Showing posts with label book. Show all posts

Winter Greetings

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Wow, I can’t believe it’s been two weeks since my last post! Time flies when you’re having fun . . . or just plain busy.

On the fun front, we celebrated our daughter’s birthday last week---my “baby” just turned 25 years old! We’ve also been to several holiday gatherings and special get-togethers with friends; always fun no matter what time of year it is! In fact, the planter/bowl featured in this photo was purchased at Urban Roots last week during their holiday open house. Last, my DH and I are planning a two week road trip to California. Our vacation will include visits with family in northern California and Lake Tahoe, as well as a tour through Death Valley (never been, can’t wait!).

The busy has been fun, too. I’ve spent the last couple of weeks working on the proof of my book, Plant Smart! Six Steps to Choosing Perfect Plants. The art director and I are working together, back and forth; to create an attractive, readable format that complements the book’s content. I can’t wait for you to see it! Keeping up with my volunteer obligations and preparing for several lectures in January have also kept me glued to the keyboard.

Watching the weather out my office window has been the extent of my garden activities of late. I hope to return in the New Year with lots of photos of beautiful places and gardens from my winter travels to share with you.

In the meantime, if anyone has a favorite independent garden center or book store that they could refer me to for possible book sales, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thank you to all of my readers and best wishes for warm and happy holidays!

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Cha- cha- cha- cha… Changes!

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I’ve instituted a few changes to The Art Garden today that I hope you’ll take a few minutes to explore:

I’ve added a Lecture Schedule that lists the dates and topics of my upcoming speaking gigs. Many of them are in association with my new book, Plant Smart! Six Steps to Choosing Perfect Plants, which will be arriving in early 2009. (In fact, I’ve just spent the past week pouring over my editor’s proof. Now it’s off to the art department. Yippee!) I enjoy speaking to both consumers and trade professionals alike; please contact me at jhcstudios@yahoo.com if you would like more information about a variety of landscape/garden lecture topics for your garden group, staff or clients.

You will also see a change-up in my blog list. I’ve dropped a few blogs that are not active, and added a few new ones; including the infamous Garden Rant (Maddening? Yes. Thought provoking? Yes. Worth your time? Maybe!).

Thanks for visiting today!
Photo: Maximillian sunflower, Helianthus maximiliana, blooming in my garden today.

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Oh Happy Day!

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Today was the culmination of 18 months of work; I sent my book manuscript and photographs off to the publisher. Look for Plant Smart! Six Steps to Choosing Perfect Plants later this year. It takes about 6-10 months for the editing, design and printing. I’m hoping that my draft is so perfect (yeah, right!) that all I will have left to do is review the production proof and say, “Yes, that’s lovely, print away!” For now I will just enjoy a sense of accomplishment--- and relief...



Lake and pergola design by Ken Ball, ASLA

Lake construction and photo by Jim Chilvers

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Need or Want?

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It’s catalog time! A fun way to spend a blustery afternoon is to curl up with a hot drink and peruse the latest seed and mail-order plant catalogs. My all time favorite is high Country Gardens (they also have a great web site). It’s great to imagine all the beautiful plant combinations that could be gracing your garden next summer, but before you actually place the order and write your check you might want to stop and consider just why you are buying a new plant. The following is an excerpt from my forthcoming book, Plant Smart! Six Steps to Choosing Perfect Plants


There are two basic motives for buying a plant: need and want. What’s the difference?
Plants that you need are those that are used architecturally to solve problems in the landscape. Plants that you want are those that are used as decoration in the landscape. If you can combine these two motives and select a plant that is both useful and decorative you will be more satisfied with your purchase.

Here are some examples of architectural uses of plants:
To control environmental factors such as sun, wind, or noise. This is all about creating a comfortable space where you can enjoy being outdoors in any season.
To create privacy. Nobody wants to live in a fishbowl! Your outdoor space should be your place to get away.
To enhance or screen views. Framing an extended view will expand your vista and enlarge your visual space, allowing you to take advantage of “borrowed” landscapes. Partially screening a view can help develop a sense of mystery to the landscape and draw people into it. And, of course, completely screening an ugly view just makes sense!
To control soil erosion. Gentle slopes may be stabilized by using appropriate plants to hold the soil.
To direct traffic or circulation. Keep people or pets where you want them with strategic plant placement.
Almost everyone has to deal with at least one of these issues in their landscape. Plants can be used individually or in combinations as beautiful, economical solutions.

Here are some examples of decorative uses of plants:
To create “curb appeal” for your home. Set the stage for a warm welcome for yourself and your guests. Maintain and/or enhance the value of your real estate.
To add complexity to existing plantings. Layers of a variety of plantings, as opposed to a single row of plants, will give you that lush, magazine or resort look.
To add new color, texture, or fragrance to a specific location in your landscape. Sometimes just a single, well chosen plant will add new pizzazz to an existing planting.
To attract wildlife, birds or butterflies. Bring your garden to life with movement, song and color.


The desire to beautify our surroundings and make a personal imprint on the land is a very strong part of human nature. So have fun with catalog season but remember to Plant Smart!

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Hear Ye, Hear Ye

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A new year brings new happenings. This first quarter of 2008 will be a busy one for me.

First up: a lecture to fellow landscape professionals at the ProGreen EXPO here in Denver. On Wednesday, January 23rd I’ll be speaking on Color Theory for Gardens and Landscapes. It’s an introduction to color vocabulary, the color wheel, and color harmonies based on the color wheel. There are many people working in the green industry who don’t have any basic art background, and color can be down right scary sometimes (or so I’ve been told)! I finally have enough digital photos (and a few favorite old slides scanned) to put this lecture into Power Point. Yea! I’ve joined the 21st century!

Next: a mini-trade show for consumers will be hosted by Echter’s Garden Center in Arvada. March 7-9 I’ll be chatting it up with garden lovers about landscape design, great plants, and the new service I’m offering this year, garden coaching (more to come on that subject)! I hope to see you there.

Finally: the big enchilada---on April 1st my book manuscript for Plant Smart! Six Steps to Choosing Perfect Plants is due to the publisher---yikes! Actually, I’ve made great progress these last couple of months and am beginning to see the end in sight. I’ve had some thoughtful critiques from early readers, so I’m looking forward to working with my editor on the next phase.

Here’s wishing you new challenges, adventures, and growth (ha-ha) in 2008!


The photo? It's a recent sample for my latest fiber art piece. Any guesses what the components are???

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Soil

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This is how soil is made; Plants and other forces of nature breaking down rocks into tiny particles. Several Palace Purple coralbells (Heuchera micrantha ‘Palace Purple’) were planted at the base of this rock about 15 years ago. Within just a few years we noticed a seedling peeking out from this crack. Each year this “seedling” gets just a bit bigger and, in fact, we now have another sprout on top of the boulder! Interestingly, there have never been any seeds germinate in the soil around the mother plant…

I’ve been thinking a lot about soils lately; because that is the chapter I’m working on for my book right now. It’s a huge, complex topic that I need to distill and simplify in a concise and logical way. So tell me, what is the best advise regarding soil that you’ve been given? Any real “a-ha!!” moments?

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100th Post...An Exciting Announcement

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I'm thrilled to announce that I have recently been awarded a contract by American Nurseryman Publishing Company to write a new book on gardening. The working title is “Plant Smart! Six Steps to Choosing Perfect Plants” and the release date will probably be sometime in early 2009.

This is a very exciting project for me for several reasons. First, it will allow me to put a lot of the information that I have been teaching for many years into a simple, permanent reference format for those who prefer to learn on their own and/or don’t have access to a formal classroom setting. Second, it will give me professional recognition beyond the Denver region that will enable me to lecture on a national level---something I have aspired to for many years as I truly enjoy public speaking. And last, this will be a new professional challenge for me, a non-writer!

This blog was created, in part, as a writing exercise tool---a journal, if you will---to keep me thinking about words and how to express ideas and observations. So now, along with continuing to post about plants and gardening, art and fiber, I will also be writing about the process of creating and publishing a book.

Wish me luck!

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