Tree Drawings

From the Horticultural Society of New York:

Tim Knowles is an internationally exhibited British artist working in all media. The three projects on view investigate elements of chance and randomness in nature. In his series of  
Tree Drawings, Knowles engages the tree as an active participant in the creative process.
By attaching drawing instruments to low-hanging tree branches, the artist records a tree’s natural motions in the wind, as well as its moments of stillness. Each drawing acts as a signature, revealing the unique qualities and characteristics of the tree.

 

 

Tim Knowles: for the Baron

April 27 – June 24, 2011

Opening Reception:
Wednesday, April 27th, from 6:00 to 8:30pm

Curated by Chris Murtha

The Horticultural Society of New York Gallery
148 West 37th Street, 13th Floor
New York, NY 10018 (between 7th Ave & Broadway)

Alright Already

"The first day of spring is one thing, and the first spring day is another.  
  The difference between them is sometimes as great as a month."

-Henry Van Dyke

Green Space

A recent exhibit at MOMA adds life to a usually uninteresting lobby space in the museum. New York landscape designer / artist Paula Hayes has created shapes specifically for the building's architecture.

Photo by Jason Mandella

The show is aptly titled, “Nocturne of the Limax maximus,” or Night Music of the Great Slug. The exhibit includes a fifteen foot, horizontal, wall-mounted piece named "Slug" and a floor-to-ceiling sculpture called "Egg." Created from blown-glass and silicone, the terrariums are filled with an array of plants, including begonias, creeping miniature figs, and assorted ferns.

Your Epidermis is Showing

Now that winter's frozen gifts have departed, there is an array of land-locked flotsam and jetsam left behind. Soon after a snow drift finally melted, this translucent landscape resembling human skin was revealed.

The weight of six feet of snow, in addition to not replacing autumn decorations, lead to this quirky creation of nature and circumstance. This is (was) a beautiful, squat pumpkin with a lovely color known as the Fairytale Pumpkin (or Musquee de Provence, Cucurbita moschata). Hefty and shaped like a big wheel, these are a long-lasting fall fruit. Well... except under the weight of a snowy winter.

Bookcase as Landscape

Great animation with kicky music. Don't miss the dragon and the clock.
(OK, this is my second post with a bookcase in four months. What's up with that?
Perhaps I need to read more.)

What's Happening in the Garden Today?

There is a huge white oak in my back yard that is probably over 125 years old. (I know this because two others of the same era have had to be removed over the years... sniff.) 

It's lowest limb is over 30 feet from ground level.

Recently, on one of the first warm days of the year, I was sitting beneath it's broad, bare canopy staring up into it's massive limbs. These strong, protective arms stretch so wide that they reach far into adjoining properties. I was reminded then of how much I love this tree. 

It is home to many of my friend Charise's beloved squirrels and if I were a critter or bird, 

I too, would choose to live here. It provides dappled sun in spring, much needed shade in summer, and a plethora of leaves in fall to rake and jump into. Though my bare feet aren't crazy about the acorns, it's dignity is overwhelming.

During the SuperMoon this weekend, I took these photos hoping to capture some of it's aura and majesty.

Gotta Get It Garden Gear - Nubrella

Now that April showers are on their way, here's a new take on an old standard.

The Nubrella's clear plastic dome stops rain, wind, and snow, and its built-in shoulder straps keeps your hands free as you stay dry. While the inventors seem to envision their 

newfangled umbrella making a statement with pedestrians and bikers on city streets,

it'd be great for yard work in a downpour.

Tree becomes Paper becomes Tree

Yuken Teruya (1973- ) a Japanese-born artist based in New York City, constructs intricate paper cuttings from discarded materials like toilet paper rolls, high end shopping bags, books, McDonald's fast food bags, and cereal boxes. His meticulous creations  begin with everyday objects and often reference consumer culture.

“When people become attracted to my work and observe it closely, they start extracting messages from it.” Teruya told Asian Art Newspaper. “Whenever art is made from everyday objects the viewer brings the experience into their own private sphere and upon using the same material, they will view it from a renewed perspective.”

Using tiny scissors, Yuken Teruya creates meticulous and intricate and enchanting worlds that are sometime viewed from within and cast haunting shadows. In each bag or roll, the shape of a tree is created without adding or removing anything, just by cutting out and folding the paper from the object itself. Simple yet elegant. 

To view additional work, visit Yuken Teruya Studio.

 

For his Giving Tree Project, Yuken cut and created a tree from the pages of Shel Silverstein's classic children's book, The Giving Tree.

Earth From Above

"Earth From Above" is the result of the French aerial photographer, journalist, reporter, and environmentalist Yann Arthus-Bertrand's five-year airborne odyssey across six continents. 
It's a spectacular presentation of large scale photographs of astonishing natural landscapes, 
a project that consists of more than 500,000 photographs taken in over 100 countries. 
Every stunning aerial photograph tells a story about our changing planet. 

To see more, Yann Arthus-Bertand.org.
 

Suburbs of Copenhagen, Denmark

Coal mine in South Africa

Boats stranded on the dry Aral Sea, Kazakhstan

Switzerland

Freeways in Los Angeles, CA, USA

The Changping District in Beijing, China

Military cemetery in Verdun, France

Cattle near the Masai Mara National Park, Kenya

Sew Many Ways to Draw a Tree

Created while discovering new ways to draw. Can't wait to use this application for a
Landscape Elevation. Issac Singer would be proud.

Love Rocks

While sitting on the shore of a tidal beach in Maine, a place I have frequented since young,
I discovered for the first time that the beach was covered in jagged rocks and looked like
the pages of a thousand novels had been scraped and scattered at the water's edge. 

I suddenly saw a million stories scattered around me. Here is a very short tale that I found 

about friendship set on fire...

 

Fear less, hope more; Eat less, chew more; Whine less, breathe more; Talk less, say more; Love more, and all good things will be yours" – Swedish Proverb

Source : "Fear less, hope more; Eat less, chew more; Whine less, breathe more; Talk less, say more; Love more, and all good things will be yours" – Swedish Proverb | Hope quotes | Dictionary of Quotes - quotes"Fear less, hope more; Eat less, chew more; Whine less, breathe more; Talk less, say more; Love more, and all good things will be yours" – Swedish Proverb

Source : "Fear less, hope more; Eat less, chew more; Whine less, breathe more; Talk less, say more; Love more, and all good things will be yours" – Swedish Proverb | Hope quotes | Dictionary of Quotes - quotes"Fear less, hope more; Eat less, chew more; Whine less, breathe more; Talk less, say more; Love more, and all good things will be yours" – Swedish Proverb

Source : "Fear less, hope more; Eat less, chew more; Whine less, breathe more; Talk less, say more; Love more, and all good things will be yours" – Swedish Proverb | Hope quotes | Dictionary of Quotes - q

"Fear less, hope more; Eat less, chew more; Whine less, breathe more; Talk less, say more; Love more, and all good things will be yours" – Swedish Proverb

Source : "Fear less, hope more; Eat less, chew more; Whine less, breathe more; Talk less, say more; Love more, and all good things will be yours" – Swedish Proverb | Hope quotes | Dictionary of Quotes - quotes

"Fear less, hope more; Eat less, chew more; Whine less, breathe more; Talk less, say more; Love more, and all good things will be yours" – Swedish Proverb

Source : "Fear less, hope more; Eat less, chew more; Whine less, breathe more; Talk less, say more; Love more, and all good things will be yours" – Swedish Proverb | Hope quotes | Dictionary of Quotes - quotes"Fear less, hope more; Eat less, chew more; Whine less, breathe more; Talk less, say more; Love more, and all good things will be yours" – Swedish Proverb

Source : "Fear less, hope more; Eat less, chew more; Whine less, breathe more; Talk less, say more; Love more, and all good things will be yours" – Swedish Proverb | Hope quotes | Dictionary of Quotes - quotes

What's Happening in the Garden Today?

Pyracantha 'Mohave' - Mohave Firethorn

Mahonia bealei - Leatherleaf Mahonia

Lagerstroemia x 'Osage' - Clear Pink Crape Myrtle

Cephalotaxus harringtonia 'Fastigiata' - Upright Japanese Plum Yew

Gotta Get It Garden Gear - Wearable Garden Stool

The Ultimate Strap-On!  Manufactured in Europe, this handy stool was originally designed for milking cows. Researchers bent on finding a more efficient way to harvest crops, introduced the stool to small scale farmers and found it produced happier, healthier, and more productive workers. Fewer back aches and knee pain from picking, planting, and pruning would make one a more enthusiastic gardener.

The Wearable Garden Stool straps onto your butt and is adjustable to let you pop a squat at every stop. Weighing only four pounds it even stays put while you walk. Not a contraption for the fashion conscious.  On sale now at Clean Air Gardening.

A Kwanzan in Winter

Kwanzan Flowering Cherry, Prunus serrulata 'Kwanzan'

 

One of my all time favorite trees, the Kwanzan Cherry was named after a mountain in Japan and is native to China, Japan, and Korea. The upright, spreading form can reach 15 to 25 feet tall and is quite beautiful with attractive, double, pink flowers. Kwanzan Cherry has new growth that is bronze colored, turning yellow, orange, or copper in the fall, does not bear fruit, prefers full sun, is intolerant of poor drainage, and is easily transplanted. An annual festival at the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C. commemorates the annual bloom of this species along with Yoshino Cherry, Prunus × yedoensis.

Known for its thin branches that are not inherently strong, bark can easily split and crack. Branches fall frequently in winter due to high winds and cold weather. Therefore, proper pruning must take place during tree development. The tree branches must be evenly spaced to produce a stronger framework for support in less desirable conditions.

A Little Woodland Wonder

A little woodland wonder for the cold winter months, we've created glass-enclosed
moments in time that are meant for daydreaming and contemplating the universe. 

Who are these people and what is their story?

Complete with gravel, sand, activated charcoal (to act as a filter), sphagnum moss, potting soil, fresh Oregon moss, stones and/or glass beads, and a cast of characters. Oregon moss is the lowest maintenance moss for the terrarium environment. Thick and hardy, deep green, and oh so forgiving. Perfect for people without a green thumb. Just keep in low light and use a spray bottle filled with water to mist every few days to keep all the inhabitants green and happy.

For more information and to place a custom order with your choice of theme,
email info@TerraBellaNY.com. Give one as a gift and keep one for yourself.
Approximately 5.5"h x 4.75"w. Complete with instructions for care.

The Blue Dot

YouTube user Damewse created a marketing campaign for NASA after feeling frustrated with the space agency's lack of ability to draw the public's attention to its incredible missions.

     "NASA is the most fascinating, adventurous, epic institution ever devised by human beings, and their media sucks. Seriously. None of their brilliant scientists appear to know how to connect with the social media crowd, which is now more important than ever. In fact, NASA is an institution whose funding directly depends on how the public views them."
     "In all of their brilliance, NASA seems to have forgotten to share their hopes and dreams in a way the public can relate to, leaving one of humanities grandest projects with terrible PR and massive funding cuts."

See for yourself the video he created for NASA (originally created by Michael Marantz). It is narrated perfectly using an old recording by the quintessential Carl Sagan. Michael Marantz also composed the music. As Carl Sagan says in the video, "For all our failings, despite our limitations and fallibilities, we humans are capable of greatness." Beautious and wonderful.

Thought for the Day

Be like the sun and meadow, which are not in the least concerned about the coming winter.

- George Bernard Shaw

What's Happening in the Garden Today

The last harvest of Bright Lights Swiss Chard
can only mean that winter is in the wings.

Every Man a Rembrandt

Found this completed paint-by-number masterpiece for $1 at a flea market this summer.
I fell in love with the color palette and the kitchy take on a country landscape.

Extremely popular in the 1950s, paint-by-number became a symbol of mechanical performance and mass culture. For critics, the paint-by-number phenomenon provided ample evidence of the mindless conformity gripping national life and culture.

"I don't know what America is coming to," one writer complained to American Artist,
"when thousands of people, many of them adults, are willing to be regimented into brushing paint on a jig-saw miscellany of dictated shapes and all by rote. Can't you rescue some of these souls, or should I say morons?"

So what, I say. Surround yourself with things you love, even if no one else does.

A Tannenbaum Fun Fact

Shelf Tree by Frank Visser of IJM

The Scottish botanist David Douglas, after whom
the Douglas Fir is named, died in extraordinary and terrifying circumstances.

In 1832, upon his return from the northwestern United States, his ship docked in Hawaii to replenish supplies. Douglas seized this opportunity to explore the mountains in search of new species. Tragically, he fell into a pit dug to capture ferocious wild cattle that roamed the hills. One such beast was already in the pit that he fell into and Douglas was powerless to prevent it from trampling and goring him to death. His remains were discovered by a search party a few days later.

Speculation continues to this day about the mysterious circumstances surrounding his death.

String Gardens

It's a bit disconcerting to see a plant that isn't grounded but these ethereal living sculptures are so cool they seem to take flight. Created by Amsterdam based Fedor, this installation project is comprised of hanging gardens made from twine wrapped around a root ball or bulb. The idea is based on a Japanese botanical style called kokedama. For more celestial beauty visit the String Gardens website.

Gardens to See Before You Die

View looking west from the High Line in Manhattan.

A must see attraction that's relatively new to New York City, the framework for the High Line was built in the 1930's as an elevated rail line. Abandoned from use since the 1880s, the structure was threatened with demolition in 1999 which prompted a concerned community group to successfully preserve it. After more than two years of construction, the park opened to the public in 2009.

The inspired landscape, which incorporates the original rails, was designed by James Corner Field Operations with plant design by the esteemed Piet Oudolf. The landscape design emphasizes native species with an impressive plant list that is in continuous bloom from late January to mid-November.

Try to avoid visiting on beautiful weekend days... it's packed. Great people watching but it's harder to see the park and it's unique beauty. The High Line runs from Gansevoort Street in the Meatpacking District to 34th Street between 10th & 11th Avenues.

What's Happening On Site?

Before and after photos of some recently planted pots. Client requested new designs for 6+ large outdoor containers in three locations for a fall party. At this time of year, plant choices are slim to none at the nurseries so an extra jolt of creativity is in order. We wanted the designs to transition well through the holiday season. Client loved them.

1) Green Spire Euonymus (Euonymus japonicus) for height, sedge (Carex morrowii), and icicle pansies for the larger pots. Standing as sentries are an assortment of adorable, dwarf evergreens looking like perfect miniature sculptures. They were planted in stone and terra cotta pots and the soil topped with river rocks.

1) BEFORE:

 

1) AFTER:

2) This porch pot below is viewed from the inside of the house through glass doors at the end of a long hallway. Impact was in order. For dramatic height, we planted a young pyramidal hornbeam (Carpinus betulus 'Fastigiata') with leaves that will turn yellow-orange as it gets colder. At the base, pony tail grass (Stipa tenuissima) to the rear, with hardy red mums, and lavender thyme. A spray of red dogwood twigs adds a colorful spark that acts as an exclamation point to the entire arrangement.

2) BEFORE:

2) AFTER: