Serenity in the Garden

A Short Video for Creating a Front Walkway Planting

2013-05-20T09:15:00.000-04:00

This fledgling video was made a few years ago.. but I illustrate the ever popular Angelonia flower and more. Short and to the point. For those who do not know plants very well

A Great, Native Grass for Your Garden - Little Bluestem

2013-05-19T10:45:00.002-04:00

courtesy of Proven Winners

When the American Horticultural Society decided to create a large meadow at their headquarters, River Farm, in Virginia the first plant they seeded was Little Bluestem. ( I wrote about this earlier but have added to it. )

Photo Courtesy of Lazy S'S Farm

They applied 100 pounds of Bluestem seed. The Latin name is Schizachyrium scoparium or skiz-ah-KEER-ee-um sko-PAR-ee-um.

Why was this the first plant they seeded? Because Little Bluestem is a NATIVE, wonderful, durable, upright, clump forming grass that is eminently suitable for 'meadow making'.

'The Blues' courtesy of the Battery Database

Little Bluestem is native to almost all of the United States and parts of Canada. It is found in 45 of the 50 states, making it the most abundant of all native grasses.

It is drought and flood-tolerant, can grow in light shade and thrives in relatively poor, sharply drained soil. It is found in woodland glades and both upland and lowland prairies.

The most thrilling aspect to me about this plant is the unusual depth of its dense, fine and fibrous roots.

This is a photo of switchgrass roots but it is similar to bluestem roots.

switchgrass roots

Little Bluestem's roots grow almost vertically downward to depths comparable to shade trees!

This is why it is drought tolerant, why it needs no fertilization and why it is often used for erosion control on slopes.

Little Bluestem is extremely cold hardy, deer resistant and is an excellent grass for the garden. Little Bluestem is the state grass of Nebraska

courtesy of Native Plant Associates

It's slender blue-green foliage grows from 18 inches to 3 feet tall. Its stems are purplish at the base and the foliage turns a striking russet red in the fall. The soft wispy silvery seed heads bloom in late summer through early fall and are ornamental through winter, making it perfect for the native winter landscape.

Arogos Skipper Butterfly (birdsofoklahoma.net)

It is also a fabulous plant for wildlife, being a larval host plant for the Dusted, Arogos, Meske's, Peck's, Cobweb and Crossline Skipper Butterflies.

Its fine clumping foliage provides protective cover and nest sites for many birds and its seed heads supply them with food.

courtesy of Intentional Living Blog

It is one of the plants in the National Wildlife Federation's BIRD GARDEN (click here) landscape plan.

'The Blues'

'The Blues' variety is a spectacular Blue form of Little Bluestem.

It thrives in heat and humidity and looks excellent in massed plantings, as a groundcover or mixed with other native grasses and perennials. It adds a fine, delicate texture to plantings. The Blues Bluestem will grow to be about 24 inches tall at maturity extending to 32 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 18 inches. It grows at a medium rate, and can be expected to live for approximately 10 years.

The Songbird Garden by Johnson's gardens(Click Here)

Here is a small Songbird garden developed by Johnson's Gardens. It contains Dwarf Pavement Shrub Rose, The Blues Little Bluestem Grass, October Skies Aster, Kobold Blazing Star, Magnus Purple Coneflower, Viette's Little Suzy Rudbeckia, Zagreb Coreopsis, Prairie Dropseed Grass

You can use Little Bluestem as a lawn replacement. It is common in many low maintenance seed mixtures combined with other lower growing natives. You can spread these seeds in open recreational areas, along roadsides and in wildlife habitats. But do not despair the first year after seeding - these deep rooted grasses grow down, not up, during the establishment year. This means that the top growth may be nothing more than a narrow, straight leaf until late in the summer. It can be hard to see and many people are almost always convinced they failed. Patience! The second year is the reward.

Once established, Make sure to cut it to the ground in late winter before active growth resumes.

Of course you can also buy them as small plants....

River Farm Meadow - photo by Tristan-NC

By the way, the Horticultural Society's meadow at River Farm is called The André Bluemel Meadow and is four acres of many species of native grasses and wildflowers. Go visit!

It was seeded with Stocks Wildflower Mixture from Stock Seed Farm, Murdock, NE. The mixture included; dwarf red coreopsis, blanket flower, grayhead prairiecone, purple prairieclover, blue flax, plains coreopsis, upright prairiecone, cornflower, scarlet flax, shasta daisy, smooth penstemon, dames rocket, partridgepea, perennial lupine, spiked gayfeather, red yarrow, purple coneflower, California poppy, lemon mint, lance-leaved coreopsis, Indian blanket, blackeyed susan, white yarrow, Mexican red hat, false sunflower, new England Aster, and corn poppy.

The amazing native Coralbells - Heuchera villosa

2013-05-16T09:01:00.002-04:00

Native Heucheras have it all!

Heuchera villosa Brownies'

Photo by View from Federal Twist

The amazing Heuchera villosa, or hairy alumroot, is a species of coral bells that is native to rocky wooded slopes from Virginia to Missouri. It is resistant to browsing deer and rabbits and is an excellent substitute for Hosta in shaded/part sun beds. Piet Oudolf uses this a lot.

Villosa is from the Latin meaning ‘velvet’

These plants are tolerant of dry soil in shady conditions but need more regular watering in partial sun. Good for Dry shade!

from davisla blog

It has large, hairy, triangular green leaves that have a velvety texture. It flowers in late summer (perhaps the latest in the genus) and features tiny, whitish flowers in open, airy panicles on slender, wiry stems to 36” tall. Hardy to Zones 4 - 7.

Heucheras are best grown in light shade and partial sun as they tend to bleach out in full sun. Grow in well drained, compost enriched, loamy garden soils (avoid heavy clay). In moist, cold winter climates they do best in raised beds. Many varieties are evergreen in mild winter climates.

It has no serious insect or disease problems. Its exceptional heat tolerance and vigor makes this a superb plant for containers and perennial borders.

Mass the robust Heuchera villosa as a ground cover or plant in rocky slopes, open woodland gardens, cottage gardens or in native plant areas. It is very effective as an edging plant along walkways.

Here are some great Heuchera villosa cultivars:

'Autumn Bride' hairy alumroot

Carolyns Shade Gardens

‘Autumn Bride’ is a cultivar that features large, fuzzy, gray-green leaves which make a bold statement. White flowers appear above the foliage mound on slender stems in late summer and persist to frost and are perfect for cutting. Mounded, semi-evergreen plants can reach 15" tall and serve well as a part sun, woodland groundcover.

For late season interest, combine with Chelone glabra, Ageratina altissima ‘Chocolate’, Eurybia divaricata, Chrysogonum virginianum, and Carex flaccosperma, Silver Leaved Lamium, variegated Sedges (Carex).

H. villosa ‘Purpurea’

For an interesting foliage contrast, plant the purple-leaved H. villosa ‘Purpurea’.

This coralbell has striking burgundy foliage which contrast well against its starry white flowers. This natural variety of the species is one of the showiest of the Alumroots. Very durable, it looks great all season long!

in Longwood Gardens by Carolyns Shade Gardens

'Bronze Wave' Alumroot

This has a much shinier, almost lacquered looking foliage vs. H. villosa 'Purpurea'. Like it's sister 'Autumn Bride', 'Bronze Wave' is sturdy, perhaps an 18", or a bit larger, clump. September-October flowering spikes of small tan flowers. Excellent shade groundcover that can happily compete with tree roots and come out looking good.

North Creek Nurseries

'Citronelle' Coral Bells

Heuchera villosa 'Citronelle' has large, rounded, solid lime-yellow leaves with creamy white spike blooms in late summer. The bright foliage complements dark-foliaged plants and brings the vigor of the villosas to brighten shady areas.

'Caramel' Coral Bells

Heuchera villosa 'Caramel' features large rounded leaves of a warm orange-yellow color. This vigorous clumper brings a warmth to the landscape not seen in other plants. Tiny creamy-white flowers top the 10 inch mound of foliage in late spring.

Garden Therapy - Cure the Blues.Go with the Yellows

2013-05-13T18:23:00.003-04:00

Feeling down? listless? unmotivated?

Before you reach for a pill (did you know that reports say that one in 10 Americans older than 12 take antidepressants?) why not go outside?

Being outdoors can lighten your mood immeasurably.

GET IN THE GARDEN AND WORK.

In Europe, doctors prescribe exercise for their depression patients. But I say combine exercise and getting out in nature by gardening, potting up a plant in a can, pruning, edging, anything....

Go out and cut some flowers.

Or take a 'forest therapy' walk. Breathe in the air, get in sync with nature and you'll definitely feel a little better.

GET YOUR SUN ON!

Sunlight is Nature's anti-depressant because it stimulates serotonin in your brain. Bright light absorbed through the eyes - from the retina to the pineal gland - stimulates production of serotonin, the same neurotransmitter that's boosted by the type of antidepressant medication called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).

Therefore sunlight regulates your body chemistry, all organs of your body, including your brain. Gardening forces us to be out in the sun for a time.

NIBBLE ON ANTI-DEPRESSANT SNACKS.

While you are in the garden nibble on walnuts and dark chocolate. (click here for more info).

LISTEN TO FUNNY SKITS.

While you are outside, shoveling and working muscles, Laugh a lot. Listen to a funny comedy routine through a headset. Studies have shown that laughter does really make you feel better. I like Who's on first' . Click on this, watch it and start laughing (or at least smiling, which also helps you fight the blues).

GET DIRTY!

Studies have shown that there are microbes in garden soil that work better than antidepressants. Do not wear gloves. Important. The healing power of connecting with soil is much overlooked.

LISTEN TO UPLIFTING MUSIC.

Listen to whatever makes you happy and up. I like Paul Simon. upbeat Indian Music. East African Music. Beatles. Mozart.

SURROUND YOURSELF WITH YELLOW.

Yellow increases serotonin too. So plant lots of Yellow Flowers and Yellow Foliage. Fight the Blues and go with the Yellows!

Pink Muhly Grass - a Show Stopper

2013-05-07T07:21:00.001-04:00

Pink Muhly Grass, Muhlenbergia capillaris, is a native 'fave rave' of mine.

You might say it is a 'fave rave nave'.

It is a show stopping plant in the fall with its giant puffs of cotton-candy-pink plumes. Whether in a hedge, border or patio container, this ornamental grass offers unbelievably profuse, feathery blooms amid 4 foot stems and a cascading habit. Give it plenty of sunshine and good soil drainage, and it will do the rest, beautifully withstanding heat, humidity, drought, and poor soil!

Pink Muhly Grass, is an extraordinary ornamental grass plant for many reasons:

from Monrovia

Its flower heads appear in the fall as a frothy haze of deep pink.
It is low maintenance and virtually pest free.
It is deer resistant.
Its deep roots makes it a tough, drought tolerant plant suitable for erosion control on slopes and useful in xeriscapes (Although regular irrigation and fertilization will encourage the best bloom).
It grows quickly with narrow glossy green leaf blades.

from Wayside Gardens

It is not hardy in my area as its native range extends from the south Atlantic Coast down into Texas and Mexico (zones 7 -10). Some people in zone 6 can grow it but it is iffy, depending on the microclimate. I will grow it as an annual.

photo from Baltimore Sun

'Regal Mist' is a spectacular variety with a haze of dusky pink when it blooms. It looks amazing when placed against a dark backdrop of evergreen shrubs or a wall.

Plant it in a group to create a magnificent sweep on a hillside and enjoy the full effect of this grass swaying in the autumn wind.

Or plant it by a pond, pool or other body of water.

Or plant it en masse in a sunny border with Knock Out Roses and geranium 'Rozanne'. wow!

You can also cut the flowers, dry them and enjoy them all winter indoors.

Pink Muhly Grass is a thoroughly enticing, tough and beautiful native plant. Plant some for a grand show in autumn.

This is from Touch o Green Landscapes

Here is a great book on Grasses:

biophilia, solastalgia and gardens

2013-05-05T18:47:00.002-04:00

Photo by Corbyrobert - Garden of the Gods

Big words for simple ideas: ecopsychology, solastalgia, biophilia....

Recently, “solastalgia” has appeared in various places like in an instrumental track called “Solastalgia,” released by the British duo Zero 7 and it was the title of a 2008 album by Slovenian recording artist, Jukeen.

In 2010 The New York Times published a great article on this term by Daniel B. Smith (he holds the Critchlow Chair in English at the College of New Rochelle). I took a lot of info from that article for this blog post.

BUT WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

Solastalgia is a global condition affecting indigenous people and urban denizens alike. Solastalgia is what we feel when we become disconnected from our natural environment due to its impaired state.....or when the natural environment is so changed that we lose connection to it.

Solastalgia is "A pain or discomfort caused by the present damaged state of one’s home environment".

It is an emotional suffering felt by different people in different locations as the ongoing degradation of the environment continues apace.

“Solastalgia” has been used to describe the experiences of Inuit communities coping with the effects of rising temperatures,

Bangladeshi subsistence farmers faced with changes in rainfall patterns

Click here for source of this photo

and refugees returning to New Orleans after Katrina.

We do not know how to grieve for the loss of our woodlands, our meadows, our rivers. We are a people in mourning in many ways but we do not know how to heed that sadness for loss of habitat.

Ecopsychology - “the relationship between environmental issues and mental health and well-being” - addresses this in detail.. Ecopsychology is taught at Oberlin College, Lewis & Clark College and the University of Wisconsin, among other institutions.

Why is this important to serenity garden lovers and designers?

Because the scientists are following our lead! We know deeply about the vital link between our well being and nature. It is our calling. And now ecopsychologists are talking it up.

They say that their field’s roots are in traditions like Buddhism, Romanticism and Transcendentalism. They use words like 'solastalgia' and 'solasphilia' and give talks and write scholarly articles on how nature makes us feel good.

Well we know that. And our philosophical roots are Thoreau, Lao Tzu, Emerson, et al.....We know that serene outdoor spaces give rise to loving feelings, 'high vibrations' and general contentment.

A great book.....

And don't forget the wide concept of 'biophilia', a hypothesis of the great biologist E. O. Wilson, who said in 1984 that human beings have an “innate tendency to focus on life and lifelike processes.” AMEN to that!

Dr. Edward O. Wilson

Over the past 25 years Wilson's ideas on 'biophilia' have inspired many scientific articles, books, conferences and the new E. O.Wilson Biophilia Center in northwest Florida.

The E.O. Wilson Center's Exhibit Hall

Yes, we gardeners focus on life and revel in its exquisite forms in the green world....

Serenity gardens sing praises to Mother Nature's effect on our wellbeing in a quiet way.

No scholarly words here...just the hum of the bees at work.

Ecopsychology is alive and well in my back yard when I am puttering there.

photo at Flikr by one2c900d

May Day, May Fest, Maypoles and More

2013-05-04T08:13:00.001-04:00

I just took my morning walk and enjoyed the light green leaves unfurling on the trees .... The trees come alive here in the first weeks of May where I live.

This is why May Day and the Maypole celebration are so appealing to me.

The tradition of Dancing around the Maypole is a true Springtime ritual and has its roots in ancient history.

1919 Magazine Cover

The ancient Romans honored their god, Attis, on March 22 by wrapping a sacred pine tree in linen and violets. They then carried it in a procession to the hilltop temple of Cybele, and, after solemn observance, celebrated merrily and placed bits of wool on the tree.

Sale Elementary School and their Maypole

When the Romans occupied the British Isles. they brought this Springtime festival with them.

According to E. O. James' description, the Attis ceremony was recreated by the youths in old Europe who cut down a tree, lopped off the branches leaving a few at the top, wrapped it with violets like the ancient Romans did, and at sunrise, carried it back to their villages by blowing horns and flutes. After this the villagers would dance and sing around this maypole, circling back and forth around the pole with colorful streamers. This pole became brightly decorated and braided with all the streamers.

from woofnanny.blogspot.com

In time, each village vied with one another on May 1 to see who could produce the tallest and most elaborate Maypole. The poles were usually set up for the day in small towns, but in London and the larger towns the Maypoles were erected permanently.

at the Virginia Renaissance Faire

May Day was also a Druid ritual day, the festival of Beltane. It was thought that this day ended the dormant half of the year (which began on Nov. 1, Samhain) and began the growing half of the year...

by Eveleyn De Morgan - Flora, Roman Goddess of Flowers

The Europeans also adopted the Roman five day celebration called FLORALIA - dedicated to the worship of Flora, the goddess of flowers.

Thus, many of today's May Day customs such as choosing the May Queen and hanging May baskets of flowers on doorknobs could be the result of the Romans' five day flower festival....

You might say Europe's May Day is the result of the ancient Roman occupation!

Maurice Prendergast - May Day in Central Park, artmight.com

1941 New Yorker Cover

In the United States we don't have a strong May Day celebration because the May day observance was discouraged by the founding Puritans.

But in France the May Tree became the "Tree of Liberty" and became the symbol of the French Revolution. This, in turn, became the day of the workers' festivals in Europe.

by Boris Kustodiev - May Day celebration in Russia...artmight.com

So gradually the pagan Spring celebrations were co-opted by various religious and political groups...

But first and foremost May Day is a celebration of Spring renewal and perhaps that is what our Earth Day is now becoming.... a re-invention of our lost Springtime celebrations.

Long Live May Day, the Maypole, the May Queen and the celebration of new life!

'The Garden' - a Song by Em Pop

2013-05-03T09:30:00.000-04:00

This is a lovely pop song about a walk through a garden by Em Pop in the UK .. click on this to hear it : The Garden

'The Garden, my favorite place to be....'

Em Pop writes:

I was highly influenced by some of the greatest singer/songwriters and

bands of the 60’s.

As soon as I was given my first keyboard when I was 10 years old I started

making up melodies and pop songs galore!

In 1993 we moved to France and I attended The British School Of Paris.

We lived near Versailles for three years then moved back to Hertfordshire,

UK.

PURSLANE - The Incredible, Edible 'Weed'

2013-05-02T08:23:00.003-04:00

What was one of Mahatma Gandhi's favorite foods?

What did Henry Thoreau eat while residing at Walden Pond?

PURSLANE.

Purslane, long considered an obnoxious weed in the U.S., is, in fact, full of vitamins, minerals and fatty acids! And now this overlooked gem,

'one of the most nutritious greens in the world',

is receiving the attention it is due.

Usha Palaniswamy of the Department of Plant Science, University of Connecticut, reports that,

"Purslane is receiving much attention for cultivation by the United States Department of Agriculture as part of their effort to bring about a modification in the western diet with increased intake of fresh fruits and vegetables."

Purslane contains a high concentration of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), one of the highly sought-after Omega-3 fatty acids. It has several times the concentration of ALA than is found in spinach. So throw away those fish oil capsules and grow your own Omega-3 fatty acids! It literally grows like a weed.

from Family Food - click here

Addiitonally, Purslane stems are high in vitamins A and C. And it provides all of this wellness with only 15 calories in a 100-gram portion (as compared with 76 in a boiled potato).

Purslane (Portulaca oleracea) is a member of the Portulacaceae Family and is also known as wild portulaca and verdolaga. It grows all over the world, often in disturbed soil in sunny areas.

This low growing, fleshy leaved plant is native to Persia and India and was said to have been introduced into Europe by Arabs in the 15th century as a salad herb. But it was actually widely used in ancient Greece where Theophrastus (in the 4th century BC) named purslane, (called andrákhne) as one of the several summer pot herbs that must be sown in April.

In traditional Chinese Medicine, it is used to treat infections or bleeding of the genito-urinary tract as well as dysentery.

And the Japanese use Purslane as one of the seven herbs in their symbolic New Year's ritual dish called nanakusa-no-sekku (七草の節句).

Purslane has been eaten for generations as a treatment for arthritis, inflammation and heart disease and to promote general good health.

WOW! and you always pull it up and toss it away, yes?

Purslane is a tender annual and a perennial in USDA zones Zone 9 -11. It has prostrate reddish stems and succulent leaves that are smooth, paddle shaped and about a half inch long. It has tiny yellow flowers about 3/16 of an inch open when the sun shines, followed by small dark colored seeds. When foraging for purslane, watch out for spurge, a poisonous plant that grows in similar conditions to purslane. Snap a stem to confirm your identification. If there’s white, milky sap inside the stem, you might have picked spurge – discard it.

Purslane stems are filled with clear water. Purslane stems are also thick, while spurge has a wiry stem.

Always check with someone who knows before you pull weeds and eat them.

Waterconscious gardeners will love its drought and salt tolerant qualities. Purslane has little to no disease problems in well-drained soil. You can pinch it back as it grows to maintain a bushy low plant.

Purslane provides cover to create a humid microclimate for nearby plants. Its deep roots bring up ground moisture that other plants can use, and some, including corn, will "follow" purslane roots down through the hard soil. Deep rooted 'weeds' like Purslane are extremely beneficial because they bring up needed minerals and nutrients from the depths of the ground.

This edible plant has a refreshing tart taste and grows from late spring to fall. I just pulled some up yesterday. You can eat Purslane raw in salads (it has a crispy texture and a peppery taste). It can also be sauteed as a side dish or boiled - boiling will remove the tartness.

Bake it with breadcrumbs as a casserole. Use it in place of okra in recipes. Add it to omelets. Purslane is eaten extensively in soups and salads throughout the Mediterranean area. The Russians dry it and can it for the winter. In Mexico it is called VERDOLAGA.

Star chef Steve Johnson has a Purslane cooking recipe for cucumber-yogurt salad (you can view his recipe for purslane at the Star Chefs Web site).

The wild Purslane is best for eating as the new cultivars are bred for flowers rather than taste and nutrition. But if you want to use the snazzy flowers of cultivated Purslane in your edible landscape try the new flowering series from Israel - Purlsane Pazazz.

Pazazz Purslane makes a great long lived spiller in combination planters for hot sunny spots. It is very forgiving, tough and needs little water. It comes in a variety of fabulous bright colors - Red Flare, Salmon Glow, Pink Glow and Ultra Pink. They all glow in an iridescent manner.

But I wouldn't eat them.....

Thoreau wrote of Purslane:

"I have made a satisfactory dinner off a dish of purslane which I gathered and boiled. Yet men have come to such a pass that they frequently starve, not from want of necessaries, but for want of luxuries."

(so eat that Purslane!) - Jan

Here is a great video about Purslane from Green Deane (Eattheweeds -click here)

Japanese and American 'Sense of Space'

2013-04-30T08:26:00.003-04:00

I teach a graduate Landscape Design Studio at Columbia University. I ask my students to select an excerpt from the assigned book, 'The Hidden Dimension' and correlate a personal experience to describe it.

This is what a student, Yuji Yamazaki, an architect, wrote. It is a very enlightening piece! ...I had to share. (He said it was ok.)

“We learn from the study of culture that the patterning of perceptual world is a function not only of culture but of relationship, activity, and emotion.

Therefore, people from different cultures, when interpreting each other’s behavior, often misinterpret the relationship, the activity, or the emotion.

This leads to alienation in encounters or distorted communications.”

~ Edward T. Hall, Hidden Dimension

I have been living with my girlfriend for over 5 years now. My girlfriend, born and raised in the Long Island, NY, sees certain things in a way that I don’t quite understand, especially things that relate to space and privacy.

Edward Hall mentions that there is no word to describe “privacy” in Japanese language.

But I think that there is “sense” of privacy that you can develop in Japan. A way to establish this sense of privacy is to block out other’s presence. In densely populated cities, Japanese nuclear families are accustomed to share the most intimate space. That is probably why we don’t have “privacy” in our vocabulary.

Growing up in Japan, I could go months without talking to my brother even though we shared a small 10’ x 10’ room, and it was not considered as being rude, it was rather respecting by mentally blocking out each other.

But my girlfriend would perceive this type of silence as a queue to ask me “Is everything okay?

We live in a small one-bedroom apartment, very similar size to the one with my brother. In Japanese setting, I can establish a sense of privacy by simply holding newspaper in front of my face and be silent—Japanese privacy is established.

In my girlfriend's culture, when you are in a room together, you are assumed to participate each other’s presence. “What are you reading?”, “Wanna a cup of coffee?”, or “I’m bored” are the usual intrusion toward the silence. You need to go to the other room and shut the door to have privacy.

Her privacy takes four walls and a shut door, which is about 100 square feet, my privacy takes 30” by 30” newspaper, which takes about 6 square feet. Growing up in a Long Island house with her own room, my girlfriend has yet to learn about my portable Japanese privacy, and I have yet to learn when and where to have that privacy.

GREAT INSIGHT! My female advice, Yuji, is to politely answer her questions ......we never stop asking questions...

A Gorgeous Spring Garden in Westchester - The White Garden

2013-04-28T18:36:00.004-04:00

The White Garden in Lewisboro, NY opened its gates for one day today...and oh, what a day it was!

Every April, Shelby White kicks off the Open Days garden-touring season by inviting all garden lovers to visit her phenomenal 45-acre woodland estate in the lower Hudson Valley.

I walked in and gasped - there are nearly 750,000 daffodils scattered among the rolling oak-hickory woods and mulched pathways. The view was breathtaking.

And then I noticed that the fellow handing out maps of the extensive grounds was none other than Patrick Chassé, eminent landscape designer! That was when I realized that this garden was going to be even more than a magnificent daffodil display.

Patrick was as gracious as ever and told me not to miss the formal grounds around the house, the moss garden, and to check out the grotto. He also said that this is the best year for daffodils that we have had in about 8 years. And the timing was perfect - the daffs were in full bloom as were the weeping cherries and flowering pears!

Eric Schmidt, the head gardener at the White Garden, and the person who digs in thousands of new daffodil bulbs every fall, is to be mightily commended. What an awesome job he does.

The White Garden features a Greek Revival-style house and the immediate grounds are classically inspired. A Temple of Apollo overlooks the reflecting pond and a circle garden contains busts of various people from antiquity.

Several water features accent the landscape and a cascade and grotto are stunning.

There is truly so much to see. Like the window into the pool as shown here.

and the fabulous antique stone sculptures. Look at that smiling face.

They will have one more open day on the weekend after Labor Day. So make sure to mark your calendar now! Go to the Garden Conservancy Open Days website for details..

Then you can see all the late summer perennials that will be on display. I can't wait. Above is the Conservatory.

Thank You, Shelby White, for sharing your beautiful landscape with us.

The Pinecote Pavilion - organic architecture

2013-04-28T08:25:00.002-04:00

The Crosby Botanic Arboretum the proud owner of a Mississippi Landmark. It is a 'symmetrical shed' (as described by its designer) set on a base of brick, surrounded by trees and facing out to a still lake.

It is the Pinecote Pavilion and was designed by the Arkansas architect, E. Fay Jones in 1987. He was a master in the true sense of the word. He died in 2004.

Jones' Pavilion is an inspired piece of architecture....

Imagine being asked to design a open air garden pavilion for an arboretum in Mississippi, and instead of the normal gazebo or pergola, you take it upon yourself to design a soaring, captivating open air structure that seems to float on the water. In a way, it is very much like the ancient Golden Pavilion of Kyoto (Kinkaku-ji).

But the true inspiration was 'a higher order' as Jones described in a radio interview in 1994.

"I like to think of myself as being concerned with a higher order of things and probably the clearest manifestation we have of some higher order in the universe is what we see in nature and what we feel in nature." ~ E. Fay Jones

Jones described his Pinecote masterpiece this way :

"The Pavilion is a gathering place. This simple, open building ...is a starting point for nature walks, for talks and discussions about important things in the environment and natural world, a place for exhibits and artistic performance, and a setting for social gatherings."

I like that the chapel is designed for discussions on important things in the environment and natural world.

He goes on to say:

"The all-wood structure is built of indigenous material, native pine, and is fastened together with nails, dowels, and metal connections. There is complete exposure of every construction element, all visible from within and without. Every framing member, every beam, brace, and connection is absolutely necessary to achieve structural stability."

It is sustainable! I hope they rebuild this Pavilion every 20 years like they do with the Ise Shrine. That way it will stand forever.

"The building is ordered by a geometric theme —....to build a strong relationship of each part to the whole and to achieve organic unity....This is analogous to the organic unfolding or blossoming of so many forms of botanical growth. The imbricated pattern of wood shingles also emulate and recall many of natures’ surfaces—the bark of trees and the wings of birds. "

A building that looks to the growth of trees for inspiration....Very wonderful.

"...decorative enrichment will come from the ever-changing patterns of light and shadows that play on the closely-spaced structural elements as the sun and moon move across the sky. Time of day and seasonal changes will modify the shadows that frame the light and will keep the spaces in and around the Pavilion vital and alive, continuously enhancing the poetics of revealed construction."

A building in tune with the sun and moon as they 'move across the sky'. Amen.

Mississippi Preservation

Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary - 'Sanctioned' Space

2013-04-27T07:18:00.001-04:00

As we all know, gardens are a contrivance. Designed landscapes are artifice.

Gardens are a grand collaboration, a co-creative endeavor with a certain Ms. Nature.

Our partnership is an unequal one, for sure, as we are simply intruding on her domain, seeking to improve what is inarguably a perfect system.

With that said, I look to Mother Nature for inspiration and guidance. She never fails to renew and replenish.

Toward that end, each year I camp at the Audubon Society's Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary in South Wellfleet, Massachusetts for about a week amidst 1,100 acres of sandy pitch pine woodlands, meadows, maple and beech forest, salt marsh and fresh water ponds. This gem fronts onto Wellfleet Bay where naturalists volunteer to explain the wonders of the natural world to any who show up.

I get recharged here.

Cape Cod, which juts out into the Atlantic Ocean more than any other place in the United States, is the world's largest glacially formed peninsula.

Dotted with hundreds of fresh water 'kettle ponds' -- created by ice left behind when the glaciers retreated-- the combination of ocean, bays, salt marsh and ponds within a 5 minute drive to each other is a serenity garden lover's paradise.

My favorite is the tidal salt marsh.

"A salt marsh sanctions space and a rooted integrity," wrote the naturalist John Hay.

"The centuries pass, and its patience deepens."

Filled with eelgrass and spartina grass, the marsh edges bays and inlets and traps life giving sediment and muck.

Spartina actually filters the saltwater and pumps oxygen down from its leaves to its waterlogged roots.

The trails in the wildlife refuge travel through open meadows, shady woods and sandy beach.

I marvel at the asclepias ( butterfly weed):

thrill at the beach plum:

and savor the view.

Try Island trail - a rare combination of oak and beach and marsh

This is where the Pilgrims first landed before they went to Plymouth. The Indians were a little surprised - nearby is 'First Encounter Beach'. This is also where Marconi put up his tall tower to send the first wireless message across the Atlantic ocean. It is called 'Marconi Beach'. (Now we have those infernal wireless towers all over the world.....)

If you have a chance please make sure to put the Audubon Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary on your 'bucket list'.

Garden Sculpture and Antique Fair 2013 NY Botanical Garden

2013-04-26T07:35:00.000-04:00

Do you live in the metro NY area? Want to celebrate the Spring in style?

Go the the NY Botanical Garden this weekend and while you are enjoying that amazing place - stop in and catch the GARDEN SCULPTURE & ANTIQUE FAIR...

so much fun!

Here is C.A. Johnson working on his lusciously rounded outdoor sculptures:

(love the walnut)

(photo thanks to Westchester Journal News)

And here is a moss covered urn on a plinth from England for sale by Balsamo Antiques:

and while you are strolling through the springtime paradise of cherry trees, daffodils, crabapples, magnolias and more you can also admire the amazing sculptures by Manolo Valdes located throughout the extensive grounds:

Make A Rock Garden!

2013-04-21T06:56:00.002-04:00

About 2 weeks before her daughter's garden wedding, my friend was in the throes of pre-wedding running around. Since the wedding was going to be at her house she looked at her overlooked hillside rock garden and decided that it needed help, and fast.

She asked me, "Can you improve upon my little rock garden?"

Rock Garden BEFORE

I set upon this task without a second thought. My friend is from Switzerland where they create the most beautiful 'Alpine' rock gardens and I wanted to recreate a little bit of 'home' for her. I explained that although our rock garden could not sustain delicate 'alpine' plants easily, I would try to use low growing plants that grow well in a rocky setting.

Rock Garden DURING

We did not have time to bring in a tractor or large rocks so I decided to rearrange the existing small rocks and gather slightly larger rocks from their property. We used a large 'treecart' and lots of muscle to carry the rocks uphill to the garden site.

Right AFTER rearranging the garden

We dismantled the existing rock garden and gently dug up the existing plants. I created a narrow winding path with rock 'steps' leading through the garden. This path is both good looking and necessary. It acts as a 'spine' around which the rocks and plants are placed. It is also helpful for tending to low growing plants.

After that, I placed rocks throughout the garden and turned over and prepared the soil for planting (important! do not skip this step). Lastly, we planted new plants and replanted my friend's original garden plants.

Within 5 days, we transformed a forgotten corner of the property into a little gem of a garden. I added some wonderful rock garden plants and several evergreen yews at the top of the rock garden to act as a green backdrop for smaller plants.

The biggest hit of all were the annual flowers that we planted, Gomphrena 'Buddy Purple' and the trailing White Bacopa. They are not standard rock garden plants but they provided a splash of color on the rocks all summer long. Some of the plants listed below are not hardy in my area - but they looked great during the wedding.

The Rock Garden Plant List

Campanula carpatica 'Blue Clips' 'Blue Clips' Campanula 6" - 8" h. blue

Campanula posharskyana Serbian Campanula 6"- 8" h. lavender

Cotoneaster dam. 'Coral Beauty' 'Coral Beauty' Bearberry Cotoneaster 2' -3' h. red berries

Delosperma cooperi Ice Plant 6" h. vibrant purple

Delosperma nubigenum Hardy Ice Plant 2" - 3" h. yellow

Dianthus grat. 'Bath's Pink' 'Bath's Pink' Dianthus 6 - 8" h. pink

Dianthus allwoodii alpina Alpine Dianthus 8" h. pink

Geranium 'Biokovo' 'Biokovo' Geranium 10" h. White w/ Pink

Helianthemum nummularium 'Raspberry Ripple' 'Raspberry Ripple' Sun Rose 6" - 10" h.red & white

Helianthemum 'Wisley Pink' 'Wisley Pink' Sun Rose 6" -10" h. soft pink

Iris cristata Dwarf Japanese Iris 6" - 8" h. purple

Kamtschaticum ' Varigatum' Variegated Sedum 4" - 5" h. orange

Sempervivum 'Mahogany' 'Mahogany' Hens and Chicks 3" h. red tinged

Thymus wooly Wooly Thyme 3" h. pink

Veronica repens Creeping Speedwell 2" h. light blue

Veronica 'Waterperry' 'Waterperry' Speedwell 4" - 6" h. light blue

A Year After....

What to Plant in a Childrens' Vegetable Garden

2013-04-13T08:17:00.002-04:00

3 secrets to successful

CHILDREN'S VEGETABLE GARDENS:

They should not be too demanding,
They should offer fairly quick results
The must not require too much maintenance.

But how to achieve this in a garden in the short few months before school is over in June?

Go to kidsgardening.org and then, prepare, prepare, prepare.

1. First, your veggie garden site has to have full sun for over 6 hours a day. This is a must! And morning sun is preferable over 6 hours of late in the day sun.

2. It must be relatively level and have soil deep enough to sustain plant roots and facilitate adequate drainage (about 16 inches deep at least). No 6" to bedrock or placed atop asphalt.

The soil has to be prepared beforehand - not by the kids, but by adults.

The quality of the soil decides the success of the garden. Little kids cannot be expected to amend and prepare the soil in the correct manner...

The soil preparation stage has to be where most kids' gardens go astray.

The grown-ups must work the soil to get the ground ready for the enthusiasm of children with trowels and a bunch of seeds. This is no easy task - the soil has to be friable ( I love that word) and fertile. Woodland soil is not suitable nor is sandy soil...organic amendments will be needed (worm composting, anybody?)

3. Third, the arrangements for watering and weeding have to be addressed beforehand. Kids will lose interest after a while (summer sports are calling) and someone has to do it consistently...

If those three considerations are fulfilled then the kids' garden will be a great success! If not, it may become a short lived exercise....

What to plant?
Veggies for a kids' garden should be hardy, fun to look at and mature quickly before school is out in June...so what can we plant?

One idea is to choose varieties in unusual colors, shapes and sizes:

"Easter egg" radish Ovals in shades of purple, lavender, pink, rose, scarlet, white. 25 days. Fast and easy to grow, radishes are best in cool weather.

Carrot Thumbelina

Round, golfball gourmet carrots can be harvested after 60 days!

Ideal for containers or gardens with poor soils. Sweet taste and small cores make thumbelina great for salads, stews, snacks or hors d'oeuvres.

Red Saladbowl - Oakleaf Lettuce

Radiant burgundy, deeply lobed, delicate oak-like leaves form a rosette. Red Saladbowl matures early, holds its mild, nonbitter salad quality for a long time, and is slow to bolt. seed with organic pelleting for fast and easy germination.

Potato - All Blue

Skin is purple and the flesh is blue. A wonderfully flavorful potato with meaty flesh. It is not a quick grower but the fun is in harvesting it in late summer...

one great way to grow potatoes - fill a tire with soil and plant the seed potato within this tire...add another one atop it as potato seedlngs emerge and grow about 8 inches and cover them with soil ..do it again with a third tire as they grow toward the light...

Swiss Chard 'Bright Lights' Mix

This chard seed mix has stems in yellow, gold, pink and crimson. They're best harvested young for salads. Ready to harvest in 60 days.

And what about flowers?

Plant spring pansies for color and plant or better yet plant

Nasturtium Alaska Mix

These colorful and edible flowers tolerate poor soils and heat or cold. They grow on compact plants with attractive variegated foliage. Flowers and tender young leaves add color and a peppery zip to salads. Big seeds are ideal for kids' gardens.

I hope this gets everyone starting to think about planting out those veggies...I got these photos from Burpee's Seeds. This well known company is a great on-line seed source - but the time is nigh...the best seeds go quickly.....

Make Music with Your Terra Cotta Pots

2013-04-09T08:44:00.000-04:00

If you are like me, you may have a pile of empty terra cotta pots of all sizes sitting in a pile somewhere.

What to do with them? throw them out? give them away? Paint them up?

Here's an idea - use them to make music!

These photos are from the Central Texas Gardeners Blog (CTGB - check out this great blog)

Terra cotta pots of varying sizes hang upside down from a sturdy board. You hit them with a drumstick which has one end wrapped in yarn. Each pot makes a different sound.

This reminds me of the time my mother, studying at Cooper Union as an art student, created a homemade 'musical intrument' in our living room. Part of it consisted of cans hanging upside down and I would, as a child, bang away on them for hours.....I think terra cotta makes a better sound.

This is the drumstick (Courtesy CTGB)

In addition, you can use the grass clippers (open close, open close) to add another percussive sound:

Of course you can add the sound of water, the dog can keep time and maybe some garden critters will add harmony. As Linda Lehmusvirta writes in her wonderful blog,

"the fountain adds its own percussion. The toads chime in with lyrics".

(photo from Central Texas Gardeners Blog)

When you put this all together you get a lovely 'garden implement' composition.

Here is a short clip of the Mundi Ensemble (with Mundi’s cellist, Carolyn Hagler in her colorful Austin garden). Find out more about this in the Central Texas Gardeners Blog.

A Few Luscious Flowers for Your Garden

2013-03-31T23:19:00.000-04:00

Time to try some luscious flowers in a pot or in the garden....here are some for your consideration:

PEONY 'SORBET' (Paeonia lactiflora ‘Sorbet’)

The unusual pink and white 5-7" double blooms of this hybrid are delectable! The fragrant flowers look amazing in early summer and the handsome foliage turns red in autumn.

These bushy plants grow up to 4' tall and require little care. Suitable for any climate and soil type. Space 36-48" apart.
Zones: 3-8 Light: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Deer tend to avoid.

LOLLIPOP HELENIUM Helenium puberoleum

Round, chocolate-brown flower heads with rustic yellow and bronze highlights provide a bright display that blooms summer and lasts well into autumn. Globe-shaped blooms make a pretty contrast to vertical blades of Iris. Loves sun.
Zones: 4-9 Deer Resistant

'BLUSHING SUMMER VALENTINE' DAYLILY

Bloom Period June-July

Sun Exposure Sun

Soil Type Any with care

Height 24 in.

Bloom Size 5 in.

Highest Award All American Daylily Selection

Zone Range 3 to 9

Echinacea Butterfly® Hybrids

These perennial coneflowers are new and come in a vivid range of mixed colors for a striking summer display. They are large, fragrant and attract butterflies and bees. Flowers are great for cutting for the vase.

Cosmos 'Candy Stripe' (Cosmos bipinnatus)

Candy Stripe has a golden center flanked by white petals with rosy edges and striping. Once established, cosmos are drought tolerant; neglect is the kind of care they prefer. 3' - 6' tall. They reseed readily, making them ideal for wildflower or naturalized areas. A terrific cut flower. Deer resistant.

Woven Wattle Fences for Your Garden

2013-03-31T20:10:00.000-04:00

Yay for Woven Wattle Fencing!

Andrea Cochran's fabulous garden shown here would not be the same without the wattle fence on top of the hill....

What is a woven wattle fence?

It is essentially fencing woven from green branches of Hazel and Willow trees (oak, elder, hornbeam and ash too ). This technique has been used for centuries in Great Britain and makes an ideal windbreak and screen.

Wattle also provides a unique and attractive rustic appearance... and is sustainable as well.

Wattle as hand railing - Andrea Cochran Design

Wattle fencing also makes a great gate - as shown below.

Here is a gate and archway leading through an existing hornbeam hedge. The gate is treated pine with hazel woven infill. Below is a 6' high woven hazel fence. Sustainable and functional....and so nice to look at! by Burwash Wonder Wood

and look at this screen! so simple...by Burwash Wonder Wood again.

But how to get braches for this?

Coppicing willow trees is a way to renew trees and is an efficient way to provide small banches for wattles.

In historic Britain, much of the economic value of a medieval woodland was in the so-called “small wood,” or coppiced trees rather than in large timber trees. Although the practice fell into disuse in the first half of the twentieth century, it has been revived in contemporary Great Britain, where there is interest in the conservation of woodlands and in the ecological benefits of coppicing.

from Woodlandatics site

The resulting wattles from coppiced trees look great and are a valuable way to define or enclose outdoor space. You can even use it to shade a patio.. Go to the Willow Farm website to see more examples.

If you are interested in this latter idea , check out the website Casa Sugar (click on it).

Wattle could be a great new industry for the United States - some enterprising person can be the wattle provider for Home Depot..

Web Surfing for Garden Design Ideas

2013-03-30T10:01:00.000-04:00

It is spring! And you want to change your garden - but you need your imagination to be re-charged, re-juiced and re-wired.

You can take a walk in the woods, the fields or country lane and breathe in the fresh air or you can... surf the web.

Websurfing for garden design inspiration is fun if you know where to start. As a websurfing aficionado myself , I know you can go to PINTEREST and lose your day. But it is a trove of ideas - each more delightful than the next.

Two other inspiring sites are:

If you want to see amazing gardens in relatively small spaces the first place to go to is the RHS Chelsea Flower Show website.

Full of the best and latest ideas in garden design, all lushly illustrated, the British are the acknowledged masters of garden design. Long live the Chelsea Garden show!

For example, the 2010 voters' choice garden was the M & G investment garden designed by Roger Platts.

The photos on the RHS website of this garden are wonderful....

note the rounded forms in ths garden - no wonder it got the people's choice award...we are all suckers for curves

Another jam packed website to go to is the Garden Design magazine website...It has now gone out of business but I hope its 'articles' and 'great gardens' stay on in the web. Go now before they close it down.

From the first website you can get lost just clicking away from one fab image to another...the Dewey decimal system is gone, lost in a sea of internet froth left in your websurfing wake.

Bon Voyage!

Tardiva Hydrangea

2013-03-29T08:15:00.000-04:00

I must admit - I love Tardiva Hydrangea.

Hydrangea paniculata 'Tardiva' is a loose, carefree shrub that defines exuberance. It is one of the panicle hydrangeas that received a 2010 Cary Award for Outstanding Shrub for New England Gardens.

It adapts easily to many situations, blooms late in the summer which extends the garden season into October and can be pruned as a small tree if so desired.

Tardiva is known for its long, lacy white flowers. They are tinted a pale pink which become darker as the season progresses. This hydrangea can tolerate half shade and is disease resistant.

I prune Tardiva in very early spring, leaving just a few buds on the stem - this ensures larger flowers on stiffer branches.

(this photo is from Gloster Furniture - I think it is a tardiva)

Tardiva hydrangeas fit in well in a woodland theme garden as well as in classic mixed flower borders. They make a great screen in the summer and are striking when planted in a mass planting.

They also make a wonderful dried cut flower.

In the photos shown here from one of my landscape projects you can see that I planted Tardiva in front of a red barn building.

I also have white deutzia, white Siberian Iris, boxwood and nepeta 'Walkers Low' in this bed. What a show all season long! I fill in the spaces with white white angelonia, brunnera and lantana.

(This is Deutzia blooming in spring in the Tardiva bed)

'Breathless Blush' Euphorbia - A Deer Resistant Flower

2013-03-26T12:19:00.003-04:00

Euphorbia 'Breathless Blush' is similar to 'Diamond Frost' but with flowers "blushed" pink and foliage accented by a dark purplish center. An exceptional plant - AND DEER RESISTANT!

photo by Read between the Limes blog

The Breathlesss euphorbia series includes the only red-flushed leaf form, plus a better-branched white. It is low-maintenance, long-lasting, heat-tolerant and fills in a bed fast.

photo by Log House Plants

This remarkable plant displays a showy mass of self-cleaning flowers all season long in all summer conditions. Great for containers! It is fine textured and acts as a soft filler to bolder or more colorful flowers. Try it with tall Purple Angelonia for a deer resistant flower garden.

Cornell Hort Photo

Proven Winners - Great On Line Planting Idea Books 2013

2013-03-24T17:39:00.000-04:00

Here in the Northeast it is time to peruse (and buy from) the gardening catalogs...

Besides simple catalogs showing photos of all sorts of plants plants (must plant Black Seeded Simpson Lettuce early this year), I love the garden design booklets that are available.

Proven Winners, one of the leading brands of quality flowering plants in the U.S., is helping spread the concept of 'gardening as a lifestyle' by sharing ideas on how to create outdoor spaces that are relaxing, easy-to-maintain and exceptionally beautiful. This is the impetus behind their wonderful Gardener's Idea Book .

The 2013 Gardener's Idea Book (click for link) is a must for people who love creating beautiful containers - perfect for urban dwellers with small balconies, raised bed gardeners ( think therapuetic and assisted living centers) and children's gardens where a punch of 'easy to grow' color will excite young, budding horticulturists.

The ideas and plant combinations they offer are simply fantastic.

And Proven Winners also publishes an online guide called, '2013 Gardening Simplified - Flowering Shrubs'. Another fabulous compensium of photos, info and inspiration.

Good job, PW!

So in the spirit of 'dream time', take a look and list the flowering plants to buy now......it all helps Proven Winners fulfill their mission of making "the world a greener place - one garden at a time!

Fibonacci series and Phi in NATURE

2013-03-22T22:43:00.000-04:00

The Fibonacci series of numbers is at the heart of Nature....

The Fibonacci Sequence is a simple series of numbers:

0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, ...

The next number is found by adding up the two numbers before it.

The 2 is found by adding the two numbers before it (1+1)
Similarly, the 3 is found by adding the two numbers before it (1+2),
And the 5 is (2+3),
and so on!

Example: the next number in the sequence above would be 21+34 = 55

It is that simple!
Here is a longer list:
0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233, 377, 610, 987, 1597, 2584, 4181, 6765, 10946, 17711, 28657, 46368, 75025, 121393, 196418, 317811, ...

If you multiply a fibonacci number by 1.618 you will get the next in the series. This proportion of 1.618 is known as PHI.

I teach this to my classes...everything is in a fibonacci number like 3 or 5...see this apple core?

or this passionflower?

or this shell?

but wait! sometimes it multiplies in other spirals...how can this be?

I never understood that...but BBC has explained it using Lucas numbers, the meristem and more. Watch this if you are a fibonacci fiend like me and if you have drunk your coffee this morning.

It's pace is quite rapid. So take a deep breath and hit 'play' on the image.......it is mind expanding.

GREAT PLANT LABELS - Homemade, from soda cans

2013-03-21T08:17:00.001-04:00

The best homemade plant labels come from aluminum soda cans.

from Greylustergirl blog

They are inexpensive, durable, attractive and fun to make. And in the garden their reflective qualities act as rabbit repellents!

You can have them dangle on supports ( made from clothes hangers) or tie them with twine on a pot.

CUT THE CAN AND ROLL OUT ALUMINUM.

Put on your gloves. Use the tip of your scissors to punch a small hole on the side of each end of the can. You can also use a steak knife or screwdriver to get the hole started. Cut off the top and bottom of the can and discard.

TRACE THE SHAPES AND CUT OUT.

Next, unroll the metal as best you can and place the metal on a flat but flexible surface, printed side up. A pad of paper, a top of a notebook or a thick stack of newspaper are all good bases. Use a template tool to trace a shape with a ball point pen onto the metal. Press firmly to leave an indentation. Cut with a pair of scissors as shown here. (you can also use a punch maker...for defined shapes. Like EK punch on amazon)

photo from childmadetutorials blog

photo from Twiggstudio

WRITE OR STAMP THE NAMES.

To write names of plants on your labels, press down hard on each and write with a ball point pen. Make sure to press hard enough that the name stays imprinted in the metal.

YOU HAVE TO WRITE IT BACKWARDS - Just write it on a piece of paper and then turn over and trace hard onto the metal.

Don't forget to leave room to punch a hole for hanging. Create a hole using a paper punch (or a hammer and nail).

photo from childmadetutorials blog

You can also use a metal stamping kit for more vintage looking labels. Harbor Freight sells them inexpensively. http://www.harborfreight.com/36-piece-1-4-quarter-inch-steel-letter-number-stamping-set-35121.html Then you can go over them with a black sharpie to make the letters stand out.

TIE THEM ON POTS OR HANG THEM OFF SUPPORTS IN THE GARDEN.

Grey Luster Girl tied the tags around a 4 inch clay Terra cotta pot using a piece of twine, as shown here.

from Greylustergirl blog

If you want to hang the labels from support sin the garden then use a wire cutter or tin snips to cut 7-8 inch long support pieces from wire coat hangers. Make an "S" hook at one end using a needle-nose pliers, hang the label on the hook, and pinch the "S" shut to keep it from falling off.

These websites also have great tutorials on making plant labels :

http://www.sustainable-media.com

http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf39410479.tip.html

USDA Growing Zones	4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Pot Size	5"
Color	White
Regions	USA
Rain	10" to 20", 20" to 30", 30" to 40", 40" to 50"
Bloom Time	Summer
Sun	Full Sun, Morning Sun & Afternoon Shade
Soil	Average
Moisture	Average
Height	up to 12" Small
Resists	Deer, Rabbits