around the shop

We've got lots of new treasures all over the store right now.  From apparel to summery red, white and blue prizes to our favorite everyday pieces.  Here's a little tease of all the goodness in the store at the moment...

Can't wait to see you this summer!

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Oudolf's Stachys Spires (The Battery Gardens-Part 2)

Spires of pink-purple Stachys monieri 'Hummelo' (Alpine betony).
Gardens of Remembrance at The Battery, New York, NY. June 2011

I know it, I grow it. But, exponentially increase the number of plants and the result is jaw-dropping!  Stachys monieri 'Hummelo' inspires as a major player in the mass planting at the Gardens of Remembrance within The Battery in New York City. The design is by Dutch designer Piet Outdolf.

'Hummelo' is not your ordinary stachys. The crinkled green foliage is lush and in my zone 7b garden, it never dies back completely in the winter. Like many perennials, you'll know to divide it when a shallow pit (not quite a donut hole) appears in the middle. Suitable for zones 4-9, I find this perennial likes rich, well-drained soil and mostly sun. When it needs water, the plump mounds look totally deflated. Just add water to the base. A nice size of around 18 inches high (in bloom) and 15 inches wide, makes this a suitable plant for small spaces.  Rabbits and deer have never bothered my 'Hummelo'. It make take a year or two for the perennial to begin producing the lovely purple spires.

Designer Piet Oudolf used an incredibly thick and wide mass planting of 'Hummelo' in his design. I can't begin to estimate the number of plants used in his vignette, but I think it's safe to say more than thirty!

Echinacea (coneflowers) and two colors of monarda (bee balm) are used as companions en masse to add to the breadth and depth of the garden island vignette.  Nepeta racemosa 'Walker's Low' is added for the grey foliage and lacy, hazy blue flowers. I have experience with this nepeta. Another variety in my garden, Nepeta faassenii 'Six Hills Giant' is a possible substitution. In fact, I have that nepeta grouped with my 'Hummelo', ice plant and monarda 'Blue Stocking'. But, I digress. Let's get back to The Battery Gardens.

Nepeta racemosa 'Walker's Low' provides lacy blue blooms
that fall onto the coneflowers, backed by stachys 'Hummelo'.

Two colors of monarda (bee balm) rise behind the
shorter stachys 'Hummelo'.

The big picture of the perennial vignette
with Stachys monieri 'Hummelo' at the core.

There are six echinacea (coneflower) varieties used in the Gardens of Remembrance, but select a variety that grows well in your zone to achieve a similar effect. There were no plant markers that I could locate, so I cannot say with certainty which varieties are used in the designs.

The purpurea varieties in the gardens include 'Rubinstern' (a favorite in my garden), 'Leuchstern' and the native purple coneflower. Echinacea pallida (pale coneflower) and echinacea tennesseenis are two North American natives also in use in different locations.

Of the monarda, there are seven varieties listed in The Battery Plant Database. The red one in the photos is most likely monarda didyma, perhaps a 'Jacob Cline' though it is not included in the database. I grow 'Jacob Cline' and it is a stellar performer, growing over 4 feet, but needing more moisture than the wine-red 'Raspberry Wine'.

The pale pink bee balm looks lighter than the varieties listed by the Conservancy. Perhaps it is the 'Marshall's Delight' based upon the color description.

What I like, other than the scale and simplicity of the design, is that the plant choices are easy to maintain and fairly easy to find. Stachys monieri 'Hummelo' may be the most difficult to locate, though here are some online sources (at the time of this story):

Digging Dogs Nursery(California)
High Country Gardens (New Mexico)
Bluestone Perennials(Ohio)
LazySSFarm(Virginia)

Other aspects of the gardens that I find to be positive for home gardeners—the bee balm spreads quickly to fill in large space; the purple coneflowers can be grown from seeds; the stachys and nepeta can be easily divided—making the design achievable on a small budget.

Finally, this design is attractive to humans while attracting beneficial pollinators. That's a lot of positive reasons to create your own design—inspired by Piet Oudolf.

Oudolf's Stellar Perennials (Part 3)

Words and photos by Freda Cameron, Defining Your Home, Garden and Travel. Deer and rabbit resistance varies based upon the animal population and availability of food. All company or product or patented names mentioned are registered trademarks, copyrights, or patents owned by those respective companies or persons.

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Notes from the Garden

I grow lots of my seasonal herbs and veggies from seed, which means I always have too many seedlings for the area I've reserved for them. I give some away, but there always seem to be more -- and more -- and more than I plan for.

Instead of throwing the extras on the compost pile like any reasonable person, I try to squeeze them in here and there, putting them in pots, arranging them in

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How to Make Fried Zucchini Cakes with Herbs

One of my success stories in the garden is definitely squash. When I manage to save my crop from the ravages of squash bugs, vine borers, and powdery mildew, I'm ready to celebrate. I fry the blossoms for an incredibly tasty appetizer and grate young, tender zucchini into cakes, cupcakes and wonderful fried patties that are a little like a crab cakes -- without the crab. That may sound bland,

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romantic

Hello everyone,

      Hope you all are all enjoying some beautiful summer days. Summer has finally arrived here and I am loving it! We went for a drive yesterday and passed by a road side stand selling their fresh organic strawberries so we picked up a box to enjoy-they were sweet and juicy.

 As soon as we got home I made some biscuits and whipped some cream for one of my favorite summer treats-strawberry shortcake.

Help yourself-you won't be sorry.

I had to go out to the garden to really enjoy my afternoon tea break.

While you are here have a better look at Martha's(statues name) Garden. This is probably my favorite time in this garden as the Slender Deutiza are in full bloom and it is mainly a white garden. there is the sound of the water fountain on the wall and there are a couple of birds that have built their nest in here so we are sharing the garden.

As Bernideen said in her comment yesterday- it is hard to believe there was snow not that long ago. How quickly things change!

Anyone for seconds? I think I better get Andrew to hide them from me as I think they were 'berry good'!

My sister arrives from Vancouver this weekend and lets not forget the Royals are coming on Sunday also.I have been invited to a 'Royal Tea' at a friend of a friends Monday afternoon as well. it will be fun to go to someone else's tea party. Also,I am hosting a high tea birthday party on Wednesday-so that should be fun too.

I am joining in Tablescape Tuesday at Between Naps on the Porch and Show and Tell at My Romantic Home .

Happy Canada tomorrow to all my Canadian friends!

Thank you for visiting and for all your kind words too.

Carolyn

I am getting ready for some tours this weekend so I better get busy. Before I go though I

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Things I am loving Thursdays and house updates!!

Good morning,  hope everyone is well this Thursday morning. First things first, I am excited to announce the lucky winner of the signed coffee table book, American Houses from my interview with Fairfax and Sammons yesterday. I used random.org and the lucky winner is.......

Drawing #6,677 PRIVATE

American Houses signed book 10th drawing held by The Enchanted Home Completed on Thursday, 30 June 2011 at 10:36:38 UTC 86 entrants, 1 winner

Winner (1)

 1st: sizzleandzoom

 Please contact me via email and let me know how you would like the book signed and it will be on its way to you shortly!

So.......hope everyone is well. I am feeling great and rejuvenated having  been at the beach for a few days, its been fantastic with the blessing of gorgeous weather, an endless seafood fest at every meal, plenty of alone time on the beach totally engulfed in my book and just getting away from a very frantic pace. I start as I always do with my house updates which are a little light compared to previous posts, since I haven't been home for the past few days but these were taken at the start of the week. Wishing you a wonderful day.

HOUSE UPDATES. It was so nice to go to the house to see a battalion of trucks and cars, then to walk inside and see so many men working they looked like carpenter ants milling about. Now THAT'S what I am talking about. It made me see an end to this very long process and realize despite that there is indeed a lot to still get done, we have made real progress and the end is semi near. The family room and breakfast room are near completion and then we get to begin the staining. Beams for kitchen are getting installed on Friday. Trim work continues, plaster moldings have started getting installed in living and dining rooms. Finally the limestone arrived for the covered porch and that has begun as well. So as you can see.....lots going on! I am sure by next week I will have even more to share......

Sample for living and dining of the Parquet Versailles ( a dusty sample)

Finished limestone floor for side door entry

Working on finished ceiling for inside of the porte cochere

Limestone has begun on covered porch

Wet limestone floor in the laundry room

Plaster molding has started in the dining room

Kitchen beams just about ready

.

TIME OFF AT THE BEACH. Have been at the beach for a few days of rest and relaxation. And I must say I am my calmest, most at peace and happiest when by the shore. Something about the pace, the fresh air, the gorgeous ocean as a backdrop just lights my fire. I could happily live by the beach year round and very much accustom myself to a slower and calmer pace. Here are a few highlights......

Here is my path that I walked to, to get to the beach....heaven!

Love the beach at sunset...my favorite time

My view.....not too bad!

VOLUSPA CANDLES AND PRODUCTS. Always liked their products and being the candleaholic that I am, have had my share but two of their newer fragrances, I am really loving and not only do they have the candles but room sprays (which I collect as well) and soaps...plus the packaging is so pretty its practically irresistible! Click here to see more.

FIRESIDE ANTIQUES. A favorite hobby is to look at Firesides website. This eponymous store based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana attracts visitors from all over the globe and just celebrated their 30th year!! Having family in Louisiana, they are familiar with this store and its one I hope to make a visit to myself. Their website is brimming with so many fabulous mostly European antiques.....here are a few recent beauties. Click here to visit Fireside Antiques, one of the countries largest dealers in 18th and 19th century European antiques. (and just in case you are worried, they ship EVERYWHERE)

Love these doors!!!!!! Oh how I would love to use them somewhere

Gorgeous french armoire

They also get in a lot of antique statuary

This hutch would be neat in a country feeling kitchen

A GREAT GETAWAY THAT IS "DOABLE'. Yes, I love posting about all the exotic and far away locales that we all love to swoon over. But today its all about a place that's not too far and every bit as luxurious as what I normally post about. While it may lack the ability to help you rack up the major frequent flyer miles that the other locations could, it more than compensates for in luxury. The Cloister at Sea Island in coastal Georgia has anything and everything one could ask for, from a incredible golf center, tennis pavilion, numerous pools, award winning spa, a shooting gallery,private beach, boating, horseback riding, to nature tours and cooking classes. Whew!! I am tired after saying all that. Then you throw in  five star AAA five diamond rating luxury and you have yourself one posh resort. This world class resort truly has something for everyone, have you been? Click here to find out more.

Well that's what I am loving this Thursday! How about you......anything here that appeals to you or something you want to share? Do tell and hope you have an enchanted day!!

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