Sculpted land
Dream home showcases art, gardening in serene and secretive style
Monday, June 2, 2008
Cruising down the long, winding driveway as I approached Jan and Jack Gaumnitz’s home, it feels like I am entering an exclusive and secluded sculpture garden. It is not every day that you get to tour a garden with hardscapes that are 15 to 20 feet high and are not the typical trellises or fireplaces.
When color is king
Use complements or contrasts for vivid garden scene
Monday, April 21, 2008
Color in the garden — seems simple enough. When we paint our homes or dress ourselves, we use colors that are attractive to us, that lure us and intrigue us. Yellows are bright; blues are cool. What more is there to know?
Perennial allure
Hostas classic, varied garden shade plant
Monday, April 14, 2008
I think just about everyone has planted a plantain lily, more commonly known as a hosta. They are a quintessential classic garden shade plant.
Ground covers good alternative to lawn
Friday, March 21, 2008
The more I write about gardening and learn about our environment, the more I am converting my lawn from grass to beds of perennials or annual flower beds, patios and ground covers.
Nothing to sneeze at
Herbal remedies help alleviate troublesome allergies
Friday, Feb. 29, 2008
Can you feel it coming? There’s that tickle in your nose, tears running from your eyes, a perpetual crimson hue that takes up residence in those baby blues and the episodes of sneezing attacks where you cannot put a sentence together.
Decode that Valentine bouquet
Friday, Feb. 15, 2008
I cannot help but chuckle over Valentine’s Day. There can be so many mixed sentiments intertwined with this particular holiday. Does he love me? Are we meant to be? Is this relationship doomed? Our poor little flower friends certainly have a lot to live up to.
Peat moss poor choice for eco-conscious
Sunday, Feb. 10, 2008
A bit ago, I received an interesting article about how peat moss is actually suspect for gardeners to use liberally or even sparingly in their gardens. How can that be? Peat moss has been layered onto garden soil since our great-grandparents began toiling away in their vegetable plots and flower beds. Why in the world would the use of peat moss suddenly be an issue for gardeners worldwide?
Plan for spring by the book
Friday, Jan. 25, 2008
What better way to daydream through these late winter months than with a good book? And what better topic to whittle away a sunny, brisk Sunday than a book about gardening? Let’s discover some of the most provocative reading material for gardeners to get inspired.
Rocks can add harmony to garden
Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2008
Oftentimes when we start a landscaping project, one of our first inclinations is to rid the earth of all the rock that impedes our way to fertile flower beds and plentiful patios. But in doing so, avid gardeners miss an opportunity to build a gorgeous textural landscape in the dormant days of winter.
Turning a new leaf
Use dormant season to grow unusual plants
Saturday, Jan. 5, 2008
With all of the variety in the world, we are a species that still gravitates to what we know best: the familiar. Well, maybe we should shake off the bowlines this winter and dive headfirst into the odd and peculiar by growing some plants that are way off the beaten path.
Bring nature’s wonders indoors
Friday, Nov. 30, 2007
With a society obsessed in trimming the house from the eaves to the floorboards with good tidings, it’s easy to let our enthusiasm for the holidays make us overzealous in purchasing every little plastic, inflatable or glittery item. Pull in the reins, back away from the artificial, and embrace the natural beauty that Mother Nature has so aptly provided. It is right there, often outside your door and free for the taking, plus native gardening is on the upswing.
Good fences
Plantings, color help stick-straight structures blend into yard
Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2007
We Americans love our fences. They allow us the freedom to let the kids and dogs outside without worrying they’ll wander off. They permit us the luxury of relaxing without feeling as though we’re on display to the neighbors and passers-by. They shield our view of eyesores and can provide a sense of coziness and comfort.
Tidier times
Tools help organize autumn’s chores in the garden
Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2007
With winter approaching, it’s tempting to huddle inside where it’s warm and forget all about the garden. But as leaves, acorns, pinecones and walnuts plummet from the trees and nestle into nooks and crannies in and around your flower beds, it’s time to grab the rake and get to work.
Autumn bouquets
Season’s warm hues, textures at root of striking floral displays
Monday, Nov. 5, 2007
I hope you’re not storing your vases, urns and pots away just yet. Autumn is a wonderfully creative time of year to mix and match some of nature’s most interesting items.
Small wonder
Gardener gets big results in little space
Saturday, Oct. 27, 2007
Molly Mulloy can empathize with gardeners who have a petite space, but she’ll also be the first to espouse all the wonderful aspects that a limited garden has to offer.
Bunny tracks
Coerce hungry rabbits to hit the dusty trail
Saturday, Aug. 18, 2007
When I was young, I loved cute, furry, cotton-tailed critters. There was Peter Cottontail, the Velveteen Rabbit, the Easter Bunny, Bugs Bunny. They’re ingrained in our memories of childhood as adorable, nose-twitching creatures. But I’m beginning to see Elmer Fudd’s reasoning.
Water world
Aquatic gardens a low-maintenance alternative
Saturday, June 23, 2007
There’s nothing quite as soothing as the sound of water gurgling and splashing in the landscape.
Spiritual growth
Friday, June 15, 2007
Mikell Adams barely knew the difference between a dogwood and a redbud until she purchased her home and began to discover the joys of gardening. Today, her landscape is an everyday awakening to the outdoor life that shares her address.
A place to take root
The revival of potting sheds
Saturday, April 7, 2007
Potting sheds are starting to get the respect that they deserve. Gone are the days of unimaginative structures purchased at a big box store and made of “wood-like” materials.
Tropical fling
While vacationing, family takes backseat to lust for exotic plants
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
I’m pretty sure I have an obsession, teetering on the brink of an addiction. When I travel, I spend more time observing the waxy leaves of a croton plant, a sea of bougainvillea cascading down a wall or palm fronds fluttering in the tropical breeze than I do watching where I walk.
Gardening with a greener thumb
Small changes can make eco-friendly difference
Saturday, March 24, 2007
We can do it. I know we can. Gardeners, I believe, by nature have an indelible urge to improve their little piece of the environment and leave the earth a more luscious, hearty and healthy place.
‘Super foods’ keep mind, body in shape
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
If you long to plant an edible garden this spring, it’s time to plan what delectable treats to grow. A garden represents an opportunity to change our eating habits, too — to eliminate trans fats, salt intake, refined carbohydrates and more.
Feeling the berm
Landscaped mounds enliven flat gardens
Friday, March 2, 2007
Susan NovoGradac has a lot of land — 38 acres to be exact. And 10 of those acres are mowed yard. She was looking for a way to break up the vast, flat view. She was looking for a way to cut down on grass-trimming time. She found her answer in the berm.
Mole patrol
Pesky rodents sink hearts, yards of gardeners
Saturday, Feb. 17, 2007
Pesky moles and voles have eluded innocent gardeners for decades. Here we are, just trying to beautify our little place on earth and — wham! — suddenly the lawn looks like a dirt bike track.
Growing gripes
Gardeners sound off on the plants they love to hate
Thursday, Jan. 4, 2007
Plant chauvinism has deep roots. The most interesting part of gardeners’ dislikes is how irrational they can be and how each discrimination truly is in the eye of the beholder.
The time-tested terrarium
A 19th-century medical serendipity allows your green thumbs to do more than twiddle this winter.
Thursday, Dec. 28, 2006
Outside the air is crisp and green thumb enthusiasts have made final preparations to put gardens to bed for the winter. Houseplants have been lugged indoors where their leaves fall onto the rug from the shocking blow of at-home conditions: less sunlight, less humidity and fan-propelled heat. Winter can be a grim time for plant lovers.
Nature's call
Artist finds inspiration in the great outdoors
Thursday, Dec. 14, 2006
Lawrence artist Linda Sallee has a passion for nature that flows from her soul and is interpreted with her weathered hands.
Inner growth
Crop of green thumbs use houseplants to keep homes and offices brimming with life
Thursday, Nov. 16, 2006
Maybe the cure for the winter doldrums — brought on by shorter days, gray skies and brown gardens — is to bring the living inside.
New life for old jewels
Antiques junkie peppers garden with sentimental value
Thursday, Oct. 19, 2006
Just call her Junker Jo. Her friends do. Joan Stone has been collecting and arranging antiques for decades. But she doesn’t limit herself to the confines of four walls. Many of her favorite relics are nestled among the plants in her garden.
Audacious autumn
Give your fall garden a color infusion
Thursday, Oct. 12, 2006
This time of year, the trees are the stars. While their leaves are turning brilliant shades of crimson, maize and pumpkin, your garden may have settled into its brown autumn slump.
Design tips for a fall fantasy
Thursday, Sept. 21, 2006
Have you ever experienced gardener’s block? It is a lot like writer’s block, when the words won’t come and you stare at an empty computer monitor waiting for inspiration ... waiting and thinking about just giving up on the project.