Greetings from the flower alphabet think tank! This week, I thought to feature a quirky little bloom that is primarily used as an accompaniment in arrangements. “K” is for kangaroo paw! You can see the fuzzy paw-like flower above, nestled in among other friendly blooms. A native of Australia, the kangaroo paw got its name…
While it may seem depressingly gloomy outside today (too gray for gardening), I’m always hopeful that spring will return (Monday was such a cruel tease) and bring back some signs of life. The tree behind our building is starting to bud and show signs of blooming, so I was excited that Kate’s new post at…
We were so very excited when the ladies from Star Apple Edible Gardens invited us to participate in their Modern Homestead display this week at the San Francisco Flower & Garden Show. This exhibit is a great example of how you can incorporate edibles and homesteading gear seamlessly into your landscape without sacrificing looks. Stefani…
I have a weakness for this type of prism light, and I was really excited when the first repurpose project using a similar style came our way last year. This chandelier-turned-terrarium from Ariel is so clever, and I love its dramatically large scale. Not only do the paned panels recall the look of traditional terrariums,…
Welcome back, Alphabet Florists! Just to mix it up a bit, I thought I would feature three different “e” flowers this week: echeveria (succulents), eryngium (thistle) and eustoma (lisianthus). Now, I grant you, I am bending the rules ever so slightly by using the Latin names for these relatively common blooms and plants and highlighting…
I’m all about good, traditional terra cotta planters. They’re my go-to choice for planting just about anything, but sometimes it’s nice to switch things up a bit. And these seriously sleek modular planters from Urban Nature are pretty awesome. Each of these units is available separately, so you can build and shape them to any…
Today I am seriously THRILLED to announce a special DIY series we’re doing this weekend with the Brooklyn Flea’s “Gifted” holiday market! Along with D*S editor Amy Merrick and Michelle and Katy of Twig Terrariums, we’re hosting holiday DIY events this Saturday and Sunday morning from 10 to 11am! On Saturday the Twig girls will…
Last week’s trip to Terrain got me on another plant kick, so I’ve had plant markers on the brain. My summer flowers always croak this time of year, and I’ve got a new collection I’m hoping to nurse through the colder temperatures. These beautiful plant markers from Just Potters caught my eye because of their…
After a few weeks of unusually high temperatures for this month, we are finally feeling autumn in northern California. Always inspired by the wild plants that cover the roadside and hills, we thought we’d bring some fall inside by making a collection board. We took the dogs and collected bits of weeds from our overgrown…
As much as we love flowers (and you know how much we love flowers), we have a feeling that the purely decorative garden’s days may be numbered. This bold statement is a result of meeting Leslie Bennett and Stefani Bittner of Star Apple Edible Gardens, an Oakland-based landscaping company determined to bring sustainable, edible gardens…
good morning guys! i have officially made up for all of the sleep i’ve missed over the past few months of book work and i am finally feeling rested, ready to work and back to feeling like myself! the d*s site re-design is just around the corner (i’m so excited!), i just hired a fantastic…
it’s been a hot, hot summer! living in brooklyn, i find myself wishing for a little outdoor space to call my own. and honestly, i’d love any one of these. collected from the sneak peek archives, here are the best outdoor spaces! -amy a. [image above: the deck on a 1903 cabin that was built…
This week I want to share the amazing story and graceful beauty of the gardens at Osborn Castle. With the help of remarkable photographer Scott Clark, I documented my recent visit. The magic of our day culminated in the Castle owner letting me hand pick wild and farmed blooms from the estate to create two…
when the temperature rises, i begin to feel envious of the birds who are wise enough to live near bird baths. what i wouldn’t give to be able to dunk my head whenever i feel like it! bird baths are a win-win situation though, i guess, because the birds get refreshed and we get the…
i emailed with charlotte rivers yesterday after writing about her beautiful letterpress books, and it lead me to spend most of my lunch break browsing through her lovely blog. when i loaded the page the first thing i saw was a post on amazing writer’s and gardening cabins from dave coote design (made from reclaimed…
we’ve been going a little plant crazy at here at design*sponge and are always looking for new ways to incorporate some greenery into tight spaces. we’ve been eyeing woolly pockets for a while now and were super excited to see just how they were used in barbara bestor’s los feliz (los angeles) home. stephanie bartron…
i’m something of a terrarium nut (though i seem to kill all the ones i keep), so i was excited to hear from emily at the new york times about a story she was writing on the “comeback” terrariums were making. in addition to chatting with people like flora grubb, tassy from sprout home, katie…
We visited a small farmer’s market earlier this week on the lookout for local flowers, but didn’t come across anything that inspired us. There were, however, lots of lush leafy greens, interesting roots, and vegetables in beautiful bright colors. Sometimes all you need are a few veggies and herbs for decorating; a basket full of…
As much as we love to garden, sometimes there just aren’t enough hours in the day to do it all. If there’s a way we can shorten our to-do list, we’ll take it. This week’s project, a no-fuss recycled windowsill herb garden, has knocked watering the plants off our list. Self-watering planters like these aren’t…
image sources, clockwise from top left: scatter pig, treehugger, treehugger, britta and rebecca,coolhunting, papertaste buds,brooklyn art project Having just returned from a whirlwind up-and-back-the-next-day trip to New York, I was reminded of just how much space is at an absolute premium in the city. When the driver taking me from the airport to the hotel…
