The Browning
This has been, according to the meteorologists here in Boston, a pretty warm winter.
Despite a few cold days and a bit of snow, it hasn’t been horrible. And while this may be good news for us, it’s not necessarily good for our winter containers. Driving around town I notice that many greens have “browned” with the warm temps and sun.
Many beautiful containers, once the pride of the neighborhood, have given up the ghost.
Read More»Grand Finale
My winter pots remind me of Friday nights. Why Friday nights you may ask? One word…leftovers. Also known as GYO, as in Get-Your-Own. I tell my kids to open the fridge and see what’s left and make something good out of it. And that’s what ends up happening for me when I am designing my winter pots sometime towards the middle of December.
My clients’ homes are all decked out for the holidays so I take stock of what greens, twigs and ornaments I have left and try to determine a cohesive way of tying all the remaining material together. Anyone who has heard me lecture knows that I often come up with some kind of a theme before starting the winter pots. This helps me make sure all my clients’ pots (and sometimes there are upwards of 20) reflect a cohesive look regardless of whether they are by the garage, pool or front door.
This year after looking through the leftovers of Winter 2016 I realized two things:
Read More»To-Do or Not To-Do
Yesterday I finished my last winter pots. Decorating, at least for my clients, is done.
So today I woke up with a wonderful sense of freedom. It was euphoria, really. No need to leave in the early morning darkness in a car fully-loaded with all manner of holiday decorations. I could sit and enjoy a cup of coffee. Watch the sun rise. Enjoy the wood fire while I contemplated what to do for the day.
Which is what I am still doing. Hours later. In my pj’s.
Come to find out a day filled with free time and no agenda, rather than being liberating, is terrifying. I don’t know where to start. Should I organize the workshop which, over the last few weeks, has been as busy as the North Pole? Tables are piled high with ribbon, ornaments, and other crafty paraphernalia. God knows we could use a few elves down there to clean up the mess.
Maybe I could fill my own pots for the winter. This is the most wonderful time of the year, unless, of course, you are in the gardening business. Then I refer to it as “The cobbler’s children time of year.” My lights are not hung, the wreaths are not up and the tree is not decorated. An email from a kind neighbor the other day was ecstatic in her praise for surrounding neighbors and their beautiful lights and outdoor décor. No mention was made of the art of the stacked pumpkins still in my urns.
It’s kind of damp and cool out and I am still recovering from Monday’s full day spent outdoors in the snow/sleet/rain. Maybe I could stay in and do some office work. File receipts. When things are crazy lots can fall through the cracks and I should probably make sure that billing gets done while jobs are still fresh on my mind.
The coat closet is a disaster and has become a catch-all for anything people in my family do not want to put away. Which explains the yoga mat and watering can currently on the floor. With cold weather fast approaching I could organize it to make sure that orphan mittens find their match and each person’s winter accessories are in their individual bins.
Should I start work on my new PowerPoint lecture about designing gardens to be more pollinator-friendly? I have lots of great ideas and pictures that need pulling together.
I think today, the first day of vacation, I will end up doing none of the above. I need to learn how not to-do. I am going to enjoy another cup of coffee. Binge watch something on Netflix. Make a delicious dinner for the family that has lately subsisted on frozen burritos and take-out. And stay in my pajamas.
Life is good.
Are You Dressed for the Holidays?
It’s that time of year.
People are beginning to plan their holiday/winter containers.
I want to encourage you to not forget about your door.
After all, with the exception of Santa, it’s how most people enter your home. A wreath, or a beautiful door topper such as this, is a wonderful way to welcome friends and family while also continuing whatever theme you are doing in your pots.
Sayonara, Summer
As Fall approaches, we take a final look at some of our favorite summer projects.
Houseplant (sansevieria), perennial (heuchera) and million bells. Who says only annuals can go in containers? This mixed container is looking good 7 stories up!
This riot of colors on a South End balcony gets tied together with coleus ‘The Flume’.
Read More»A Fond Farewell
Every once in a while, the perfect client comes along. One who trusts you, gives clear direction as to what he/she wants, allows you to stretch the limits of creativity, and pays the invoice on time! I have had the privilege of working with just such a client for the last five years.
I met this client, let’s call him “Mr. X”, when he and his family moved into the neighborhood and were referred to The Captured Garden by another client of mine. He asked me to give him a quote on 9 extra- large Campania stone planters. The planters were at the front of the home, at the side door and on the back patio. I sent him my proposal and it was a go.
His only direction was “I don’t want them to look like everyone else’s”.
Music to my ears.
Read More»Great Alternatives for Shade Garden Plants
During a recent shopping trip to one of my favorite wholesale nurseries, I overheard a woman (who I assumed was a designer) explain to her client, “Well you have shade options here…basically begonias and begonias.” I had to bite my tongue. Which I do frequently. For example, at one of the big box stores when I saw the person in line in front of me with a container and a bag of garden soil. My tongue wanted to say “Excuse me, you cannot use that soil in a container, it won’t drain well.” But one look at my daughter and I bit my tongue. Apparently being, what I consider “helpful and friendly” is actually “weird and embarrassing.” So I also bit my tongue when I heard another one of the salespeople remark to a customer, “Why you can put a mountain of this granular bug killer on your lawn and it won’t harm anything.” Really? Jaw clenched I retreated to the plumbing aisle.
But back to shade options. Begonias are fine, as are impatiens, but is that really the only material the aforementioned designer could offer her client?
Had she never heard of coleus?
A Plethora of Pots
May and June have been a crazy, busy time; a “hair-on-fire” time for those of us in the gardening business. Or as my kids say a GYO time, which stands for Get-Your-Own, as in dinner.
I have lost track of the number of summer pots I have planted over the last two weeks. Each pot I planted was unique. While I know using a formula, for sun or shade, for instance, would make things go more quickly I would rather create custom work which reflects the style and preferences of my clients. I have one client who only wants green and white. Her container featured spathiphyllum, white verbena and New Guinea impatiens, helichrysum and lamiastrum.
A new client with a roof deck liked only vibrant colors – no pale pinks or lavenders for her. Some croton in her planters anchored the “hot” color palette on the sunny side of the deck….
Read More»Container Garden Lecture
Deborah Trickett is often asked to share her enthusiasm, wisdom, and tips with other garden enthusiasts in lectures and demonstrations across Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
Trickett’s demonstration starts with “Containers 101,” selecting the right containers, soil mixes, and plants for different growing conditions. With the basics in hand, attendees then learn about new and unusual plant material and how to create one-of-a-kind combinations, including pairing annuals, perennials, and even vegetables. Trickett usually demonstrates two dramatic containers, which often end up going home with winning raffle ticket holders.
A recent attendee of one of Deborah’s lectures stated that “Deb adds a fourth dimension: ‘chillers,’ mind-blowing designs that send shivers of delight up your spine.”
Deborah Trickett is a Massachusetts certified horticulturist and a Massachusetts certified landscape professional. Her work has been featured in the CBS Boston, Boston Globe, Fine Gardening Magazine, Garden Tours New England, Garden Gate, and New England Home magazine and on the TV show “New England Dream Home.” She lectures at the Boston Flower & Garden Show, the Philadelphia International Flower Show, and the Arnold Arboretum.
Deborah Trickett has spoken at many shows and garden clubs on topics ranging from container gardens to urban gardening to garden design.
Got Dirt?
The most important thing you can do for your plants
Use Good Soil
It’s all your plants have to eat. Your plants are not in the ground so their roots can’t go out and get what they need. They can only depend on what you give them. Right? So do not forget about that.
Do NOT use garden soil. It’s too heavy. Sorry, you can’t go out and get a shovel full of dirt. Also, don’t go over to the Dollar Store because they’re having a big sale; their soil may not best. It’s a great place for greeting cards and wrapping paper
Always, always use really high-quality good soil.
People ask me what I use. Well, it’s really a matter of convenience for me. I may use Farfard, Miracle-Gro, or some others. For me, it’s whatever I’m going by that they have. I know we’re all busy, so sometimes you can even buy soil that already has the fertilizer included in the mix. This keeps it easy on yourself. These prepared soils have a slow released fertilizer.
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