Showing posts with label Pruning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pruning. Show all posts

Tuesday, October 30, 2018

Pruning: When Formal IS Naturalistic

This is the pruning era, below, capturing my heart, and centuries of other hearts too.  Ironically, decades passed before understanding this type of pruning. 

Wonderful topiary ~ Barnsley House Gardens - originally the home of RosemaryĆ¢€¦
Pic, above, here.
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Pruning styles, above/below, polar opposites, formal/naturalistic, yet both historic for centuries.  With garden, above, having far more centuries of existence.  Garden, below, though centuries old in style, equates quite easily to commodified landscapes ca. 1980-present.

Quincy Hammond | Tempo da Delicadeza
Pic, above, here.
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Having fun with the Garden Design, above, in the Garden Design, below.  Clipped doesn't have to mean 'formal'.  

Now I know how they get them so even!!! It's time to hedge the parterre. Hopefully the heat will stay away long enough so the box doesn't burn. #paulbangay #stonefields #parterre
Pic, above, here.
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Clipped Garden Design, below, yet far more 'natural' than, above.  Would love to see the garden, below, during all its months/weeks/days/hours as it approaches needing another pruning.  

 Tilia (leilinde)
Pic, above, here.
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For centuries gardeners have purchased plants already framed with proper pruning, below.  Why is this fact so rare now?
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 Pleached Hornbeams ready for installation.
Pic, above, here.
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Before USA levied income taxes, private gardeners were not uncommon, below.  Private gardeners, in Europe, mostly ended with WWI.  Men went to war, no more proper pruning or caretaking conservatories & potagers properly, and certainly not repointing stone terraces on schedule.  A threadbare history, but you understand the threads.  

 hedge trimming
Pic, above, here.
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Few have the man, below, but we can easily have his method for pruning.  

 hedge measuring
Pic, above, here.
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Naturalistic pruning is the prized pruning Nature thrives upon.  Not merely me.  Naturalistic pruning attracts pollinators, increasing crop yields by up to 80%.  Combine naturalistic pruning with naturalistic planting methods, natural soil enrichments, and you've created maximum habitat for your health and myriad microbiomes needed for survival.  In addition to less maintenance and not poisoning groundwater with fertilizers or other chemicals.
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Beyond the wisdom of using Nature, instead of killing Nature, there is the metaphor of what you want attracted into your Garden, and life, below.  Perhaps, build-it-and-they-will-come, Field of Dreams, is more relevant.   

 
Pic, above, here.
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TARA DILLARD: Focal Points in the Landscape
Pic, above, shot in my garden.
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Towards the end of the season, above, in my Naturalistic garden, doesn't look clipped/pruned in the least, does it?  It is.  But you're seeing the fullness of its decadence.  Change thru the seasons, with good pruning.  Once a year pruning, above.  
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In addition to good Garden Design, above, contrasting textures, focal point, flow, walls, ceiling, floor, color, you're seeing good pruning.
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If the first rule of Garden Design is to copy, know what you are copying.  If you're copying a good garden, I know it has good pruning.  You must copy that layer/element into your finished product.   
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Formal is Naturalistic, with historic Garden Design.  
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Garden & Be Well,   XO T
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Go deep with me a moment, into, historic Garden Design.  Merely using the pics, above, it's obvious historic Garden Design is Modern Garden Design.  Again, thread bare, but you understand these threads too.    
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Another deep dive, imagine your garden with you having no income tax, skilled gardeners are available affordably.....  What does that garden look like?  

Monday, July 10, 2017

In Lieu of Green Meatballs

Friends in a 30+ year old home, with its original green meatball foundation planting mentioned taking them all out.  Wildly, I mentioned, Perhaps Not.  Especially since there are almost 40 green meatballs.  Plenty of scope for the imagination.
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Have fun with pruning for a couple of years, below.

Het zoetste buitenleven - Groen van bij ons - Bloemen en planten
Pic, above, here.

 strakke voortuin / re-pinned on www.tobydesigns.com
Pic, above, here.
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Oh my the challenge of those straight lines, and foliage from top to ground.  Bravo.
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Have no idea how these evergreens, above, are pruned.  I know I would have to pull several strings as guides, getting perfect perpendiculars and right angles.
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Anyway.  If your foundation plantings have become a morass of cliched green meatballs, perhaps a few perfectly formed green meatloafs?  For a change, and whimsy.
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Garden & Be Well,   XOT

Wednesday, January 11, 2017

Front Door: Well Placed Pots

Well placed pots, below.  Aaaah, the front door, and landing, have space to breath.
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And a well fought battle, for simplicity.
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There's more, below.  Did you see it immediately too?  Ok, huge hint.  Goes under the heading of Cultural Anthropology.
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No?  Another hint?  Subhead, under Cultural Anthropology, Socioeconomics.  Got it now?
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Garden Design, below, blares its socioeconomics & cultural anthropology of this fine tuned realm within Garden Design layers.
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What does this Garden Design and maintenance tell you about the socioeconomics & cultural anthropology for this tribe of people, living in the home, below?


magnoliamerryweather: twentythreefour:
Pic, above, here.
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Beautiful display, above, of the socioeconomics & cultural anthropology of hedge pruning.  Here, above, the 'hedge' is Vertical Lawn, and a vine.  Am using 'hedge' flagrantly.
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Men, with ladders required, above.  Perhaps there's more to this home, higher hedge covered walls at the back elevation, and a cherry picker is required for pruning.
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In most gardens the socioeconomics & cultural anthropology of Garden Design pruning is pruning at chest height.  No ladder, no hired labor, do-it-yourself.
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Yes, an exquisite delight seeing the pruning, above.  For its rarity.
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Garden & Be Well,    XOT
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A friend moved from suburbia Atlanta to rural Georgia 2 decades ago, into an antebellum home.  At the time, thought she was crazy.  She said something memorable about the antebellum home purchase, "It comes with a cherry picker."  Recently, they've sold that home, cherry picker included !

Monday, February 8, 2016

Design: Speak Volumes With No Words

Live - Love - Laugh blares a painted garden sign, on the shelf, with price tag.  Next time you see any garden sign/plaque for sale think, "Danger Will Robinson.", while asking yourself the Dante'sque question, Does this path enlarge, or diminish, my thought?
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Mostly, if words are put into a garden Alexis de Tocqueville has been given another arrow to release at USA.  Mostly.  And that's one of the joys of designing your garden, knowing when to use your tiny percentage allowed, to break rules.
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In a garden it is important no matter the joys & sorrows amongst your days/years, you know you have a place actively nurturing sorrows and increasing joys.  Without effort.  This layer of garden design is rarely mentioned, but inherent.

Fun hedge idea:

Made me laugh, above.  No words.  Is it whimsy, or a pun?
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Doesn't matter.
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Secondary smile, above, at the height of the evergreen wall.  Noticed decades ago the economics of gardens and hedges.  The 4' hedge easily maintained by the owner.  The 6' hedge, still maintained by the owner, but a ladder is involved, or hired gardener.  8' + hedges pruned with scaffolding or cherry picker for hired gardener to reach.
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Garden & Be Well,    XO Tara
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Found pic on Pinterest, and it had no link to provenance other than what is stamped on the picture, Getty Images.
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"The American Republic will endure until the day Congress discovers that it can bribe the public with the public's money.", Alexis de Tocqueville.

Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Naomi Watts & Liev Schreiiber: Hamptons Garden

Hooked on Houses posted,

NAOMI WATTS & LIEV SCHREIBER SELLING HOUSE IN THE HAMPTONS

     What's 'wrong' in these 3 pics, below?  Hint, it's the same issue in all 3.  Changing wrong to right costs no more money, than creating the 'wrong'.

Naomi Watts and Liev Schrieber Amagansett Hamptons House

Naomi Watts and Liev Schrieber Amagansett Hamptons House

Naomi Watts and Liev Schrieber Amagansett Hamptons House

Hedges should not have naked bottoms.
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Prune evergreen hedges slightly narrower at the top for proper sunlight distribution, creating hedges lush green from base to top.
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Best, prune by hand.  Next best, prune with electric shears, finish with selective hand pruning to allow dappled light into hedges for dense growth within each plant.  Solely shearing hedges with electric shears creates hedges naked inside with a thin veneer of foliage.
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Interiors of the home are turn-key pretty.
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Pics, above, and more pics of the house, here.
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Garden & Be Well,    XOT

Monday, November 19, 2012

How to Prune & Live


"... mental discipline of a scientist and the emotional responsibility of a poet."
              Peter Schjeldahl

Exactly the knowledge needed for pruning.  And living.
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Garden & Be Well,        XO Tara
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Pic taken yesterday in Ryan Gainey's garden.

Friday, October 5, 2012

Stone Wall Needs to be Seen

A well maintained century, below, at this home.

 Stone accent wall near the entry, above, is obscured by a gorgeous Japanese maple, below.
Have asked the pruner to create tiny views thru the Japanese maple  to the stone wall.  Yet keep the Japanese maple gorgeous too.
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Garden & Be Well,          X O Tara
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Same house as previous post.  Pics taken with my phone & you see my little work basket.  It holds pencils, circle templates, erasers, keys, phone.....and shouldn't be in the pic.

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Leggy Hags

Leggy Hags!  And this latest pruning is wrong too.  Want lush foliage top to bottom?  Prune the top of your bushes slightly narrower than the bottom.  It's that easy.
This gate is perfection.  
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Garden & Be Well,        XO Tara
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Thank you Cousin Cathy for sending your vacation pics from Nantucket...

Thursday, April 5, 2012

Exterior Design & Scale

Pretty now the Chinese snowball is young.  It's bottom will be pruned away once the blooms finish.  This Chinese snowball is growing into a tree. 

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Garden & Be Well,     XO Tara
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Pic taken in a client garden yesterday.  Always greedy to show off with decadent blossoms there are 2 more Chinese Snowball nearby.  They will be pruned too.  Viburnum macrocephalum, easy. 

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Vines On A Wood House?

Vines on a wood house?  No.  There are ways but I'm too lazy.  Vine clinging to stucco/stone, below,
 a case of desire from Italy.  Can't do it with your wood home?  No problem.  Espalier a woody shrub.
 Whatever your zone, choose a hardy woody shrub and espalier the pruning.
 Abelia, viburnum, hydrangea, camellia, tea olive, and more can be planted & espaliered.
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Use a woody (Why woody?  No wire/trellis needed.) shrub as a 'vine' on your wood home.
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Don't buy shrubs already espaliered, buy big shrubs and prune them into espalier.  On camellia, and many others, this saves over $100+.
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Garden & Be Well,  XO Tara
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Carolina jessamine was growing on my baywindow.  Gone, too much work.  Espaliered a huge oakleaf hydrangea,  2nd pic from bottom.

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Front Door: Curb Appeal

Yesterday, at my front door.  

Ivy 'Gold Heart', discovered studying historic landscapes in England.
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Espalier Oakleaf hydrangea, discovered studying historic landscapes in Italy.  (Irony, Italy teaching a USA southerner how to prune hydrangea.)
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Plaque is a Christine Sibley piece & I don't like 'words' in a garden.  (Great profession, exceptions to EVERYTHING.)
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Garden & Be Well,            XO Tara
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Epiphany yesterday.  With heat-humidity-droughts my garden is gorgeous from every window view.  And I haven't done any gardening for weeks.  Groundcovers, flowering shrubs, flowering trees, a few perennials & self-seeding annuals, focal points on axis.  No accidents.  I paid attention studying across Europe AND have a mission statement for my garden.
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More correctly, my garden is a metaphor for what I want in my life.

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

The Sacred & Profane of the Best Landscapes

The best landscapes have elements, below, of the Sacred
and elements, below, of the Profane.

Landscape design is about contrasts.
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The Sacred & the Profane. Got both?
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Garden & Be Well, XO Tara
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(Big leaves with small leaves, blue foliage next to burgundy foliage, pyramid forms next to horizontal forms, blowsy hydrangeas bursting over neat green hedging, spikey flowers by round flowers, & etc.)
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Top pic taken last week at Stone Mountain Park, bottom pic England.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

TAKE JOY

Rosemary Verey wrote of removing foliage off winter blooming Lenten Rose. I copied, below. In Sir Walter Scott's garden I saw a 'well placed chair'. I copied, below.
Pamela Harper wrote of every garden needing a tall cone shape taking the eyes to the sky. I copied, below.
Joy is always present. Always.
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Take.
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Garden & Be Well, XO Tara
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"Take joy" was a favorite of Tasha Tudor, from the book, Tasha Tudor's Garden, pics by Richard W. Brown & text by Tovah Martin. Don't have this book yet? Take joy, buy it.
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Stephen Holden recently reviewed, "Gershwin...Here to Stay", performing at the Oak Room at the Algonquin Hotel, for the NYTimes. In it he wrote, "When Gershwin's friend Kay Swift observed him playing "dark, doom-laden chords" and asked him what he was composing, he said: "Oh, nothing. I was just working off some of the dreary music that lies near the top of a composer's mind. Then I"ll dig down to the happiness stuff, with any luck."

Saturday, February 27, 2010

SASSY ATTRACTION

PUPPET BARBUDA adores sassy. Especially these poodle-puff-on-a-tail topiaries. Though plinths would be nice. Antique cobblestones, dear ones? The evergreen hedge? ODG. Improper pruning & voila a scraggly hideous dreadful ugly ridiculous base.
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Perhaps the pruner wears a polyester white leisure suit, a lightening bolt & TCB symbol on its back? PUPPET BARBUDA hears Elvis...."we're caught in a trap...." Exactly, the hedge is trapping this gorgous home.
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PUPPET BARBUDA would keep the hedge, moving it of course, pruning it properly creating dense evergreen lushness top to bottom.
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It's one thing to prune your own hedge, and screw it up, but PUPPET BARBUDA holds great contempt for anyone paid to prune this badly. It harms the reputation of her BELOVED LANDSCAPE INDUSTRY.
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Of course more but gotta go, PUPPET BARBUDA is busy this morning.
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Garden & Be Well, XO Tara
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ODG? Unbidden from the soul. PUPPET BARBUDA loves this house, in fact wants to live in it, yet the hedge, oh dear God.

Sunday, October 25, 2009

WHAT'S MISSING IN THIS PICTURE?

Centuries of landscape design & garden maintenance lessons in France, where I took this pic. What is wrong in this pic?
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The gardener has increased his gardening time by 10-15X's. Why? Don't we all want low maintenance?
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Fallen prunings, with thorns, have to be picked up by hand. Leaves & petals will have to be blown.
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A sheet under the prunings, dahlings. A sheet. All is picked up, no thorn worries, no blower.
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Garden & Be Well, XO Tara
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Other gardeners at this public park outside Paris were using sheets.