Rejuvenation

I love this exterior Titan door set from www.rejuvenation.com. It would look great paired with a house that had clean,sleek lines.
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Celebrity Urns Part Two

Continuing on from my last post, here are additional inspirations for Winter urns. The first photo was taken on the Upper East Side- I love the multiple pots, the varying sizes are interesting and the theme is kept by using the same color of vessel. The second features a fun faux installation taken across from the old Calypso Shop in Manhattan. The varying textures were great. Swifty's (third photo) was very understated and good for a side entrance of a home. A hotel in midtown (fourth photo) relied on a cone shaped evergreen- I loved the scale and the combination of a grey pot with all green planting. Personally, I loved the fake boxwood installation best!
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Celebrity Urns Part One

Urns are on everyone's mind whenever there is a change in season. Fall is here and most stoops are being tricked out with tacky Halloween fare. Come November, the cornucopia of seasonal trimmings; husks, hay and mums become passe. I thought that we could all use a little inspiration for our post Halloween planters with a photo tour of iconic urns. The first was taken outside of Eataly in NYC, then onto Charlotte Moss' shop on the Upper East Side. The following 2 were taken at the Plaza Hotel and the last was taken in Canada outside Farrow and Ball. Note the individual containers and the proportion of the plantings. Think about what containers you will be using and scale accordingly. My fav was Charlotte Moss'- I love the planter and simple box.
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Beer Garden

The Beer Garden at the Standard Hotel is a must see in New York City. It fills a small parcel of leftover space just under the High Line. Impeccably designed, it offers a small bar, food service, ping pong tables, communal tables and a covered barn style eating area. I loved how the vertical steel members were painted freshly black and then planted with ferns. The outdoor lighting reminded me of Urban Electric models as they were industrial appropriate and shined a dated yellow haze. Seating areas were hemmed in with gritty urban steel planters and planted with selections you might see above on the High Line. Recycled railway ties are now planters containing a palette of simple box. A great specimen of positive open space, long on funky, I would definitely recommend a visit.
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Pot Perfection

Ben Wolff throws the most beautiful black or white clay pots. Their clean lines and simplicity allow them to highlight any plant and blend easily into virtually any environment. Beautility

The Blues

This sign made me laugh until I realized that apparently, Summer is almost over. This Fall, instead of using traditional orange pumpkins to dress up your front steps, consider subdued members of it's extended family. At my front door, I'm going to use colossal blue Australian pumpkins propped simply in black cast iron urns. Classic and clean, easy and my kids will love it!



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Boatanical Field Trip

Every year I make a point of scheduling my favorite adventure in New York City. Located in Central Park, the Loeb Boathouse has ONE authentic gondola available for rent in half hour segments. It is a must. Andres, the gondolier paddles you past Bathesda Fountain (the center point of NYC), under bridges and out to the open waters parallel to the Museum of Natural History and the Upper West Side's splendor. Frederick Law Olmsted's landscape plan envelopes you as you take in the Park from a vantage point you have never seen. Surprisingly, it is ridiculously inexpensive and each party I have taken along (husband, friends and children) have considered me God for at least a day afterward. Call up the Boathouse and make a reservation, bring a bottle of wine and I guarantee you won't be disappointed 212.517.2233.



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The Home Within Us

A wonderful client of mine first turned me on to the work of her architect, Bobby McAlpine. Her beautiful home is just breathtaking and I feel my garden presence there is just gild on the lily. McAlpine's work is stunning.
Ironically, it was another client that introduced me to McAlpine's Rizzoli International coffee table book titled "The Home Within Us". I began to sense a trend and bought the book on the spot. Yes, it was a collection of fabulous photographs but, as I was warned, the text was so rich and insightful (which is not always the case with coffee table books). I loved his pendulum effect and the inspiration he evoked. Even if you are not an architect, there is so much to take away from it. A great idea for your next hostess gift.



Clearly, I especially loved this clever interpretation that was featured in House Beautiful Magazine.

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Roa Rocks

I first stumbled upon Roa's work when I was googling "graffiti artists" for a client. I think his work is stunning and clever. This Belgian street artist usually uses derelect planes in overlooked urban environments as his canvas- brilliant!




Growing up in the 80's, his inspiration comes from The Beastie Boys/Hendrix mixed with Charles Darwin's "The Origin of Species". A curious recipe but it works!


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Elle Decor

I saw these great looking Restoration Hardware wingback chairs in this month's Elle Decor Magazine and wanted to share. Made of teak, they are outdoor friendly and look super comfortable. If you are looking to spruce up your patio, they would be perfectly paired with a couch and coffee table. Place a cozy throw on the back for crisp Fall nights and enjoy the garden at sunset.
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Fall Trend For Spring

Every Spring and Fall I send out 50 small boxes filled with delicious candy and bulbs/seeds to each of my friends. So often, I am asked when to plant bulbs and I found that this is a fun reminder to all (as I am the only dork that has it on her calendar)!Each parcel features care instructions as follows:




What I'm Planting Now: A pure palette of all white tulips creates a stunning, crisp and sophisticated focal point in any garden.
Purchase: Bulbs can be found during September in many nurseries although; I find the best value is found at Home Depot.
Planning and Planting: Take candy outside and munch as you contemplate an area of your yard that could use some excitement in the Spring. Come Fall, place bulb in a hole about 6” deep with pointed end up and cover with soil and water. For multiples (highly suggested), plant 4” apart.
Tips: Where possible plant in a deer-free area and think about adding limelight hydrangeas and white eremurus or digitalis to your updated cutting garden.
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Novogratz Please

Lastnight I was looking for a show to watch and came across "Home by Novogratz" on HGTV. Wow! A fun couple that run an interior design firm in NYC and have 7 kids in tow. How many parents do you know that have a glitter artist named Camomile in their contacts list? Check out their website- I loved their home in Trancoso Brasil, their Stark paints, mudroom (for 7) and the pool area in the Great Barrington project. Find them at www.thenovogratz.com and enjoy! Ya Dig?

Gwyneth's Garden Goop

Gwyneth Paltrow has a great blog called "goop". She references her travels, ideas and inspirations. Her latest is a catalogue of her recent trip to Venice for the Film Festival. Complete with tastings along the way, it's fabulous. Check out the Pasta al Pomodoro recipe from Hotel Cipriani- basil is in season...harvest from your garden and enjoy! Ya dig?

Hotel Cipriani
Hotel Cipriani & Palazzo Vendramin,
Giudecca 10,
30133 Venice
+39 (041) 520 7744


Recipes:From the Hotel Cipriani:
Pasta al Pomodoro
Ingredients:


2 lbs mix of regular and cherry tomatoes peeled and roughly chopped. Make sure the tomatoes are as ripe as possible.
2 white onions finely chopped
1 peeled garlic clove
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp fresh unsalted butter
De Cecco Spaghetti
Parmigiano Reggiano
Salt and pepper to taste
Basil

Heat the oil in a casserole dish, add the garlic and brown slightly. When the garlic is golden remove it from the oil
When the tomatoes are cooked, beat with a whisk in order to refine the tomato sauce, adjust the taste and keep warm.

Cook the pasta “al dente” in a large pot of salted water, then drain it and add it to the tomato sauce. Add basil leaves torn by hand, a knob of fresh butter, and a generous sprinkling of grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Stir thoroughly and serve immediately, steaming hot.

Moss Garden

With a name like Moss you knew that Kate's wedding (featured in this month's Vogue Magazine)was going to be sensational. The photo shoot featured her beautiful gown, food service and A-list guests. All truly intriguing but what caught my eye was the sensational flower border lining the church where the couple tied the knot. Thickly planted white delphiniums, scabious and daisy were employed to give this effect.





To achieve this look for yourself:
-Rely on all white plantings with subtle hits of light green
-Use plantings that thrive in your plant zone
-Don't be afraid to add your own...ladies mantle, allium, hosta or french tulips
-Think about adding some coniferous plantings to provide structure to the garden off season. I'm thinking a small sequence of box.
-Finally, try to stick with perennials

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DecorVert

In design, I love blurring the line between indoors and out. Here are a couple of ideas to infuse your home with garden inspired delights. This livingroom relies on fresh cuttings stacked on garden books, stone garden statuary, vintage fence tops and rod iron light fixtures to achieve this idea. Ya Dig?