(photo credit: David Kupfer) In a word, gardens are magical. They are rich in purpose and possibility. They represent a temporary human imprint upon nature that celebrates, form, food, fiber, beauty, shade, community, and so much more.
Gardens range in scale from single gardener sanctuaries to gargantuan mega horticulture phenomena. Gardens, at best, are a portal to peace. May they serve a perpetual reminder to slow down, take stock, give back.
What’s so great about gardens?
25 Feb 2016 Leave a comment
in Farm and Garden, Human Ecology, Uncategorized
Edible Landscaping’s hidden inspiration
25 Jun 2013 Leave a comment
in Citrus, Farm and Garden, Human Ecology, Uncategorized
We’ve been talking about Edible Landscaping and Ornamental Edibles (OE) for at least a decade now, and many nurseries have hopped on the bandwagon to grow and sell them to searching customers who want in-ground plantings or miniature potted forests they can cart to the next rental home.
OE owes a debt to the Queen of Edible Landscaping, Rosalind Creasy. Her website provides great recommendations for nice looking selections that work in the Pacific Northwest. Many online nurseries, including the one I work for, offer a variety of deciduous and evergreen OE, including pomegranate, olive, fig, persimmon, blueberries, citrus and more.
Thanks to the rise of edible landscaping philosophy, people are expanding their thinking about best use of available sunny yard space. Espaliered fruit trees are the new norm in an era of yard space maximization and attention to quality.
A recent L.A. Times story points out that the proliferation of gardeners committed to eating from their own backyards has rekindled an interest in growing ‘clean crops’ that are as pesticide-free as possible. Why not be inspired to grow produce with the best flavor possible? My own taste tests comparing Organic Meyer lemon fruits (which I grow myself) with those collected from conventionally grown trees leave me with no doubt: Organically grown Meyer lemons taste much better; flesh is sweeter, rinds are milder. Try it for yourself and see.
One need only look at this alarming image of a citrus tree suffering from RoundUp (Glyphosate) poisoning, to realize that even the world’s most popular herbicide poses risks. Especially when used incorrectly, pesticides pose real threats to the garden and gardener alike.
The trend for growing your own doesn’t stop with edibles. Were it not for legal ramifications and perhaps some (arguable) aesthetic ones one can imagine productive fiber gardens of mulberry, hemp, flax, milkweed, nettles and sunflower. As aesthetic tastes broaden and homeowners associations develop more expansive policies for allowable plantings, I hope we can continue to look forward to ever greater productivity from average yardscapes.
Hem Your Blessings
25 Jun 2013 Leave a comment
No one knows who said this, but it’s good advice:
“Hem your blessings with thankfulness, so they don’t unravel.”
What happened on February 23rd in Studio City? Borgnine
21 Mar 2013 Leave a comment
in Celebrity, Citrus, Community Development, Uncategorized Tags: Borgnine, Celebrity, edible ornamentals, Four Winds Growers, Sportsman's Lodge
Four Winds Growers presented a lovely display at a classy party to celebrate the life of Ernest Borgnine. The first annual ‘Ernie Award’ was presented to Sean Penn who was unable to attend, as he was seeing to duties in Haiti. The award, a lovely globe of blown glass, was received by actor Ken Howard, who gave a touching speech. Most of the photos taken here are by the very talented Mr. Ken Byes and were done on a fabulous red Nikon that reminds me of a race car.
Iqbal Theba of TV musical “Glee”with blueberries
Gardening chat with Marilu Henner
Ernie Hudson of “Ghostbusters”
With the masterful Hector Elizando
With Nancee and Cris Borgnine
Julie Arenal Bryant
Folks Happy to take home the sole fig tree selection: Black Mission fig
Kevin Sorbo of TV “Hercules” fame with Ken Byes
Lainie Kazan, jazz singer and the unforgettable Mother in “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” prepares to take home this beautiful southern highbush blueberry plant.
Nancee Borgnine prepares to present the First Annual Ernie Award
Cris Borgnine enjoys Yosemite Gold mandarins
Iqbal Theba (Principal Figgins of “Glee”) shows off his Sunshine Blue Blueberry bush to Esai Morales, urging him to get one.
Esai Morales (“La Bamba”) considers the options and settles on a Variegated Pink Lemon tree, complete with fruit.
Table filled with Ornamental Edibles. Avocado, citrus and olive trees, plus blueberry bushes.
Every last plant found a home that night. A shot of the table toward the end.
Sept. 22, 2012
12 Oct 2012 3 Comments
I like Aloha shirts, and so did Ernest Borgnine.
Here I am with two more generations of zest and sweetness. Cristofer said he’s wearing the shirt his dad wore in “From Here to Eternity”. During the pleasure of meeting this nice family, I felt Ernest’s spirit too; he passed away in July this year, at 95. Nancee and Cristofer both exuded a warmth and positivity that made me think there really is hereditary ‘star power’ in some families. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/ernest-borgnine-estate-3-million-mulholland-374082
One thing’s for sure, it’s true of certain special plants! Among cultivated plants, Citrus are the superstars – (especially in California.) To be the conduit for sharing between superstar trees and human celebrities is an honor indeed! Citrus have culinary, medicinal, ornamental & cultural significance far beyond most other plants! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rutaceae
http://www.fourwindsgrowers.com
Nancee Borgnine honors dad Ernest at Emmy’s Party at the Sportsman’s Lodge, Studio City
22 Sep 2012 Leave a comment
in Citrus, Community Development, Education, Uncategorized Tags: Borgnine, Celebrity, citrus trees, edible ornamentals, Emmy's, shwag, Sportsman's Lodge, Studio City
I was honored to be invited to participate in sharing Four Winds Growers Dwarf Citrus and other fruit trees today at a party given by Nancee Borgnine in Studio City, CA. This pre-Emmy’s event saw a continuous flow of celebrities from television and theatre, who browsed among select vendors and got ‘free stuff’ (shwag). There were sparkly jeans, amazing hats, fragrant herbs and flowers, Vodka drinks, whimsical plush toys made from recycled sweaters, flameless cigarettes, cushy furniture, non-profit Big Brothers, Big Sisters and many others. Our trees seemed to strike many as novel. Because Four Winds’ Dwarf Clementine mandarin tree had been featured in the April 2012 issue of Oprah! Magazine, we were seen by Nancee, and invited to be there. We brought a very nice Improved Meyer lemon tree to give to Nancee in honor of her dad.
Needless to say, it was a day of anticipation and excitement. I met some wonderful actors and their associates, including Joe Mantegna of “Criminal Minds” , also Tony Denison, Michael Paul Chan and Robert Gossett of “The Closer.” It was especially fun meeting Michele Gossett, wife of Robert, as well as other family members of the actors, who enjoy gardening. Cris Borgnine, Nancee’s brother and his family were delightful to talk with. I admired the Aloha shirts that Cris and his little boys were wearing. Cris said that he was wearing one from his dad’s collection that he had worn in “From Here to Eternity”.
The weather was very warm, with some merciful overcast helping cool, but also raising the humidity. To my country bumpkin perceptions, many folks seemed uncomfortably dressed given the weather, (myself especially included). But stars are stoic, I learned, and they can look ‘cool’ even when it’s not.
All in all I had a ball meeting folks I wouldn’t ordinarily encounter. As for the event itself, I can really appreciate all the coordination that was required, and hat’s off to Nancee and her team for pulling it off with grace and panache!
The Hawn Foundation
27 Jul 2012 Leave a comment
in Education, Uncategorized Tags: MindUp, SEL K-8
This seems like a very sensible and positive approach to teaching and learning (K-8) that should be more present in ‘regular’ schools for all children!
From the Website:
MindUP™ Program
As The Hawn Foundation’s signature educational initiative, MindUP™ is anchored in current research in cognitive neuroscience, evidence-based classroom pedagogy, best-practices mindful education, precepts of social and emotional learning (SEL), and guiding principles of positive psychology. MindUP™ is a family of social, emotional, and attentional self-regulatory strategies and skills developed for cultivating well-being and emotional balance. Among the various MindUP™ skills taught to students, focused attention and nonreactive monitoring of experience from moment to moment display the potential to have a long-term impact on brain function and social and emotional behavior.
New Zest: Emotional Intelligence
04 May 2011 Leave a comment
in Education, Uncategorized Tags: Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence is the ability to identify, use, understand, and manage your emotions in positive and constructive ways. It’s about recognizing your own emotional state and the emotional states of others. Emotional intelligence is also about engaging with others in ways that draw people to you.
There is a certification course for ‘Emotional Intelligence’. Even though I work in the nursery trade I still take an interest in a range of topics relevant to Community Development. I was very interested in this weeklong workshop/certification program offered by sixseconds:
http://www.6seconds.org/training/certification.html
Zest Practices 