Want to feel like a kid again? Remember when you had a tree house or played in a friends tree house? How about staying in a tree house the next time you travel? These hotel rooms in the trees really help you get close to nature. If you’re not height averse (and they are not all that far off the ground), the tree house rooms offers a feeling of being close to nature. The idea of being in a tree and a part of nature can be fun and exciting. It can also be restorative and that’s really what it is all about.. There are some great locations throughout the U.S., including the Conn., Washington and Hawaii. A recent article in the Wall Street Journal highlights vacation rentals in Maisons-Laffitte, France. A link to the article in the WSJ is at http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB10000872396390443989204577603204221965514-lMyQjAxMTAyMDIwMjAyODI3Wj.html?mod=wsj_valetleft_email
I just returned from the “Healing through Nature” conference at the Chicago Botanic Garden. This inspirational conference focused on Cognitive Issues and PTSD. Dr. Mark Detweiler, Jonna Detweiler, Sandra Lane of the SVAMC and myself talked about the importance of creating Therapeutic Gardens for Veterans. It was great to be able to show the Landscape Plans for the SVAMC Therapeutic Garden and present an update on the development of the garden. The Salem VA Therapeutic Garden is comprised of a Physical Therapy Garden, Woodland Meditation Garden, Labyrinth Garden, Conservatory and a greenhouse with raised planters for crop production. All areas of the courtyard 1.75 acre garden are being designed for therapeutic purposes. The installation of the garden will be assisted with the help of the Compensated Work Therapy (CWT) program at the SVAMC. Information on the Healing through Nature conference can be found at http://www.chicagobotanic.org/school/certificate/hgd_seminar.php?goback=.gmr_4292194.gde_4292194_member_99872749 Additional information on the Salem VA Therapeutic Garden project can be found at http://theroanoker.com/home-garden/gardener%E2%80%99s-paradise-salem-veterans-administration-medical-center-2012
I recently had the opportunity to lead a tour of the Conservatory Garden in Central Park. The tour was part of the ‘Healthy Environments Across Generations’ conference by the Collaboration on Health and the Environment held at the Academy of Medicine in NYC. It was exciting to be a part of the conference and to share thoughts and ideas with so many people from other disciplines. A highlight of the event was being able to lead a group of people attending the conference on a tour of the Conservatory Gardens, which are located in the north east side of Central Park at 105th Street and Fifth Avenue. The weather was perfect for walking though the gardens. We discussed the need for parks, especially in urban areas. Olmsted, who designed Central park, understood the need to create these green oasis to help people restore health and well-being through nature. The event was especially poignant because of my personal connection to the NYC parks. My grandfather was head of the Parks Department on Staten Island years ago. I remember going to work with him and his stories about the parks. He is the inspiration for what I am doing today as a landscape architect. So, nature does influence who and what we are on so many different levels. Be sure to visit your parks and open space areas this summer. They will make you feel, better. I promise! To see pictures of the Conservatory Garden in Central park – take a look at this video clip. You definitely have to visit Central park when you are in the area. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxBdM_FfCUY Enjoy!
OK – I admit it – it is hot outside. If you have plants in pots, you will see them wilting faster than plants in the ground. Best to check them each day and look for signs of wilting. An important things to consider during there spikes in temperature and the warmer days of summer ahead is watering the plants, especially now that we have officially moved into summer. It is better to water longer because you will saturate the soil. The goal is to water deeply so plants will produce roots that go deeper into the soil. The results will be healthier plants that will be able to withstand dry periods longer. Watering for only a few minutes doesn’t really help a plant because it will only dry out again sooner. Most plants need an inch of water per week during the spring and fall season. An inch and a half of water is required, on average, during summer months. Mulching around plants helps retain moister in the soil and you will not have to water as often. I use a shredded hard wood mulch around larger plants such as trees and shrubs. I have been using newspaper and straw in the vegetable garden. Having soils that are rich in organic material helps retain moisture longer. Frequently check the soil to see how dry it actually is. Stick your finger into the ground down to your knuckle. If it is still moist – check it again the next day. Remember – watering deeply throughout the root zone of the plants is the key. Deeper roots (trees and shrubs) require longer watering. A good video on watering tips – that is fun to watch – and actually learn from is at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrdN5Z5K5Qs
Many people really enjoy growing tomatoes. And there’s a great variety of plants – from small cherry tomatoes to the larger slicing tomatoes. We go to great lengths to water, weed and protect these special plants. One of the questions people ask about caring for tomato plants is how to pinch off the suckers that emerge between the branches. Removing the suckers on indeterminate tomato plants is important. Indeterminate tomatoes are tomato plants that continue growing in length throughout the growing season. However, you do not want to remove the suckers from the bush (determinant) tomato plants because these are smaller growing plants. Staking is another important consideration in tending to tomato plants. I have staked tomatoes one way for many years – learning the skill from my grandfather. (Doesn’t it all go back to ideas gleaned from other gardeners?) My grandfather used to use wooden stakes and tie up the plants with string.
For many of us, spring has arrived earlier than normal, and we’re are eager to start planting many of our favorite vegetables. Best to stick to the cold weather crops, such as lettuce, kale and spinach until the ‘last frost date’ has passed. However, don’t wait too long to start to select the tomatoes you want to plant in the garden. Have you been checking out some of the heirloom varieties? ‘Cherokee Purple’ has a distinct darker color with a slightly salty and acidic taste. Looking for a milder flavor. Try ‘Pineapple’ or ‘Orange Strawberry’ that have a sweet and slightly fruity taste. Do you want to grow a tomato that will cause some to raise an eye brow, as well as offer a sharp tangy flavor – grow the ‘Green Zebra’ variety. How about trying the ‘Great White’ tomato which has a mild flavor while ripening. It is white while young and turns a light yellow/pink color as it ripens. Several companies offer these and other seeds, including Seed Savers Exchange (www.seedsavers.org), Native Seeds (www.nativeseeds.org) and, one of the oldest seed houses in America, D. Landreth Seed Company (www.landrethseeds.com).
Recent articles in the newspaper lead me to believe that creative ideas are often born in nature. Two articles in the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) have focused on greenhouses and garden sheds as women and man caves, respectively. These are places where one feels comfortable among plants and garden settings. We are relaxed to dream and let the mind wander to create new ideas in these nature filled spaces. The WSJ article “Where Ideas Can Take Root” talks about a retired architect who spends his time in his man cave (aka – potting shed) to start seedlings for his garden, read about new plants, explore gardening magazines and pot up new plants. I think we can relate to these settings and find them comfortable places to spend time. Why not plan on adding a green house, potting shed or similar structure to your home. It may become a sanctuary for you and a place to explore new ideas. We are more creative when we are in settings where we are free to daydream. The WSJ article by Anne Marie Chaker can be found at http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304537904577279573163112352.html?mod=ITP_personaljournal_1
The midpoint of winter is marked by one of our favorite animal friends – the groundhog. This hibernating creature has been immortalized in the 1993 film “Groundhog Day.” In the movie, Bill Murray relives Groundhog Day over and over, for approximately 42 days (it is actually only 36 days by some estimates). Punxsutawney Phil, the groundhog and real star of the movie, predicts whether we will have six more weeks (42 days) of winter. If Phil does not see his shadow, then we will have an early spring. And most everyone hopes for an early spring So, can we consider ground hogs to be a good predictor of spring? Maybe they are just a folkloric part of nature. However, we are looking for those signs in nature to tell us when spring will be here. (It officially arrives on March 20th in 2012). These various signs help us feel better that spring is around the corner. There are other predictors, as well. Have you seen any of the early flowering bulbs begin to emerge? Forsythia starts to flower heralding the advent of the season. I just saw a crocus blooming in my yard. What nature related indicators can you identify?
Hopefully spring will not be that far off. Thoughts are already turning to the garden and what to plant this year. I’m thinking that this may truly be the year of the sunflower. Reading about all of their virtues – it’s surprising that we do not plant more of them in our gardens. The sunflower flower is native to the Americas, along with blueberries, squash and pecans. Sunflowers are a source of food, such as seeds for snacking, grinding the seed for flour or using the oil for cooking. They can be used as dye for coloring clothes a purple color. Sunflowers are also be used medicinally to cure snakebites. Even the stalks can be used as a building material. Best of all – sunflowers just make you feel better. Looking at their happy yellow color can brighten any mood. They remind us of the sun with their bright yellow petals. They are cheery and make great gifts. Sunflowers come in a range of colors from yellow to sunset red. Elf is a great dwarf variety to grow with kids. Look for ones, such as especially good for snacking. Be sure to add them to your list of ‘must have plants’ for the 2012 garden.
Why not take the idea of community gardens and apply it to the entire community? The town of Todmorden in the UK has created a program where gardens have been started throughout the town and are being used to feed the entire town. The concept is ‘brilliant’. Think about having garden in everyone’s yard. You can grow things that you like and share extra produce with others. What if you had chickens and could trade the eggs with your neighbor for fresh rosemary, tomatoes or potatoes? Maybe the elders in the community who have had experience tending gardens and growing vegetables and herbs could use their experience to teach others. Retirement communities could even become classrooms for teaching. And, in turn, school yards become laboratories for learning. Think about all of the partnerships and collaborations that will develop. Parks, fire stations, libraries, churches and other properties should be considered. I know in my small hamlet of Medford, we have started a garden at our church to feed the needy. All of the produce raised is donated to two homeless centers. The vegetables were raised, in partnership with the Middle School students. We have just expanded the garden to include garden plots for other gardeners to help grow vegetables. These are truly community Therapeutic Gardens. Check out the Incredible Edible web site at http://www.incredible-edible-todmorden.co.uk/projects
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Design For Generations, LLC
Jack Carman F.A.S.L.A.
92 Tallowood Drive
Medford NJ 08055
Voice – 609-953-5881
Fax – 609-953-1625
jack@designforgenerations.com
www.designforgenerations.com
