EPA Exhibit
He is here to bring the message to the home gardener that ONE CAN HAVE A BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPE AND STILL DO IT IN AN ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY MANNER. They like to show visitors that they can reduce their needs on pesticides, herbicides and different chemicals that just end up running off and into the waterways. Jeff has a relatively small display to show what can be done in a small space and be environmentally friendly. An urban gardener could have, for instance, a courtyard with their condo.
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Good Sense Gardening Practices
COMPOSTING, COLLECTING AND HARVESTING RAINWATER IN A RAIN BARREL ARE SEVERAL EXAMPLES OF SENSIBLE GARDENING. BUT THERE IS MORE we can do in our gardens to be environmentally friendly.
Article
Video
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Green Roof
MARY HAS AN INTERESTING DISPLAY THAT UTILIZES A GREEN ROOF. The green roof isn't a new idea but one that's gaining a lot of attention. It is beautiful, much prettier than a plain ugly roof but it also has environmental benefits. It helps reduce ones environmental footprint. This is something typically applied commercially but here she's talking about it for the homestead gardener. Try it on a garden shed or a gazebo, it doesn't need to be city hall. Not only is it beautiful but it absorbs Co2. Having living plants on ones roof reduces the heat island effect but it also reduces the noise effect and storm water runoff effect. With the old, traditional method water comes from the sky, goes right to the ground where it often becomes a river on asphalt. This way the plants retain water and that is one reason this provides a cooling effect. And it just doesn't cool the air above the plants but it also cools the inside of your house. Studies show the savings can be as much as 25% of overall energy consumption inside the home.
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Inside-Out
FROM GREEN ROOF TO OVER THE TOP WITH GARDEN DESIGN AND INSPIRATION. If looking for color Jamie Rothstein's Floral Design booth gives that in spades. Jamie welcomes Joe. Jamie tells Joe how her design ideas come together, it's an evolution. She starts with a concept then goes with it. Here she knew she wanted to do an interior space and an exterior space. Hence her design - Inside Out. The inside room is a re-creation of a beautiful mansion in New Orleans, the exterior is the garden. Starting on the inside. Period mansions had lots of stuff going on, pattern and different styles of furniture and all sorts of outrageous things. She's designed this as dinner party set in an opulent environment. Color is key in Jamie's world. She likes to use colors that vibrate well.
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Central Feature Phily Flower Show
Joe next meets Bob Lamsback of Lamsback Floral Decorators. BOB HAS THE HONOR OF BEING THE CENTRAL FEATURE OF THIS YEARS PHILADELPHIA FLOWER SHOW. That's a big deal and a great honor. His is the first display one sees when entering the show. The display is over 6,000 square feet and has many different rooms and looks. He was allowed to do what he wanted and did. He wanted to emphasize different colors and different shapes. He wanted to design something that was more of a modern art piece, something one would see in a museum.
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LINKS:
The Inn at Montchanin Village, Wilmington, Delaware
The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society and The Philadelphia Flower Show
Philadelphia Green
EPA Exhibit
Greensgrow Farms
Jamie Rothstein Floral Design
Lamsback Floral Decorators
Garden Smart Plant List
Complete transcript of the show.
One of the most inspiring places for gardening ideas is the Philadelphia Flower Show. The Show typically attracts a quarter of a million people over nine days, is a great time and has a long tradition of welcoming spring. It's a rite of spring for Philadelphia and the region. One reason is this time of year one wouldn't normally find a lot in bloom. It's cold outside in Philadelphia yet inside everything is in bloom. That's because these plants are forced in greenhouses to produce spectacular blooms and foliage.
The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) produces the Philadelphia Flower Show and they work with area landscapers, garden clubs and volunteers to put on a spectacle for everyone to see. The Philadelphia Flower Show is the largest indoor horticultural display in the world. PHS has been producing the show since 1829, the first year the Poinsettia was introduced to the U.S.
Joe meets with Blaine Bonham, Executive Vice President of PHS. Blaine is wearing beads because they represent New Orleans and all the vibrancy and excitement associated with that city. The theme this year is Jazz It Up. They have flowers, plants, some balconies and all the exciting things associated with New Orleans.
PHS is a non profit organization. But they do make in excess of revenue over expenses on this show. The revenue from this show then goes into Philadelphia Green. Philadelphia Green is PHS's outreach program and the largest urban greening program in the country. They work with neighborhood people, civic groups, businesses, as well as state and local government to make Philadelphia a beautiful place. They green up neighborhoods and the downtown and in the process change the way people think and feel about their city. And it puts a focus on greener and cleaner in an urban environment. One of the things that's characteristic of Philadelphia is that there is a lot of vacant land. To date they've greened up 6 million square feet of vacant land, leaving behind beautiful areas with lawns, trees and fences. This renovation then begins to change how people feel about where they live and lets investors see what the potential is for redeveloping these neighborhoods.
There is a lot to see so Joe is on his way. A lot is over the top but Joe first meets an environmental scientist, Jeff Lapp. He is here to bring the message to the home gardener that ONE CAN HAVE A BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPE AND STILL DO IT IN AN ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY MANNER. They like to show visitors that they can reduce their needs on pesticides, herbicides and different chemicals that just end up running off and into the waterways. Jeff has a relatively small display to show what can be done in a small space and be environmentally friendly. An urban gardener could have, for instance, a courtyard with their condo. Jeff shows Joe something called Nomoturf. It is a fairly new product and a mixture of various grass species. It only grows to 4 to 6 inches high. The benefit for the homeowner is that they're not constantly having to mow their grass and apply chemicals to make it look good. The environment benefits because it only needs mowing once or twice a year thus creating fewer harmful emissions and less chemicals are going into the environment.
Jeff has used a lot of native plants as well. And for much the same reason - less maintenance, less maintenance equipment or chemicals required for care. Joe likes the plant selections, he feels that they are jazzing up the environment. Exbury Azaleas are an example. It is environmentally friendly and beneficial. Natives work well because they sort of grew up in the area. They're accustomed to the hotter summers, wet winters and once established require less maintenance from a pest perspective, a watering side and from a fertilization side. One can still have a beautiful garden yet reduce dependency on all the chemicals normally associated with exotic species. The natives also are important because they are habitats for a lot of the beneficial insects and birds that are indigenous to the area.
Jeff tries to promote Integrated Pest Management. That is simply trying to let the good bugs eat the bad bugs thus not using sprays and those type things. A lot of bugs live off native plants because that's where they breed, lay their eggs, thus they grow up there. Many things we consider beautiful, like butterflies and moths, live on these type plants and need these plants in order to have larval stages and eventually hatch. Chemical sprays have a negative effect on that.
The native Azalea and the Rhododendron austrinum 'Florida Flame' are great examples of using native plants in the landscape. They are not only beautiful, they're highly fragrant.
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COMPOSTING, COLLECTING AND HARVESTING RAINWATER IN A RAIN BARREL ARE SEVERAL EXAMPLES OF SENSIBLE GARDENING. BUT THERE IS MORE we can do in our gardens to be environmentally friendly.
Article
Video
Joe thanks Jeff and is on his way.
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Joe next visits with Mary Seton Corboy of Greensgrow Farms. MARY HAS AN INTERESTING DISPLAY THAT UTILIZES A GREEN ROOF. The green roof isn't a new idea but one that's gaining a lot of attention. It is beautiful, much prettier than a plain ugly roof but it also has environmental benefits. It helps reduce ones environmental footprint. This is something typically applied commercially but here she's talking about it for the homestead gardener. Try it on a garden shed or a gazebo, it doesn't need to be city hall. Not only is it beautiful but it absorbs Co2. Having living plants on ones roof reduces the heat island effect but it also reduces the noise effect and storm water runoff effect. With the old, traditional method water comes from the sky, goes right to the ground where it often becomes a river on asphalt. This way the plants retain water and that is one reason this provides a cooling effect. And it just doesn't cool the air above the plants but it also cools the inside of your house. Studies show the savings can be as much as 25% of overall energy consumption inside the home.
This isn't something most would want to rush into. But it is something that can be done by a home gardener. But don't just run up to your roof and throw some plants down and call it a green roof. There is a way it can and should be done. They look at an example. Mary has utilized sedums and natural native grasses, both of which are heat tolerant and drought tolerant. Underneath there is soil but really more a growing medium because weight matters. But this mix still retains moisture. Look for materials that work for your specific area and use what's available. Underneath the growing medium is a geo-textile material that keeps the soil from washing through. Under that is a barrier that helps the gas exchange or the oxygen exchange. Plants on a green roof need oxygen just like plants anywhere. The rubber barrier underneath is very important to keep water away from the roof. Then a strong support system is needed. Make sure the roof has structural integrity, that's very important, it's critical.
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FROM GREEN ROOF TO OVER THE TOP WITH GARDEN DESIGN AND INSPIRATION. If looking for color Jamie Rothstein's Floral Design booth gives that in spades. Jamie welcomes Joe. Jamie tells Joe how her design ideas come together, it's an evolution. She starts with a concept then goes with it. Here she knew she wanted to do an interior space and an exterior space. Hence her design - Inside Out. The inside room is a re-creation of a beautiful mansion in New Orleans, the exterior is the garden. Starting on the inside. Period mansions had lots of stuff going on, pattern and different styles of furniture and all sorts of outrageous things. She's designed this as dinner party set in an opulent environment. Color is key in Jamie's world. She likes to use colors that vibrate well. She likes bright color, hence the orange, red and pink. As a balancer she infuses a little green which makes everything else pop. And it all ties together. She has recycled as well. Jamie is the house florist for the Ritz Carlton in Phily. She raided the valences and drapes from the dumpster during construction and re-invented them. She's upholstered some furniture with them and even used the flip side of some of the drapes. This is recycling at its best.
Outside is also gorgeous although somewhat opulent. But it has a completely different feel. She likes her garden to be a serene place for quiet reflection. She wanted an outdoor space that was calm and quiet. Jamie likes to download in the garden rather than upload in the wild and crazy inside room. The outside does have a sense of a room, very colorful yet peaceful. Serenity Jamie calls it. She has balanced the color inside with the color outside. Inside is the "wow," outside is the "ahh." Yet it has some bold colors and some bold textures. For example, a big Amaryllis hippeastrum, large Orchids, Bromeliads, she has blended things not normally found in a flower arrangement. She has plants in her flower arrangement.
She has used trellises that were actually used in a different application at the Philadelphia Museum of Art for the opening of the Renoir landscapes. They were painted a bright blue so she repainted them black and reused them. That is something very important to Jamie, re-use things, re-invent them in another application. A great idea and easy to do in a garden setting. She has lounge chairs from the 20's, freshly coated with some bronzy gold paint, she put on new cushions and now they have the "wow" factor.
Jamie's take away is that color is the key. One can have a beautiful interior and a beautiful exterior in 2 different design modes. One is opulent and wow and the other is understated yet serene and elegant.
Jamie says that many of these pieces will end up in a community garden in Phily. They'll have another application with things growing up them.
Thanks Jamie. A beautiful exhibit.
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Joe next meets Bob Lamsback of Lamsback Floral Decorators. BOB HAS THE HONOR OF BEING THE CENTRAL FEATURE OF THIS YEARS PHILADELPHIA FLOWER SHOW. That's a big deal and a great honor. His is the first display one sees when entering the show. The display is over 6,000 square feet and has many different rooms and looks. He was allowed to do what he wanted and did. He wanted to emphasize different colors and different shapes. He wanted to design something that was more of a modern art piece, something one would see in a museum.
The first room has triangles suspended from the ceiling as well as florals incorporated into the design. The Phalaenopsis at the bottom and the Gerbera daisy hanging suspended from the structure are outstanding. A simple design but a lot going on. This is the very first design one sees when entering.
Joe likes coming to shows like this because of the many ideas presented. The next room is very simple, a minimal use of color, yet a dramatic look. This room was designed with black, yellows and golds. The black makes the yellow work well, it pops, makes it rich and exciting. There are just a few types of flowers, primarily Orchis cymbidium, Zantedeschia aethiopica (Calla Lilies) and Oncidium orchid 'Dancing lady.' Those 3 are in beautiful yellow tones.
Beautiful but how can this apply at home? Do like Bob did. Go to your home improvement center, walk up and down the isles and look for interesting forms. He selected an electrical conduit, bent it and painted it. If you use bamboo, paint the bamboo. Use things that are different, things from around the house, things that might otherwise be thrown away, they will be successful for you.
The next room is more dramatic than the last. It's the New Year's Eve room. It was designed in hot pink and orange to excite the senses. It's so bright Joe worries about entering the next morning. The floor is made with pavex, a new material that comes in rolls. They rolled it out. It's backed with paper and provides that extra depth and has produced an unusual look. The walls are typical, standard block wall but dressed up with pink. Bob found 3 plastic boxes that are now filled with Oasis and created various sculptures on the walls, using the colors within the room of hot pink and orange. Each one is different. This can be done at home, change it out, make it as creative as possible. It's a fun thing to do and never boring.
For the next room Bob visited a floral supply store because he needed something to cover the top of the table. He got flat marbles in the color combinations that he used in this area. They cover a lot of space and work well in this space. The color pops out making flowers unnecessary.
In the next exhibit he used Dianthus (Carnations). He doesn't typically use Carnations but for the flower show they are long lasting and would work well at home. He used an Oasis, the normal flower foam and designed with that. The balls are covered with flowers, suspended from the chandelier. But let yourself go, don't hold back, find different uses and ideas.
Another room is dramatic yet has a simple color palette. He used red and black and it makes for an exciting design. This is more of a lounge, something one might have in their home, their family room. There are beautiful flower pillows made in different combinations.
These displays were all different and all over the top. But Bob's advice for a homeowner when decorating their yards and gardens is to just be creative. Don't be nervous, don't allow yourself to be held back because there is no right or wrong to decorating or design. Just go and do it.
Good advice. Thanks Bob.
Joe now reflects. Spending the day at the Philadelphia Flower Show is exhausting, but in a good way because there is so much to see and do. It's almost like trying to drink out of a fire hydrant. Joe has been here for a number of years and always leaves in awe but the question is, how do you take what you see here and apply it to your own garden. For Joe, he looks for simple design ideas or techniques or maybe a new plant that strikes his fancy. But what he doesn't try to do is take these garden rooms and copy them at home because everything is in bloom at once and that just doesn't happen at home and, for most, everything is too far out. Instead take your time, allow yourself to look around, absorb it all. Joe enjoyed the exhibits that featured sustainability. You may find something entirely different of interest. But the bottom line is - there's something for everyone and it won't take long to find it.
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LINKS:
The Inn at Montchanin Village, Wilmington, Delaware
The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society and The Philadelphia Flower Show
Philadelphia Green
EPA Exhibit
Greensgrow Farms
Jamie Rothstein Floral Design
Lamsback Floral Decorators
Garden Smart Plant List
