Year 2012 (EGADS!).

HAVE A BERRY HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Holiday Fatigue and Bargain Bulbs

noreply@blogger.com (Linda Vater) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 19:43:00 +0000

As much as I love Christmas...and I do...at a certain point, and usually before the season's climax, I get a bad case of holiday fatigue. The greenery is well past its prime, the decorations are not quite as festive... instead they seem cluttery and dusty and excessive.

Likewise, the sweets and treats and indulgences (even the kids at home) just get to be too much.

Thanks goodness the new year, with its nascent promise of a fresh start and a cleansed palate caps off the holidays. Because, to put it indelicately, I'm pretty much sick of it all right now.

With a few important exceptions, of course.

Namely all of the paperwhite and amaryllis bulbs I potted up for winter color that are just now beginning to bloom.

They are ever so cooperative, blooming just in time to replace the fading greens and berries.

And unlike all of that other holiday festooning, I can't get enough of these seasonal blooms; in fact, I just bought more bulbs to pot up as the first round of them begins to fade.

A trip to Home Depot to get some light bulbs resulted in some bargain flower bulbs as well...all of them 50% off, no less. Your local nurseries might have them on sale as well. Check them carefully though. If they don't look fresh and firm to the touch, pass them by.

Oh! And their rosemary was on sale too...I got these beauties for under $3.00 each. Some bargains can be passed up. And then some...well, it would just be criminal to pass them by.

Christmas Series

noreply@blogger.com (Linda Vater) — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 19:43:00 +0000

Let's face it. Christmas can be disruptive, and sometimes down-right inconvenient. It messes with our heads, our bellies, our schedules. Both the before and the after of it.

A couple of weeks before Christmas, L'il Sis was talking to our 87-year-old father about this and that, Christmas being one of them. Where, my dad wanted to know, was he spending Christmas? She explained to him the plans for the big day, the where and the when and the whos and the whats of it.

A bit later in the conversation, he inquired for the second time about his Christmas plans and where he was going to be. She patiently and with great enunciation (in deference to his poor hearing), once again explained that he and my mother would be spending Christmas Day at my brother Tom's house and then again went over which members of our large and spread out family would be there to celebrate with him.

A moment later, he asked again. L'il Sis sweetly acknowledged how confusing it might be for him, to which he (with some exasperation at her inability to grasp the obvious) pronounced:

"But Christmas is...a-a-a...a series!"

the obviousness of which she could not deny. Christmas, indeed, she thought, is not just a day. Or a spirit, or even a season for that matter. It is, he quite rightly pointed out, an on-going series of things...of people...and special food, and decorations and music and gifts and traffic and disappointments and delights and, yes,

it was SO much more than a pat, inadequate answer

as to what one Sunday's activities and whereabouts could imply.

So, my darlings, here's to hoping that your Christmas series was, and continues to be, a lovely one to cherish for a long time to come.

How to: Sugared Fruit

noreply@blogger.com (Linda Vater) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 02:49:00 +0000

In my last KFOR segment I demonstrated how to whip up a quick centerpiece of sugared fruit. If you missed the segment, here's a VERY simple and quick how-to. The results are sophisticated and can be rustic or elegant, depending on the aesthetic you're going for.

Purchase a large variety of fruit, depending on your color scheme, preferences and size of arrangement. I would encourage you, though, to sugar grapes or something that spills out and over the edge...such a lovely effect.

You can buy superfine sugar, but I usually just make my own by whirring regular granular sugar in my tiny Cuisinart. Don't go too overboard though...you'll end up with powdered sugar and lose the luminescent quality of the sugar that catches the light so beautifully.

Then, just whisk up some egg white and 'paint' it on the fruit. (I like these washable plastic brushes that you can throw in the dishwasher.)

Then, my dears, just sprinkle away over the surface of the fruit. Sometimes I like to cover the entire piece of fruit and even the seasonal greenery..which simply MUST be included to make the whole composition sing.
Other times, I like just a dusting on the surface to catch the light and simulate just a dusting of snow.

Martha used a heavy hand here, very thickly covering the fruit and leaves. I especially love the kumquats and tiny lady apples, delicate little fruits that look especially dainty when glistening, but, alas, are also very hard to find. I am ecstatic whenever I find them. Tiny seckel pears are a treasure as well.

(Photo compliments of MSL Omnimedia)

Beautiful ruby and garnet colors sugar magnificently...try pomegranates and cranberries, red pears and tiny currant grapes. Or all citrus is heavenly if pastel tones are your colors of choice.

Clip some magnolia leaves, or cedar fronds, holly or euonymous branches. Greenery with a reflective quality is especially magical.
Or try some seeded eucalyptus or lemon leaves from your florist.

Place some at the base of a blooming amaryllis, or be extremely grand and do a whole five tiered cakes stand of these jewels...dripping from the edges...catching the candlelight. I've done this many times myself and the result is really breathtaking.

Plan on the arrangement lasting about a week. Sprinkle with more sugar if necessary. I wouldn't recommend eating it, as it
has aged egg whites as an ingredient, but do compost the fruit when it gets tired looking.

So much drama for so little effort. Do try it yourself. You won't regret it.

Seasonal Affective Ditziness

noreply@blogger.com (Linda Vater) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 20:09:00 +0000

It's hard to think clearly during the holiday season.

What with all the

forcing

and wrapping

and baking.

It's easy to feel a little overwhelmed, a little forgetful; yes, a little ditzy.

I was talking to a friend the other day while huffing and puffing on our respective elliptical runners. I confessed to having lost something that I was ever-so-sure I had tucked away in my purse, but I also admitted that I had been especially spacey of late, and we went through the list of causes and, well... excuses.

You know, the usual suspects: holiday mania, menopause brain, vitamin B deficiency (LC told me about that one...), sugar excess-ivity...husbands.

I blamed this particular incident on a deluge of junk mail and catalogs that I am always in too much of a hurry to recycle.

That, I told her, was my final answer, and I'm sticking to it. Consider it, I told her grandly, my 'excuse du jour'. I told her she could have one too...her very own

Excuse du jour.

"How kind!" she exclaimed. "Don't mention it", I responded generously.

Then I thought "why be stingy?" So all of you may have one as well. Your very own "Excuse du jour" for this holiday season.

Consider it a little gift from me to you. A virtual stocking stuffer if you will.

Don't ever say I didn't give you anything. :)

Sugared Fruit Centerpiece Segment on News Channel 4

noreply@blogger.com (Linda Vater) — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 17:18:00 +0000

I'll be showing you how to create a beautiful centerpiece made of sugared fruit today on NewsChannel 4 this afternoon at 4:30. Join us!

Christmas Banners and Shopping Local

noreply@blogger.com (Linda Vater) — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 15:49:00 +0000

It's hard not to be a kid at Christmas time. The sad longing we adults feel as we try unsuccessfully to recapture the magic and naivete and expectation that only the marvelous ability to be duped (and see the world again in 1950's black and white) can produce. We listen to the music, we smell the smells, we look at the lights, we channel Bing. Still, we are left unfulfilled, unsated, unable to get "in the Christmas spirit".

But every now and then, usually when we least expect it, something happens to jettison us back (albeit only for a flash) to our childhood. We smell again the fresh aroma of plastic from our new dollie's head, we experience the rapture of getting a really good gift in our classroom gift exchange, and we savor the memory of a time when we, indeed, really enjoyed eating a candy cane.

And believe it or not (if you still have the capacity to believe in Christmas magic), I had such a moment on Tuesday, December 6, 2011, St. Nicklaus' Day, my birthday.

After a divine, chatty, almost giddy, lunch with Color Girl, I "did Western". Those who live in my neck of the woods know exactly what I'm talking about. I visited many of the charming little shops and destinations that line Western Avenue just outside my neighborhood. You know, those enticing little places you pass every day but seldom have the time to frequent.

I ended up at my favorite florist, A Date with Iris, which ever so happily, lies just up the street from me.

I went in, looked around the wacky, wonderful Suesse-esque world they have created for the holidays,

and then

there it was

that magical, mystical WHOOSH back into time and Christmas space

hanging from the ceiling, in all of its nostalgic, retro, It's a Wonderful Life kind of glory.

A MERRY CHRISTMAS banner that put me in a Christmas mood that I have not experienced in quite a while.

I imagined it welcoming my college boys home for the holidays with warmth and cheer and just the right amount of festivity.

For just $20 and after a discussion with the girls over the relative merits of the green vs. red selection, this felt beauty was mine...

and is now festooning my entryway in anticipation of my boys' homecoming.

Magic! And a chorus of Christy Minstrel carols filled the air.

I am now imagining it as a perfect hostess gift, classroom decoration, or care package enclosure for a college kid. Or maybe, just maybe, a little bit of the past you buy for yourself on your birthday.

(Take my advice, shop local, support your neighborhood businesses and treat yourself to one of these banners. I think they have a few left :)!

Window box Chic and Duh

noreply@blogger.com (Linda Vater) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 15:25:00 +0000

I love my window boxes, I really do. Nothing adds charm and fairy tale romance to a house quite like a window box. Apparently, Bubba at SOUTHERN LIVING thinks so too as this was his topic of choice for this last photo shoot. So between the two of us (with a heavy dose of 'Bubba Chic'), we composed and planted this luscious fall window display.

The list of ingredients for this profusion of color and billowy loveliness?

Pale and dark yellow + orange pansies and violas (blue, lavender and white flowers were vetoed at the front end.....too busy).
Three Dwarf Alberta Spruces (not so expensive that they can't be replaced if OK summers toast them.)
4 inch DARLING little ruffly purple kale (yes, Ralph, you found them and can take all of the credit for their inclusion).
Ivy and Asian Jasmine and gold money wort and trailing gold euonymous to spill over the sides and add wonderful texture and softness

and.......hidden from view: baby ruby cabbages, golden feverfiew and tete-a-tete miniature daffodils that won't make much of a statement until spring when this whole halleluia chorus comes together.

If you're thinking about adding a window box to your home, here are some tips:

Build it large enough to make a real statement and support all of the textures and heights and color gradations of a small garden.
Repeat an architectural detail of your home in its facade and consider painting it or staining it to match the existing color scheme of your home's exterior. This makes it look like an integral part of your home's design and personality...not just an afterthought.
Support it with some formidable brackets at the base (though the box itself is also attached to the wall), as it will be QUITE heavy
Make sure you line it with something to prevent the wood from rotting. I had a metal liner made for the inside, though a very heave plastic liner would work....make sure to give the box itself and the liner appropriate drainage holes.

No detail was overlooked in making the images look perfect. Every spent bloom was removed (faces forward, violas!), storm windows were removed, wooden windows washed, living room visuals inside perfectly arranged, tuteurs placed-then removed-then placed-then removed, and on and on. SOUTHERN LIVING standards, after all.

These spectators, at least, seemed to appreciate our efforts. Hopefully, you will too when the story comes out (Lord willin') next fall.

One more little editorial correction. Bubba pointed out that in my last post I wrote ''Alexander", instead of 'Anderson' below Ralph's (SL's photographer) picture. To which I responded in my email:

"Of COURSE it's Anderson, of COURSE I know that, but if a girl just finished reading a blog 'alexandra's kitchen', of COURSE Anderson becomes Alexander. Duh! It is why I garden and blog and why I DON'T do brain surgery. Just little details like that."

So, to Ralph, I apologize, and to YOU out there, I say

Read alexandra's kitchen, a blog you can access here and which I think you will enjoy immensely. :) Belated Happy Halloween, everyone. Oh, and don't forget to tune in to KFOR's 4:30 show to see Ralph's interview.

The Windowbox and Southern Living

noreply@blogger.com (Linda Vater) — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 22:48:00 +0000

Ralph Alexander, senior photographer, SOUTHERN LIVING; me; Micah Leon, photographer NEWSCHANNEL4; noticeably absent: Gene Bussell (aka, 'Bubba') , Garden Editor, SOUTHERN LIVING

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have your home or garden photographed for a major publication? Do you imagine it wrought with anxiety over weather conditions...the exasperation of dealing with temperamental arTISTE-y stylists and photographers...poor syncopation of bloom...not living up to editorial expectations...discord over presentation, and, most disturbingly (if you're in the photo), a really bad hair day?

Well, if you did, you would be so.......WRONGGGGGGG! (Except, of course, for the stress over having a bad hair day).

Now I can't speak for most shelter magazines, but I can attest (after four shoots with them) that working with SOUTHERN LIVING is an absolute joy. I would even go so far as to say that I have become good friends with them (Bubba, Ralph, RR.....ummmmm, am I speaking out of turn? :) An expression of southern warmth, I might add, unique to SL and their staff.....and not unfrought with risk... as it is hard to tell a friend that their gorgeous photo shoot might not make it to print...SIGH...)

But I digress. Bubba, SL's Garden Editor (not unlike a vampire), absolutely refuses to have his image recorded under any circumstances, so no pic of him on this blog....anywhere. Despite this character flaw, Bubba is an amazing gardener and creative photo stylist with a memory for all things horticultural that is quite intimidating actually (sorry, Bubba). He is also a great shoulder to cry on when Oklahoma weather drives me to drink or I have run out of good reading material. Or I'm just antsy and need someone to bug about nothing in particular.

Ralph, oozing Southern charm with a suave, slow drawl to match, has unwittingly taught me quite a bit about photography. He can make any weather condition and light quality work. Not just work........sing. Scale any rickety ladder, muck through any poor-draining flower bed, he will, to get that perfect shot. My potager isn't exactly NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC, but still...

Anyhoo, the whole experience is fun, not at all stressful, very educational for me, and bad-hair-anxiety notwithstanding, a rollicking good time. Especially since, when all of the shots are in the can, and the hair-gods have spoken (fair or ill), we celebrate at my house with lots of good food (this year: brisket, arugula salad, squash casserole, wild rice and chocolate cake....oh, and copious amounts of red wine...), and recap the wisdom imparted, artistic genius expressed, and disasters averted during the shoot.

Don't believe me? Then watch NewsChannel 4 at 4:30 on Tuesday afternoon. Linda Cavanaugh wanted to see for herself, so she interviewed Ralph and I about the photo shoot and why they like coming to Oklahoma City. Oh, and about the window box; the reason they came, after all. I'll show you some tease pictures tomorrow, with a compositional how-to on 4 Your Garden at 4:30 on NewsChannel 4 this Wednesday.

Of course, if you want to see the entire story and images...well, you'll just have to get a subscription to SOUTHERN LIVING now, won't you? It never hurts to plant a little plug for good friends, you know? :)

News Channel 4 Segment: Vertical Gardening

noreply@blogger.com (Linda Vater) — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 14:58:00 +0000

Got a minute? Then join me and Linda Cavanaugh on News Channel 4 this afternoon at 4:30 to discuss vertical gardening.

With this beautiful weather, things are looking up, don't you agree?

How Do I? Overseed my Lawn

noreply@blogger.com (Linda Vater) — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 15:38:00 +0000

Rain, glorious rain.

Saturating, steady, soporific, seed-germinating, sigh with contentment (and relief), kind of rain. Blessed, life-giving rain. The kind we finally had this weekend.

So, quite obviously, I am feeling better about the weather. Better and quite smug, I might add (do forgive my arrogance), because about three weeks ago, I over seeded my lawn and now it's well, almost lush! (A concept I had, quite frankly, forgotten.)

Over seeding is an annual ritual I greatly look forward to, as its timing is the clarion call to finally banish the dead and tired ol' lawn and replace it with succulent green sprouts of newly sown grass. Usually for me, this occurs mid-September, though you still have plenty time to get yours done.

I over seeded the bermuda area of turf with a perennial rye (DON"T use an annual rye...you will regret it!) This year I used 'Pizzazz', but most any variety would work. The fescue areas, thinned out from high traffic and the heat and drought, got an application of a fescue seed...this year I think I used 'Millenium', but there are many blends and varieties from which to choose.

My tiny urban lawn is a weekend kind of project. More like a long morning or afternoon. If you want to try it for yourself this year, here's the how-to:

1. Scalp the turf.

Don't do it all at once though, you'll clog your mower. Take it down in stages.

AND SAVE THOSE CLIPPINGS! You will use those later. I find my recycling bin works just fine as a way station until I am ready to use them.

2. Apply the seed.

Use a drop spreader (vs. a rotary spreader) for this, unless you want lots of grass germinating in your flower beds. If you must use a rotary spreader (even a small hand-held version can work for a small area), don't get anywhere near the border of the lawn. Sprinkle grass in this area by hand, if need be.

I adjust the application rate based on the condition of the turf, but you will find guidelines on the bag of seed itself.

3. Cover the seed.

For a couple of reasons: to keep the seed moist and protect it from drying wind and sun, and...hide it from the birds who find bare seed easy pickins'. It will germinate far more quickly if top-dressed with those saved clippings or peat moss. I usually just spread the clippings by hand, though I have also used a perforated mesh baler on occasion.

4. Be patient

Keep the lawn moist. Water lightly and frequently (vs. deeply and infrequently after your turf is established). Obviously, having a sprinkler system is quite an advantage at this stage.

Given the right conditions of warm, still days, and cool nights...and the occasional gentle rain, your seed will start to germinate in a
week or so (I have had some seed germinate in as little as four days.)

Try not to mow until the seed is about three inches long, but DO keep leaves off the tender blades. You don't want to suffocate the little darlings.

Fertilize with Milorganite (I talk about it in a previous post here simultaneously, or later, and pat yourself on the back for a job well done!

I assure you, your lush emerald turf will be appreciated by neighbors and visitors of any persuasion.

GARDEN TOUR FOR CONNOISSEURS 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Linda Vater) — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 16:22:00 +0000

Hopefully you enjoyed the (albeit, mistakenly published) tease yesterday of my friend Marquette's garden, one of the beautiful venues on this year's eye-popping, super-artistic, eco-friendly, envy-inducing GARDEN TOUR FOR CONNOISSEURS. If you don't enjoy every minute of it my name isn't p o t a g e r (actually, it isn't, it's Linda, but still...) I've included a slide show of each location after its description. Enjoy!

PRESS RELEASE

2011 GARDEN TOUR FOR CONNOISSEURS

For additional information contact: Cheryl McIntosh ~ 590-3355 cell Jeanne Blair ~ 308-2236 cell.

If you are looking for creative ideas to plant in your family garden, mark your calendars for the 2011 Garden Tour for Connoisseurs. Seven family gardens and one corporate garden are featured on the tour planned for September 24 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The rain date is Sunday, September 25 from noon to 4 p.m.

The annual garden showcase is sponsored by the Oklahoma Horticultural Society and provides scholarships for area college students majoring in horticultural and landscape design. The Society also presents public lectures on historical and contemporary gardening themes.

The family gardens on the 2011 event all represent the artistic talents of their creators. Many of the professional artists work in a variety of mediums ~ glass, metal, sculpture, oil and watercolor paintings, interior design. Their work is beautiful, unusual and sometimes ever so whimsical. They all not only love the medium of their art, they love digging in the red earth and clay of central Oklahoma’s landscape. They enjoy bringing nature’s myriad possibilities to life in their gardens.

What is also appealing about the 2011 tour is the abundance of ideas visitors can transplant to their own home gardens. Most are in smaller, older neighborhoods within the city. They are hybrids of gardening and interior design ideas adapted to the outside. Walk through any of these gardens and you will say, “I could do that in my garden.” There’s nothing more inspiring on a garden tour than borrowing new ideas from others.

The corporate garden ~ The Chesapeake Employee Garden ~ is a bonus for visitors. Here you will find a bumper crop of ideas, provided by the teams of employees who have designed fruit, vegetable andflower garden plots that benefit their family, friends and fellow employees. With their garden “leftovers,” they also benefit a local food bank.

Put on your best garden clogs and cool clothes and walk through this visually appealing tour that is rich and fertile soil for new ideas for your garden.

Gardens on the tour include the homes of:

Suzanne Wallace Mears, Paul and Grace Medina, Ernesto and Lin Sanchez,Marquette Clay, Marcy Roberts, Rob Littlefield, Carrie Todd, and the employee garden plaza at Chesapeake Energy Corporation.

TICKETS are available at the following locations: Farmer’s Grain Company of Edmond, 102 W. 1st Street

and

The Greenhouse, 1708 24th Avenue S.W., Norman Horn Seed Company, 1409 N. W. Expressway Precure Nursery & Garden Center, 8125 W. Reno and

4535 N. W. 63rd Street TLC Florists & Greenhouse, 105 W. Memorial Road

8208 N. W. Expressway Wilshire Garden Market, 2821 W. Wilshire Blvd.

SPONSORS are: Neal Insurance Company Lyndsey Neal Chesapeake Energy Corporation Mike Lindsey Scapes Garden Design Associates Total Environment Kent Hutmacher, Churchill Brown Associates.

OKLAHOMA HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY GARDEN DESCRIPTIONS FOR BROCHURE The Oklahoma Horticultural Society presents

THE GARDEN TOUR

FOR CONNOISSEURS Saturday, September 24, 2011 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Sponsored By

Neal Insurance Company

Lindsay Neal, Chesapeake Energy Corporation, Mike Lindsey, Scapes Inc., Garden Design Associates, Total Environment, Ken Hutmacher of Churchill Brown Associates, Bob Browne, Great Plains Coca-Cola

Garden Descriptions by M.J. Van Deventer

Gardens are numbered for the shortest traveling distance between each location.

1 Suzanne Wallace Mears, 4317 Butler Place, Oklahoma City, swmears@cox.net

Suzanne is a nationally-known glass and ceramic artist and has decorated her lush garden with many of the glass pieces she has fired in her cottage studio at the rear of her 90-year old home. The garden is not only an exploration of thriving garden plants and towering mature trees, it is a window to her enchanting world of colorful paintings and unusual glass art.

Visitors on the tour will find an abundance of her colorful, exuberant glass pieces showcased in the garden. “My works in glass are an experiment with texture and transparency,” she said in an interview. “They are also about patience,” she laughed. Many of her latest works are also inspired by the colors of her garden and the birds and creatures who visit this secluded space often.

This is like walking through a secret, magic garden. Pretend you are Alice in Wonderland and you will enjoy it even more. There are quaint stone pathways, clever water features, bold, winding wisteria and ground covers, especially English ivy, which add color and textural interest to the garden.

Flowers are everywhere ~ in colorful ceramic pots playing hide and seek behind trees and along secret, stone pathways. She has nurtured day lilies and impatiens, black bamboo, . . . and ferns you would expect to see in the tropics.

This is a garden where you must look both down and up. Many of the stone pathways have imprints of nature embedded in the rock. The majestic trees provide a canopy for the garden.

When you look at the colorful vignettes of nature Suzanne has created in the garden and then view her glass art, you can see the enchanting symbiotic relationship between her art and her love of color, beauty and whimsy in a garden that continues to inspire her.

Design by owner

2 Paul and Grace Medina, 1439 Northwest 39th Street, Oklahoma City. artdan1@cox.net

As an artist, Paul Medina is well known for his unusual mixed- media creations, including those he has designed for writer Judith Blume of New York, actor Robin Williams of San Francisco, and Yannick Noah of Paris, France. While art is Paul’s first love, gardening is a consuming passion for Grace.

The front and back gardens surround this 90-year-old Craftsman-style home in a quaint, early day neighborhood. The entry garden expresses the Medinas’ love for brick, gravel paths, colorful ceramic pots, and a variety of plants that thrived this summer, in spite of Oklahoma’s extreme temperatures.

At first glance, the entry garden gives the impression it has graced this setting for decades, yet, it is only four and a half years old. The garden reflects Grace’s love for heirloom plants, especially roses. She transplanted many of them from a previous home. Now, roses and clematis climb up an old arched iron trellis that serves as the signature entrance to the couple’s garden.

Large yuccas that were moved from a previous home are special, along with a green Japanese maple, a fountain and liriope, more commonly known as monkey grass.

Golden coreopsis and purple lisianthus complement roses, cedars and gaillardia in this virtual xeroscaping setting. Watch for small signature stones with clever sayings and large sea shells peeking out from foliage.

The Medinas’ back yard was “a blank slate,” a bare canvas anchored by two elderly pecan trees, which made a home for the meandering English ivy. Paul’s sculpture studio looks out on this inventive garden scene and will be open for visitors on the tour.

The garden is an excellent study in the art of reclamation. Concrete that was once a garage floor was broken up and used as patchwork walkways between brick, flagstone and gravel paths.

The couple accented this narrow rectangular space with variegated privet, red holly, coleus, lamb’s ear, Virginia creeper, glossy abelia, sage, angelwing begonias, lariope and several stunning mature oak leaf hydrangeas.

Some of Paul’s sculptures adorn the grounds, as do unusual bird houses he has built. Recycling is evident with the use of old laundry wash tubs that host perennials. The Medinas hid the air conditioner with a wood fence and let lichen add color and textural interest to a variety of rocks and stones.

The Medinas’ garden is definitely a treasure trove of easy to adapt ideas for your garden.

Design by owners, with assistance from John Fluitt

3 Ernesto and Lin Sanchez, 1628 N. W. 41st. Street, Oklahoma City. Sra.sanchez@cox.net

Tour visitors can expect a wandering landscape full of surprises in the Sanchez garden. An artist by profession, Ernesto is a painter and sculptor and is also director of exhibitions and lighting at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, so staging museum shows and gardens pulses through his DNA.

The front of the home makes an unusual color statement with a bright orange porch, which is complemented by a small front yard filled with crepe myrtles, hollies, Liriope, and a green Japanese maple.

The narrow driveway, which usually houses the couple’s small getaway vacation trailer, leads to a large back lawn that has a centerpiece fountain, arbors, trailing vines and shrubs in these outdoor “rooms” that seem to unfold as visitors tour.

They took half of a double car garage to make an outdoor roofed pavilion, that includes a swinging rope bed, small seating areas and traces of Mexico, Ernesto’s native home. A small rock-lined fish pond is home to gold fish and Koi, and a stray chicken they named Sunshine found a perfect permanent home in the garden for nesting. Sunshine is now part of the Sanchez family.

Beyond the pavilion, Ernesto and Lin purchased what they call the “Wayback,” a vacant, distressed lot they bought from the county. They have turned this once derelict space into an oasis for entertaining. The raised pool accents one end of this sprawling, now lush garden. A cottonwood tree “that blew in on a puff of cottonwood seed nine years ago,” shades the east end of the pool. The travel trailer will move to this area for the tour and become a Mexican cantina.

Ernesto and Lin created gardens that wind through this space, using smoke, pine, river birch, fig and green Japanese maple trees.

Among the shrubs and flowers are nandina, hollies and yews, Lariope, phlox, moon flowers, sweet potato vine, and a pleasing mix of annuals and perennials.

This area of the garden is a perfect place to play Italian bocce ball, or enjoy the unusual sculptures by Ernesto, Robin Starke, and other friends of Ernesto’s who have sculpting talents.

Ever creative, Ernesto and Lin used the existing rock steps, which are surrounded by trees and plantings, as a gateway to the “Wayback,” where seating is ample, making this a space for entertaining in these garden “rooms.”

4 Marquette Clay, 1708 N. W. 41st Street, Oklahoma City. Marquette@gardendesignok.com

Marquette has been a partner in John Fluitt’s landscape design studio for 17 years so giving his home an exterior and garden facelift was truly a labor of love.

The first impression is of a home that might easily be found on the eastern seashore. Its white picket fence and chartreuse front door are wonderful surprises.

The symmetry of the small front yard is charming. The stone walkway to the front door separates two square garden areas dressed in wandering Jew, agapanthus and alyssum. Round stone balls add to the sense of geometry Marquette designed for his front garden.

The driveway continues the symmetrical theme. Between the two lanes of the concrete drive is a well-manicured path of grass, leading to the rear garden which is a study in shades of lime green.

Tall dead pine trunks stand like totems, becoming the sculptural frame for a beautiful seating area ~ a large square in keeping with the design style. Rectangles of grass accent the pebble “floor” of this area.

Variegated lime green cannas, purple heart, angelonia, chard and Joseph’s coat attract butterflies and hummingbirds in this space that has the suggestion of a pair of well-designed gardens that are a quiet retreat from the seasonal pressures of landscape design.

Garden Designer Marquette Clay and John Fluitt

5 Marcy Roberts, 609 Northwest 47th Street, Oklahoma City, ouimarcy@cox.net

This home near the edge of Crown Heights was originally inspired by the Work Projects Administration era park designs, combined with creatively recycled materials. This is definitely a home and garden built for entertaining.

The front of the small home is welcoming, with a green Japanese maple tree, Chinese fringe and buckeye. Liriope and holly shrubs line the base of the front entrance.

An unusual accessory in the brick outline are “clunkers,” bricks that were over fired and now look like pieces of coal inset into the brick design.

The first clue that Marcy, a massage therapist, loves to entertain is a bowl of green and cobalt blue glass bottles by the front step. It is a playful twist on a folk art tradition of bottle trees, as well as a reminder this homeowner enjoys hosting parties in her home and garden and is also passionate about recycling.

The narrow fenced pathway, leading to the backyard, features several smooth stones in robin’s egg blue, found near a beach in California. They are a whisper to the kaleidoscope of color awaiting guests in the back yard.

Two rambunctious canines helped dictate the design and sturdy, indestructible tough plant choices in the back yard. A broad wooden deck leads down to a sunken, stone and gravel conversation pit, lined with a circle of vintage metal lawn chairs in crayon colors. The chairs, which are coming back in vogue, circle the sculptural fire bowl.

Another symbol of Marcy’s penchant for recycling is seen in two dog proof planters, constructed of massive oilfield pipes, which add to the sense of privacy and whimsy in this cloistered space.

An expansive wood pavilion is buttressed with red clay sewer pipe columns with cedar log rafters covered in corrugated metal. The pavilion provides a “room” to dine, entertain friends and offers a welcoming, cool retreat from summer heat and sudden showers.

6 Rob Littlefield, 1148 Northwest 56th Street, Oklahoma City, roblittlefield@hotmail.com

If you want ideas for how to plan and grow a garden in stages, Rob Littlefield’s garden is the perfect primer. He took a small home and guest house in an older

neighborhood and gave both a colorful, total nature’s elusive

gift of rain.elift in shades of Dutch blue, golden yellow and burgundy. Then he began to plan and plot out the garden, using his

talents as a builder and remodeler. He started with a handsome sheltered car port that doubles as entertaining space overlooking the sprawling garden that offers a mix of sun and shade with a variety of mature trees.

This area features ample seating and a fire pit that doubles as an outdoor cooking arena in temperate weather. He calls the entertaining area “a summer sanctuary that is awesome in a rainstorm.” Obviously, Rob was deprived this past summer of the pleasure of watching many pleasant summer rainfalls.

He created natural “walls” in the garden with cannas, black bamboo, cane and papyrus. Rock paths wind their way through the garden like a rippling stream.

Rob created a tropical feeling in his garden with oleanders, jasmine, mandevillas and hardy hibiscus blooming throughout the summer.

Trumpet vine, with its bright orange blossoms, and phlox with its lavender hues, add other touches of color to the pleasing artistic palette Rob has created.

His vegetable garden provides a smorgasbord during the summer. A weeping peach tree adds height and delicious fruit to this area of the garden. Another favorite is his plot of Jerusalem artichokes. Other vegetables are planted in season.

He enjoys growing tobacco plants, moon flowers, and spider flower, which he calls “my favorite.” Rob credits a friend, R. D. Dirickson, who lives in a home with no garden, with his encouragement and inspiration for Rob’s garden. “The magic in my garden would never have occurred without his guidance,” Rob says, adding, “Gardening is my thing.”

Designers: The homeowner and R. D. Dirickson.

7 Carrie Todd, 1113 Woodlawn Place in Brookhaven, Oklahoma City,Carrie.todd@hotmail.com

Sitting on a small sloping incline in Brookhaven, this small home in an older neighborhood offers a visual treat as visitors approach the garden.

Carrie, an interior designer who loves scouring flea markets and coming home with great finds and treasures, gave the garden a secluded, private feeling with a simple wooden privacy screen that shields the garden from street traffic.

The first clue that she adores architectural antique fragments is in the use of two antique iron decorative pieces, probably used in someone else’s garden in their earlier life. One hangs on the east side of the home; another is above the small back porch, leading to the interior of her home. It is a nice visual accessory facing the garden.

Seating is abundant in this garden, giving guests ample room to sit, visit and admire the fruits of Carrie’s creative designs and labor.

The garden reflects an inspired collaboration between Carrie the collector and the design team at Garden Design Associates, headed by John Fluitt. Those flea market finds and architectural fragments gave the design team the starting point for a series of outdoor spaces.

“We started by arranging Carrie’s eclectic menagerie of objects and furniture into interesting and functional combinations,” John said. “Much of the landscape and plantings evolved from the groupings we created.”

A magnificent Colorado Blue Spruce is a focal point of the front lawn. Angelina sedum is an accent.

In the back garden, flagstone and gravel paths, are accented with oak leaf hydrangea, hollies, nandinas, and healthy, sprawling sweet potato vines that loved soaking up the summer’s heat.

The most unusual architectural fragment that will intrigue visitors is what Carrie calls “the grotto.” It is an old concrete building at the back of the garden, slowly giving away to age. Bits of rust on metal furniture and chips in clay and concrete pieces contribute a patina of age while this crumbling outbuilding is a quaint folly beckoning visitors to explore deeper into the garden.

For the tour, she made a table from an old door that was once on the ruins of the building. She created an inventive dining area and added an old candle chandelier hanging from the rafters where wisteria will someday take over. She made a floor of pea gravel accented with some potted plants and candles. Pretend you are in the Roman ruins or a grotto in France.

With Carrie’s creative spirit and her ability to see beauty in the oldest of relics, visitors will be in for a surprise as she gives new life ~ a new face ~ to this charming grotto.

Designer: The homeowner and John Fluitt

8. Chesapeake Employees Garden, East of the Western Street campus, located between Shartel and Lee Avenues and Northwest of 61st and 62nd Streets.

Chesapeake’s Employee Garden is an example of an employee idea becoming a reality. The idea came from an associate landman, who sent the documentary, Escape from Suburbia, to Martha Burger, Senior Vice President of Human and Corporate Resources.

The idea grew from there, fueled by the excitement of CEO Aubrey McClendon, who loved the idea as well. Today, the garden comprises a full city block and has approximately 65 plots, ranging in size from 12’ x 32’ to 24’ x 32’ for teams of three to ten to manage throughout the growing season.

The garden offers employees a way to be both sustainable and healthy, by encouraging employees to reduce their environmental footprint by growing their own produce, rather than purchasing it from a store where it’s been shipped, packaged, and in many cases, mass produced.

One of the most popular activities among employee gardeners is composting, practiced throughout the season, because of the added value of exercise, teamwork and camaraderie. Chesapeake employee gardeners work with the company’s restaurants to turn kitchen waste into homemade high-quality fertilizer, turning approximately 1,500 pounds of kitchen waste into high-quality compost last year.

Throughout the growing season, the Chesapeake Employee Garden donates produce to the local BritVil

Community Food Pantry. So far, the garden has donated more than 800 pounds of fresh, organic vegetables, including onions, kale, collards, leeks, spinach, carrots, potatoes, herbs, squash, beets, chard, lettuce, broccoli, cucumbers, eggplant, peppers, sweet potatoes and watermelon.

A variety of educational garden-themed classes are offered: natural pest control, basics of sustainable gardening, composting and gardening 101, fall gardening class, food canning and storage, and beekeeping basics.

The garden is a place for employees to share time with their families as well. For instance, garden staff skilled in beekeeping have brought the magic of bees to the garden, where there are two resident honeybee hives. During Saturday morning “Meet the Bees” classes, employees and their families watch the resident beekeeper pull frames

from the hives for all to see what is happening inside. Two bee hives also inhabit the garden.

The Oklahoma Horticultural Society Garden GARDEN TOUR for CONNOISSEURS

noreply@blogger.com (Linda Vater) — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 21:33:00 +0000

Marquette Clay 1701 NW 41st Street

Marquette Clay, 1708 N. W. 41st Street, Oklahoma City. Marquette@gardendesignok.com

Marquette has been a partner in John Fluitt’s landscape design studio for 17 years so giving his home an exterior and garden facelift was truly a labor of love.

The first impression is of a home that might easily be found on the eastern seashore. Its white picket fence and chartreuse front door are wonderful surprises.

The driveway continues the symmetrical theme. Between the two lanes of the concrete drive is a well-manicured path of grass, leading to the rear garden which is a study in shades of lime green.

Garden Designer Marquette Clay and John Fluitt

Contagion

noreply@blogger.com (Linda Vater) — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 17:52:00 +0000

I'll just go ahead and ask for your forgiveness right off the bat. I say this because I have no doubt you will be cursing me, just as I have been cursing my friend, The Dirt Diva (check out her blog here), who, along with some other malcontents, introduced me to the highly addictive, hallucination-inducing, mega-timewaster,
PINTEREST. Follow my boards here, or sign up here to find out more, if you are not already main-lining the site, because, as my friend Color Girl (whom I hooked a while ago) says, it is the crack cocaine of the internet. (And you thought Facebook was a black hole.)

PINTEREST is a world of virtual inspirations boards, curated by beauty-loving hounds everywhere, who have put their cyber tear- sheets out for all of us to see, steal, swoon over, envy, and in general, inspire. Categories for inspiration and voyeurism are infinite. Sign up now to see what I mean and soon, you too, will be spreading the contagion and wasting time right along with me.

Non-productivity, along with misery, loves company.

While you're at it, visit my Wisconsin pal at her blog, Plant Postings, to get more gardening tips on lessons learned in Summer 2011 (try not to hate her for having lovely weather this summer...).

If a trip Down Under seems more enticing, I'd suggest The Bok Flock, a fun and wacky read with a brilliant Australian accent.

After spending time so much time sitting and reading, you will, no doubt, want to stretch your legs and engage in real world Home and Garden touring and idea-gathering. If so, plan to attend

The Oklahoma Horticultural Society's
GARDEN TOUR FOR CONNOISSEURS

coming up Saturday, September 24, 2011 (rain, God willing!, or shine) I'll be telling you more about the tour in upcoming posts, but for now purchase your tickets for $12 at the following locations:

FARMER'S GRAIN COMPANY OF EDMOND
102 W. 1st Street - Edmond

THE GREENHOUSE
1708 24th Ave. SW - Norman

HORN SEED COMPANY
1409 NW Expressway

MARCUM'S NURSERY
2121 SW 119th Street

PRECURE
8125 W. Reno and 4535 NW 63rd - OKC

TLC
105 W. Memorial Rd. - OKC

WILSHIRE GARDEN MARKET
2821 W. Wilshire Blvd. - OKC