Miss Rumphius' Rules » 2010 » September

Mobile Gardens

Susan aka Miss. R — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 10:57:00 +0000

With the fall planting season in full swing here, I thought I’d share this uber-cool idea from Dutch based Italian industrial designer Gionata Gatto. Called Urban Buds, the project should still be on view at Sotheby’s in London where it’s been on display and working since May. Each movable, self contained garden unit has wheels and can be planted up in a very limited space making it perfect for courtyards, balconies or even a back alley.

Here are the original sketches (click to enlarge) via his studio website–

And here’s two actual mobile gardens. I think they’re great…I might even take up vegetable gardening again.

Monday 31 | A Year of Mondays

Susan aka Miss. R — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 12:27:21 +0000

The season of golden light has started. Long and low I find it to be the most magical time of year. Spring is a frenzy, fall is slower–more contemplative. Trained by years of school starts, it is also a time of possibility–what will I learn and where will it take me?

No. 31

In my Reader…Slow Love Life

Susan aka Miss. R — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 11:27:08 +0000

So many magazines that have disappeared in the past few years. One of the ones I miss the most is House and Garden. Dominique Browning was its editor from 2002 until 2007 when it was shuttered. Her wonderful blog Slow Love Life is worth the read. It’s a personal journal of savoring life and slowing down enough to enjoy and rediscover the things she likes, does and experiences. There are thoughtful and intimate remembrances and ideas, beautiful images, and even recipes. I like the sheer joy (and sometimes sadness) of it. Try it and see if you do too.

Some links to recent posts with an image from that post…

Floating Meditation

Farmer’s Market

Paradise Found: LongHouse Reserve

Goodbye Children

So on this last official weekend of the summer I think I’ll try and capture some of my own slow love life. Enjoy!

Horticulture’s Newest Contributing Editor…

Susan aka Miss. R — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 10:55:15 +0000

I have a new gig–Contributing Editor for Horticulture magazine. This doesn’t mean I’m going to stop designing gardens and landscapes, it just means that along with fellow APLD landscape designer Rebecca Sweet, I’ll be writing about design for this great American publication. Did you know it’s been in publication for well over 100 years and has recently embraced the 21st century with a vengeance via great blogs like Kiss My Aster from garden designer diva, Amanda Thompson, and with topics like the iPhone app review of Gardenista by Dee Nash, a gardener and writer whose Red Dirt Ramblings is one of my favs.

Horticulture Magazine (cover chosen at random)

Beginning with the February/March 2011 issue, I will be writing a new monthly column titled ‘Design Perspectives’ as the east coast based designer..Rebecca is the west coast designer. We will be writing about garden design, plants and other topics from a landscape and garden design point of view. I hope you’ll take the time to read it there and let us know what you think.