tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48412970495824918592024-03-05T05:54:31.419-05:00Caroline's Garden PartyMusings on home, garden, entertaining and life by Washington, DC landscape designer Caroline Cobb ErvinCaroline Cobb Ervinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16769188054549110256noreply@blogger.comBlogger58125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4841297049582491859.post-61633341746342771392014-10-08T21:36:00.000-04:002014-10-08T21:36:15.339-04:00Snippets from the Gardens of the British Embassy in Washington, DCFall is a lovely time to tour gardens. The weather is cool, the leaves are beginning to change and everything seems to be slowing down before winter.
This week, I toured the gardens of the British Embassy in Washington, DC. Originally designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, the house and grounds are magnificent.
The gate in the courtyard to enter the gardens (notice the Heuchera 'Bridal Caroline Cobb Ervinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16769188054549110256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4841297049582491859.post-46341552446700890652013-05-23T16:20:00.000-04:002013-05-23T16:20:18.511-04:00No, Colored Mulch Is Not Pretty
Nicely landscaped garden bed with awful dyed mulch - perhaps to match the bricks?
Have you seen the commercial with the Irish
man who has more time to spend with his wife because he uses dyed mulch? I have never been so disgusted by a
commercial, ever.
Here is why.
Mulch
is not a ground cover!
Here is another reason why.
Mulch should absolutely break Caroline Cobb Ervinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16769188054549110256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4841297049582491859.post-65359964934454766002013-05-17T14:39:00.000-04:002013-05-17T14:39:26.203-04:00The Cicadas Are Coming!
Cicada
Famously known as Brood II, the 17-year cicadas are due to begin emerging by the end of May. To some, witnessing this natural phenomenon is awesome; to others, menacing and grotesque.
For me, it means calls from clients wondering what to do about their recently planted gardens.
Adrian Higgins, the Washington Post's garden writer, sums it all up nicely. Not everything in Caroline Cobb Ervinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16769188054549110256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4841297049582491859.post-27560540148082318592013-03-15T22:25:00.001-04:002013-03-15T22:26:07.346-04:00What are other gardeners reading?I wonder what other gardeners and landscape designers are reading, not just for inspiration, but to gain historical perspective, or, perhaps to fall asleep? I have shelves of books about gardens, many that I've read cover-to-cover more than once, others that no longer have a spine (not unlike my old Bible), and some very pretty ones that don't do much more than collect dust.
A few Caroline Cobb Ervinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16769188054549110256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4841297049582491859.post-52230441373174764392013-03-14T18:13:00.002-04:002013-03-14T18:15:13.214-04:00Habemus flores!
Spring is almost here . . . holding my breath . . . and enjoying the early (and fragrant!) blooms of Hammamelis x intermedia 'Jelena' (Witch Hazel) and Sarcoccocoa hookeriana var. humilis (Sweetbox) in the garden.
Caroline Cobb Ervinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16769188054549110256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4841297049582491859.post-56847033107684269162012-03-08T18:06:00.000-05:002012-03-08T18:06:30.484-05:00Rare Finds
One of my favorite plant catalogs arrived in the mail today - Rare Find Nursery. With gorgeous pictures and very detailed descriptions, it's like walking through a specialty nursery right from my desk.
As one of my winter projects, I have been reworking the front entry to our home, creating two new planting areas (and of course, giving me an excuse to re-plan the rest of the front Caroline Cobb Ervinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16769188054549110256noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4841297049582491859.post-23667826866003795612012-02-29T17:27:00.000-05:002012-02-29T17:28:49.670-05:00Spring Garden Tours in Washington, DC
Each spring, I take several garden tours, not just for ideas and inspiration for my work as a garden designer, but also to enjoy the labor and love that others put into their own gardens. Last April, a friend passed along White House Garden Tour tickets (2012 dates are yet to be announced).
View across the White House Lawn to the Washington Monument
Petals of Magnolia Caroline Cobb Ervinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16769188054549110256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4841297049582491859.post-81179159160736333282012-02-29T17:12:00.000-05:002012-02-29T17:29:36.153-05:00Spills
It seems that this is the year of retaining walls. And my favorite part of designing walls, especially dry stacked fieldstone walls like this one, is the opportunity to show off plants that want to spill over them. And not just the tried and true Phlox subulata, but also Deutzia gracilis, Geranium x 'Rozanne' and Campanula garganica 'Dicken's Gold' with its striking contrast of Caroline Cobb Ervinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16769188054549110256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4841297049582491859.post-89572541934800048112012-02-24T15:22:00.000-05:002012-02-24T15:22:20.456-05:00Egotistical Gardening?
Is it too tacky to plant a cultivar that bears my name? Maybe, maybe not. But this bellflower, Campanula glomerata 'Caroline,' might be perfectly suited to my perennial border that remains damp after a good rain. Offered by Plant Delights Nursery, this "rarely-seen, mauvy pink-flowered" perennial blooms in May and June and attracts hummingbirds. It grows best in moist soils and is heat Caroline Cobb Ervinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16769188054549110256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4841297049582491859.post-59667880987845573472012-02-24T08:54:00.000-05:002012-02-29T17:30:01.041-05:00Maybe Lenten Fridays Aren't So Bad . . .
One of my "go to" sources when I'm in the mood for a taste of home - check it out - Homesick Texan.Caroline Cobb Ervinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16769188054549110256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4841297049582491859.post-29619673423563025902012-02-23T23:09:00.001-05:002012-02-23T23:54:42.588-05:00The Winter That Never WasNow in the end of February, we haven't seen snow since October. The daffodils are blooming and the tulips are up out of the ground as though it is mid-April. I'm not complaining, but I haven't had my "slow months" to catch up, plan and write. As a landscape designer, I count on the cold nasty winter days to reflect and refresh before diving into the busy spring and summer seasons. Rather than Caroline Cobb Ervinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16769188054549110256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4841297049582491859.post-82065180714097081112011-12-21T00:00:00.000-05:002011-12-21T00:00:45.082-05:00Yeah, I've Got the Christmas SpiritTomorrow's To Do List:
Early morning meeting with client to review drainage plans
Attend Christmas Show at daughter's school
Bake cookies for daughter's holiday party
Check client's garden installation progress, site new location for river birch tree
Pick up quick gift for "secret Santa" exchange at daughter's holiday party
Finish addressing, writing little personal notes, stuffing, lickingCaroline Cobb Ervinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16769188054549110256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4841297049582491859.post-53370833562460903962011-07-25T09:08:00.000-04:002011-07-25T09:08:58.021-04:00RoadkillBeing a good Texas girl, roadkill never frightens me. I've dutifully taught my kids the Roadkill Car Game (I one it, I two it, I three it, I four it, . . . I "eight" it.)
At a party recently, my friend - the host - asked, "what tree is this?" In the wee hours of the morning and after more than one glass of wine, that's not an easy question. I thought I knew, but in the dark, I couldn't see the Caroline Cobb Ervinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16769188054549110256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4841297049582491859.post-9270163212236639762011-04-28T12:23:00.000-04:002011-04-28T12:23:50.746-04:00Selecting Containers for the GardenA new client is searching for the perfect containers for her front porch and back patio. The color of the container, as well as height and construction, must be consistent with the architecture of the house and reflect the taste and style of the client.
Resin pots - small 8" square, medium 24" tall, large 30" tall
Cast concrete pots, stained brown - 24" tall and 30" tall
Glazed terraCaroline Cobb Ervinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16769188054549110256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4841297049582491859.post-36704714918859204222011-04-12T15:02:00.007-04:002011-04-12T15:10:15.693-04:00A Penny for Your . . . Tulips?While I adore the artistic nature of creating an outdoor garden with all its color and texture, I am not so adept at crafting flower arrangements. My stand-by is to buy lots and lots of the same flower and plop them in a big vase. Lazy? Perhaps. Inexperienced? Definitely so. Like anything else, the more you research, learn and practice, the better you become.
Caroline Cobb Ervinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16769188054549110256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4841297049582491859.post-44300418038249308922011-03-09T14:26:00.000-05:002011-03-09T14:26:46.718-05:00A Chocolate Garden?It's Ash Wednesday and I have, as I have since 1982, given up chocolate for Lent. Easter is late on the calendar this year, and I was just thinking about how I might be able to fulfill my cravings without actually eating chocolate.
What would be in a chocolate lover's garden? Chocolate colored plants?
Dahlia 'Karma Choc'
A nursery in Washington state, Chocolate Flower Caroline Cobb Ervinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16769188054549110256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4841297049582491859.post-88874792591077154662011-02-21T14:29:00.001-05:002011-02-21T14:30:17.339-05:00Winter ReadingIt is February and though a recent spring tease brought the crocus to life, the landscape is still drab, gray and barren. During the "off-season," I tend to re-read books and magazines for inspiration and ideas for spring and summer projects.
Most recently, I spent some time with Pamela Harper's Time-Tested Plants, a book my favorite plants professor swore was the best for learning Caroline Cobb Ervinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16769188054549110256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4841297049582491859.post-10773321224349986882011-01-20T22:58:00.003-05:002011-01-20T23:15:22.990-05:00The Girl Scout Cookie DilemmaA few years ago, our family converted from "regular" food to "all natural" food, meaning we eliminated any and all artificial dyes, artificial preservatives and artificial flavorings. It was as difficult a transition as we had anticipated and I like to believe that we are all now, and will be, healthier for the change.
Simple research into the production of artificially made ingredients Caroline Cobb Ervinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16769188054549110256noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4841297049582491859.post-8616298580161969742010-09-20T15:10:00.000-04:002010-09-20T15:10:51.151-04:00The Love/Hate Relationship ContinuesTomorrow is my garden club's "Harvest Fair." I was supposed to grow vegetables from seed, nurture them all summer, and have beautiful specimen heirloom tomatoes or butternut squash to show off and win prizes. I am not a good vegetable gardener.
Though mentally I am so "over" those hideous flowering quince, between work, vacations, school, kids and life, I still have not removed them Caroline Cobb Ervinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16769188054549110256noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4841297049582491859.post-28451796543110834022010-07-22T12:42:00.000-04:002010-07-22T12:42:39.496-04:00They Say That Breaking Up Is Hard To Do
Chaenomeles speciosa 'Texas Scarlet' in flower
I have had a long love/hate relationship with a hedge of Flowering Quince, Chaenomeles speciosa 'Texas Scarlet' shrubs.
Nearly 15 years ago, our inherited foundation plantings of azaleas sited in full, southern sun had finally cut bait. Eager, but not well-educated, I went fishing for new plants that could take Caroline Cobb Ervinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16769188054549110256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4841297049582491859.post-81294463086700284332010-07-16T13:41:00.001-04:002010-07-16T13:42:22.868-04:00Summer Blueberry CrispOur dear friends were visiting last weekend and we were hosting ten for dinner. With rainstorms threatening all afternoon, the planned grilling and dinner outdoors was not a viable option. Back to the drawing board, I crafted a summer country supper of homemade turkey meatloaf, creamy garlic mashed potatoes, roasted carrots with dill and fresh corn on the cob. Very cold Caroline Cobb Ervinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16769188054549110256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4841297049582491859.post-11874308869816014232010-07-14T12:27:00.002-04:002010-07-14T12:27:56.451-04:00Worms in a Can"It may be doubted whether there are many other animals which have played so important a part in the history of the world, as have these lowly organised creatures." Charles Darwin, The Formation of Vegetable Mould, Through the Action of Worms, With Observations on Their Habits, 1881.
A proverbial can of worms was opened for me recently, and usually, such an occurence is not a welcome thingCaroline Cobb Ervinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16769188054549110256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4841297049582491859.post-83524197810770849052010-05-30T20:10:00.001-04:002010-05-30T20:11:26.140-04:00You Say "Ahndeeve" and I Say "Indive"I've never been a fan of the pretentious endive, with its bitter taste and difficult pronunciation. No matter how I try, I never seem to say the word correctly. Picking it out of fancy salads, no way would I ever prepare endive and serve it to my friends.
Until last week.
With the tart endive, tangy cheese and sweet caramelized pears, this salad is scrumptious and gorgeous (butCaroline Cobb Ervinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16769188054549110256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4841297049582491859.post-15401327381313428522010-02-10T23:37:00.001-05:002010-07-22T12:53:53.184-04:00The Perfect Ginger CookieThough not a lifelong quest, I do love a good ginger cookie that isn't too sweet, or too heavily gingered, or overly gooey or excessively crunchy. A friend shared a dairy-free version the other evening after dinner. Even knowing what these morsels didn't contain, I still devored more than one as if they were the last cookies on the planet. Yet, still not quite perfect.Caroline Cobb Ervinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16769188054549110256noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4841297049582491859.post-75481892663588708692010-02-06T15:44:00.001-05:002010-02-06T15:44:50.378-05:00A Chowder Kind of DayWhat is there to do with more than 2 feet of snow on the ground? Cook! And nothing is better than a warm bowl of corn and chicken chowder on a cold snowy day. I wholeheartedly trust any of Ina Garten's recipes - and this one is one of the best. I will note that fresh summer corn gives it a much sweeter taste, but in the dead of winter, frozen corn is just fine.
As adaptedCaroline Cobb Ervinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16769188054549110256noreply@blogger.com2