Some Grog For My Fuchsia

I found this on Sprout,  American Nurseryman’s newsletter.

Taken by Kristin Candler, this photo shows The Prospect Of Whitby, London’s oldest riverside Inn. It is, reportedly, where the Fuchsia was introduced to London when it was traded for a noggin of rum.

To sign up for Sprout go here.

pale fuschia (Photo credit: kumquatgirl)

3 batches of Maple Syrup (Photo credit: astanleyjones)

Just a quick post about an article in the Wall Street Journal I found interesting. According to the article, written by David George-Cosh, thieves recently made off with about 10 million lbs of maple syrup worth an estimated 30 million Canadian dollars or US$ 30.4.

As a way to protect producer’s harvests The Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers keeps a certain amount of maple syrup in reserve.

Go here to read the full story in the Journal

Artichoke and Euphorbia in Brooklyn Garden

To me this image says Urban because it combines an ornamental plant, Euphorbia, with an edible plant, Artichoke. It is an example of how, even in a small urban space, we can plant gardens that are both interesting, unique, useful and practical.

Purple Clematis

I planted this Clematis to wrap around the iron fence in our front yard when we were living in Brooklyn. This week it is my Weekly Photo Challenge entry.

Reblogged from 222 million tons:

Bird House Made From Recovered Bullets

The people at Urban Gardens have once again found a thought-provoking piece of functional art in this Brass Birdhouse made from over 2,500 bullets found in Lebanese hunting grounds.

The piece, made by New York based design studio L.E.F.T. is, to me, an interesting juxtaposition between good and ugly. You have 2500 bullets and you can use them to make art or to make war. It’s your choice.

Plus I like the little perch.

Roses and Clematis Intertwined

For me there is always a joy in watching a garden evolve over time, whether it’s my own garden, the garden of a friend or of a client.

On the LinkedIn site of the National Association of Professional Women in Landscape, Karen Chapman, owner of Le Jardinet talks about a garden she designed for friends/clients that involved intertwining Roses and Clematis along a pergola over the home’s garage. She discusses how rewarding it is to design a garden for a client who will let you visit year after year to follow its evolution. The post is titled Friends and can be found on her blog

Click here for more information about Karen, her company and her new book.

This amazing greenhouse was designed by Studio Besau-Marguerre in Hamburg in collaboration with Adrien Petrucci. It comes with a leather strap, which, aside from being fashionable, is also practical as you can move this small greenhouse inside or out as weather permits.

Twig Garden Markers

I saw these great  garden markers on Urban Gardens and just loved them. They are made by Jo in Edmonton and sold on her Etsy store.

Jo makes these from Manitoba Maple twigs she finds in her yard. The ink is heat stamped to make them okay for outdoor use.

You can also ask Jo to customize a set for you if you want different names on them.

Five are $20

Artichoke and Euphorbia Leaves

This is my entry for this week’s photo challenge. It means summer to me because I love mixing edibles in with my flower beds and I find that artichokes look particularly good in a perennial bed. I love the way their leaves are structured. And I love artichokes!