Menina & Josh

February 28, 2016

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⁣ There’s confusion about flagstone paths. ⁣

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There’s confusion about flagstone paths. ⁣
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I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen wonky paths like the one in the last photo. ⁣
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That one, on our new design site, was probably installed (if you can even use that word—placed might be more accurate) by a previous homeowner or perhaps by a mow and blow crew. I wouldn’t let my mom walk its length without a firm grasp on her.⁣
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The first example, however, recently completed by master stonemason Dave Macrorie at our Spiral Habitat project, is a work of functional art. Mom would be fine strolling its level course.⁣
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Craftsmen like Dave, who says he stopped evolving in the 90’s and has no social media, deserve all the respect and admiration we can offer. Such work takes huge bodily effort, and equal artistic vision and practical skill.
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Here, he brought to life my sketched path with his own creative interpretation in a way that elevates the whole garden.⁣
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I’m honored to work with exceptionally skilled craftspeople. ⁣
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Please don’t be fooled that stonework can be done by anyone. Better to put in a wood chip or gravel path if you don’t know what you’re doing. ⁣
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#spiralhabitatgarden⁣ #flagstonepath #stonestairs #gardenpath #stonemason #davemacrorie #crafstmanship #skill #stable #level #functionalart #habitatgarden #outdoorliving #landscapedesign #gardendesign #landscapeinstallation #openyourdoors to #naturesbeauty
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⁣ Functional and clean, or contemplative and nat

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Functional and clean, or contemplative and natural, garden paths always come first in garden making.⁣
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As much as we adore plants, gardens are for people and people need great walkways to get out there in it.⁣
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In Marilyn’s Spiral Habitat Garden, we brought our dear friend and valued collaborator Jonathan Rathjen in to make the concrete walkway. Leading from the utility side yard around to the back deck, this path replaces the previous tripping hazard paver / river rock mess with clean, crisp, low maintenance access.⁣
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An immersive experience amongst the future plantings calls for the natural beauty of stone paths. Dave Macrorie has begun adding his craft to the scene. These paths will slow you down and invite you to linger.⁣
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The third path material we’ll use here is soft-underfoot and weed-resisting. Wood chips laid deep atop landscape cloth is my favorite around raised beds where tomatoes will spill and gentle, puttering messes can be made.⁣
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Thanks to my awesome team for your skilled contributions to this project! We couldn’t do it without you.⁣
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#spiralhabitatgarden #gardenpaths #workinprogress #concretepaths #stonepaths #woodchippaths #landscapedesign #landscapeinstallation #habitatgarden #pollinatorgarden #birdgarden #outdoorliving #accessiblegardens #eugeneoregon #pnwgarden #teamwork #collaborators #craftsmen #grateful #openyourdoors to #naturessbeauty

⁣ Where did you grow up? ⁣ ⁣ Did different p

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Where did you grow up? ⁣
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Did different plants charm your childhood imaginations than those you see where you live now?⁣
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Early impressions of nature, where we first experience wonder, shape our perceptions of beauty.⁣
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For Sarah, the tropical lushness of Florida made a memorable impression in her childhood.⁣
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She hopes to bring some of that tropical boldness and color to this front lawn conversion.⁣
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At the same time, she seeks to create a drought resilient landscape that supports pollinators and birds.⁣
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So, in her design, I included keystone species like California black oak and Ceanothus to increase habitat. Native big leaf maple is as tropical as they get for a PNW native with those lush green leaves casting shade on the seating area and house. Native perennial flowers like narrow leaf mule’s ear and Douglas aster also root the garden to the ecology of this place.⁣
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Then, I wove in some big bold color with ‘Grace’ smokebush and ‘Sparkling Burgundy’ pineapple lily. To contrast with the burgundy foliage, I included silver-leaves with mounds of daisy bush (Brachyglottis greyi, or Senecio greyi) and other moonlit foliage. Peruvian lily flowers, which thrive in the Pacific Northwest, are colored like a humid sunset.⁣
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The combinations surprised me. I think it’s going to be stunning to see it all come to life with bold color and abundant wildlife mingling around the two seating nooks.⁣
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What do you think?⁣
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#tropicoforegongarden⁣ #landscapedesign #gardendesign #plantingdesign #plantcombos #keystoneplants #childhoodplants #hardytropicals #oregonnativeplants #lifenotlawn #killyourlawn #habitatgarden #pollinatorgarden #outdoorliving made in @morpholio #morpholiotrace #openyourdoors to #naturesbeauty
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⁣ “No bees!” is not a command Leela is willi

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“No bees!” is not a command Leela is willing to learn. “Sit, rollover, shake,” and “stay” she’s mastered, but something about the allure of bees flying at her nose height is as irresistible as a squirrel’s swishing tail.⁣
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Read 𝘽𝙪𝙢𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙎𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙡𝙚 to learn the September plant of the month that has all the bees busily sipping. You may want to locate it away from the snapping jaws of a dog if you have one like mine, though!⁣
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Link in bio.☝️⁣
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If you like what you read, sign up to get the next plant of the month along with a free ebook right in your inbox.⁣
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#plantofthemonth #dogsinthegarden #pollinatorplants #bumble #sparkle #calamintha #calamint #calaminthamontrosewhite #whiteflowers #matrixplant #gardenwriting #plantdesign #openyourdoors to #naturesbeauty

⁣ If you ever get the chance to collect wildflow

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If you ever get the chance to collect wildflower seeds with an expert, take it! ⁣
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It’ll change how you look at the brown husks of things; the capsules, pods, sheathed cups-of-plenty.⁣
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Learning from Suzie Savoie of Klamath-Siskiyou Native Seeds last weekend was extra special because of the location. High on the flanks of Mt. Ashland, in a distinctly different bioregion than my own in Eugene, there were some familiar wildflowers like Oregon sunshine and western mugwort. But many I’d only read about before. Coyote mint (𝘔𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘢 𝘰𝘥𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘮𝘢) and horse mint (𝘈𝘨𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘦 𝘶𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘢) were abundant and both have the coolest seed heads! And, a new-to-me fleabane: Alice Eastwood’s fleabane (𝘌𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘢𝘦) is named for a fascinating woman botanist. ⁣
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Plants are endlessly fun to learn about!⁣
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Thanks @pollinatorprojectroguevalley for hosting this opportunity and for doing all the good work you do for our native pollinators! ⁣

And thanks @mbriggscraftworks for always wanting to take a closer look and learn more on adventures with me!
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#klamathsisiyounativeseeds #mtashland #seedcollecting #nativeseeds #nativeplants #pollinatorplants #coyotemint #monardellaodoratissima #horsemint #agastacheurticifolia #alicesfleabane #aliceeastwood #erigeronaliceae #scarletgillia #ipomopsisaggregata #silverlupine #learningisawesome #plantnatives #sewseeds #openyourdoors to #naturesbeauty

⁣ Little bees in a curl, and big, fuzzy, bumbleb

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Little bees in a curl, and big, fuzzy, bumblebees damp, were sleeping in the flowers this morning.⁣
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Towering helianthus and roses and rudbeckia and persicaria, asters still in bud, yet to bloom. Crape myrtle and oreganos, toad lilies and fuchsia, tomatoes and grassy wands swaying.⁣
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This is the micro season of summer straddling fall. It’s glorious outside, mild and warm, refreshed by the rain. ⁣
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Is your open air living room ready for it?⁣
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#openairlivingroomgarden⁣ #thankyou @maidenhair_landscapes for the #garden #stewardship #latesummerblooms #habitatgarden #pollinatorgarden #outdoorliving #landscapedesign #plantingdesign #openyourdoors to #naturesbeauty
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