Style Archives - Growing With Plants

Curating Vintage Palettes – Containers Inspired by 1940’s tablecloths

Matt Mattus — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 09:00:00 +0000

MUSSAENDA HYBRID ‘DOUBLE RED’ LOOKS VIRTUALLY HORRIFYING WITH THESE RED VELVET-LIKE BRACTS AND PINK FLOWERS, BUT IN SOME OF MY CRAZY COMBO’S, IT ADDS AN OLD-SCHOOL 1940’s MEXICAN FLARE TO MY RED, GOLD AND BLACK CONTAINERS

I can’t help myself, the designer in me loves to explore, and I am constantly looking for interesting color combinations with plants. It takes some confidence, and guts, since a few of my experiments have been down right ugly ( as in my ‘man garden’ of brown foliage plants), but I’ve been working with many black- foliage plants this season, mixing them with silver leaved plants or variegated plants, with very good results. Now, I am adding pure golden-leaved plants to some of these mixes, which are really starting to shine, especially now that some red and gold berries are starting to show. It’s bit like Christmas in August here in central Massachusetts.

TALINUM, (JEWELS OF OPAR) IN A GOLDEN BERRIED SELECTION, CARRIES THROUGH THE GOLD AND BLACK MOTIF THROUGHOUT THE CONTAINER GARDEN. THE EFFECT IS ALMOST HOLIDAY-LIKE

This black, gold and red combination reminds me of vintage bark cloth, or screen printed tea towels from the 1940’s , you know the type – the ones with flamenco dancers or Mexican hats on them. This color combination is somewhat inspired by mid-century optimism. Lake houses, camp furniture, 1940’s motels and souvenir plates. With all of the new colors available today, it’s been fun to try and eliminate green foliage, which helps when one wants to create a new motif.

AMARANTHUS TRICOLOR, GROWING IN FRONT OF THE GREENHOUSE, WOULD LOOK BETTER IF PLANTED NEAR THESE CONTAINERS. I NEVER WOULD HAVE THOUGHT OF A RED, GOLD AND BLACK GARDEN, BUT I AM THINKING OF THIS COMBO FOR NEXT SUMMER.

The Amaranthus tricolor has been striking, as you can see now that it has opened up more and colored up. I have seen a number of hybrids in various color combinations of Amaranthus tricolor, named selections in pink, scarlets and all yellow, as well as other Amaranthus species such as A. giganteus and more named cultivars from New Zealand and Japan – all are making it onto my wish list. This curious genus also known as Pigweed, or Chinese Spinach may just be making a comeback.

BEGONIA ‘ESCARGOT’

BLACK PEARL PEPPERS TURN BRILLIANT SCARLET AS THEY RIPEN, DARE I SAY, THEY ARE A BIT LIKE CHRISTMAS-LIGHTS.

EUPHORBIA TIRUCALLI ‘FIRE STICKS’ or PENCIL CACTUS, LOOKS LIKE GOLDEN CORAL

The post Curating Vintage Palettes – Containers Inspired by 1940’s tablecloths appeared first on Growing With Plants.

Growing like it’s 1855 – Inspiration from the past for a new gardening year

Matt Mattus — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 07:13:00 +0000

A WARDIAN CASE IS DIFFERENT THAN A

At the end of each year, I treat myself to a small selection of rare gardening books. Like many gardeners, I prefer to choose my own books, as many of you would understand, I am not the easiest person to buy a plant book for!. This year, I’ve found 5 very nice vintage gardening books, all printed between 1802 and 1908. , and most focus on the subject of growing potted plants indoors, either under glass in some of the country’s first greenhouses, or in conservatories. I find the subject of 18th century greenhouses appealing for many obvious reasons, but mainly, as a New Englander with a glass house, living just outside of Boston ( where many of these books were published), I can relate to this desire people had for ‘keeping a glass house’ in the middle of winter where one can grow tender plants, trees and shrubs collected from around the world.

In the 1800’s, a glass structure in which to grow plants was a luxury item indeed, yet they were far more common than today. Most every estate or large home had some sort of conservatory or greenhouse, but they also very necessary for florists, farmers and produce stores, for providing a constant supply of fresh flowers. veggies and fruit for the markets. Otherwise, the greater population would need to survive on winter storage vegetables like roots, turnips, cabbages, carrots and potatoes.

Oranges could be shipped via trains, and Pine Apples by ship, but fresh flowers had to be locally grown, and some crops such as oranges could be grown for both their blossoms ( for winter weddings) and for fruit. If one wanted any sort of fresh green vegetable, it had to be forced or ‘forwarded’ in a hot bed,or grown under glass in a greenhouse. A New England farm always kept both cold frames and hot beds ( lined with fresh manure to heat the roots), where they grew both late and early crops of many vegetables, but with those with horticultural interests, such methods were also used for forcing rhubarbs, growing violets, and forwarding Tuber Roses, a favorite flower of the time around the Civil War. If one wanted orchids, and if one had deep pockets, a hot house was needed, or a ‘stove house’. where temperatures were kept as high as 110 deg. F in the day, for growing equatorial plants. These were rare, and only the very wealthy could afford their maintenance. A proper greenhouse would be kept at 40-50 degrees ( like mine) and many plants could be kept throughout the long, snowy winter with a heated brick flue and a fire.

Most of all, these books are showing me just how sophisticated people with the plants they attempted to grow indoors. Many chapters deal with plant windows, forcing on a windowsill, and the culture of Wardian Cases ( precursor to the modern terrarium). Plants for homes could be found via mail catalogs and in the large east coast cities around the mid 1800’s. These books are so inspiring, that I think I will refocus much of my blogging from growing rare plants, to how people grew plants 250 years ago.

I will be sharing with you such things as how to grow crops of cut-flower Tuberoses in a method I never saw before, how to master Sea Kale shoots, how to create organic coldframes with ‘paper glass’ created from rag paper and boiled linseed oil, how to force rhubarb ( one day in 1851, a cart in Boston with fresh, forced, blanched rhubarb in January sold more then 2 tons worth!), and many other lost or forgotten methods that gardeners with a curious mind, will appreciate.

Plants were often kept in 17th and 18th century homes in the north, and many thrived where they could not today, since nights became cold due to the fact that all homes were heated by fires. The selection and variety of plants available was far more extensive than I even imagined. Even last night, I spent 3 hours on Google trying to find sources for many of the plants, which are available, but not being grown by anyone doing mailorder. It is ironic that even in our modern world of air freight, that the 1850 gardener – with his world of steam ships and trains actually had access to far more plant material, than a modern greenhouse enthusiast does today.

One book, has sample ads from Boston nurserymen and seed catalogs, some offering as many as 1300 varieties of just named forms of Anemone and Ranunculus which could be imported from Holland. Frittilaria, Cholchicum, Clivia nobilis, Ixia, and many Australian shrubs were also offered as ‘in-stock items. Again, I remind you – this was before the Civil War! Maybe I am just naive, but I was shocked to imagine such material even being introduced at that time to the American gardener. Even more impressive is the diversity of species suggested for greenhouse culture in these books (many are still hard-to-find rare bulbs which continue today to be elusive in the trade like Lachenalia, Ornithogalum, Massonia, Brunsvigia, Boophane and Nerine). Sadly, these were all wild collected, a practice not encouraged today. Yet seeds are also listed.

I also learnt than books were expensive then, since many of these listed at $20 to $60 dollars in 1850! Obviously, only the rich could afford bound books, but a few did list our at $6. – $10., still, quite costly and not that far off from today’s prices for printed media.

Terrariums can vary in price today, from a choice vintage hand-blown dome in a Guy Wolff pot (left) to a home made recycled soda bottle from Walmart, cut and placed over a begonia cutting. They both work!

Many of those late 18^th century and early nineteenth century greenhouse shrubs arrived on whaling and merchant ships who often had natural history collectors on board as their routes traversed the unexplored regions of Australia, the south seas, Chile, Argentina and the cape of South Africa. I am about to invest in a year full of new ventures with plants, and one that you will be able to share with me as I experiment with recreating old and forgotten methods of propagation, the culture of Tube Roses in pots and trellis, on forcing Rhubarb and Sea Kale, on building forcing frames from paper coated in boiled linseed oil, on hot beds, cold frames, blanching cardoons, and training topiaries in the old style.

There are cultural specifics to practice – training pelargonium’s for exhibition and parlor display, preparing the perfect bed of Tigridia, growing hybrid gladiolus in pots, forwarding cucumbers under hand glasses, and sourcing many tender shrubs and trees for conservatory culture which I cannot find in my catalog and on-line sources.

A PAGE FROM EDWARD SPRAGUE RAND JR.s FLOWERS FOR THE PARLOR & GARDEN. A CHAPTER ON WARDIAN CASES, FLORENCE FLASKS and the WALTONIAN CASE. ALL METHODS OF GROWING PLANTS INDOORS USED DURING THE 1800’s. I CAN”T WAIT TO START RECREATING THESE!

A YOUNG NEPENTHES ( TROPICAL PITCHER PLANT) GROWING UNDER A GLASS DOME ABOVE OUR KITCHEN SINK.

I am learning how fresh flowers, particularly camellias, can be brought into the home from the cold greenhouse, and arranged under glass to extend their lives. One book suggests that all proper Wardian cases should have bowls of camellias kept in it, where they could last up to 2 weeks.

MANY CHAPTERS ABOUT WINDOW GARDENING ARE ENTERTAINING, SINCE THEY OFTEN TALK ABOUT THE POISONOUS GASSES AND FUME THAT FRAGRANT FLOWERS EMIT AT NIGHT, WARNING THE READER TO NOT PLACE THEM IN THE BED ROOM.

I AM SURPRISED BY THE SELECTION OF SOUTH AFRICAN CAPE BULBS THAT WERE AVAILABLE IN THE EARLY 1800’a, A FAR BETTER SELECTION THAT IS EVEN AVAILABLE TODAY.

Fruits and vegetables aside, the flowering conservatory
shrubs are what are capturing my attention at the moment. Many are not
available from my source lists, so please help me if you can. Logee’s
Greenhouses is my primary source, and since their greenhouses are from that
era, they have many of the plants which were so popular then for winter gardens
under glass, and for winter florist work such as Buddleia asiatica, jasmines,
violets etc. But there are those shrubs that I do not have a source for, which
were very common as exhibition plants like Hovea species, Kennedia, Eriostemon,
Chorizema, and Epacris. I did find a hybrid Epacris last year at a greenhouse (similar
to a heath), but these are now on my must-get list.

The post Growing like it’s 1855 – Inspiration from the past for a new gardening year appeared first on Growing With Plants.

Under-Designed Air Plants

Matt Mattus — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 19:38:00 +0000

Bromelliads, or “Air Plants”( specifically, those Tillandsia species which are so commonly used as ornamental, yet disposable plants by many designers, installation artists). They have many interesting forms, and thus, they appeal to the hipster in all of us, but they are also nice when treated in a less ornamental way – like these in my my collection. Treat these mini bromeliads like real plants, and they can be long-lived, as well as blooming plants.

First, start with your container. They may be called “air plants” but don’t be mislead into believing that they live off of the air – they require moisture, almost constantly. A Brooklyn apartment is not quite the same as forest in Florida, with 100% humidity, so find the most humid spot in your home, which will most likely be over your kitchen sink, or in the bathroom.

Second, they do need light. In the wild, these species grow on tree branches in live trees, so although you may think that they like shade, the truth is that they require light, even sunshine, especially in the winter.

Third, don ‘t think they they will live in a terrarium, for here is where the name “air plant” has some truth to it – Tillandsia require fresh air, think – tropical, moist breezes. The atmosphere in a glass dome may be humid, but it is also a stagnant air mass, a breeding zone for fungus. Air plants like things simple, but precise – tropical downpours, brisk trade winds to dry off their leaves, and a bird dropping or a dead ant every now and then.

Here is how I achieve the greatest success with these beautiful and unusual plants. I have many extra orchid baskets, wooden lath baskets that are inexpensive and always hanging around the greenhouse. Sometimes, we tend to over-design things, and although Tillandsia or “Air Plants” might look awesome when arranged in a grid pattern on a wall in a sleek, hip boutique hotel in New York City, the truth is, they will soon perish without the moist air and buoyant breezes they requires to survive.

Spanish moss ( a Tilandsia species too) helps to create a moist atmosphere around these rootless plants. I wrap moist sphagnum moss around the stumpy end of each plant, and then set it into a wooden basket. The potted baskets are then hung in the greenhouse, and most essentially, brought outdoors for the summer, where they spend a vacation on the shady side of the deck enjoying summer downpours, thundershowers and yes, even a nutritious bird poop or two ( never three, and always canary sized).

The post Under-Designed Air Plants appeared first on Growing With Plants.

Black Calla Lilies and Green Zinnia’s

Matt Mattus — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 16:51:00 +0000

This weekend I picked some of the black and green flowers in the garden, in an effort to make an arrangement for a dinner that felt more stylish, yet botanically interesting. Playing with color, and being more aware about color, this year I have been trying more dark, black and green flowers, but things never really work out the way we plan, for my ‘black and purple’ vegetable garden bed has yet to materialize. These calla bulbs were intended for the black garden, but I ran out of room this spring, so I planted them along the greenhouse bed, where they are now lost under a jungle of growth from the Amaranth which now towers 6 feet over them.

Black, or technically dark red flowers, as well as green flowers are currently stylish with floral designers. Black calla’s are much smaller than the standard white calla lilies, infinitely tiny in comparison, but they produce more flowers from each bulb. Ordered this spring, the black callas were planted infront of the greenhouse along with the green amaranth ( the green stuff tumbling out of the arrangement). The Amaranth, or Love Lies Bleeding, has grown so tall, that the calla’s are practically lost, so I decided to pick all of them.

Green Zinnia’a are also quite trendy. What was once a novelty in the 1970’s, green flowers are sought out by anyone sensitive with color. If you have ever tried growing the few cultivars that are green, and have had problems with them turning off white or yellow, try planting them where they get a bit of shade in mid day or later in the day, for the green color washes out in full sun. Also, as with all zinnia, keep well watered, well ventilated ( to keep fungal infections like powdery mildew down) and keep them well fertilized.

The purple daylilly is an older cultivar called ‘Little Grapette”, and I picked a dark succulent to accent the black calla’s. The container, is a vintage circa 1800 Chinese glazed pot.

The post Black Calla Lilies and Green Zinnia’s appeared first on Growing With Plants.

Garden Folly

Matt Mattus — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 03:08:00 +0000

I have so many plant show ribbons, that fill my closets and potting shed, which I just adore because of their wierd, innocent, naive color combinations, but which I can’t decide what to do with. Thanks t Danny at Dailydanny, I have found the solution : wreaths. Anyone who exhibits in plant society exhibitions has boxes and drawers of rosettes, gathering dust and lint- why not display them? Best of all, this seems less like an ego blast, since let’s face it, hang a blue ribbon anywhere, and the it’s hard to avoid the obvious statement.

With a rosette wreath, like this assembleage, the statement is, well, understated, or better yet – over-stated, or overwhelmed by the art statement alone. Brilliant. If you don’t have any ribbons, just order your own from a horse ribbon company. You can order any color combo you want, and have them say anything you want. Try this one. Norogala Show Ribbons, it’s where we order our plant society ribbons. The cost is inexpensive, around $4.50 per rosette. Cheaper than roses.

A concrete Chesterfield Sofa? Oh yes, not leather, but a real chesterfield cast in concrete, created by Steve Jones for a British concrete company, Gray Concrete. I am reminded of Rachel Whiteread, the UK contemporary artist who casts the negative space of objects, but this if far more useful ( and probably more affordable). It even has a coin cast behind a pillow for authenticity. This is a piece of garden furniture any man would appreciate. Next? A cast big screen tv anyone?

The post Garden Folly appeared first on Growing With Plants.

I Design a Botanical Wedding

Matt Mattus — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 06:17:00 +0000

This weekend we designed a wedding! Congratulations Nici and Steven!

Every extra succulent cutting in the greenhouse was harvested Saturday, and masterfully crafted into tiny table seating cards thanks to my designer friend, Jess who used sheet moss, bamboo cocktail stirrers and Adobe Illustrator to create tastefully unique name cards. Each table was named after a town that the bride and groom had personal associations with ranging from New England,(the wedding was in Connecticut ) to Hawaii.

I don’t design Weddings. But occasionally you just can;t say no, and so, I found myself in a position where my best friend and colleague’s daughter ( who happens to work at Logee’s designing the catalog) decided to get married, I became the most logical choice for many reasons, to help design the wedding, and I could not say no. Besides, I knew that it would be fun.

Billy Buttons ( Craspedia) was the first flower that Steven and Nici had requested, so I knew that right away, this was going to be a fun wedding to design. When we found out that it was going to be held in an historic Inn in Sturbridge, MA that was almost 300 years old, and that Nici wanted the wedding to be horticulturally interesting yet pretty, the challenge was on. I recruited my designer-friend Jessica from work ( at Hasbro) and together, we put on our finest ‘Wedding Planner” hat.

The arrangements followed a natural theme of white, moss, green and some gold. Containers, we’re kept simple, cedar cubes and trays. We had a very tight budget, but thanks to florist friends, our greenhouse and garden as well as the generous contribution of some choice plant material from the brides employer ( Logees!), we were able to assemble a fine collection that was both interesting and pretty.

A New England wedding on a March Evening that was cold and overcast outside, made the lighting indoors perfect for hundreds of candles in vintage glass canning jars. The night was sublime, and the scent from all of the Jasmine and Pittosporum we included was probably stronger than when even in the greenhouses at Logee’s! We were able to combine the nineteenth Century and the Twenty First Century with flowers and plants.

Nici’s bouquet is a hand held wrapped bouquet composed of primarily white Ranunculus, Lily of the Valley, which I forced in the greenhouse, white Amaryllis, Ivory French tulips, and white Anemone.

The boutonniere’s are most unique, since Nici wanted a woodland, natural look that was botanically interesting, we crafted Camellia leaves and Stewartia buds, along with individually wired bracts from a Euphorbia that added a lime green color. These elements were then wrapped with brown floral tape along with Billie Buttons ( Crasspediae), and a single feather from a Guinea Fowl, we just loved the speckles, and it reminds me of feathers one sees in old felt hats from the Alps.

The table arrangements are designed to feel both garden-like and loose, with green sheet moss, bulb flowers like Anemone’s and Ranunculus, and many unusual tidbits that we we allowed to collect around the greenhouses at Logee’s and from my greenhouse. Some arrangements had begonia leaves, others, included jasmine, Camellia buds and branches of Cornus mas.

Jessica helping craft some of the table arrangements in the greenhouse. I wanted really unusual cut flowers, so some forced tall Euphorbia along with lots of height from forced branches of Stewartia, Cornus mas, Magnolia and Fothergilla, were combined with bits of rare plants like species Begonia leaves, wild species of Camellia, and various bulb flowers from South Africa (Lachenalia) and Dutch imports like Anemone and Ranunculus. All colors, fell into a well designed palette of white, lime and ivory. Fragrant clipping of Lemon, other citrus and Pittisphorum were added to snippets of Jasmine to add even more interest. No two arrangements were the same, yet the overall branchy look with sprouting buds looked fresh and cozy in the dim, golden firelight in the barn.

While Jess and I we’re scooting around Logee’s on Friday looking for interesting material that Byron would let us snip, we saw this Strongylodon macrobotrys! ( No snippy, please!). Besides, the color theme would have been ruined since what color goes with this besides Tupperware! But still…….Wow! But, now that I think about it, I did have some Ixia viridiflora at home….perhaps another wedding.

The post I Design a Botanical Wedding appeared first on Growing With Plants.

Curating Annuals-Some odd, but stylish choices

Matt Mattus — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 06:24:00 +0000

There isn’t much that I don’t grow, but I always make room for annual flowers. I suppose it’s partly because they are some of the first plants my mother let me grow, for I remember sowing seeds at a very young age, and learning quite early, well before I was 10 or 11, what a Cosmos seed looked like vs. a Zinnia. Dad would dig compost from the large compost pile out back, and I imagine that the soil was rich with all of the chicken manure from our hens. The whole process would start in late February, and by mid March our glassed in front porch was full of these large wooden flats, about 4 inches deep and about 30 inches square, I think my father brought them home from the Newspaper, where he worked the night shift as an illustrator.

Annuals can be stylish, and this is the time of year to curate your collection so that you can start your own, and not be at the mercy of your garden center.

We never sterilized soil, or fussed with much or anything other than carefully planting seeds into tiny rows. No bottom heat, for the sun would heat the porch to nearly 70 degrees during the day, and at night, temps would drop to about 40. Still, mom had flower bed everwhere, and I can remember the entire scheme, for at that age, the zinnia and scabiosa were taller than I am. I think that’s one reason why I love the scent of snapdragons and marigolds, they were at nose height. Apparently, moms flowers were well known in the neighborhood, and she would pick and make arrangements all summer long, clearly, I got my love for plants partly from her.

Amaranthus ‘Dreadlocks’
But annuals hold a dear place in my heart even today, and each year, although I limit myself to what I will gro. Beyond the Proven Winner’s series, which I admit, really preform well, I do cycle through the classics every few years. A certain bed along the walk of the greenhouse may hold a few dozen Scabiosa one year, and another, miniature Zinnias, or China Asters, such as last year. Mom always grew tall Asters, and I remember their unique blend of violet, lavender and pink. This year, I think I may plant Four O-Clocks here, not sure yet. But I know that I will grow Marigolds, for I skipped them last year, and I missed their scent too, which particularly reminds me of the first frost of autumn, when mom would pick most every flower in the garden to save them from the frost.
Celosia Spring Green, a new crested green form.
Some new varieties this year I want to try are the many double Cosmos bipinatus, which are available from a few sources, but I will order mine from Johnnys Select seeds. Then, at Harris Seeds, there is a beautiful green Celosia called Celosia Spring Green, which will add interest in arrangements since there is nothing like apple green, magenta and orange.
Gold colored Craespedia is one of the most stylish flowers on the wedding trend sites. The gold mixes well with magenta’s, violets and silver foliage, and is very stylish indeed.

Instead of showing the new annual introductions, I am sharing what I am growing. If you want to see some really stunning-but-not-for-me varieties like Zinnia Zahara Rose, go check out the other blogs. It’s nice, but it just won’t fit into my schemes. But Sweet peas always do, and after seeing the Sweet Peas in England last year, and at the Chelsea Flower Show, I am addicted again, as I was as a kid. I think I will limit myself to all of the violet and periwinkle shades, for together, they make ones heart skip. Check out these are a fine English blog.

Park Seed Company has an interesting Amaranthus, called,‘Dreadlocks’. I am thinking about growing it, since it is 3 feet tall, and that appeals to me. They also have a Zinnia called Candy Mix, which is pretty, if you can choose the odder color combinations.
The vine related to Morning glory, Mina lobata comes in a sweet yellow form, available at Summer Hill Seeds. I grew the orange to red form one year, and it was in full bud when I accidentally tore the stems from the roots while moving a large urn in front of the greenhouse, so I may try this one this year.

The Lisianthus plants from Burpee are always worth the money they cost, for I can’t think of any other annual that has the long lasting quality as a cut flower, and the color palette, which rivals the Spencer varieties of English Sweet Peas.
One hot humid evening last July, Joe and I went to eat at a local seafood restaurant in the city. Planted around the parking lot in a strip of soil between the hot concrete and the sidewalk was planted Tithonia, the “Mexican Sun Flower”. They were so beautiful, and bright persimmon in color with healthy thick green stems and broad floppy leaves, I noted to myself that I should grow some this year, so they are on my list. A dwarf variety is available from Johnny’s.Tithonia, Fiesta del Sol, which I will grow with Redbor Kale, a purple kale that will make the Purple leaved Sweetpotato vines and omnipresent black Coleus everyone else will grow, green with envy.Redbor purple Kale, a refreshing option to all of the other purple leaved plants, and you can eat it.

The post Curating Annuals-Some odd, but stylish choices appeared first on Growing With Plants.

December Flowers

Matt Mattus — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 00:24:00 +0000

I’ve noticed over the past years, that there are flowers, and of course, greens available in my zone 5 garden every month of the year. And, I mean outdoors, not just in the greenhouse. I though that I might start a Friday tradition in 2010 ( if I can keep up with it!), but since there are so many tracking devices for blog traffic available, I’ve noticed that the most comments and views I receive come from the posts that show either floral combinations, or arranged plant material. But, since my blog is focused more toward more interesting, or rare plants, and those that are more unusual or overlooked or forgotten I thought that maybe this will indeed be an interesting and fun project to try.

So starting next week, I will try my best to post an image of plant material arranged artistically that is not just out of the ordinary, but extraordinary in some measurable way. The material may come from the yard, my garden or from the greenhouse. Or, it may come from any combination, but the one rule I must follow is that I grew it, and that nothing was purchased. Not sure what I will call the post yet, maybe something with the word inspiration in it., Or, simple Friday Flowers. But wait, I may not use flowers all of the time. OK…I need to think about this a bit!

Until then, here is a sampler….some Hellebores cut and arranged in a Tibetan wooden box, placed in the alpine garden on the late December thaw ( snow tomorrow!). Enjoy.

The post December Flowers appeared first on Growing With Plants.

September Blooms Hint of a March Wedding

Matt Mattus — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 04:19:00 +0000

I find it fun to try to challenge myself to create unusual combinations of plant material, and still keep the expression, seasonal. Here, a tea cup with a carefully curated selection of flowers from my garden is inspired by a little get together we had at the house yesterday, while planning the design of my best friend daughters wedding. She is getting married in March, and since she works at Logee’s Greenhouses in Connecticut, she wants a botanically diverse wedding, rustic, hints of vintage, yet totally designed.This will be a fun project over the winter, for I have only designed a couple of weddings in the past, one, a fancy high budget fete at the Blythewold Estate in Rhode Island, again, for another friend, where I crafted garlands of chestnut leaves, artichokes and citrus which payed homage to the frieze in the estate’s main home, and faux topiary constructed from lemon leaves, chicken wire and dozens of gardenia’s, and built centerpieces our of sheered domes of boxwood and truffle colored velvet ribbon. I become too obsessed about designed weddings, wanting each to be better than anyone could ever imagine, but they are exhausting projects, so I rarely plan to become involved with any.

For this one,to be held in Sturbridge Mass. in a barn setting , we are planning arrangements of unusual succulents which need to be started now in the greenhouse, mosses, topiary Citrus, hints of feathers with speckles, tall forced branches of shrubs lit from below, and charming vintage collections of pottery with arrangements like this. It’s all about an unusual color palette. Chocolate, mustard, chartreuse, aubergine, buttermilk and truffle.

The post September Blooms Hint of a March Wedding appeared first on Growing With Plants.

My Nerdy Plant Display Window

Matt Mattus — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 06:18:00 +0000

Yes, those are dirty dishes. And frankly, not much design fuss went into this. I just snapped these photos tonight, since I jsut noticed that these are all yellow flowers ( I know, the Halogen lights are blowing out the yellows, but with a flash, this would have looked far worse). I just thought that I would capture this honest moment, as I found it when arriving home from work tonight. You should smell these Gladiolus tristis….wow….almost too much.

OK…..This is about as bad as it gets…I will now admit, full disclosure, that I have a display window over my sink. Yeah….I installed a 90 degree bay window, and had lighting added, and a copper tray with gravel, just so I can display pots from the greenhouse that are currently in bloom.

I was inspired by three things here, first, Thalasa Crusoes early writings, where she remembers her first home in Boston, and the plant window she asked her husband to build, with a copper tray and “proper pebbles” placed in it so that she could display paperwhites. Second, the estate I worked at while in high school, that of Mr. Robert Stoddard and her famous Fletcher Steele garden, Mrs. Stoddard had a plant window in her dining room, and I had to stock it with peach colored tulips, periwinkle Hyacinths and Primula Obconica for much of the winter. I loved that window. And third…..the New England Spring Flower Show, where an annual contest was held each spring on displaying plants in a faux bay window. All of these I first experienced when I was a teen ( obviously, a nerdy one) and, now, as an adult, I can bring many of these to reality – albeit above my sink full of dishes!
Now it gets worse.

I actually theme the displays ( like this one, which really occured by accident, being themed as “Yellow-South-African-Flowering- Bulbs-that-bloom-in-March.” Of course, I could go on, and say that it is ‘A window of geophytic Cape Bulbs that are pollenated by sun birds” but I did that last year. ( see?).

The other plants are a rare yellow flowered Velthiemia bracteata ( the one that looks like a red-hot poker that got scared), and a beautuful new seedling that I brought back from Mr. Nakamura’s farm in Japan of a yellow clivia, one of his Vico Gold offspring,(which too is fragrant), and a nice little pot of the precious little South African bulb, Lachenalia alata ssp. aurea from leaf cuttings last year started in the greenhouse.(no fragrance).

The post My Nerdy Plant Display Window appeared first on Growing With Plants.