Miss Rumphius' Rules » 2010

2010 Top 5 Posts–Yours!

Susan aka Miss. R — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 11:06:33 +0000

I’ve never done a “top” list before. I was interested in what everyone was here was reading so I took a look at the numbers. As a landscape designer I’m interested in trends–self generated as well as user generated. The list below is a nod to the best of list tradition–not mine–yours. Click each the first few words of each description to go to that post.

An exploration of India’s potential influence on garden styles. The Raj ruled this post.

5 things that influenced me as a landscape designer in 2010.

Ideas on color in garden design…no I wasn’t talking to myself.

Thoughts and ideas about sustainability in garden and landscape design.

A love song to the amazing architecture in Buffalo.

Monday 46 | A Year of Mondays

Susan aka Miss. R — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 12:50:56 +0000

Snow. Too much to go out into the garden where the drifts are well over three feet. My boots aren’t that tall! The photo was taken from the warmth inside to the garden through the bathroom window screen.

No. 46

In my Reader…Happy Holidays

Susan aka Miss. R — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 12:21:34 +0000

‘Twas the night before Christmas…and all through the house

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care

In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.

Happy Holidays all!

Happy Holidays…from Santa

Susan aka Miss. R — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 10:53:31 +0000

Thomas Nast drew his images of Santa Claus not far from where I live in Morristown, New Jersey more than 135 years ago. Those visions have become ours. Happy Holidays! There will be one more post, on Friday of this week, then I’m off until 2011!

Monday 45 | A Year of Mondays

Susan aka Miss. R — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 17:34:23 +0000

It was bound to happen. A new member of a carefully adamantly warned lawn and clean-up crew went nuts with his string trimmer. I didn’t catch him totally on time. I abhor string trimmers and gas powered garden tools in general. I really dislike when my instructions aren’t followed. I like the mess. I don’t want my gardens to look like a nuclear winter in winter. DAMN. At least I didn’t take it out on the foreman who apologized and reconfirmed that I didn’t want anything cut back–I can do that myself thank you very much.

No. 45

In my Reader…a winter list

Susan aka Miss. R — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 13:43:41 +0000

As a landscape designer in the northeast United States, winter is a relief. I can read for pleasure without feeling the nagging sense that I should be doing something else. Here are some of the books I want to read this winter–some work related, some not. Unlike other lists at this time of year, I haven’t read these yet…I just want to.

Patrick Dougherty’s new book Stickwork.

Stickwork

Andrew Moore‘s photo essay of Detroit. Readers here know of my interest in abandoned landscapes and industrial sites as well as what becomes of them.

Detroit Disassembled

Wendy Goodman’s book on Tony Duquette was a book to lust after, so I’m putting her latest on Gloria Vanderbilt on my list as well.

Gloria Vanderbilt

Of the many garden books offered this season, I am intrigued by two. (That doesn’t mean I won’t take the rest out of the library and give them a gander.)

Paula Deitz’s essays and books on gardens have always been high on my list.

On Gardens

And last…since I’m a self avowed tree lover and hugger, Hugh Johnson’s The World of Trees.

The World of Trees

Garden Inspiration | Garden Designers Roundtable

Susan aka Miss. R — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 15:58:12 +0000

I graze across disciplines, media and firsthand experience to feed my ever growing habit. Here are five (of the many more) ideas from the past year that have inspired me. Some have been included in previous posts, others on my FB page, and still others are new to this post. All have contributed to the whole that is my constantly evolving design aesthetic that needs feeding, feeding, feeding. After all, I’m a self proclaimed inspiration junkie omnivore.

French fashion icon Jean Paul Gaultier teamed up with green wall whiz, Patric Blanc to create a runway statement. No longer flat, the idea of designing a garden for vertical, undulating and moving surfaces intrigues me.

Fashion and garden synergy

Great and inspiring retail was the subject of a post entitled They Give Great Shop after a trip to Berkley last winter. I still find myself thinking about objects and textures I saw at Artefact.

Industrial and natural textures collide

Gardens don’t have to be a static thing or relegated to traditional containers. Taking a garden along with you rather than going to your garden is a new way of thinking for me. Here are two that inspired that idea.

Movable gardens from Urban Buds

French company Bacsac on the move

I have always loved the movies. Inception was a visual feast and made me think harder and look harder to see beyond what I think I’m really looking at. Oh, that spinning top.

Inception challenged perception

Travel feeds my inspiration appetite. The 1st was reviewed in Artiface and Artifacts. The 2nd is from a trip to Dallas. Right now I am inspired by juxtaposing traditional and contemporary with artifice and naturalistic design.

Gateways

Bosque

There is so much more…architecture, industrial design, interior design, graphic design, just about anything Dutch, plants, pop music, performing arts, museum shows, books, people, current events, pop culture…and then there’s augmented reality…but that would be a book instead of a blog post–wouldn’t it?

Want to be inspired by the other Roundtable contributors? You can pick up their links…

Andrew Keys : Garden Smackdown : Boston, MA

Carolyn Gail Choi : Sweet Home and Garden Chicago : Chicago, IL

Douglas Owens-Pike : Energyscapes : Minneapolis, MN

Ivette Soler : The Germinatrix : Los Angeles, CA

Jocelyn Chilvers : The Art Garden : Denver, CO

Lesley Hegarty & Robert Webber : Hegarty Webber Partnership : Bristol, UK

Pam Penick : Digging : Austin, TX

Rebecca Sweet : Gossip In the Garden : Los Altos, CA

Rochelle Greayer : Studio G : Boston, MA

Susan Morrison : Blue Planet Garden Blog : East Bay, CA

Monday 44 | A Year of Mondays

Susan aka Miss. R — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 15:05:09 +0000

It’s grey. It’s damp. It’s winter. It’s challenging to find something interesting going on. I’ve hit a wall of mostly sticks and stones. I suppose that’s fine since there’s so much going on at this time of the year outside of the garden…

No. 44

In my Reader…Fernando Caruncho

Susan aka Miss. R — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 12:43:02 +0000

I was reminded of Spanish landscape architect Fernando Caruncho‘s work late last spring while on a garden crawl with fellow designer Jane Derickson. Several years ago I had read and article about Caruncho’s work in New Jersey by Anne Raver in the New York Times. Before that time I hadn’t been aware of his work. I have since bought Mirrors of Paradise: The Gardens of Fernando Caruncho.

So, if you don’t know his work, here’s a short introduction. Please click the images to view the source.

Abies koreana ‘Silberlocke’

Susan aka Miss. R — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 13:59:50 +0000

If you are looking for a festive evergreen that looks like it has come pre-decorated with snow and ornaments…try Abies koreana ‘Silberlocke’ (also known as Horstmann’s Silberlocke and Silver Snow). When I first saw this small evergreen tree (15-20′ at maturity), in a conifer garden it mystified me–I didn’t know what it was and I thought it was very interesting and beautiful–it stood out among all of the other evergreens.

In high summer it looked cool as a snowy winter day. It is hardy to USDA Zone 5. Add super cool purple cones that are held upright on its irregular branching structure to the interesting curling needles with their shimmering undersides and you have a knockout small evergreen. I think it’s the perfect holiday tree for any small garden–full of structural and textural interest.

Shimmering curling needles

Ornament like cones