Succulents and Pumpkins

Pumpkin Centerpieces Succulents Workshop

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These are livable centerpieces… It’s really just fun.

You don’t even carve the pumpkins. You just put the succulents on top and bring it to someone’s house.

It definitely beats a bottle of wine.

The centerpieces consist of normal pumpkins with succulents (juicy leaves) glued on top for decoration. We used a variety of succulents to the workshop of all different shapes and sizes and colors.

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Heading to the Motor City

It’s no secret that I love speaking to groups about gardening.

Whether container gardening, urban gardening or designing for pollinators I am always excited and honored to be asked to share my passion with others.

garden lectures and workshops with Deborah Trickett, horticulturist

Over the years I have been blessed with many wonderful opportunities to speak at the Boston Flower and Garden Show, the Connecticut Flower Show, the Newport Flower Show and the Philadelphia International Flower Show. Last year I was invited to speak at the Country Living Fair in Rhinebeck NY and Columbus OH. The Ohio experience was made especially sweet, not only because of all the galvanized metal, but also because I could visit my daughter Eliza.

A Winter Garden

The first snowfall of the season has reminded me again of the importance of planning for a winter garden. Here in New England the winters can seem well…long. Often we are looking at nothing but white and brown from November until late March. Lack of planning for a winter garden means the garden that wowed you in June will leave you wanting in January.

Evergreens are certainly one way to add color to a stark winter garden but I am also a huge fan of deciduous trees and shrubs that have a structural beauty. Even without leaves these plants can be breathtaking due to exfoliating bark, colorful stems or berries. Birches, Japanese maples, dogwood shrubs, winterberry hollies – these are all-stars in a winter landscape and when I am designing gardens I try to incorporate them whenever possible.

But even if you only garden in containers, consider winter.

A new client tasked us with creating a beautiful collection of containers to decorate his deck. He wanted it to be beautiful year round since his family looked out on it from several rooms. Of course we used evergreens but we also featured a beautiful deciduous tree commonly known as Harry Lauder’s Walking Stick.

…… Harry Lauder’s Walking Stick (Corylus avellana ‘Contorta’) …..

Accessories in the Garden

I was recently going through some pictures and came across a bunch that I had taken a few years back when entering Fine Gardening Magazine’s Container Challenge. The magazine tasked entrants with creating a container garden using a unique “accessory.”

You can see from the pictures the, accessories I chose were quite varied.

Love For The Garden

Hello Deborah,
Thank you for the gorgeous container garden that you created for me at the Country Living Fair in Rhinebeck.

I picked it up at the end of the day on Saturday and in the half hour that I was making my way back toward the parking lot with my daughter, so many people came up to me to say, “Wow— that’s so beautiful. Where did you get that?”

The love for the garden continues now that it is sitting on my front porch; people walking by, as well as my neighbors, have commented on it.

Spot the Galvanized Metal Container Garden

This was one of my favorite displays as I had the opportunity to showcase some of my favorite galvanized metal container garden creations. Can you spot the galvanized metal?

LET’S CONNECT

Galvanized metal…sigh.

For some girls it’s diamonds or gold jewelry. For me it’s a gift of something made of galvanized metal that gets my heart beating.

I have always loved things that evoke a feeling of history. I like pieces that tell a story and in my home you will find galvanized metal in just about every room. The old watering can in my office reminds me of past gardeners. The galvanized cups hold pencils in the kitchen and the galvanized florist buckets corrals pussy willow next to the fireplace in the living room. Galvanized letters in my office spell out P-R-A-Y, reminding me of the best way to start the day.

Color

When designing a garden or container, don’t underestimate the importance of color.

Colors can help you set the mood, attract attention or make a statement. Colors can convey a style, whether elegant and traditional, or playful and fun. Color is a very powerful design element and learning to use it properly is not always easy.

Country Living Fair – Rhinebeck, NY

I am simply beside myself.

I’ve been invited to bring my presentation, “Jaw-Dropping, Traffic-Stopping, Get-Your-Neighbors Talking Containers” to the 2017 Country Living Fair in Rhinebeck, NY.

I will have the honor of creating a unique container garden in front of a large audience on the main stage Friday (2PM -June 3 )

The Country Living Fair brings the magazine’s content to life and gives readers access to a unique shopping experience featuring more than 200 vendors from 25 states, including antiques sellers, food purveyors, artists, furniture makers, crafters, and more.

Guests will also have a chance to meet Country Living editors and their special guests, attend cooking, crafting, and DIY demonstrations, book signings, sample locally sourced, artisanal food, and shop the Country Living General Store.

This video link will give you a sense of the environment at a Country Living Fair!

Heading to Rhinebeck for the Country Living Fair? Wondering what else to do while you’re there?
Here is a great guide: “33 Things to Do in New York’s Hudson Valley (besides the CL Fair!)”
You can even print this handy cheat sheet to help you plan your time and travel.

The fair will take place at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds, June 2-4, 2017

Are you interested in attending this year’s fair? I might be able to get you a ticket.

Contact me

I Would Not Have Thought Of That!

It was truly an honor to present to the Wareham Garden Club this month. I had a blast chatting it up with the members while I created three container gardens. Members seemed to enjoy the hints and suggestions I brought along to help them learn to make truly outstanding, one might say ‘jaw-dropping’, container gardens. As always, I encouraged the members to think creatively and with an eye to the art of mixing plants and other elements.