Evil, Frivolous Gardener!!!

!-- --> This is the dominant native plant community in Southern California. It is beautiful, but it is not a garden. I am ruining the world. Because I like pretty plants. Because I practice the dubious art of ornamental gardening. Yes I admit it. I have planted non-native exotic species in my garden. I have planted them in gardens of others. I am one of those thoughtless, arrogant gardeners who have a palette that includes plants other than those...

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The Pentagons Memorial Landscape

!-- --> I recently ventured to Virginia to a place Id never been before the Pentagon Memorial to the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attack. Its design by two young architects had been selected in a heated international competition by a group that included family members of the victims, as well as design professionals, and its a complicated one: a grove of trees and memorial units composed of a glowing light pool and bench-like marker inscribed...

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Rant on the Road: San Francisco Conservatory of Flowers

!-- --> Here I am with some celery. Also, an amazing event is about to take place at the Conservatory of Flowers on Thursday, Oct 3 and you should totally come join us. First, theres an exclusive Conservatory tour with cocktails happening at 6 PM, limited to only 20 people. It includes fabulous cocktails created by Amanda Victoria of Lillet and Mark Stoddard of Hendricks Gin. Well look at all the plants growing in the Conservatory that have been...

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Video shows the Gardens of Greenbelt, Maryland in 39 and 13

!-- --> Put something online; you never know where itll lead. In this case, a reader of this very blog discovered the Less Lawn, More Life garden tour I organized in Greenbelt, Maryland, where our reader once lived. So she attended and created this fabulous video of the tour! It includes short clips of Greenbelt gardens in 1939, soon after the town was built by the Roosevelt administration, followed by scenes from the tour. Not only is this a...

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More than just seed porn

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On the importance of James van Sweden to the Ecological Movement in American Gardening

!-- --> Seen at van Swedens Eastern Shore home. Adrian Higgins perfectly captures how radical a change Jim van Swedens New American Garden was when he and Wolfgang Oehme introduced grasses and perennials in the 70s. The whole obituary is a fascinating read. Via: On the importance of James van Sweden to the Ecological Movement in American Gardening ...

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A Tale of Two Gardens

!-- --> City Garden I have two gardens and can barely keep up with one. The first garden is in Louisville, where Rose and I have lived for 18 years. Its on a one-third acre city lot, down the street from the Olmsted-designed Cherokee Park. Its planted with perennials, trees, shrubs, and a few annuals and features a scree garden with cacti, alpine and rock plants. Rose and I do almost all of the work. Together we maintain a His and Hers garden...

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The Queen of Green? You be the Judge

!-- --> Cheap-shot alert! Because yes, were all sent cheesey emails from publicists that could be posted here for a laugh. So we resist-resist-resist until along comes one that makes me say HOLD ON, I cant stand it any longer; this one MUST BE MOCKED. Ill used italics to highlight the most ironic and ridiculous bits. Hello Susan, Looking for a true champion in going green? My client, celebrity landscape architect Ghada Dergham, knows the way...

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Could the bulb campaigns be paying off?

!-- --> Bulb image courtesy of Shutterstock Shortly after mocking this marketing effort, I heard via email from some industry insiders that the big bulb houses were desperatebulb sales had slumped along with all else gardening during the housing meltdown, but (unlike vegetable seeds, for instance) they never rebounded. I was also informed that the big box practice of paying only for the bulbs they actually sold was keeping bulb vendors underwater....

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Elizabeth Gilberts Novel of Botanical Exploration

!-- --> When I ran into Elizabeth Gilbert, author of the megahit Eat, Pray, Love and five other books, at a party earlier this year, she wanted to talk about only one thing: botany. Her new novel, The Signature of All Things, was working its way to publication and I could tell that she was still deeply engaged in the world of nineteenth-century botanical exploration in which the book is set. The novel spans the life of Alma Whittaker, born in...

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The Shutdown Hits Home

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Rant on the Road: Livermore, Denver

!-- --> Hey people! Ill be in Livermore, CA, and then in Denver for a bunch of events, including a garden-to-glass workshop for gardeners, bartenders, and anyone with their loyalties in both camps. Hope to see you there. Lots more events to comeheres the whole list. October 08 2013 07:30 PM Rae Dorough Speakers Series, Livermore, CA The Drunken Botanist. Bankhead Theater, 2400 First Street, Livermore, CA. October 09 2013 06:00 PM Denver Botanic...

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Fall out

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Help make the Arboretum Lawn Education Program a Good One!

!-- --> Readers may remember this post announcing a forthcoming lawn education program at the National Arboretum financed entirely by the turf industry. (Scroll down here to see the funders). Well, its now a reality, with the official ground-breaking event last week, and Im more concerned than ever. Though Im a big fan of the Arboretum (I even volunteer there) and they need financial support from somewhere, I think its important to nudge them...

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Rant on the Road: Denver, DC

!-- --> Im in Denver now and heading to DC next week. If youre in the area, drop by! There might even be a drink in it for you. Full list of upcoming events here. October 09 2013 06:00 PM Denver Botanic Gardens, Denver, CO Drunken Botanist lecture October 10 2013 06:00 PM The Bookworm, Edwards, CO The Drunken Botanist. Stay tuned for details. October 11 2013 09:00 AM Denver Botanic Gardens, Denver, CO Drunken Botanist hands-on garden-to-glass workshop October 15 2013 06:30 PM United States Botanic Garden, Washington, DC The Drunken Botanist...

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One Bright Spot in Shutdown for a Family Nursery

!-- --> Here in Shutdown Central, ground zero for political craziness (the D.C. metro area, of course), everyone is either a federal employee or knows lots of them, all of whom now know that theyll eventually be paid for time off during the Shutdown. But how about government contractors and people dependent on government workers showing up for work like nearby eateries? Theyll never be compensated for lost income during the Shutdown. As a long-time...

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No poo for you, organic farmers!

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