We are what we eat, right? What we wear says a lot about us, doesn’t it? Basically, everything we put out into the world says something about who we are, and people are reading those cues all of the time. So during this holiday season, I did a thing that says something about who I […]
Read more in: But is it Art?, CRRRITIC
Ridding an ecosystem of invasive plants is never easy. We can bring in goats to munch on offending plants or force armies of schoolchildren into slave. […]
Grand Army Plaza, Brooklyn. Sources from top left: s p1te; DS.JPG; wirednewyork & ennead architects; Poulin + Morris; Prospect Park Alliance.Conceptua. […]
One of the most obvious impacts of this winter’s winter is rapidly becoming apparent in Michigan and other parts of the Midwest: winter burn on coni. […]
A lot of us gardening addicts think we live in our own little particularized universe, isolated by our allegiance to perennials, seeds, bulbs, vines, compost, mulch, pruners, trowels, and topsoil. Nobody we know cares about gardening as much as we do. I know I feel that way. That’s why,...
Read more in: But is it Art?
I recently ventured to Virginia to a place I’d 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...
Read more in: But is it Art?
Not the kind that goes on your finger. We’re talking boulders here, folks. Specifically, one large boulder in the middle of a lawn. What’s up with that? What statement is it making? Is it being displayed as a natural sculpture? Is it being used to add a little textural...
Read more in: But is it Art?, CRRRITIC
This is the time when the newly emerged hostas look their freshest (“June Frost,” below)—no slug damage, leaves torn by the sprinkler, or other signs of wear yet. It’s also the weekend of our annual art festival, which brings “sunshine artists” from far and wide into my neighborhood. You’d...
Read more in: But is it Art?
Thanks once again to my Hollywood brother for this one, who actually managed to cast an actor to do most of the heavy lifting.
Read more in: Books, But is it Art?
At first I wasn’t sure that showing the paintings of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera together, along with all the biographical drama that comes with that, was such a great idea. I’m somewhat of a purist when it comes to looking at art—I want to be able to assess...
Read more in: But is it Art?
Walking through an exhibit made to look like an old house filled with the characters and stories and artifacts from a book I wrote…that is a weird experience. And I realize that it sounds like shameless self-promotion to talk about it, but–it must be talked about. It’s happening at...
Read more in: But is it Art?As long as we're talking about booze today, here's a strange and marvelous thing: the people at Hendrick's Gin are injecting their usual madcap absurdity into London Cocktail Week, an event it pains me greatly to miss. Anyway, they've created an Umbrella Emporium to pay tribute to the cocktail...
Read more in: But is it Art?, Garden Rant Cocktail HourNow that the book tour madness has settled down a bit, I'm hoping I'll get to pick up my paintbrush more often. I always paint small–it's all I have time for–and the most expedient way to move them out of my attic and on to someone ele's wall seems...
Read more in: But is it Art?How cool and interesting and weird is this? Here's what I know about it: The Crocker Art Museum will open the world’s first photosynthetic restaurant this spring. Conceptual artist Jonathon Keats has developed a gourmet cuisine for flora by filtering and mixing different wavelengths of sunlight. Keats’ installation will...
Read more in: But is it Art?Sculpture by Tess Dalhgren PHOTO BY DEREK LACTAOEN That's what happened at Humboldt State University, home to the largest undergraduate botany program in the country. The sculpture was placed in the greenhouse as part of a campus-wide sculpture walk designed to display student art at 60 different locations around...
Read more in: But is it Art?I've been a fan of Andie Thram's beautiful and mysterious paintings of forests for years. She goes out into the forest to paint (and leads groups of students on outdoor art excursions a few times a year), and her work is dark and exquisite and magical and whimsical all...
Read more in: But is it Art?“It’s only very partially an object. It’s mostly a verb.” That’s how Paula Hayes defines a terrarium, as you’ll see and hear in the video above. Hayes is known for a variety of botanical art endeavors, including landscapes and living sculptures that can take the form of necklaces, planters,...
Read more in: But is it Art?As promised, here's a round-up of some of the very cool things you people make and sell and would like to share right now, during the holiday shopping frenzy. You are all so clever and creative that we just can't stand it. While self-promotion can be a little weird,...
Read more in: But is it Art?, Taking Your Gardening DollarSo there's been a discussion on Facebook with a certain artistic garden writer about how she really must make her beautiful artwork available for sale as holiday cards. She's promised us that she will, and that got me thinking: Who else makes cool stuff that holiday shoppers might want...
Read more in: But is it Art?, Taking Your Gardening DollarEverybody's got a fancy camera. But we still take shitty pictures of the garden. I'm not talking about those beguiling close-ups of the dew on a rose that we can all grab with our macro lenses. And I'm not talking about decent, straightforward, representational photos of beautiful places. I'm...
Read more in: But is it Art?Oh, I suppose it is possible to go too far with this stuff. Though an element of awe creeps in when the idea is taken to its limits. Our guest ranter inspired me to once again post my very favorite gnome image (above, from the Motherland—Dunster, GB), as well...
Read more in: But is it Art?Browsing the LATimes yesterday, I found Deborah Netburn’s article on Botanical Serigraphs: The Gene Bauer Collection. Gene Bauer is a California gardener and naturalist who planted almost a million daffodil bulbs behind her property and was the native flora chairwoman of California Garden Clubs, Inc. during the 70s. As chair, her...
Read more in: But is it Art?, Unusually Clever PeopleVia a site you are all probably familiar with, Icanhazcheezburger. I have always longed for a toad and maybe a couple of newts for my pond area, but they don't seem to hang out here naturally, and if I bought them from the pet store, then I would have...
Read more in: But is it Art?
Commented on Contrasting Front Yards: Turf Only v. Wildlife-Filled { Wow I really need to get more into that video maker, I guess your referring to the free one that comes with windows. I have... } – Apr 24, 5:08 PM
Commented on The L word { Love that "mow whatever grows" phrase! That's what we have. So far lawn man, aka spouse, has done nothing this season. Whereas crazy garden lady... } – Apr 24, 3:05 PM
Commented on Death Valley Days and the Discovery of Two New Plant Species { Joe, we've always got some beer on ice. } – Apr 24, 8:44 AM
Commented on Death Valley Days and the Discovery of Two New Plant Species { Great post, Allen! You are my kind of Indiana Jones: adventurous, literate, and plant-geeky. I'm crazy about Eschscholzia! } – Apr 24, 7:34 AM
Commented on Death Valley Days and the Discovery of Two New Plant Species { Stunning pictures! Makes me think I went on a trip without leaving my computer. (and sometimes those are fun too =) } – Apr 24, 7:25 AM
Commented on Death Valley Days and the Discovery of Two New Plant Species { Might a mere mortal, though a bit taxonomically challenged, still sufficiently long in the tooth and every bit as appreciative of good (or cheap) beer,... } – Apr 24, 1:59 AMWe are:
perfect
magazine
gardens.
Gardening
our
asses
off.
Having a
hell of a lot
of fun.
