Leaf - Autumn 2011 by Leaf Magazine

leaf AUTUMN 2011

Preview Issue

Inspiring Gardens · Seasonal Outdoor Style · Fall Flowers

OXFORD

GARDEN

Extraordinary Craftsmanship. Graceful Design and Lasting Beauty

CONGRATS leaf MAGAZINE on your debut issue

877 8663331

Autumn 2011

contents In Every Issue 8 Letter from the Editors 12 Contributors

shop

12 Updated Front Porch 15 Vintage Trends from Brimfield 20 Easy Pieces for Fall Layers 22 Dirt Couture

root 24 Ellen Biddle Shipman

found 26 28 30 33 34

Yarn Bombs Making a Splash Three Men Went to Mow For Fall Planting Wild Apples

on the cover A city garden in San Francisco designed by topher Delaney and photographed by Saxon Holt.

In Every Issue (continued) good 36 Seeds for Africa

go 38 What to See in Boston

plant

40 Helenium autumnale

flavor 43 Pick Your Own Cocktail

flower 88 Autumn Provides Exciting Cut Flower Choices

Departments build

45 A Compulsive Creatorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Garden

fun

50 Make Like Johnny and Hit the Apple Road

features 56 Warmth

66 Bold Blue in Silver Lake

72 New Agrarians 80 Influenced by an Island

leaf AUTUMN 2011

Co-Founder & Editor

SUSAN COHAN

ROCHELLE GREAYER

scohan@leafmag.comg

rgreayer@leafmag.com

Managing Editor

LYNN FELICI-GALLANT lfelici-gallant@leafmag.com

Advertising Director

General Advertising inquiries:

SANDRA SLOAN

advertising@leafmag.com

smsloan@leafmag.com

Graphic Design

ALEX-HOLT COHAN CHRISTINE WENDEL FARRUGIA KORI KENNEDY

Print copies of Leaf available through Magcloud

LEAF MAGAZINE autumn 2011

USACroyalbotania.net. 394 Broadway. New York. NY 10013. 1-212.812 9852. WNW.royalbotania.com/us

letters From the Editors

Leaf started as a

Welcome to the first

conversation between designers about the transformative nature of design and how technology would change our lives. I was the only one of that group who had a Twitter feed, a blog, and

issue of Leaf. I am so glad you are joining us on this adventure. Getting to this launch has been about journeys, both personal and cultural. My personal journey

a Facebook page. Everyone at the table was a non-believer. Today, the way we find, read, store, and interact with information has been totally transformed and Leaf is the vanguard of a new publishing movement. During the time that followed that original conversation, I made a concerted effort to meet people whose online presence interested me. They were other designers, architects, writers, and editors who were outside of the horticultural and landscape design community. I attended events aimed at online design communicators. There was always a design group who was conspicuously absent—my own—the landscape and garden designers. My first thoughts about an online design magazine dedicated to design beyond our doors arose out of these events. At one of those events, I met with fellow designer/ blogger Rochelle Greayer and mentioned pursuing an online magazine for outdoor style and design. A few weeks later she e-mailed me and Leaf was born. We knew that if the information was presented in a way that was engaging and compelling, those interested in design beyond our doors would embrace a magazine that addressed the totality of stylish living outside. I hope you enjoy the journey through this preview copy of Leaf, and stay with us as we continue to explore the best and most interesting in outdoor design.

started with a blog over three years ago-Welcome Studio ‘g’ friends!-and solidified a yearning to move from one creative field-landscape design-to another-writing and magazine creation. I used to call Studio ‘g’ my small attempt at creating the magazine I always wished existed. Now, happily with Leaf, it does. Culturally, the word existed means something entirely different than it once did. Communally we are we are rapidly moving towards a world where paper books and magazines are joined by digital publications such as Leaf. It is an exciting and positive change, as we become more mindful of our resources and technology is more fully integrated into our everyday lives. Leaf is launching in an evolving landscape of awareness about the effects we have on our environment. We are all on a quest to more wisely manage our physical world. It is also with no small amount of pride and serendipity that a Topher Delaney designed garden should grace our first cover. She, along with so many others I have met along the way, thankfully, encouraged me and this project to this point. I look forward to what Leaf will become as we continue with the belief that we can create not just a great magazine, but a community of people who appreciate great design, living beautifully, and respecting the land on which we live.

Susan Cohan

Rochelle Greayer

LEAF MAGAZINE

autumn 2011

Timeless furniture with exclusive fabrics.

Summer Classics® and Sunbrella® take innovation outdoors. Sunbrella® is a registered trademark of Glen Raven Inc.

Life’s best moments. furnished.™ Visit our website to view the New Collections for 2012.

www.SummerClassics.com

contributors Jane Berger is a landscape designer and writer. She is on the board of the Association of Professional Landscape Designers. Her publications include articles in Landscape Architecture Magazine, The American Gardener, and American Style, among others.

Warren Bobrow is the culture editor of the “Wild Table” in the Wild River Review. His research on biodynamic organic wine and food appears in the Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America, Ed., 2. He is internationally published on the topic of cocktails, and is a rum judge for the Ministry of Rum.

Courtney Jentzen is a designer and illustrator based in Brooklyn, New York. Her design company, Swiss Cottage Designs, specializes in illustration, custom projects, and invitations. She enjoys live music, good tea, small bookstores, and eating carbs. Kari Lønning is a contemporary basket maker. Her inspiration comes from a passion for color, nature, and architecture. Her work has been shown at The White House and the Smithsonian.

Mary Ann Newcomer is known as the Dirt Diva on the River Radio, 94.9 in Boise, Idaho. Her articles on gardening have been published in MaryJane’s Farm, Fine Gardening, and The American Gardener. Her first book, The Rocky Mountain Gardener’s Guide, will be published in January 2012. Rich Pomerantz is a garden and

Suzanne Cummings opened her Chicago shop, Suzanne Cummings Flowers, in 2006. Suzanne studied floral design with Jane Packer in London, and brings a European flair to all of her floral designs. Suzanne Cummings Floral Design School is an offshoot of her atelier, and offers anyone living or visiting Chicago the chance to learn to make beautiful floral creations.

Jeff Dunas is a commercial and fine art photographer. The author of 11 monographs, his work has been exhibited in over 60 one-person shows including 12 American museums. He is the co-founder and director of the Palm Springs Photo Festival.

Kelly Fitzsimmons has been photographing children and families for nearly 20 years. She loves working with children of all ages, and her playful approach and use of only natural light and settings result in timeless portraits. Saxon Holt is a professional garden photographer and owner of PhotoBotanic, a garden photography library. His most recent book is The American Meadow Garden.

portrait photographer. His three books are Great Gardens of the Berkshires, Hudson River Valley Farms, and Wild Horses of the Dunes. Rich conducts photography workshops through the New York Botanical Gardens and privately.

Nan Sterman, a California native, is an author, botanist, and garden designer. Nan writes, appears on radio and television, and speaks on the topic of water-wise design. Her books include California Gardener’s Guide Volume II, and Water-wise Plants for the Southwest.

Jonathan Williams, of Big2do Productions, is a videographer, media producer, musician, and photographer. As a producer, his work has varied from museum exhibits and public and broadcast television, to corporate, education, and new media.

Adam Woodruff is an award-winning garden designer. His naturalistic designs are influenced by the New Wave Planting movement, making his style unique.

LEAF MAGAZINE design outside

THE FINEST GLASSHOUSES MONEY CAN BUY APnOHD BY THI

HARTLEY BOTA N I C

~\$)' lWrr~i

~KEW

NOTHING ELSE IS A HAR T LEY • Handmade in Greenfield, England . Established Over 70 Years

• Exclusively Endorsed by the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew • From $25.000

To enjoy our Book of Glasshouses call or click

781 933 1993 www. hartleybotanic.com leaf@hartleybotanic.com

shop

Updated Front Porch

Graphic prints in black and white for pillows Fabric from Trina Turk for Schumacher

Consider a planter with strong contemporary styling Concrete 5 series planter from Terrene

Mix and match styles to create a surprising and eclectic welcome

slate

Mix in ethnic finds used as side tables and plant stands Tibetian Drum side table from Pottery Barn

LEAF MAGAZINE

autumn 2011

Add a contemporary porch swing made from recycled plastic Loll Go Swing form Design within Reach

raspberry

Try traditional pieces in bold colors for a modern feel Wicker side table from Maine Cottage

Go rustic with ethnic inspired fabrics and textured surfaces` Fabric from Mally Skok Design

Play with color and try something new and unexpected

A chaise can be a great substitute for a cafĂŠ table and chairs Chaise lounge from Femob

Explore handmade details such as crocheted rugs Rug from Paola Lenti LEAF MAGAZINE design outside

CELEBRATI N G

OUTDOOR FURNITURE 路

IN~OOR

FURNITURE . WINDOW TREATMENTS 路 AWNINGS

UMBRElLAS

U.. your "",artphooe QR c:od& ,Ndor 10 l&am more

50 YEARS

shop Rain, rain, and more rain

Vintage Trends from Brimfield

couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t keep the thrice-annual BrimfielAntique Show from gathering over 5,000 antique and collectible dealers on a long stretch of field along Route 20 in south central Massachusetts in September. The goods were on stilts above water-flooded fields, shopping was a wading experience, and knee-high garden boots were never quite so handy. Regardless of the weather, the show went on, and the hardy vendors took it in stride, bringing their wares for sale, show, and trade. The best part of the show was meeting them and our interior design colleagues, many of whom traveled from all parts of the country to scour the market for treasures. Over the years, trends come and go, even at antique shows. Long gone are the Martha Stewart milk glass days; new trends reign. This year, we saw a lot of barn lamps, folk art, and new things

passed off as old. There was still a strong showing of the Belgian-beige, Frenchcottage look. Missing, however, were chandeliers, large architectural remnants, and mid-century, modern design pieces, leading us to wonder if those trends are disappearing. We wandered the aisles, aiming to get our heads around new ideas for design, decoration, and the adornment of our personal spaces. We distilled our findings down to three trends: Homespun, Neo Prep, and Industria. We are excited to see these trends take shape over the coming seasons, and we wonder how they will manifest themselves in our gardens and exterior rooms. We hope you take a bit of inspiration from these finds, as there is nothing like a spending a few days trekking though mud at an antique show to find the next new thing. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; RG LEAF MAGAZINE design outside

Homespun 1

Homespun is an artisanal look and lifestyle trend that incorporates nostalgic retro-imagery and the romanticized ideals of a previous, less technologically driven time. Screenless environments that allow time for handmade and homegrown goodness is the driving idea behind Homespun. Busy 21st-century lives don’t always allow us to make items ourselves, so we are comfortable buying what we can’t create. Vegetable gardens, heirloom seed collecting, canning and preserving, and backyard chickens inspire an overall look that is perfect for vintage collecting and outdoor decoration. Old-fashioned garden favorites like lilacs and roses are back. Pails upturned become light fixtures. A block and tackle becomes a way to hang a chandelier made of canning jars. Old farm tools and carts become planters. It’s all part of the Homespun look.

LEAF MAGAZINE autumn 2011

1. Pack basket from Jon and Carla Magoun 207.743.2040 2.Olive brine bucket from Big Daddy’s Antiques 3. Traditional bark canoe from John and Carla Magoun 207.743.2040. 4. Work pail lamp from The Gourd Guy (Brimfield only) 5. Dog cart from Keenan Antiques 717.292.4820 6. Stove top dryer from Hartman House Antiques 508.378.7388 7. Block and tackle from MBC Tools 774.696.5321 8. Architectural details available from multiple dealers.

NeoPrep 1

1. Gentleman’s picnic case from Howard’s Entertainment 2. Bowling pins from German Favorite Antiques 3. Semaphore flags from Howard’s Entertainment 4. Buoys and floats from Traditonal Marine Outfitters 5. Canoe and paddles from Howard’s Entertainment 6. Marine roping and wooden bucket from Tradtional Marine Outfitters 7. Detail of ropewrapped oars from from Tradtional Marine Outfitters 8. Glass floats from from Tradtional Marine Outfitters.

Neo Prep is a reinterpretation of classic summer outdoor style. Think sailing, shell collecting on the beach, or a thermos of hot coffee by a lake on a crisp morning at sunrise. This trend combines ideas from traditional American summer destinations and pleasures — Nantucket, Santa Barbara, and the Adirondacks. Go sailing with friends. Set an outdoor table with real china and crystal. Pack a basket and bike to a picnic. Wear a straw boater and a seersucker suit, or shoes without socks. Greyed-out wood, nautical colors, and rope details are key elements for Neo Prep. Peonies, hollyhocks, and hydrangeas are classic seaside planting choices. Nautical pieces can be added to a garden, and surprisingly aren’t used often except in seaside gardens.

LEAF MAGAZINE design outside

Industria 1

Industria harks back to the days of prerobotic manufacturing. Often beautifully detailed, old, factory cast-offs are reinterpreted as garden furniture and elements. Cast iron, rusty steel, concrete, and wood are common materials in this trend. Objects with the patina of honest use find a second life — a machinist’s workbench becomes a planting bench, an old cart on wheels becomes a coffee table or teacart. Iron grates lined with moss find new use as wall planters, an upside down industrial funnel gets wired as a light fixture, and old lockers are transformed into a narrow balcony tool shed. Not just for the patio or deck, factory pieces can also be added to garden beds as supports for climbers, fence and gate elements, or for sculptural interest. The opportunities for creativity and recycling abound in Industria. — SC

LEAF MAGAZINE autumn 2011

1. Repurposed grates seen everywhere at the market 2. Gas tanks turned into planters 3. Sculptural bench via Rustbelt Rebirth. 4. Movie marquis letters and numbers seen everywhere at the market 5. Industrial part lamps from The Gourd Guey (Brimfield only) 6. Stacking bins from Big Daddy’s Antiques 7. Candelabra made from industrial leftovers from Let It Go 8. Industrial bins full of antlers seen throughout the market

Cover-Pools. the invento r of the automatic pool cover. presents the ultimate safety, winter, and solar cover combined into one. At the touch of a button. you can conveniently cover your pool whenever you·re not swimming. View the online photo gallery for custom cover ideas. • Prote ct your famiLy and pooL year-round • Save up to 70% on heat. chemica ls . water. and operating costs • Reduce energy an d water consumption • Save time maintaining your pool

COVER 1-800 -447-2838

POOLS~ coverpoots. com

shop

Cable knits and fisherman’s style sweaters

Easy Pieces for Fall Layers

ince Leaf is all about digital content, we decided to shop some very accessible fashion sites in our quest for all things relating to outdoor style, including fashion. Classic styling and natural materials in warm autumnal hues can fit into anyone’s wardrobe. These aren’t outdoor work clothes, although some have the kind of practical styling that is common to American casual sportswear. Jeans, the quintessential American addition to the fashion lexicon, are the basis for the pants, and in other pieces, buttons button and ties tie. The easy pieces we’ve chosen are practical, yet fantastic for a morning meeting of friends for cider and doughnuts, a day of flea market treasure hunting, exploring a local corn maze with the kids, or just being out and about in the cool autumn air. Layer them over clothes you already have, and we’re sure some of these will become your favorites in the months to come.-SC

Topshop $96 Boyfriend jeans in dark washes

Levi Strauss $178 Workwear styling

Click on any image to shop for that item. Steve Madden $100

LEAF MAGAZINE

autumn 2011

Classic styling in rugged fabrics

Shawl collars

Updated Fair Isle colors

Woolrich $65

J. Crew $78

Total outfit in tone on tone

Gant $275

Loose fit

uniqlo $79.90

Current/Elliott $168 Suede wingtips in unexpected color

Skinny corduroys

uniqlo $39.90 Classic desert boot

Updated color

Scarpa $135

Fossil $128

Clarks $109.99 LEAF MAGAZINE

design outside

shop

Dirt Couture Sturdy canvas and leather garden buckets sewn by Karen Burke, and inspired by British gardener Rosemary Verey.

A Dirt Couture’s signature product, Hose Clothes, are the sassy little slipcover for your garden hose.

t Leaf, we love handmade things. They speak to us in ways that our speedy, technology-driven 21st century lives yearn for. Thoughtfully curated, Dirt Couture is an online shop that specializes in handmade products for gardens and gardeners. Cindy McNatt, the shop’s owner, offers a selective variety of serious and humorous products for inside and out. They are all made by hand. —SC

Here is what we have to have… Lynn Felici-Gallant, Leaf managing editor Slugs are cozy, rubber boot liners made by Rayana White

Susan Cohan Leaf co-founder/editor

Whimsical handmade tree swings are fully waterproof, and will hold both children and adults

LEAF MAGAZINE autumn 2011

Rochelle Greayer Leaf co-founder/editor

Rusted steel cache pot crafted by California metal artist Peter Clark

EXC LU SIV E DE SIG NS 路 EX C EPTIO NA L Q U A LIT Y ' UNS U RPA SSED CRA FT SM ANSH IP

USA Office: 1-800-360- 6283 www.oakleafconse rvatories.com CONSERVATORIES ' ORA N GERIES ' GARDEN B U ILDINGS

CO N SERVAT ORIES OF YO RK

root

Ellen Biddle Shipman

One of America’s Most Prolific Landscape Designers

he’s been called the “Dean of American Women Landscape Architects” and “one of the best, if not the very best, flower garden makers in America,” yet Ellen Biddle Shipman is relatively unknown in landscape design history. How can it be that a designer of over 600 gardens in twenty-six states, Quebec, and Bermuda, for clients that included the DuPonts, Fords, and Astors, can all but disappear from the history books? The answer lies partly in Shipman’s own design approach. “Planting, however beautiful, is not a garden,” Shipman wrote in her Garden Note Book, housed in the Rare and Manuscripts Collection at Cornell University. “A garden must be enclosed . . . or otherwise it would merely be a cultivated area.” Privacy was central to Shipman’s designs, and much of her practice was devoted to creating intimate and secluded spaces for wealthy women whose

husbands’ work took them away from the home for long periods of time. Most of those commissions were on country estates that have disappeared. Shipman considered the garden to be an essential part of any home. She began her career in 1910, when she was in her forties and her husband had left her as a single mother with three children. She was an enthusiastic amateur gardener with a voracious appetite for reading about gardens, and had an extensive plant palette and innate ability to assemble plants into dense, beautiful beds. Her friend, architect Charles Platt, recognized her talents and offered Shipman formal training. Before long, she was working with Platt and other landscape architects such as Fredrick Law Olmstead and Warren Manning, and she opened a women-only landscape design firm in New York. She gardened well into her seventies.

LEAF MAGAZINE autumn 2011

Of the 600 commissions to her credit, fewer than ten public gardens exist today. They include: • Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens (pictured) in Akron, Ohio • Longue Vue House and Gardens in New Orleans, Louisiana • Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens in Jacksonville, Florida • Mina Edison’s Moonlight Garden/Edison and Ford Winter Estates in Fort Myers, Florida • Sarah P. Duke Gardens in Raleigh, North Carolina • Chatham Manor in Fredericksburg, Virginia, and • Longfellow House Garden in Cambridge, Massachusetts. There are a handful of private gardens in existence, and the bones of a few others can be viewed publicly.

(Inset) Marti Chavarria (Top) Susy Morris (All remaining) Susan Cohan

Though Shipman was influenced by Platt’s design approach—which included carefully constructed axial layouts, pergolas, paths, and structures that ensured a proportionate relationship between the home and gardens—she developed her own personal style of expression. Her borders were brimming with hundreds of old-fashioned plants such as peonies, roses, irises, and daylilies, and she used standards and small trees and shrubs to define the beds. Her choice of plants was intended to appeal to female clients; the beds were intimate expressions of activities such as planning, nurturing, cultivating, and arranging flowers. A Shipman plan was extremely detailed, and included instructions for the most effective means to grow each plant. —LFG

LEAF MAGAZINE design outside

found Yarn Bombs

YARN BOMBS ARE HAVING A MOMENT Bombs have appeared on trees before, but fiber artist and yarn bomber Suzanne Tidwell has taken the art to a new level.

n July and August, Tidwell transformed Occidental Park in Seattle into a playful environment where craft, graffiti, and landscape merged. No longer considered graffiti, since she had the city’s permission, her joyful explosion of color turned a drab urban environment into an experience beyond mere sightseeing. The trees, lampposts, and bollards provide vertical structure while Tidwell’s horizontal striping and hot color combinations unite the installation as a cohesive whole.

LEAF MAGAZINE

autumn 2011

A short history of yarn bombing in the landscape A temporary statement, yarn bombing is a hybrid of craft and graffiti. Originally, yarn bombers sought to humanize and personalize urban environments by covering them with knitted and crocheted covers. Yarn bombing has grown into a much larger international movement of fiber artists who cover cars, statues, and more. It has even moved inside the mainstream art world. New York based crochet artist Olek will be included in the Smithsonian’s Renwick Gallery’s 40 under 40 show in 2012. To see yarn bombers in action all over the world, visit yarn bombing on YouTube.

Lamposts and London Plane trees wearing their knitted finery in Pioneer Square in Seattle.

LEAF MAGAZINE

design outside

found Photo by Meghan Littlefield. All others by Terrence Parker.

Making a Splash

INNOVATIVE RILL PROVIDES OUTDOOR CLASSROOM

n Last Child in the Woods (Algonquin, April 2008), Richard Louv posits that today’s wired generation of kids have high rates of obesity, attention deficit disorder, and depression because they are too farremoved from nature. Louv would be proud of the efforts to reverse this trend at The Cornerstone School in Stratham, New Hampshire. Based on the Montessori philosophy that children learn best through independent means with an emphasis on freedom with limits and respect for every child’s abilities and their relationship with nature, the school commissioned landscape architect Terrence Parker of terrafirma landscape architecture of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, to integrate its existing site with a new interactive landscape. At the center of the redesign is an innovative rill that acts as a sculptural outdoor classroom. It has bold, sweeping lines and a visual presence that may or may not include running water. “As a sculpture, the serpentine rill has metaphorical properties,” says Parker. “The multi-layered, customdyed, concrete forms created by

Custom Concrete Design of North Berwick, Maine, are embedded with a variety of fossils and make reference to the process of sedimentation and time. And this is not lost on the children, who have named the sculpture ‘their river’.” Because Cornerstone includes toddlers through eighth graders, Parker was challenged to provide a sensory experience for many ages, experiences, and learning levels. He achieved that in a way that is safe and offers physical challenges that children can judge themselves. For example, the rill provides levels and rates of water flow that allow the youngest children to closely observe the play of older children in a setting that protects them, yet they share with older students. Cornerstone’s students were involved in the project from the start, observing the construction from classroom windows with excitement. Once they had access to the serpentine rill, they quickly gathered leaves and sticks to dam the water’s flow, or splashed their hands in the water or falls. “They owned it instantly,” notes Parker. — LFG

Inlaid fossils!

“They owned it instantly.” — Terrence Parker, Landscape Architect

LEAF MAGAZINE design outside

found

Three Men Went to Mow

ombine the witty, irreverent, and nearly always behatted James AlexanderSinclair with the forever jovial BBC Gardenersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; World TV host Joe Swift and the dashing and smoldering Chelsea Flower Show Gold Medal winner Cleve West, and what do you get? Three Men Went to Mow, a hilarious video series available on YouTube. These are some of our favorites.

THE STRIPPER

James Alexander- Sinclair

SELF SEEDERS

LEAF MAGAZINE

autumn 2011

Cleve West

Joe Swift

GROW YOUR OWN

Congratulations to all our friends at Leaf Magazine on your first issue! Join veteran host and gardening expert Joe lamp'l for the second season of Growing a GreenerWorld, a national series dedicated to inspiring people to live a more ecc-friendly life through gardening, food, and sustainable choices. Hands-on projects inspire and teach in every episode, including garden-ta-table recipes from Chef Nathan Lyon. An integrated website enriches the experience with bonus video, blags, podcasts, informative articles, cooking

segments, recipes and more. Growing a Greener World is nationally distributed through American Public Television and presented by UNC-TV.

Watch on television (stations and times)

Watch online (full episodes) _A.

~V.oel'~

SUBARU.

FISKARS ~

BURPEE HOME GA RDENS

...., ''.' . •

.' ','

"e""'",,,._,.,.._"_,~_

found For Fall Planting

Red Pig Bulb Lifter Elephant ears, dahlias, calla, canna lilies, Agapanthus, and some gladioli need to be removed from the ground and stored in a cool, dry place to protect them from winter’s harshness. With the Red Pig Bulb Lifter, the job is a cinch. Two tines, hammered flat and curved along the length of the tool, mimic the classic Dutch tool design, and prevent damage to the bulb as it is eased from the ground.

‘Garden Treasure’ (intersectional aka Itoh peony)

Peony’s Envy As the weather cools, it’s time to plant one of spring’s most beloved plants — peonies. Fall is also the best time to transplant existing peonies, but don’t count on blooms until their second year if you do so. One of the best guides to planting this garden classic is the “Peony Care” section of the online catalog of Peony’s Envy. We asked owner, Kathleen Gagan, to select a few of her favorite coral and yellow peonies. Click on each link to take you directly its page in the farm’s beautiful catalog.

‘Coral Sunset’ (herbaceous)

Kathleen Gagan

Available from:

‘Coral Supreme’ (herbaceous)

LEAF MAGAZINE design outside

found

WA8_COVERS.qxd:psi34222_cover 9/22/11 9:22 PM Page 1

ISSUE EIGHT | ROOT | TRUNK | BOUGH

ISSN 1941-9120

nature,

art,

and

inquiry

FALL | WINTER 2012

oot, Trunk, Bough (to be published on October 20, 2011) will be the final copy of the beautiful and inspiring Wild Apples journal. The publication, which takes its name and inspiration from Henry David Thoreau’s essay, “Wild Apples,” is a twiceyearly publication that aims to inspire thoughtful living by sharing writings, wisdom, and art that celebrates nature and the landscape.

WILD APPLES

Wild Apples

journal

$18.00

WILD APPLES

FALL | WINTER 2012

ISSUE EIGHT | ROOT | TRUNK | BOUGH

LEAF MAGAZINE

design outside

0- T

-n-

shade experience : made in miami

wwwtUl C

good

Seeds for Africa

Each issue of Leaf will profile an organization that is making a positive difference for our planet and its inhabitants.

eeds for Africa is a British-based organization that helps lessen the well-publicized plight of millions of people starving and at food-risk in Africa. The organization provides access to locally sourced seeds, plants, and equipment, and the expertise to help schools and families establish kitchen gardens and orchards. They train new “owners” of each project they help build so that the populations served not only benefit from the food they grow, but also learn ways to keep growing and producing far into the future. Both urban and rural projects are

LEAF MAGAZINE

autumn 2011

funded through the organization, with a focus on creating school gardens that ultimately help provide healthful meals for those where there are often none. The organization’s work is concentrated in four countries: Kenya, Malawi, Sierra Leone, and Uganda. Through its projects in schools, and its larger communitybased projects, Seeds for Africa is creating long-term solutions to problems that plague the countries they work in. They are giving families a stake in their own futures that will benefit their communities for generations. -SC

What to See in Boston

Farmersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Markets The local foods movement is strong in New England and that is reflected in the large number of well-stocked, beautiful markets full of local meat and seafood, produce, baked goods, preserves, and flowers. There is a market nearly every day of the week. To locate one near you, visit the Massgrown website.

Hubway/Urban AdvenTours - Launched in 2011, the Hubway is Boston’s first bike-share system. And Urban AdvenTours is a unique, eco-friendly way to see the city on two wheels. Mare Restaurant Mare offers an all-natural ingredient list based almost entirely on certified organic and sustainable seafood from the U.S. and around the world.

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum - Visitors to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum are greeted by the visual splendor of the courtyard garden. The museum was designed as a work of art in totality, and stands as a testament to the vision of Isabella Stewart Gardner. New England Holocaust Memorial - “Look at these towers, passerby, and try to imagine what they really mean — what they symbolize — what they evoke. They evoke an era of incommensurate darkness, an era in history when civilization lost its humanity and humanity its soul.” ~Elie Wiesel

Day Trip! A whole day of hopping from attraction to attraction is just a fifteen minute drive west of Boston. The Minuteman National Historic Park encompasses the scenic and historic Old North Bridge, the Concord River, and the site of the “shot heard ‘round the world” that started the Revolutionary War. Nearby the de Cordova Sculpture Park and the Gropius House (the personal home of Walter Gropius, founder of the German design school known as the Bauhaus) are icons of contemporary art and modern architecture. The Lyman Estate and Stonehurst (situated a stones throw from each other) are

Barbour Store - Amongst the many boutiques and restaurants of Newbury Street is an outpost of the British classic clothier. The store is always stocked with waxed jackets and highquality outdoor gear. Fenway Victory Garden - Established in 1942, the gardens are the last and the oldest of the original victory gardens created during World War II. They remain an eclectic garden oasis just steps from Fenway Park. Oleana restaurant - It is no surprise that chef Ana Sortun’s outrageously inventive food is so good; her husband grows the restaurant’s produce at nearby Siena Farm. The Glass Flowers at Harvard University Natural History Museum - Between 1887 and 1936, father and son team, Leopold and Rudolph Blaschka, created nearly 850 exact glass models of flowers for Professor George Lincoln Goodale to use in studying and teaching botany. The collection is the star attraction at the Harvard University Natural History Museum.

both historic homes worth visiting. The Lyman Estate’s Greenhouses, date from 1800 are open to the public, and house a huge array of tropicals and exciting plants not normally seen in New England. At Stonehurst you can still see the hand of Frederick Law Olmsted on the landscape of this beautiful home that was designed by Henry Hobson Richardson. Stonegate Gardens is one of the prettiest garden centers in New England. Their new, two-story modern glass houses are set to open later this year, and the grounds are true gardens where everything is for sale.

Illustration: Swiss Cottage Designs / Glass Flower Image: President & Fellows Harvard College, by Hillel Burger

The Rose Kennedy Greenway - Called “Boston’s ribbon of contemporary parks,” the Greenway connects a city once divided by highways in a meandering, 1.5-mile promenade.

plant

Helenium autumnale

botanical name Helenium autumnale

common name Dogtooth daisy/Sneezeweed

plant family Asteraceae

native habitat Varieties native throughout North America. Found in meadows and moist areas.

seasonal interest Blooms mid-summer to early fall

height and width 2-6’ tall by 1.5’ wide

soil and moisture Tolerates clay soil—moist, but not wet. Fertilizing may lead to weak stems.

aspect Full sun

maintenance Early pinching will encourage branching. May require staking. Cut back after blooming. Deadheading increases bloom time. Propagate by division every 2 to 3 years.

problems and diseases Powdery mildew, rust, leaf smut, and fungal spots may occur.

hardiness USDA Zones 3-8

design uses Heleniums make wonderful companions for grasses in a naturalistic setting. Use in a meadow garden and in informal mixed borders. They are beautiful as cut flowers. There are more than 90 cultivars available.

Lisa J. R. Williams

Notes: Attractive to bees, but toxic to deer and rabbits.

LEAF MAGAZINE design outside

... make your dreams a reality today.

Sensational Outdoor Rooms & Custom Living Spaces. The Outdoor Greatroom® Company has everything you need to create your perfect outdoor living space-from intimate small spaces, to the great outdoors. Choose from a broad seledion of unique, up-scale products, at a price that fits your budget.

Inspirational Products. Instant Ambiance. Our team of industry experts develop outdoor living products and offer creative design solutions that bring inspiration

to any home. Our newest product, the award winning Inspiration Wall-Mount Gel Fireplace is like none other. It's

the first ever gel-fueled fireplace to be UL listed for safety. Style, safety, and affordable elegance.

'@).

All Venturi Flame products are UL listed to meet safeI)' performance standards.

leaf Magazine Reader Special! Call or clickJ1ere and use_tbe code " OutdoorPromo " to receive a Free Outdoor Design Guide plus 10% off any order placed before December 31 st, 201 1. sa les@outdoorrooms.com • 1.866.303.4028 · www.OutdoorRooms.com

th.1 il'

Outdoor GreatRoom

company'"

flavor

Pick your own Cocktail

Push play to see our recipe in action

recipes

Grilled White Peach Rumble

Rhubarb Pickle Sticks

ingredients 2 shots rhubarb liqueur 1 shot white peach juice (grill white peaches until caramelized, then run in food processor until smooth) 1 small basil leaf, rolled and sliced widthwise

ingredients 1lb rhubarb, peeled and cut into sticks (the length equal to the height of the jar being used for storage). Pack them into a canning jar. 1c apple cider vinegar 1c honey (or maple syrup) 3 tbs grenadine 1tsp coarse salt Spices to liking (orange, lemon, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, chili flakes, anise stars, mustard seed)

preparation To a cocktail shaker, add the liqueur, peach juice, and basil leaf. Shake and strain into a coupe glass with a slice of pickled rhubarb for garnish.

preparation Heat vinegar, honey, grenadine, salt, and chosen spices in a saucepan until dissolved together (about 1 minute of boiling). Pour liquid in to jars to completely cover the rhubarb sticks. Close the jar and let it steep for a day, then refrigerate for up to a week.

LEAF MAGAZINE

autumn 2011

photo credit: Tara Austen Weaver

Rumble recipe developed by Warren Bobrow

Rhubarb liqueur can be made at home by infusing vodka or grain alcohol with freshly cut rhubarb. As the flavors seep, so does the rhubarb color - making for a pretty pink homemade cordial. A variety of recipes can be found online, or you can purchase commercially made rhubarb spirits. Two to try are Rhuby USDA Certified Organic Rhubarb Liqueur and Chase Rhubarb Liqueur.

photo: Kelly Fitzsimmons

behind the scenes

Making a Video with Leaf

An injured back (long walks through airports carrying heavy video equipment can be dangerous) didn’t stop Jonathan Williams of Big2do Productions from helping us create the video.

We got an education in prop styling. Food is not always what it seems in video-making and photography. Our “pickle sticks” were whipped up in minutes with boiling water and some quickly chopped rhubarb, and the “liqueur” is a secret recipe of red food coloring and water.

We searched high and low for rhubarb pickles, but found none. If you want this garnish, you are going to have to roll up your sleeves and get canning. But don’t worry; it’s not hard to do.

aking the first Leaf magazine exclusive video was quite an undertaking that we hope to repeat again (especially now that we have a learned a few things). Were it not for the help of Jonathan Williams and Big2do productions it simply wouldn’t be. Mixologist Warren Bobrow provided us with his delicious recipe, and Kelly Fitzsimmons photographed the filming party. For all of them we are grateful. We hope you enjoy a Grilled White Peach Rumble made from fresh pickings as much as we did. LEAF MAGAZINE

design outside

build

A Compulsive Creator’s Garden Written and Photographed by Nan Sterman

Senecio antephorbium stands tall with stacked hypertufa ball sculptures as a backdrop to a dramatic urbanite wall and Dyckia ‘Black Gold’.

t is hard to imagine that a beautiful garden exists on landscape designer Dustin Gimbel’s street in Long Beach, California. The neighborhood of once-proud 1920s bungalows is now mostly 1960s stucco and stone duplexes intermixed with squat “garden” apartments from the 1950s (which is probably the last time the “gardens” were watered). Music blares from an unseen neighbor’s window. To reach Gimbel’s home, visitors step over goo-filled gutters floating with bits of red, blue, and white gum and ice cream bar wrappers. Across the cracked concrete sidewalk

is a chain link fence surrounding his property. An opening in the fence leads to an entirely different world. Gimbel’s bungalow is fronted by a tiny garden that packs a big punch. The 60’ deep x 150’ wide space is enveloped in a “green wall” of evergreen fig, (Ficus nitida). The walls keep neighbors from peering in, and buffer the garden from street-side chaos. To Gimbel, the hedge satisfies his desire to “live in a big green box.” Such a dense perimeter could have made the small garden feel claustrophobic, but not given Gimbel’s skillful design. He divided the garden with a diagonal “boardwalk”

Boardwalk made from Ipe wood scraps.

LEAF MAGAZINE design outside

A small water feature flanks the porch and provides a home for a variety of plants including Muehlenbeckia and purple taro.

Before

After

“I’m a creative compulsive” he says, “I love the process of creating things.” made of Ipe wood scraps. On either side of the boardwalk are small garden spaces, each with its own character and planting scheme so intricate and fascinating that visitors take a long time to make their way from the entry to the front porch. Gimbel marked the farthest end of the boardwalk with a weeping acacia (Acacia pendula), whose copperybrown bark and silver, blue-gray leaves set the tone for the garden’s color scheme. He balanced the tall tree by placing a large urn-shaped pot at its base. Sprays of sherbet-orangeblooming firecracker plant (Russelia ‘Night Lights Tangerine’) spill out and over the ceramic, whose copperybrown glaze echoes the acacia bark. Near the front porch, Gimbel dug a pond and lined it with broken concrete. Water spills from a piece of copper tubing. The sound of water hitting water is just the right volume to camouflage the neighborhood music. Opposite the pond, a curved path of round pavers leads to a handmade concrete bench. It’s an inviting spot to sit and meditate, despite the busy sidewalk just a few feet away. Gimbel has a tiny, low-water “lawn” of Frankenia thymifolia. This three-inch-tall evergreen has tentaclelike branches clothed in teeny, deep green, leaves. A low, arching wall of broken concrete embraces the

lawn, just as the Frankenia embraces a young, South African pincushion (Leucospermum ‘Veldfire’) that blooms fiery orange in early spring. Gimbel has a collection of miniature Albuca ‘Augrabies Hill’ bulbs planted amid the Frankenia. In bloom, their bright white flowers look like upright sundrops and smell like vanilla. During the rest of the year, their fine, grass-like foliage is nearly invisible. At those times, however, all eyes focus on a trio of faces that appear to be sleeping in the Frankenia’s sea of green. Gimbel found the original face at a thrift store, made a latex mold, then cast the faces in concrete. The edge of the Frankenia lawn features three Dyckia — spiny, cabbage-sized bromeliads with purpleblack blades. Upright, succulent Senecio anteuphorbium, tall purple-black Aeonium ‘Zwartkop’, undulating teal and coral Echeveria, and other shapely, low-water plants along the top rim of concrete encircle the space. Aside from the pond plants, this is a low-

water garden. It has no irrigation system — just Gimbel and his weekly appointment with the garden hose. While Gimbel is a plant collector, he is also a collector of the odd and unusual, such as two rounded objects that look like woody versions of ninja throwing stars. These, explains Gimbel proudly, are seedpods from a rare Eucalyptus lehmannii. Some items are products of nature; others are products made by Gimbel. “I’m a creative compulsive” he says, “I love the process of creating things.” So, for example, when Gimbel poured his own concrete pathway pavers, he used pieces of faux skin that look like snake and ostrich for surface treatments, and then stained the pavers with browns and greens. While handcrafted touches are everywhere, one particular design motif appears again and again. Round, rough gray spheres—balls, really — fill a corner of Gimbel’s pond. A screen of what Gimbel calls

LEAF MAGAZINE design outside

Pomona (aka Cal Poly Pomona), Gimbel set out on a series of round-theworld horticultural internships. During that time, he worked with Dan Hinkley at Heronswood outside of Seattle, and Christopher Lloyd at Great Dixter in England.

Dustin Gimbel is one of Southern California’s up-and-coming landscape designers with an impressive pedigree. He spent part of his childhood roaming the grasslands of California’s gold country, northeast of Sacramento. As a teenager, Gimbel talked himself into a position working for the late Mary Lou Heard, an icon among Southern California nursery folks. After earning his horticulture degree in 2002 from California State Polytechnic University,

Gimbel earned the Royal Horticultural Society’s Wisley Diploma in Practical Horticulture, after which he was offered a position as head gardener on a large English estate. Before starting this new position, however, he made a trip home where he rediscovered the blue skies and bright sun of Southern California. England became a fond memory, as Gimbel settled into his native Long Beach and started a design business, Second Nature Garden Design. Today, he serves clients throughout the region.

LEAF MAGAZINE autumn 2011

“ball towers” divides sections of the garden. More balls are placed strategically amid rounded gray gravel in a dry streambed and greenery almost everywhere one looks. What is Gimbel’s fascination with balls, one might ask? According to Gimbel, he once visited Whiskey Creek on the Olympic Peninsula with famed plantsman, Dan Hinkley. There, he was fascinated to find perfectly round rocks. Most of the rocks were too heavy to take home, so Gimbel tried his hand at making them. While the natural rocks are smooth as a baby’s behind, Gimbel’s hypertufa versions are more rustic, chunky, and meatball-like in the positive sense: they are complex and fascinating. Decorative elements like the hypertufa balls are especially important in such a young garden, where the structure is still developing. Using the balls as a screen, Gimbel says, “doesn’t take up space, but gives you interest.” Five years from now, the garden’s structure should come into its own. By then, the quartet of narrow, columnar Ilex vomitoria ‘Will Fleming’ that flank the boardwalk will have grown into a garden room. As one walks along the boardwalk, Gimbel explains, “it will feel like you are moving through space.” Ask Gimbel the secret to creating a garden like his and he smiles. “Start with your wildest dreams,” he says, “then break that down to something you can execute.” It may not be easy and it may not be fast, but the rewards are worth it.

i=or more design inspiration. visit TimberPress.com

fun

Make Like Johnny, and Hit the Apple Road

“Surely the apple is the noblest of fruits.” ~Henry David Thoreau, Wild Apples

Esopus Spitzenburg is an antique apple that many regard as the very best dessert apple. Thomas Jefferson grew it at Monticello, and it is purported to have been his favorite apple.

ohnny Appleseed, the folk hero nurseryman of the American frontier, spent his life travelling from his childhood home in Massachusetts through most of what is now the Midwest region of the United States. Along the way, he famously planted apples from seed, and provided frontier settlers with nursery stock to colonize the land. Johnny’s seed-planting was an original act of sustainability. It encouraged biodiversity and natural selection that ultimately gave rise to a vast selection of regionally variable apples that at one time numbered over 15,000 varieties. Today, however, industrial farming produces 90% of the apples and only 11 varieties are commonly found in most grocery stores. But it is the other 10%–and the search for the best, regional, lesser-known and more interesting varieties—that can provide a grand day full of adventure, exploring, tastetesting, and maybe even a history lesson. Apple growing regions in the United States extend from Michigan and the Great Lakes through New England, from Virginia and North Carolina and the neighboring mountain valleys into the Ohio Valley, and throughout the Pacific Northwest and into California. What are now referred to as heirloom, vintage, or antique varieties of apples were once very common in early America. In most areas, unless you travel to local apple picking orchards and participate in the traditions of cultivating and harvesting apples, you may never see or taste the fruits whose unique character shaped early American life. There are about 5,000 remaining apple varieties that round out the non-industrial market. Many of these are endangered but can be purchased through local nurseries and growers. If you discover a new favorite, try planting it. In doing so, you will contribute to retaining valuable biodiversity and regional history. —RG For more information about heritage, antique, and heirloom apples, visit Noble Fruits: A Guide to Conserving Heirloom Apples.

Isaac Greayer and Kelly Fitzsimmons

r Kids

les fo x's App

Ale

r cracke m a h a r ter 1 G ut but n a e p s h Smoot le piece p p a d e hopp Finely c

en childr *Young ke this can ma selves! by them

ea es. Spr r a u q s into 2 ely racker c m with fin a h p a o r g T . e h half help Break t on each ult to d r a e t n t a u b t need peanut AT! s (migh e l p p top. E a e h d t e p r p e v cho ey o zle hon iz r D . ) e her

Honey

Propagation material and trees available from: Fedco Seeds - Waterville, Maine Shelburne Orchard - Shelburne, Vermont Gould Hill Farm - Hopkinton, New Hampshire Clarkdale Fruit Farm - Deerfield, Massachusetts Eastmanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Antique Apples - Wheeler, Michigan Edible Forest Nursery - Madison, Wisconsin Heritage Apple - Clemmons, North Carolina Big Horse Creek Farm - Lansing, North Carolina Urban Homestead - Bristol, Virginia Vintage Virginia Apples - North Garden, Virginia Foggy Ridge Cider - Dugspur, Virginia Jones Creek Farm - Sedro Woolley, Washington Trees of Antiquity - Paso Robles, California (Previously Sonoma Antique Apple Nursery)

LEAF MAGAZINE design outside

Discover These Regional Heirloom Apples

The Johnny Appleseed Trail *Born in 1774 in Leominster, MA

MA CT

*Died in 1845 in Fort Wayne, IN

California and the Pacific Northwest

apple. McMahons can be dated to 1860 in Richland County, Wisconsin.

The Gravenstein is thought to have arrived in western North America with Russian fur traders, and it is well-suited to coastal locations.

The Alexander apple can be traced back through England to Russian heritage.



Chehalis is a variety that was discovered in Washington in 1937, and the Sierra Beauty was originally discovered on the slopes of the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California in the 1890s. It is thought to be a remnant of miners during the California Gold Rush. It has since disappeared and been rediscovered twice, but is now found throughout California. 

Great Lakes and Mid-West

Brier (Sweet) Crab was originally propagated after the Civil War in Baraboo, Wisconsin. It is pale yellow with red streaks, very sweet, and good for desserts or for making applesauce. Eureka and Salome are both pippin apples—that is, they are “volunteers” that grew spontaneously from the seed of a dropped apple. Eureka first grew beneath a Tolman Sweet apple tree. Salome was discovered in an abandoned nursery in Illinois, and the founder named it for his mother. Another regional favorite is the very large McMahon that is believed to be the offspring of the (also very large) Alexander



Appalachian Region

Dula Beauty was first grown in Lenoir, North Carolina, from the seeds of the Limbertwig. It grows very well in the region, has been recommended by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture since the turn of the 20th century, and is popular for frying and baking. Hall is a small apple whose flavor has hints of vanilla. Many antique apples exhibit flavors that vary from butterscotch to anise and other spices. Junaluska was the leader of the eastern band of Cherokee Indians that lived in North Carolina. The apple tree that was named for him hailed from his land in western North Carolina. It was thought to be extinct until 2001, when it was rediscovered by Tom Brown of Heritage Apples. Reasor Green was also thought to be extinct until 2001. Originally from Lee County, Virginia, the tree produces fruit that is uniquely capable of drying—instead of rotting—when wounded.



Mid–Atlantic

Campfield was well-known in early America because of its usefulness in cider-making. During Colonial times, it was often combined with the juices from the Harrison Cider Apple and the Graniwinkle. Harrison Cider Apples, when unmixed, make a dark, extremely rich cider that is in great demand. Willow Twig is another rare apple. It is named for the unique drooping and willow-like appearance of the tree. 

New England

Aunt Penelope Winslow is a fall apple that was ostensibly brought to Maine’s North Haven Island from Marshfield, Massachusetts over 200 years ago by a woman referred to as Aunt Penelope. Cole’s Quince was discovered by Captain Henry Cole in Cornish, Maine around 1840. It was called “quince” because of its shape and coloring, and its flavor is described as tart, tangy, aromatic, and zesty. Golden Russet (also called Wheeler’s) is prized for its rich, spicy flavor, and was at one time called the “champagne of old-time cider apples.”

THE GARDEN CONSERVANCY'S

OPEN DAYS PROGRAM

. ----:-:::::::~

The Garden Conservancy's Open Days Directory: The 2012 Guide to Visiting America's Gardens$21,95 (includes shipping and handling) Order online at gardencooservancy.org!opendays or ca ll toll-free 1-(888)-842-2442,

The Garden Conservancy's Open Days P.O. Box 219. Cold Spring. NY 10516

1.888.842.2442 InfoOgardenconservancy.org

Join the Garden Conservancy and receive our Open Days Directory

FREE

The Garden Conservancy Is a national nonprofit organization founded In 1989 to preserve exceptional American gardens and help people recognize them as a vItal part of our nation's cultural heritage. Learn more at eardeocooservancy.org

Photo: Adam Woodruff

Autumn 2011 What defines Design Outside? We believe in great design beyond our doors and garden we love an individual

stylish living

both inside and out. In the

bold color choices used in broad strokes to create

sense of place. We are

inspired

places we

have visited

and those we have

known from childhood.

We are interested in

people who have

the

an abiding commitment to the land we live on and the food we eat. We celebrate being and

growing outside in all seasons

and revel in the long light and cool weather of autumn. But most of all we know that our world

design outside

enriches our lives and makes

a better place to live. Welcome to Leaf.

Warmth

A Year-Rou

Photo by Ryan Peters

nd State of Mind

Written by Mary Ann Newcomer

Photo by Carol J Hicks

Autumn is a vibrant season of color. It is also the season of cooling temperatures. Ruby fruits of hawthorns and crabapples vie for attention with the changing foliage of deciduous trees. Luminous maples and sumacs rock the garden world. Clusters of shiny, dark viburnum berries look fetching against the hot pink and orange foliage of their shrubs, while ornamental grasses morph into golden torches, backlit by Technicolor sunsets and windless blue skies. If you are planning a garden, build on this rich autumn palette of color.

Facing page: Garden at night with fire and rope ball seating designed by Topher Delaney. Ward off the chilliest of evenings by adding a layer of warmth with blankets and throws.

',.. ...

•

Crabapples and grasses at Craftsman Farms in New Jersey.

Portable fire takes the warmth where itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s needed.

LEAF MAGAZINE autumn 2011

Fire

Fire pits acknowledge our primal urge to gather near light and warmth. Artist and landscape designer Topher Delaney created this simple stainless steel fire bowl to warm a Bay Area garden throughout the seasons. The wall reflects the heat of the fire back to the gathering area, and protects this east-facing garden space. Natural gas burns clean, and a layer of black sand conceals the fuel jets. Delaney recommends using a local metal fabricator for creating a similar bowl, and sourcing the sand locally, if possible.

Gather Winter doesn’t have to mean cold. Extend the joy of garden living into November, and in many places, yearround. Create a place to sit, share a meal, and read. Warmth is a state or sensation; extend a warm invitation to friends to share this beautiful, colorful season.

2 Wrapped in Warmth Ward off the chilliest of evenings by adding a layer of warmth with blankets and throws. Colorful, woolen lap throws are available in such a wide variety of prints and patterns that one can be found to suit any garden style. Wool is environmentally friendly and a natural, renewable fiber that can be recycled or composted as a healthy additive to the soil. Companies such as Pendleton Woolen Mills even make a line of Cradle to Cradle-certified wool blankets. Polar fleece, the most common fabric made of recycled materials, comes in every weight and color. It is still the “go-to” fabric for outdoor activities and sports. It’s also a popular choice for throw blankets.

Fall can bring an early snow. Plants and people stay warm inside this glass house.

Photo byxxxxxxxxx

Designer Michelle Derviss collaborated with Truckee Blacksmith on this stone fire pit, seating area, and artful screen in Squaw Valley.

LEAF MAGAZINE design outside

photo by Boon Lee â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Creative Commons License

Grow Row covers, cold frames, and pop-up covers will keep salad bowls filled with fresh greens most of the year. In zone denial? Shrub jackets can move a garden up a hardiness zone. Recycled windows make affordable greenhouses and charming cold frames. Think beyond the summer garden and the predictable harvest. If you live in a cold, winter climate, be sure to check out Eliot Colemanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s The Four-Season Harvest and The Winter Harvest Handbook.

Fothergilla leaves in the autumn.

Feast Collapsible wall grill folds up like a Murphy bed.

Spiced cider or mulled wine will warm the body. Chili or chowder makes a great outdoor supper, mug ready. Just add spoons and cornbread muffins. It is easy to find standard outdoor kitchen equipment and ready-made counters and cabinets. Sporting goods stores and outdoor outfitters are affordable sources for high-end custom outdoor cooking areas. They carry a vast selection of multi-purpose, transportable kitchen equipment and outdoor furniture. The same outfitter and guide shops offer durable, weather-resilient sets of outdoor dishes and cookware. With these portables, a fall picnic becomes a moveable feast.

LEAF MAGAZINE design outside

Landscape designer Laura Morton plays with color in a Los Angeles backyard

he Silver Lake neighborhood in Los Angeles is well-known for its quirky, individualistic inhabitants and living quarters, and is a hotbed for design ideas. When the homeowners of this garden approached landscape designer Laura Morton, all they wanted was a place to “lounge around.” Morton, who travels extensively in the Mediterranean, drew on her experiences there, and on her interest in sacred spaces, to create a garden that is both exuberant and restful. As Morton explains, “Sacred was not on the list; there was not a detailed wish list. They told me once that they wanted ‘a place to lounge around,’ and when I asked them a different way, they told me a second time, ‘well, we like to lounge around.’ I got it—seating and a fire pit! I wanted, of course, to give them more. It was a large space with no privacy and they liked color. I have to say it was wonderful to work with both of them, as they were open to seeing my vision of the space having tried to do the work on their own and feeling daunted.” The design is asymmetrical and snakes through the outdoor space from the rear gate to the fire pit and seating area. The kitchen’s French doors open onto a star-shaped fountain, and doors from the homeowner’s bedroom are adjacent to an outdoor bathtub. Juxtaposing a blue backdrop inspired by Majorelle—Yves St. Laurent’s famous Marrakesh garden—and a subtle spiral design, the space was transformed into a series of contemplative and lounge-worthy destinations. By using artisanal detailing and a planting design that was an integral part of the color story, Morton was able to fuse many ideas into a cohesive space that echoes other places, yet is clearly distinct. Photographed by Jeff Dunas and written by Susan Cohan

LEAF MAGAZINE

autumn 2011

LEAF MAGAZINE

design outside

The outdoor boudoir bathing area opens to the garden. Privacy can be created simply by closing the curtains.

LEAF MAGAZINE

autumn 2011

An overview of the garden

ften discarded and plentiful in salvage yards, a claw foot bathtub becomes a romantic feature when its “room” is defined by sheer curtains and placed in front of an intensely colored wall painted Majorelle-blue (Dunn-Edwards Deep Sapphire). One side is left open and in full view of the private garden; the other opens to the rest of the patio. A simple wrought iron twin bed becomes a place to rest and read a book, while also serving as the go-to spot for the homeowner’s dog. Tile work adds rich texture and a sense of place to simple column bases, and a pebble mosaic in the garden’s path ensures feet slow and eyes look downward. The color story for the garden was pulled from the tiles. Sticking with a narrow palette helped to keep the many elements and destinations focused and cohesive. Before choosing a color, paint large pieces of plywood with different hues and live with them for a while. And when using strong color in a garden, Morton advises: ”Dare to do it!” We agree. The design is full of ideas that can be translated and interpreted in any garden at any price point— bold color, salvage-yard-finds, and fabrics finish and define spaces. None of these choices need be expensive; all just take time, some elbow grease, Bouganvilla and an idea.

LEAF MAGAZINE

design outside

LEAF MAGAZINE

autumn 2011

Facing page clockwise from top left: Fountain in a traditional eight-point star design; Outdoor shower; Stucco fire pit and built-in seating with mud cloth pillows. At right: A pebble mosaic is a great DIY project

Some blues in the Majorelle range to try: Benjamin Moore Dunn-Edwards Evening Blue 2066-20 Deep Sapphire DEA137 Sherwin Williams Blueblood sw6966

Behr Crayon Blue PPKR22

Get the look F

rench artist and expatriate Paul Majorelle created a personal oasis and garden called Majorelle in Marrakesh in 1924. In 1980, it was purchased by Yves Saint Laurent and his partner, Pierre BergĂŠ, who restored the endangered property and maintained the garden and house as a museum and botanical garden. When Saint Laurent passed away in 2008, his ashes were scattered in the garden. The garden is famous for its use of bold color, specifically the shade of blue that is now known as Majorelle Blue. Bold blues are used throughout the Mediterranean alongside yellow, green, and orange to create a sun-drenched color palette that is easily translated into a garden setting. Strong color doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to compete with the rest of a gardenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s design elements; they can exist side by side and complement each other if planned at the onset of the design process. Laura Morton considered the entire palette when designing the Silver Lake garden, incorporating plants with strong bloom color and striking foliage to act as visual companions to other intensely colored features.

Inset photo credit: simonsimages

The fountain in the garden at Majorelle

All it takes is imagination and a vision for a healthier world.

Their farm is like a bubble of sanity and health amidst the Oz-like uniformity of the landscape.

Written and Scenic view of the Eschmeyer farm

photographed by Rich Pomerantz

the

new agrarians Some people in their twenties and thirties are increasingly choosing farming as a career choice. This new phenomenon appears to be the result of a confluence of ideas and events: the coming of age of children with parents who grew up in the 1960s; a mistrust in big government and corporations; the realization that traditional career paths are disappearing; a comfort level with technology; a societal movement towards healthful eating; attention being paid to building

local and sustainable communities; and the need to find solutions to current environmental crises like climate change and energy dependence on non-renewable resources. Six innovative members of this new generation of farmers include Mark and Kristin Kimball, Severine von Tscharner Fleming, Debra and Jeff Eschmeyer, and Ian Cheney.

LEAF MAGAZINE design outside

leaders movement in the young farmer

Mark and Kristin Kimball

Mark and Kristin Kimball A little over a decade ago, Kristin Kimball was a freelance writer living the single life in Greenwich Village when she met Mark, the subject of a story she was writing about young, organic farmers. They were immediately smitten with one another, and Kristin quickly made the switch from city to country living. Today, the couple operates a diversified 500-acre farm in near Lake Champlain in upstate New York where they raise two children, dairy cows, beef cattle, chickens, and draft animals. They have five full-time workers. They started a CSA (community-supported agriculture) early in their farming career that has grown to feed 200 families year-round. And they do it all with draft horses, using mechanized equipment for only 10% of the farm labor. Leaders in the young farmer movement, the Kimballs are well-known due to their generous sharing of knowledge. They speak to young farmers’ groups all over the country about practical handson farming techniques. And Kristin has written a best-selling book, The Dirty Life (Scribner, October 2010), about her journey from city woman to farmer.

Roosters meander about on Essex Farm

Severine von Tscharner Fleming An online search about young farmers quickly leads to the National Young Farmers’ Coalition (NYFC), a rich source of links and information about the new young farming movement, which some call the “New Agrarians.” According to its website, the NYFC is “a group of young and sustainable farmers organizing for collective success” using Internet tools to educate, inform, advocate, and share. One of the NYFC’s founders is Severine von Tscharner Fleming, a firecracker of a woman who is deeply interested in both changing consumer preferences for organic and local food, and in adjusting our collective view of our relationship to the land and food production. A farmer, activist, and filmmaker, Severine has created The Greenhorns, a film that documents the work and experience of young farmers throughout the United States. Any exploration into this new universe of young farmers should Caption goes here begin with the work that she and her colleagues at NYFC are doing.

Severine von Tscharner Fleming

Caption goes here

LEAF MAGAZINE design outside

practical farming hands-on

LEAF MAGAZINE autumn 2011

LEAF MAGAZINE design outside

following footsteps

in their familiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Debra and Jeff Eschmeyer on their farm in western Ohio

Debra and Jeff Eschmeyer Driving the long dirt road to Debra and Jeff Eschmeyers' farm is like stepping into a bubble of sanity amidst the Oz-like uniformity of the surrounding landscape. A journey to their land in western Ohio takes you through hundreds of miles of corn and soybean fields. Those two federal taxpayersubsidized-crops (which some believe are responsible for the current epidemic of obesity in the United States and the nutritional and political imbalance of our national food policy) are firmly entrenched in this part of the country. Debra and Jeff represent the classic middle-American, farm-raised high school sweethearts who are following in their families’ footsteps to become the fifth generation of Jeff ’s family to farm at Harvest Sun Farm. Unlike their neighbors, the Eschmeyers are using organic, sustainable, time-tested, and traditional agricultural techniques like crop rotation, crop selection, use of cover crops, and no synthetic chemical fertilizers or pesticides. Not only is the couple smart about farming, but they also have substantial credentials to support their views. Debra is one of the founders of FoodCorps, a kind of AmeriCorps for healthful eating that is working to reverse

childhood obesity by increasing children’s knowledge of, and access to, healthful food. Debra has also worked at the National Farm to School Network and the National Family Farm Coalition, and is a Food and Community fellow at the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy. She was one of only ten original recipients of the James Beard Foundation Leadership Award for working for “a healthier, safer, and more sustainable food world.” Debra and Jeff ’s mastery of food policy is firmly grounded in their experience of growing up on farms, and now running their own. It may be surprising, but fresh, healthful, organic, and great-tasting food is foreign to most of Debra and Jeff 's neighbors. The couple sells at a local farmers’ markets where, in the middle of farm country, there are very few farmers selling food. And they are starting a CSA that will be the first in that part of the state. Despite the “newness” of their organic approach to farming in the heartland, Debra and Jeff are not outsiders preaching to the locals about how their method will save them from agricultural and nutritional horror. On the contrary, Debra and Jeff are from the heartland. Debra's family still farms around the corner, and Jeff was the local town supervisor

for a short time. They respect and love their neighbors; judgmental they are not.

Ian Cheney Ian Cheney is an easy-going, lighthearted kind of guy who is dedicated to advocating for healthful food and local, sustainable sourcing of food. As a student, Ian started the Yale Sustainable Food Project. As a filmmaker, he has been awarded a prestigious Peabody award for the hip and eminently entertaining feature documentary film, King Corn. Given his personality, it is no surprise to learn that Ian has created a farm in the back of his 1987 Dodge pickup truck using basic green roof technology. From his home in Brooklyn, he drives the truck to schools and community centers, teaching people about growing food. Thanks to Ian, there is now a fleet of truck farms growing throughout the United States. Ian's pickup effort is one of those perfectly timed ideas. It demonstrates that we can grow food almost anywhere, and that we don't need huge swaths of land, chemicals, or multi-national corporate entities to feed communities. All it takes is a little imagination, and a vision for a healthier world. Ian Cheney

LEAF MAGAZINE design outside

Influenced by an

Island

Master Basket Artist

Kari LĂ¸nning We

eaves The Norwegian Landscape Into Her Craft Written by Jane Berger

Hesnesøy is a tiny island

on the southeast coast of Norway. There are no cars, boutiques, movie theaters, or weekend markets there. Instead, the island is comprised of rocky inlets, pink granite, boats, and summer homes of a clean and simple style. It’s a perfect landscape to fire the imagination. For as long as she can remember, contemporary basket maker Kari Lønning has been summering on the island. Kari’s Norwegian grandparents owned a complex of houses on Hesnesøy, and she and her parents, siblings, and Norwegian cousins, spent long summers climbing on rocks along the shore, boating, fishing for cod and mackerel, and playing in the water. Today, Kari’s cousins occupy two of the houses, and Kari and her siblings own a former barn that has been updated and winterized to provide all of the conveniences of a modern home. Kari alternates her time between Hesnesøy and her home in Connecticut that she shares with an English sheepdog named Emma and a stray cat who wandered into her yard a couple of years ago and decided to stay. The time that Kari has spent on the island has informed her sense of design and contemporary style. Over the years, she has absorbed what she calls the “aesthetics of Norwegian or Scandinavian design” that derives from her Norwegian heritage. “It’s in my blood,” she notes. Kari studied Norwegian crafts at the University of Oslo, apprenticed with a tapestry artist in Dannemora, Sweden, and attended a weaving school in Stockholm. In the United

LEAF MAGAZINE autumn 2011

States, she attended Syracuse University with a desire to become a silversmith. She graduated with a degree in ceramics and studied textiles and metals. She began her career by weaving three-dimensional animals, including birds and other creatures. She submitted a piece to a competition at the Smithsonian Institution’s Renwick Gallery in Washington D.C., where the curator took note of her work and bought the piece — a goat — for the museum’s collection. It wasn’t long before Kari combined her skills of weaving and ceramics, and began creating highly complex baskets. She began by playing around with some rattan, and wove a basket into a pattern reminis-

LEAF MAGAZINE design outside

cent of a tea strainer. “That was how I started making reminded that nature baskets,” she says. Kari has since won dozens really has the upper hand, of awards for her basketry, so you’re working in partand her work is on display in numerous museums, galleries, nership the whole time.” and institutions, including the Yale University Art Gallery, the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, the Mint Museum of Craft and Design in Charlotte, North Carolina, and the White House Collection of American Craft in Washington D.C. Kari attributes much of her success to living in Norway. “Norwegians don’t live in a throw-away society,” she says. They have a high regard for professional artists, tend to use sustainable materials, and appreciate the art of everyday objects, whether furniture, textiles, glass, silver, or cutlery, she adds. Kari’s baskets are simple, yet powerful and intensely striking, a combination that has been influenced by spending summers on the island. On Hesnesøy, she says, “you’re constantly reminded that nature really has the upper hand, so you’re working in partnership the whole time.” When she is on the island, Kari also takes hundreds of photographs of rocks, water, architecture, the sky, the many different textures she notices, wildflowers, perennials, and the heather that bursts into bloom in late summer. “The way I look at things is my work,” she says, “but it’s also my play. So whether I’m taking photos or making a basket or looking at paint chips, it’s all one big package.” One of Kari’s latest works is a basket called “Midnight Sun.” She wove it while watching a documentary about a sea voyage from Bergen, on the southwest shore of Norway, to the

“you’re constantly

LEAF MAGAZINE autumn 2011

port of Kirkenes, on the northern coast. The basket, recently on display at the Shaw Cramer Gallery on Martha’s Vineyard, perfectly reflects the Norwegian landscape. As Kari notes, “I watched and wove, often just listening to the waves and sea. After a while, I realized that the basket had taken on the characteristics of the boat, the water colors, and the warm glow of the midnight sun on the landscape.” Kari Lønning’s art is currently on display at the Shaw Cramer Gallery, Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. She will also be exhibiting at the Philadelphia Museum of Art November 10th through the 13th.

LEAF MAGAZINE design outside

flower

Autumn provides exciting cut flower choices that are simple to assemble even if you aren’t a professional floral designer.

he principles that apply to garden or container design are no different than for cut flower arranging. Use what is in season for inspiration and make a bouquet to enjoy inside your home. Some seasonal choices that are that are readily available at local markets or from your own garden: spider mums, ornamental cabbage and kale (change the water daily to prevent odor), hydrangeas, St. John’s wort, Chinese lantern, dusty miller, sedums, sunflowers, roses, grasses of all varieties, and seed pods and berries. — Suzanne Cummings

LEAF MAGAZINE autumn 2011

SPARK modern fires

Th is year's winner features SPARK 's Linear Burner System Outdoor. Desco Residence

Des igner

Ana Seyffert

Photo

Adam Fish .

To view other w inners and SPARK 's ent ire design portfolio vis it

www.sparkfires.com

p.866.938.3846

the next leaf Explore the night sky Be inspired by Bollywood Shake up a winter cocktail Tour flower markets around the world Visit Veddw - a garden in Wales

Coming February 2012 Veddw in winter: Photograhed by Charles Hawes