Articles about GARDEN/OUTDOOR
Must-Have Monday: Colorful Planters
If you love, love, love the acrylic paint in hot glue lamp we featured as an Editor’s Pick in September, then you will love the planters as well. The bold array of colors will add life to any plant it houses. Available at Gardens in the West Village.
Bulbmania at the Dallas Arboretum
Any event where “mania” is involved gets my support. Thus I direct you to the end of the month “Bulbmania” event at the Dallas Arboretum. You will hear a talk by Brent Heath of Brent and Becky’s Bulbs from Virginia (their motto: “plant bulbs and harvest smiles”). Plus you’ll have a chance to order pre-chilled bulbs that you can take with you or receive via mail in November. I am so there. Mark September 27 from 9 to 12:30 on your agenda now.
What in the SAM HILL Happened?
I’ll tell you. Remeber that little dust storm/wind event on Saturday night?
Well, it took out two HUGE branches on one of my 70+ trees. This one, a cedar elm has weathered everything Mother Nature has dealt for over 50 years. This spring, a neighboring tree took a lightening hit. After attempting to bribe Zac Crain and Harvey Lacey, to no avail, I finally called in the big guns.
Yes, his name really is Sam Hill. He’s the best arborist in Dallas, an expert on oak wilt, a self-admitted tree hugger, and a really nice guy. Oh, well, I’ll have some great firewood this winter.
First Modern Garden Tour Ever?
Saturday, Preservation Dallas hosted what Pete Peabody referred to as the “first modern garden tour” with landscape architect David Rolston at four Lakewood area homes. So, instead of formal flower gardens with lots of color, we were enjoying greenscapes with lots of texture, organic shapes and water features. We especially loved Rolston’s home that he designed with wife . The garden backs up to park area so it seems endless, with shaped areas of grasses and water, and sculptural containers. He’s probably going to be the lucky choice to work with us at Forest Glade Circle.
Big Sale at Big Mango
Big Mango on Industrial Blvd is always a shoppers’ feast - exotic furnishings, architectural pieces and pottery from Bali and Java, all with a distinctive Asian influence. It is also well priced, so when they have their semi-annual sale (starting this Friday), it’s a good thing to get there early. This gorgeous blue glazed fountain pot is going to live at my new house - when we sell our old house, when the bill-payer husband loosens the purse strings, and when he has done all the research possible on modern architecture, geo-thermal heat pumps, solar panels, and Japanese gardens. It could be awhile…..
How Does Your Garden Grow?
Mine is good, thanks for asking.
Last year, Mike the Landscaper, came up with a concept of having a kitchen garden. Fresh herbs and veggies perfect for summer food and fare. We had a problem, though. Neither of us, in laying out the landscaping allowed any room for my veggies. By the time we realized it, I was resplendent in azaleas and hydrangeas, but couldn’t squeeze another plant in edgewise. Or so I thought…
Miracle Worker
Let’s be honest, I don’t cook. All that prep work, countless hours searching for ingredients at the store, and all the slicing and dicing that goes into every meal…who has time for that? Probably only the people that have this. Williams-Sonoma’s new Professional Multi-Chopper has made prepping fresh produce a walk in the park. With one effortless push, it cores, wedges, slices, and dices everything from onions and lemons to French fries and tomatoes, and its removable container measures the prepped ingredients for you. With all of the dicing taken care of, the only thing holding me back from being the next Rachael Ray is a personal shopper at the grocery store. Those signs telling you what is on each aisle don’t really cut it for me. I mean, where is a girl supposed to find some lime zest (whatever that is)?
David Rolston Garden Tour
The talented landscape architect will lead a tour of three gardens designed for modern homes on July 26. It’s part of Preservation Dallas’ 2008 Summer Preservation Institute. For more info, call 214-821-3290 or check out PD’s web site.
Prairie Dog Companion: Robert Bellamy Designs
The man who everyone in Dallas knows for his creatively quirky landscaping talents, Robert Bellamy of Robert Bellamy Designs, offers a teasing look at an upcoming exhibit featuring “encaustic paintings” by Marfa artist Jason Willaford.The private opening, takes place July 17 in Marfa, 6:00 to 9:30 p.m. This is the first event hosted by Bellamy’s latest Marfa venture, Prairie Dog Imports. And if we thought Robert was on the edge of quirky-beauty in Dallas, just wait to you get down to 1810 N. Prairie Avenue, Marfa.
Be ready to open your eyes and senses. (more…)
July 4th Sale at North Haven Gardens
This long weekend allows for plenty of time to spruce up that garden of yours. Dallas’ favorite garden store, North Haven Gardens, is having a 4th of July sale (yes, they will be open). You can add some color to your garden (maybe some red, white, and blue?) while saving some serious green. Every live, in-stock plant is 25% off. Perennials, annuals, shrubs, trees, groundcover, roses, hanging baskets, greenhouse plants & more. The sale lasts until July 10. Start planting…Happy 4th!
‘Bama Style: Bungalows
As promised, I went to Bungalows yesterday. To translate Alabama to Texas…Bungalows is: 1 part McCallister Collection (McKinney), 1 part Junkadoodle (Dallas), and 1 part Hoodiewear (Richardson). The result is all Southern Hospitality… This picture does not/cannot capture the magic of this little boutique. It’s fun in for summer, anytime, really…
Partners Terry Woodard and Rick Kuzmyak recently expanded Bungalows to another new sunny location in the Wharf (Canal Street @ Beach Express). They LOVE Dallas, but that is only part of the story…jump for the deets.
Pure Genius. Duh.
Greetings, once again from the sugar sand beaches of the Florida/Alabama coast.
Every once in a while, I find a treasure. Duh is just such a place.
The brainchild of Quinn Stinson (Baylor University ‘88) and Jim Rigsby (who has no known ties to DFW, but is just as cute as a button), Duh is haven for the usually design starved greater Pensacola metropolitan area. Duh has had its finger on the pulse of every design trend to roll out… I’ve been a Duh fanatic for at least 9 years.
Paradise Found.
I was so inspired by the latest issue of D Home , I set out to find the best outdoor living spaces in my neighborhood. It took all my strength to keep from diving into summer… (more…)
Come Here Often?
A few weeks ago, I noticed my neighbors doing something odd. They painted patches of color in various areas all over their brick. Since I have Gladys Kravitz tendencies, I did what any of you would do. I waited until I saw them leave, and went over for a closer look. I assumed they were getting ready to paint. (I like to have input in these kind of decisions…after all, I will be the one looking at it.)
It was then I discovered a pile of discarded food peelings: cantaloupes, bananas, cucumbers in the flower bed right by their front patio. Hmmm…that’s an odd place for a compost pile.
Yesterday, the mystery was solved. And, it brought back some childhood memories… (more…)
Who Says Dreams Don’t Come True?
The Trophy Husband was suspiciously AWOL from our marital bed yesterday morning. I suspected he was dashing to Target to select a gnome at the behest of The Spawn. 
I was right.
A Long Weekend
With such gorgeous spring weather we’re having, take Friday off and head out for the weekend to the family-run Greer Farm, about 2 1/2 hours east of Dallas in Daingerfield. Bet you didn’t know we had anything like this within driving distance.
La Cuesta Farm
This falls into the Who Knew? category. Beautiful goat’s milk cheese is produced on La Cuesta Farm, about an hour and a half outside of Dallas near Lake Whitney. Order online, or find their cheeses and other goat’s milk products in one of the groceries listed on the website. York Street Cafe and Parigi both serve their cheese.
Our New Issue Is Out
Our annual 2008 Best of Everything issue is now out. Read it online, but to see all the great photos, and full stories, buy the magazine. Don’t you just love this image? Peggy Levinson and Cliff Ellman found all of these sculptural outdoor pieces. [Photo by Jan and Ka Yeung]
The Sod Man Cometh
I like to do home projects, I just do. However, what I don’t like is probing accusatory questions from the Trophy Husband, such as, “Did you bite off more than you can chew this time? How much was your copay at the emergency room?” You know, stuff like that.
Don’t tell him, but…this time I did bite off more than I can chew.
I was feeling froggy last week, all a twitter about spring. I was going here, and there, and everywhere, choosing colorful annuals to punctuate my garden.
Lourdes, I’ll Take Two, Please…
Lourdes is my long suffering staffing sidekick for my little projects. The Trophy Husband sighed with relief as I finished unloading 360,000,000,000 plants and bulbs. (I used the money he’d been saving for his record label…)
Mike Modano’s backyard
On Friday we’re shooting Mike Modano’s backyard. I’m kind of nervous and excited about it, because he’s famous. The yard is charming, however. A nice guy named Jarod Cossell brought it to us. Cossell, who owns Earthquake Exteriors (what a name!), worked closely with Mandy Modano (a.k.a. Willa Ford) to design it, and it’s got a definite Italian feel to it, which she loves. Lots of wonderful fountains made from huge urns, and beautiful stone unearthed from a small quarry in Arkansas. You’ll get to see the Modano’s yard, along with the Modanos themselves barbequeing, in our July issue. Mike has promised us some of his favorite recipes. We figure they’ll go something like this,”Put steak on grill.”
We’re game.
Farewell, You Bunch of Pansies
When I lovingly plant pansies each October, I know this day will come. 
After all, They consipire and turn on me every April. Therefore, I bid my pansies adieu, all 5,000 of them. I’m making room for a bevy of new spring plantings as we speak. I have much more room than last year, though. Sadly, I lost 1600 snapdragons to aphids. Sound familiar?
Festive Fountain
The fountain at Armstrong and Preston has been revealed after being covered by an outhouse looking structure for a few months. It’s beautiful, shining white with hydrangeas, camellias and white azaleas. But, does anyone else think it looks like a wedding cake?
Nuclear Blast
I’ve really had it. Spider mites and aphids attacked my indoor palms and a large braided money tree four months ago. I tried everything organic to kill them, including soap spray and $80 mail order, microscopic “predatory mites” that allegedly feast on the buggers. All I got from that was a house full of corn meal — because you can’t see the things, the mites come packaged in corn meal so you can spread them around. I also tried spraying the plants with a solution of rubbing alcohol and water, from a recipe on the Internet. “It really works!” the gardening blogs exclaimed. All that did was burn the leaves. Soon after, everything keeled over and died, so I replaced them all a few weeks ago with big bushy plants from the Farmer’s Market. Again, they’re infested with mites and aphids. A few days ago, I thought I’d try something new: live ladybugs, guaranteed to keep aphids and mites under control, and be fun to boot. So, after a trip back to the Farmer’s Market, I released a package of 1,700 ladybugs onto my plants. Yes, inside. They immediately flew onto the draperies and onto the floor. Most of them died by the next morning, and the ones that didn’t are still flying randomly around. I’ve gotten sick of the whole thing, and only just got back from buying a bottle of real insecticide, the kind with a yellow warning label on it. It’s pointed at a plant right now. And I swear I’m going to use it.
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