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Spring Lawn & Garden

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Contain yourself. The best vegetables come in small packages

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Page 1: Spring Lawn & Garden
Page 2: Spring Lawn & Garden

SPRING LAWN & GARDEN

Page 22 Tuesday, March 23, 2010 The Southern Illinoisan

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Sproutsgardenin the

Children always havereveled in the charisma ofthe great outdoors. Formost, their merrymakinginvolves somecombination of running,jumping and laughing.

Tending to the tomatoesrarely makes the list.

“There is a realdisconnect amongchildren about wheretheir food comes from,”says Mike Metallo,president of the NationalGardening Association,South Burlington, Vt.“Urbanization hasseparated young peoplefrom the growingprocess.”

And in today’s indoor-centric environment,replete with video games,Facebook and hundreds oftelevision channels, kidsare spending less timeoutside than ever before.Experts say that adultscan lead by example,

especially when it comesto gardening. Whenparents, guardians,caregivers and teacherstake the initiative to startgardens and get their kidsinvolved, it’s easy to turntheir attentions from Wiito weeding.

Metallo says that therise of school-gardeningprograms is especiallyimportant in getting kidsto rediscover the magic ofsoil.

“These programseffectively addresschildhood obesity byeducating youth about thebenefits of exercise,eating nutritious fruitsand vegetables andmaking good personalhealth choices,” Metallosays.

At the start of 2010, theNational WildlifeFederation, Reston, Va.,launched a campaign, “BeOut There Resolution to

Know, Go and Grow,” toreconnect kids withnature, specificallygardening. Parents pledgeto educate themselvesabout the benefits ofgardening for kids, to takechildren outdoors forgardening projects and toinvite other kids to jointhem.

“We want (parents) toknow and understand theimportance of outdoortime,” says Kevin Coyle,the National WildlifeFederation’s vicepresident of education.

According to Coyle, thebenefits for children who are encouraged tointeract with nature in anoutdoor setting far exceed simply battlingobesity. Other benefitsinclude better eyesight,increased classroompreparedness and lowerlevels of stress anddepression.

Getting kids to put down their video games in favor of gardening is easy with some guidance.

Page 3: Spring Lawn & Garden

Getting a child excitedabout gardening takes onegood project. Try one ofthese four innovativeideas, courtesy of CherylDorschner, NationalGardening Association,South Burlington, Vt.

Make and bake a compost torte

Making compost is likebaking dessert for yourgarden. Start at thebottom with fresh greenplant material, then add alayer of old brown plantmaterial such as leaves orstraw. Keep layeringmaterials and every 10inches or so, frost it witha cup of limestone and aninch of well-agedmanure. When the pile isfour feet high, glaze itwith a sprinkling of water.Say magic words over thetop. Water and turn itevery week, and it willheat up and become asrich as brownies by fall.

Race for the skywith a half-barrel (or more) of vines

Your “race course” forclimbing plants can betwine attached to cup

hooks on the side of thehouse, a twig trellisyou’ve lashed togetheryourself or a fancy tuteur,a four-sided trellisshaped like a teepee.Mark the “course” with amarker showing inches atthe bottom and after thefirst foot just mark feet.Choose and comparevines such as scarletrunner beans, other polebeans, small gourds,morning glories,moonflowers, love-in-a-puff or other floweringvines. On your mark, getset, plant! Jump back andsee who sprouts first, whotakes off and who wins.Water and fertilize forgood competition.

Herbal plantwash/bug spray

Kids love squirt bottles,so they usually love thejob of spraying plants.This concoction is safe forkids and helps to keepindoor and outdoor plantleaves clean and free ofaphids and diseases. Useon smooth-leafed plants.Ingredients include thegrated rind of one lemon,1 cup wormwood or tansy,1 cup lavender, 1 cup sage,

1 pint boiling water and 1teaspoon nondetergentsoap such as castile orMurphy’s Oil Soap. In aheat-resistant quart jar,mix lemon and herbs.Pour water over the mix.Let it steep until cooled toroom temperature. Drain,reserving the liquid. In aplastic spray-pumpbottle, dilute 1/8 cup ofthe herbal liquid to 2 cupswater and add theteaspoon of soap. Teachyour child how to safelyapply the spray.

Send good bugs on their way

It’s exciting to receive apackage of beneficialinsects in the mail, peekinto the package andrelease them outdoors.Lacewings are effectiveagainst aphids,mealybugs, scales andwhiteflies, among others.They usually arrive in themail as larvae and eggs.Ladybugs, one ofeveryone’s favoriteinsects, devour aphids,Colorado potato beetleeggs and other pests. Bothcost about $14 for 1,000insects and come withinstructions.

The Southern Illinoisan Tuesday, March 23, 2010 Page 33

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Fun ways to get growing

ISTOCKPHOTOGetting a child excited about gardening takes one good project.

SPRING LAWN & GARDEN

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SPRING LAWN & GARDEN

ISTOCKPHOTO

Page 44 Tuesday, March 23, 2010 The Southern Illinoisan

Grocerygardens

Plant with a purpose,and a meal, in mind.

With less disposable timeand money, many familiesfind putting enough freshvegetables and herbs on thetable to be a struggle.

However, the surprisingsolution may actually becloser to home than theyexpect.

“I find that very few(people) realize that theycan grow garlic, onions,leeks, brassicas and most ofthe vegetables for their tableif they put just a little moretime into growing,” saysRoger Marshall, Jamestown,R.I., author of “How toBuild Your OwnGreenhouse” (StoreyPublishing, 2006).

Planning is the first step togrowing vegetables andherbs for cooking, expertssay. Make a list of the dishesyou and your family enjoythat contain vegetables andherbs: noodles, rice, salads,pot pies, casseroles, stews,soups, etc.

“Families who like Italianfoods, for example, mightgrow a ‘spaghetti’ garden,with basil, tomatoes andgarlic. I also see a lot ofpeople growing hot peppers,cilantro and Yucca for LatinAmerican dishes,” saysBarbara Barker, Live Oak,Fla., author of “ContainerGardening for Health: The12 Most Important Fruits &

Vegetables for Your OrganicGarden” (Prairie OakPublishing, 2009).

Then create a separate listof favorite vegetables andherbs, even if you only havea few recipes for them. Keepin mind that an abundanceof new recipes appear everyyear.

“This year, gardeners willbe focused on how to findcreative methods andrecipes for their fruits andvegetables, as well as how topreserve the excess forfuture use,” says Jean AnnVan Krevelen, Portland,Ore., author of “GroceryGardening: Planting,Preparing and PreservingFresh Food” (Cool SpringsPress, 2010). Once you’vegot a list of vegetables togrow, do your research. Tipson when to plant, best soilsto use, planting incontainers versus ground,fertilizers, composting andharvesting can be found at alocal nursery, at onlinegardening sites and througha variety of gardeningbooks.

Gardener Ellen EckerOgden, Manchester Village,Vt., suggests starting small.“Focus on growing the foodsthat you truly love to eat,”says Ogden, author of “Fromthe Cook’s Garden”(Morrow Cookbooks,

Page 5: Spring Lawn & Garden

The Southern Illinoisan Tuesday, March 23, 2010 Page 55

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2003).“For me thisincludes fresh basil andother herbs, lettuce andsalad greens, sugar snappeas and heirloom cherrytomatoes. I avoid growingspace hogs such aszucchini and corn, thatare easily availableelsewhere.”

If home is an apartmentor condo with limitedspace for gardening,Ogden says that there areplenty of excellentvarieties that areornamental as well asculinary and are easy togrow in pots.

“Lettuce and saladgreens, miniatureeggplants, patio tomatoesand annual herbs such asbasil, dill and cilantro aretops on my list forcontainers,” Ogden says.

What’s the top food togrow for your table?Marshall, Barker, VanKrevelen and Ogden allrecommend tomatoes.

“Homegrown tomatoesadd extraordinary life tosummer pasta sauceswith basil and olive oil,”Barker says. “There is justno comparison in flavoror texture between store-bought and homegrowntomatoes. Growing avariety of sizes, colors

and flavors of tomatoesadds pizzazz to ordinarydishes.”

Tomatoes find their wayinto Barker’sMediterranean dishes, forwhich she also grows Finde Bagnols (stringlessgreen beans that are crisp,tender and full of flavor),carrots and greens such aschard, escarole, arugulaand mesclun.

“It’s wonderful to havea variety of greensavailable for quick stir-fries and salads,” Barkersays. “They are easy togrow and, because I canharvest them, I don’t haveissues with spoilage.”

Barker also grows herown garlic. “I like mildvarieties, such asInchelium Red. Garlicpairs well with tomatoesand basil in many pastadishes,” she says.

“As a cook and agardener, all my recipesinclude fresh herbs, so Iplant lots of sweet basil,along with the classicherbs used in Frenchcooking,” Ogden says.

“And I always growabout two dozen differenttypes of lettuce, includingcutting lettuce, mesclunand loose-leaf headlettuce because it is so

stunning and adds colorto the garden, but alsobecause I love to makesalads at every meal.”

Basil is also a favoritefor Van Krevelen, whocalls it, “A great partnerfor tomatoes, and almostany other dish. Fresh basiltastes completelydifferent than dried. I addit to recipes at the lastminute. The fragrancealone is worth it.”

Van Krevelen alsorecommends growingpeppers, both sweet andhot, which she says are“easy to grow andnutritious.”

Marshall, who found hishome buried under 22inches of snow this pastwinter, grows producethat he can freeze assoups to keep him warm,including potatoes, leeksand herbs. But nothing isbetter than picking freshfood from your gardenand cooking it up rightaway.

“Fresh herbs get usedfor just about everything– in omelets, pizza, pie,soup, stew, breads andsauces,” Marshall says.“Being able to pick herbsfresh is priceless. I use alot of leeks in everything– soups, pies and stews.”

‘Homegrown tomatoes add extraordinary lifeto summer pasta sauces with basil and

olive oil,’ says Barbara Barker, Live Oak,Fla., author of ‘Container Gardening forHealth: The 12 Most Important Fruits &Vegetables for Your Organic Garden’(Prairie Oak Publishing, 2009).

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Page 6: Spring Lawn & Garden

SPRING LAWN & GARDEN

Page 66 Tuesday, March 23, 2010 The Southern Illinoisan

Containyourself

Sometimes the bestvegetables come in small

packages; here’s howto make the most of them.

Findings from theNational GardeningAssociation’s new survey,“The Impact of Home andCommunity Gardening inAmerica,” indicate thatfood gardening in theUnited States is on therise.

Seven million morehouseholds planned togrow their own fruits,vegetables or herbs in2009 than in 2008,constituting a 19-percentincrease, according to thesurvey. The reasons rangefrom increasingrecognition thathomegrown produce isoften higher quality andtherefore tastes better, tocost savings. On average,the survey reports, a well-maintained food gardenyields a $500 return,when considering atypical gardener’sinvestment and themarket price of produce.

But while expansiveoutdoor spaces, such asthe White House lawnwhere Michelle Obamaplanted her organic plot,are ideal for growingedibles, many urbangardeners are limited to a

small deck, patio, rooftopor even just a sunnywindow inside anapartment. Not to worry.These situations are ripefor growing crops incontainers.

“A good containergarden simply depends onthe proper size pot,quality potting soil,plentiful sun and the careyou give it,” says ReneeShepherd, owner ofRenee’s Garden, a Felton,Calif.-based seedcompany that specializesin gourmet vegetables,kitchen herbs and cottagegarden flowers. Followthese tips for gettingstarted, and soon you’ll beharvesting the rewards.

What to growDue to the potential for

unwieldy height or size,certain container crops,such as corn andpumpkins, may not beworth the effort. But thatsaid, virtually any plantthat grows in the groundcan also be grown in a pot.In fact, since soil in potswarms up more quickly inspring than it does in the

Page 7: Spring Lawn & Garden

The Southern Illinoisan Tuesday, March 23, 2010 Page 77

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garden, you can often get a tomatoor pepper off to a faster start.

If you want an expert’s toppicks, Shepherd’s Web site(www.reneesgarden.com) has asection dedicated specifically toseeds that are suitable forcontainers, including tomatoes,peppers, numerous varieties ofgreens (lettuces, spinach, chard,kale, mache, frisee), carrots,cucumbers, eggplant, radishes,beans, broccoli raab and herbs.

“The herbs, such as basil,cilantro, chives and parsley, andgreens like arugula make for thebest kitchen garden and are aneasy place to start,” Shepherdsays.

As for fruit, blueberries,strawberries and small melonsoften work well. And you can alsogrow some citrus trees, such asMeyer lemons, in large potsindoors, says Julie Chai, associategarden editor at Sunset magazine.Depending on space and access tolight, you may even be able to pulloff figs, avocados, pomegranatesor cherries.

How to do itThe first step is finding the right

container. According to thegardening experts at Sunset, potsmade of thick plastic or glazedterra-cotta retain moisture well,as do wooden tubs. In hotclimates, choose light-coloredpots and avoid small unglazedterra-cotta pots, as they dry outtoo quickly. Regardless, allcontainers must provide drainage,and you should try to use thebiggest pots you have room for,Chai says. The larger the plant’sroot system, the deeper and widerthe container should be. But, ingeneral, young herbs and lettucecan grow in pots at least 12 inchesdeep and wide; eggplant andpeppers can grow in pots 14inches deep and 16 inches wide;and larger crops like tomatoes dobest in pots that are at least 18inches deep and wide.

“You can grow in pots smallerthan what we recommend,” Chai RENEE’S GARDEN SEEDS

Plants that are suitable for containers include tomatoes, peppers, numerous varieties of greens (lettuces,spinach, chard, kale, mache, frisee), carrots, cucumbers, eggplant, radishes, beans, broccoli raab and herbs.

SPRING LAWN & GARDEN

SEE CONTAIN / PAGE 8

Page 8: Spring Lawn & Garden

says, “but the plantswon’t get as big or be asproductive.”

Always use a high-quality planting mix.Ground soil is usually tooheavy. It can compactaround roots and notdrain properly, Chai says.It can introduce weedsand soil-borne diseasessuch as fusarium wilt,nematodes andverticillium wilt.

“If shopping for abagged mix, price is oftenan indicator of quality,”Chai says. “You can alsoask the nursery staffwhich one they prefer.”

The experts at Sunsetrecommend acquiring apotting soil that containspeat moss and perlite, andthen blending in acomplete fertilizer –either a dry organicproduct, such as onecontaining alfalfa meal,bonemeal or kelp meal, ora controlled-release typethat supplies nutrientsover a three-to-six monthperiod. Consider addingwater-absorbing crystals,sold at nursery centersunder many differentnames, includingHydroSource orSoilmoist, to the mixbefore planting to helpalleviate the wet-drycycle. As the soil driesout, these small crystals,which absorb a hundredor more times theirweight in water, supplymoisture to the roots.

This is especiallyimportant if you aregrowing plants indoors.Despite the classic imageof the windowsill garden,most edible plants don’tgrow very well inside dueto the general dryness ofthe air and insufficientnutrients and sunlight,Shepherd says. If you

happen to live on the 50thfloor with no deck, youcan also give your ediblesanother “leaf up” bystarting with seedlings.

How to keep them alive

Most vegetables andfruit grown outdoors needfull sun, Chai says, whorecommends they get atleast six-to-eight hours aday. (Greens and herbscan handle a bit less.)

Keep the pots in asunny spot, or place themon a platform or in awheelbarrow so that youcan move them around,Shepherd suggests.Inside, place your potsnext to a window wherethey can get at least sixhours of light each day, oryou may have to invest ina few good, adjustablegrow lights from a gardencenter or hardware storeas the plants get taller.

You should also continueto fertilize every week ortwo with fish emulsion ordry organic fertilizer,whether outdoor or in.

“All container plantsrely solely on the gardenerfor all their needs,”Shepherd says. Confinedto a limited space, theywill quickly becomestressed if essentialnutrients aren’t providedregularly.

It is critical to keep yourproduce properlyhydrated, whether byhand or with dripirrigation operated by anautomatic controller. Thesoil should be evenlymoist but not soggy, Chaisays. “The best way tocheck your soil is to feelit; if the top inch of soil isdry, it’s time to water.” Ifplants are indoors andyou’re concerned aboutinadequate humidity, youcan also spritz the leaveswith water.

SPRING LAWN & GARDEN

Page 88 Tuesday, March 23, 2010 The Southern Illinoisan

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CONTAIN: Vegetables come in small packagesFROM PAGE 7

RENEE’S GARDEN SEEDSYoung herbs and lettuce can grow in pots at least 12 inchesdeep and wide, while larger crops like tomatoes do best inpots that are at least 18 inches deep and wide.

Page 9: Spring Lawn & Garden

The Southern Illinoisan Tuesday, March 23, 2010 Page 99

Put down your handkerchiefs;odorless composting has arrived.

Once upon a time,composting seemed like anightmarish task. Only themost committed gardenerswere willing to devote yardspace to a heap of decomposingmatter, braving unknown insectlarvae and knockout odors.

But now, thanks to smaller,no-fuss kitchen compostingmachines, even novice planterscan produce the nutrient-richorganic material. These high-tech units create odor-free,sleekly contained compost inhalf the time – no pitchforks orplugged noses necessary.

“We are all busy, we havejobs, kids and animals,” saysCarrie Donovan, a publicrelations manager atNatureMill, a San Francisco-based kitchen compostermanufacturer. “This is a no-fuss composting system.Everything is just containedand all you do is every twoweeks pull it out and you’ll havefresh compost for yourbackyard.”

Since NatureMill beganproducing the small, under-the-counter units just overthree years ago, Donovan saysthey have seen sales quadruple.“It pretty much takes care ofitself,” she says. “You plug it in;everything is automatic. Youdon’t have to go back there andget yourself all smelly.”

Measuring just 20-by-20-by-12 inches, the NatureMill PlusXE fits under most kitchencabinets, and can produce up to120 pounds of organic waste per

month. The machine takes foodscraps and heats them tobetween 140 F and 160 F, mixesthem every four hours andkeeps a constant air flow goingin and out of the machine.Donovan says sometimescompost will be ready in as fewas 12 hours.

The Indoor KitchenComposter, sold at Waltham,Mass.-basedwww.greenandmore.com, iseven smaller, measuring 16-by-10-by-10 inches. It uses astarter blend of wheat bran,molasses and micro-organismsto break down food waste, andlike the NatureMill model,typically offers compost in twoweeks. “People who normallycompost outdoors during thewarmer months like to haveoptions for the cooler parts ofthe year,” says Matthew Keiter,a merchandising manager forthe company. “Additionally,people who have nevercomposted before find that ourcomposter offers an easy way tolearn the basics.”

Barbara Pleasant, co-authorof “The Complete CompostGardening Guide” (StoreyPublishing, 2008), has beencomposting for 15 years. Shebegan composting food wasteto save herself from messes. “Irealized how much cleaner thegarbage could be without allthat drippy stuff,” she says.“And of course, a good gardenerplants nothing without a littlecompost.”

Mature compost can suppress

plant diseases and pests, reduceor eliminate the need forchemical fertilizers andpromote higher yields ofagricultural crops,according to theEnvironmentalProtection Agency.

“There’s evensome evidence thattomatoes tastebetter,” Pleasantsays. “Plants needsmall amounts ofnutrients that arepresent in compost,so it’s like insuranceagainst nutrientdeficiencies.”

Thanks to these smallerunits, even rooftop andcontainer gardeners can reapcomposting benefits.

The machines, Donovan says,will compost pretty muchanything. The most commonitems are fruit, vegetable andgrain scraps – even some paperproducts and soft shellfish likeshrimp.

Although the EPA warnsagainst composting meat ordairy, both Donovan and Keitersay their kitchen machines canbreak down those materials, killoff bacteria and prevent odors.

“We put the worst of theworst in them to test for odors,and really, you just need to keepan even amount of green andbrown items,” Donovan says.“Even err a little on the side ofhaving a little too much brownmaterial, because it’s going tosoak up the liquid and keep the

pH balance 100-percentcorrect.”

Items to avoid compostinginclude bones, hard pits (likeavocados) or wine corks. Forthose looking to graduate to abackyard compostingoperation, Pleasant says justabout anything goes. “Itreaches this point, I call it‘critical mass,’ where you couldprobably throw a shoe in and itwould disappear,” she says.

“By not putting your scrapsdown the disposal, you will savewater and reduce the load puton your septic system or sewageplants,” Keiter says. Accordingto Jean Schwab, a programanalyst in the EPA’s Office of

Resource Conservation andRecovery, food waste makes upabout 12 percent of everythingthat goes to a landfill.Combined with yard waste, itaccounts for 25 percent oflandfill waste. Ideally, Schwabsays the EPA would like to seepeople composting both.

For urbanites and compostingnovices, the kitchen compostermakes positive headway towardthat goal.

“I think the reason mostpeople are doing it is wastemanagement,” Pleasant says.“And in the kitchen that’s ahuge advantage; it really is.Compost should be a low-maintenance thing.”

SPRING LAWN & GARDEN

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OM

Under-cabinet composters canproduce up to 120 pounds of organicwaste every month.

Page 10: Spring Lawn & Garden

HURSTHOUSE, INC

Destination:your garden

Connect on a new level in your backyard –martinis, conversation and yoga await.

Maybe the recession is limitingpeople’s entertainment options. Maybethe ubiquity and fast pace of technologyhave families yearning to connect withthe slower rhythms of nature.

Whatever the reason, “People areusing their outdoor space more thanever,” says Mike Hartman, gardenlighting expert, Wernersville, Pa.

And folks don’t necessarily see thepatch of nature beyond their back doorsas an escape from everyday life. In fact,judging by recent trends, the oppositeseems to be true. People are creatingspecial spaces in their yards and gardensin order to move part of their dailyroutines outside. Bolingbrook, Ill.-basedlandscape architect Bob Hursthouse callsthese areas “destination gardens” andsays their popularity is blooming.

“Creating a space where you can takethe inside out has been a big thing for us.The landscape has become an extensionof the lifestyle,” Hursthouse says. Thatreality shapes his design philosophy.“It’s not about choosing daylily colors,”he says.

Instead, he asks people how they liketo spend their time. “Do you like to sitand read the newspaper for two hours?Anything you can do in the house youcan do in the yard,” Hursthouse says.“Well, almost anything without gettingarrested.”

However, arresting people’s attentionis the whole point of destination gardens– areas around the property designed forspecific purposes or pastimes or simplyfor aesthetic appeal. A destinationgarden can be a statue at the edge of theyard that invites a closer look or a placewhere every detail promotes a particularactivity. Examples from Hursthouse’sportfolio include reading gardens,conversation gardens, a martini gardenand an enclosed yoga retreat areacomplete with a platform.

“People are definitely spending more

time in their backyards and creating anenvironment that fits their lifestyle andreflects more of what they’re doinginside,” says Michael Schmechtig,landscape architect in Mundelein, Ill. Infact, Schmechtig Landscapes has begunworking with an interior designer oncertain projects to coordinate exteriorand interior designs.

“We bring colors, textures and stylesfrom the inside to the outside,” he says.“It’s about connecting the interiordesign with the landscaping” andmaking a seamless transition from theindoors to the outdoors, since peoplehave come to view yards as extensions oftheir homes. Hartman says he’s seen“dedicated areas” for specific uses, mostoften for entertaining.

“We’re finding in general that (interestin) outdoor entertainment is very high,but we’re moving beyond grilling to fullkitchens and outdoor bars,” saysHartman, owner of Escort Lighting, acatalog and Web-based businessspecializing in solid copper gardenfixtures. “I’ve seen outdoor exerciseareas and gaming areas. I’ve seen anumber of people setting aside dedicatedareas for bocce ball courts.”

Outdoor kitchens outfitted withrefrigerators, sinks and ovens are makingthe charcoal grill seem like a relic. “Wewere doing outdoor kitchens 20 yearsago,” Schmechtig says, “but today’s aremuch more complicated, intricate andarchitectural.”

In spirit as well as in style, outdoorkitchens “Match what’s indoors, sothere’s ample counter space with seatingso everyone can be part of theexperience,” he adds.

“And the granite countertops mighteven match what’s inside.”

Although elaborate amenities are outof reach for many people, especially in arecession, “There are some peoplesaying, ‘I’m going to be staying put in my

Page 1100 Tuesday, March 23, 2010 The Southern Illinoisan

SPRING LAWN & GARDEN

Page 11: Spring Lawn & Garden

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SPRING LAWN & GARDEN

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current home. I’m not going to beflipping it or trading up, so I’m going toput in the things I want,’” Hursthousesays.

In addition, the popularity oflandscape design shows also help fuelthe “inside out” trend. “People seewhat’s possible. They see all thesefeatures and options and they come to uslooking for those features,” Schmechtigsays. “We’re putting chandeliers inpergolas.”

Life stage also influences landscapedesign. Young families set aside grassyspots for trampolines and swing sets.Once the children are older, the adultstake over the backyard and installoutdoor bars, hot tubs and fireplaces.

“Fire is big,” Schmechtig says. “Fire isa gathering point. People are looking toincorporate fireplaces, fire pits, firetables. Some people are putting in pizzaovens.”

For a sports fanatic, Hursthousedesigned a pergola with a fireplace and aflat-screen TV so the client couldcomfortably watch football outdoors inthe temperamental Midwest winters.

But the majority of destinationgardens are low-tech by design,

dedicated to helping people connectwith nature and with one another. Oneconversation garden Hursthousedesigned consists simply of two facing benches facing in an intimate,cloistered space within the largerlandscape.

A reading garden designed for a familywith young children has as itscenterpiece a “story stone,” a large, flatboulder where they sit and thumbthrough picture books. “It’s a memorymaker,” he says.

A martini garden has a chest forstoring cushions that’s high enough todouble as a buffet. However, it’s a placedesigned for kicking back with acocktail, not creating a gourmet meal.

Hursthouse often designs destinationgardens that remind clients of placesthey’ve vacationed. For example, afamily of skiers switches out their usualpatio furniture in wintertime for themeddécor, including Adirondack-style chairswith skis for slats and benches made outof snowboards.

“This way,” Hursthouse says, “if they can’t actually be out doing thethings they love, they can at least bereminded.”

Page 12: Spring Lawn & Garden

Page 1122 Tuesday, March 23, 2010 The Southern Illinoisan

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AccessoriesOne part grandma’s garden,

one partawesome,retro gardenaccessoriesare instanthits. Here,Blomusoffers ashinyupdate ofthe timelesspinwheel.

FireplacesFire pits are all the rage,

but classic, prairie-style gasfireplaces add a touch of thebucolic to any backyard.Made with a non-rusting castaluminum body, the one by Blue Rooster Co., comes with seven ceramic logs.

Rain barrelsAn eco-friendly centerpiece

for any garden, rain barrels havebecome a backyard staple.

The 65-gallon rain saver,by Algreen Products,forgoes the usual garbage-canfaçade in favor of a ceramic that is as durable as plastic and will not crack in high heat.

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Page 13: Spring Lawn & Garden

The Southern Illinoisan Tuesday, March 23, 2010 Page 1133

SPRING LAWN & GARDEN

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It might be hard to believe,but flowers can be just as trendyas shoes and cars. If you’replanning your next garden orlooking to make a killerarrangement that will up yourindie cred, let this be your guideto the inner sanctum of hipness.

Eggplant tulipsAlso called black tulips, the

dark drama and subtle opulenceof this flower is what gives it itship appeal. Black flowers don’texist, but this dark purple coloris the closest you will get.

“It’s a completely unexpectedcolor in an arrangement,” says

florist Barbara Bellamy, theowner of the uber-chic IxiaFlowers, Evanston, Ill. Bellamyadds that other flowers areavailable in this dark purple,including calla lilies and roses.

HollyhocksThe huge, leafy bloom of the

old-fashioned hollyhock makesit a trendy staple in front yardsor in arrangements. Don’t eventhink of removing the large leafygreens on the stems though –that’s a major part of the appeal.The blooms are also available ina wide range of hues, frompurple to light orange.

Cymbidium orchid stems“I always love to use green

cymbidium orchid stems,”Bellamy says. “They are sobeautiful and striking on theirown. You can even use themunderwater in a vase. Plus, theylast a long time.” Sherecommends green, but theorchids come in a variety ofcolor gradients, like white orpink, for any arrangement oroccasion.

The unusual, nearlyasymmetrical shape of thecymbidium bloom is an instantattention-grabber, making for atruly astounding arrangement.

AmaryllisAnother

large bloom,the amaryllishas aspectacularsilhouette,with a long,narrow stemleading to the huge flower.“(Amaryllis) are striking in their size. They are really showy – you can get a lot ofblooms out of one stem,”Bellamy says.

They come in reds, corals orwhites and are available fromfall through spring.

The amaryllishas aspectacularsilhouette.

ISTOCKPHOTO

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Trendy stems

Page 14: Spring Lawn & Garden

SPRING LAWN & GARDEN

Page 1144 Tuesday, March 23, 2010 The Southern Illinoisan

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Attitude adjustmentA Connecticutresidential landscapedesigner shares hislove of trend-proof‘grandmother plants’.

On Michael Mushak’sWeb site, there is a quoteby Gertrude Jekyll thatsums up his philosophy asa landscape designer:“The lesson I havethoroughly learnt andwish to pass on to others,is to know the enduringhappiness that the love ofa garden gives.”

For the last threedecades, Mushak hasbeen doing exactly that.His firm, Tuliptree SiteDesign, Norwalk, Conn.,has completed more than800 projects for a varietyof residential and

commercial clients.Known for creatingdistinctive gardens forNew England’s rich andfamous, Mushak’s work isfeatured regularly in theNew York Times,Architectural Digest andCountry Living. Heembraces both traditionaland modern design withan overarchingcommitment tosustainability and lowmaintenance. “I don’thave a favorite style,” hesays. “It really depends onthe client and the site.

“I love minimal, Asian-

inspired gardens, but Ialso melt when I see atraditional English borderwith a riot of colors. Welive in a multi-culturalsociety and my approachreflects that.”

You’ve been a residentiallandscape designer formore than 30 years. Howhave gardens changedduring that period?

There’s been a big shiftin attitudes. When I firstgot into this business, theoverall look was verymanicured and neatlyclipped. Today, however,

many people want morenaturalistic gardens withgrasses and other nativeplants.

What has stayed the same?

There are plants thatsomehow survive alltrends, such as boxwood,hydrangeas and lilacs. Icall them “grandmotherplants” because peoplehave such strongemotional reactions tothem. Just one whiff of alilac makes many peoplethink of their childhoodor their grandmother or

some other person intheir lives. I like to usethese plants for just thatreason. It makes thegarden a more emotionalplace.

Is there anything peopleoften ask for that you try todiscourage?

Acres of lawn. I have alot of clients who areformer city dwellers andthey usually start outwanting to tame everysquare inch of theirproperty. They see anatural woodland and askif I can clean it up a little

bit. This usually meanscutting most of the treesdown and planting grass.I do my best to talk themout of this for bothpractical and aestheticreasons. Lawns are veryhigh maintenance. Also,my goal is to get people toappreciate naturallandscapes.

With a new garden,how much plant material do you figure will have to be replaced within ayear?

Not that much –certainly less than 10

Meet the gardener: Michael Mushak

Page 15: Spring Lawn & Garden

The Southern Illinoisan Tuesday, March 23, 2010 Page 1155

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percent. There’s an oldsaying in the landscapebusiness that you neverput a $20 plant in a $5hole. A lot depends onsoil preparation andplanting techniques. It’slike painting a house. Ifyou do the rightpreparation, you will havea successful outcome.

How difficult issomething like a rosegarden?

My least favoritegardens are those devotedto a single plant or flowertype. A rose garden inwinter can be a pretty sadsight. That said, you cangenerally get pretty goodresults with some of thenewer varieties – likeKnock-Out – that arebred to be hardy andpest-resistant. My ownfeeling, though, is thatroses look best in mixedborders surrounded by avariety of shrubs, annualsand perennials.

What is your own garden like?

I live in an old Victorianhouse in the city with ahalf-acre yard. I’veturned part of it into atrial garden where I grownew and different plantsto see how they work inlandscape settings. But Ialso have a big wildflowermeadow that – sincewe’re on the Eastern

flyway – is always full ofinteresting birds.

Did you grow up in a house full ofgardeners?

Not really. Mygrandparents had avictory garden and thatwas about it. Still, I thinkI was a born gardener. I

placed my first seed orderwhen I was four years old.

What did you buy?My parents had a

Burpee seed catalog and Iasked them to ordermarigolds, zinnias andsunflowers. That was thebeginning. And I stillorder all three today.

MICHAEL MUSHAKKnown for creating distinctive gardens for New England’s richand famous, Michael Mushak’s work is featured regularly inThe New York Times, Architectural Digest and Country Living.

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Page 16: Spring Lawn & Garden

Page 1166 Tuesday, March 23, 2010 The Southern Illinoisan

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