An Ode to four leaf clovers

Posted by Stacey Hirvela

From the time that I was a little girl, I've hunted for four leaf clovers. It's something I really enjoy doing and I have found oodles of them over the years. Two of them were even five leafs - this one I found at Mount Stewart Garden in Northern Ireland:

I don't know if it means I'm lucky so much as observant...whatever the case, the sight of a lush patch of white clover (Trifolium repens) always gives me a little thrill. Many organic gardeners choose to leave white clover in their lawn as it stays a lush green all season long, its flowers attract honeybees, and the roots fix nitrogen in the soil. Plus, they get their very own clover huntin' grounds!

Go celebrate Saint Patrick's Day by combing over your local clover patch. Come back here and let me know if you find any!

Extreme interiorscaping at the Ford Foundation

Posted by Stacey Hirvela

Most people think that New York City is devoid of greenery, aside from its famous parks. The truth is that there are many hidden parks, public spaces, and indoor gardens that come as a delightful surprise, especially in dreary February. During my lunch hour today, I went over to the headquarters of the Ford Foundation, a famously innovative building that incorporates a garden into its architecture. All of the offices face a large interior open space, landscaped with tropical plants:

Wouldn't you love to have one of those offices? This building still feels contemporary and exciting, even though it was built in 1967. All the upper floors look down on the canopy of tropical plants. Many of them you'd recognize as common houseplants, just much larger - some of them wouldn't tolerate typical household environments at all.

This Calliandra is covered in cheery red blooms:

 

Schefflera arboricola is a common houseplant, but I've never seen a cultivar with such unusual variegation:

Dracaena, calathea, and Norfolk Island pine:

 

Located on East 43rd Street, between First and Second Avenues, The Ford Foundation garden is open to the public weekdays from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. If you are in New York City, or planning a visit, do stop by. It's a lovely place for a little rest, and while not as good as a real vacation, you will leave feeling refreshed and happy.

Turning Grass into a Flower Bed

Posted by Dionne Victor

On Tuesday's "Homegrown," a caller queried the guys on how to convert a grassy area in her yard into a flower bed. The catch is that she wanted to make sure the method she used was environmentally sound. There are a couple of methods out there, but Andrew and Tony told her about their tried and true method for making new garden beds out of lawn.

Here's what you need to get started: cardboard and enough mulch to cover the area.

image

And here's what you do:

First mow the grass down low. Place one layer of wet cardboard atop the grass and layer this with mulch.  Doing this smothers the grass, though at times, some grass may grow up through the cardboard.  In drier climates, like Wyoming, where the listener was from, it may be necessary to
put down an extra thick layer of mulch.

This method is good for a few reasons:

It's easy to do! Wetting the cardboard speeds up decomposition of the turf.  Eventually, the cardboard and grass become part of the mulched bed and you can cut right through the cardboard to plant.

It's pretty hands-off!  It's a continual process, that can take several months, but once the initial elements are  down it doesn't require any digging.

It's organic! You don't have to worry about the newspaper ink being an environmental hazard, as these days most inks used by newspapers are soy-based and earth friendly, rather than petroleum-based.

If you don’t have a supply of cardboard, you can use newspaper. In this case, you want the layer to be thick, so try laying down 10 newspaper sheets in the same manner as the cardboard, followed by mulch.  The mulch  helps ensure that the newspaper doesn't blow away, so be sure to lay down a good, thick layer.

A Blooming Good Time

Posted by Dionne Victor

It's the season for flower shows, a time where you can get out of the cold weather, and most importantly a great time to get inspiration and revel in the beauty of all things floral. The season started with the Southeastern Flower Show in Atlanta, which ended Sunday but there are many more still to come.  But before you go, here's a couple of things you should bring to make the most of your trip:

 

Southeastern Flower Show 2008 Flowerbed- flickr

- Bring a shopping bag.  You get so many fliers, brochures and catalogs that you can be laden down with paperwork, sometimes before you can get a complimentary tote.  A shopping bag will make it a bit easier for you to manage.

- Wear comfy shoes.  You'll have a lot of space to cover, and you don't want to miss out on a gem because your feet are aching.

- Bundle up, especially if you put your coat in coat check.  The convention centers where flower shows are held are usually on the chilly side to preserve the plants, so make sure to wear a sweater or have a shawl.

-  Don't forget your camera.  There's so much inspiration to be had, so you don't want to miss it. 

Here's a few of the larger flower shows to whet your appetite:

Belgard Chicagoland Flower and Garden Show March 1 to March 15, at the Navy Pier, is back after a two-year Chicago absence.

The Philadelphia Flower Show from March 1 to March 8 in Philadelphia, PA will take place at the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society.

Flower Show Season