Dreaming of...

...sitting in the backyard and listening to the soft whispering of grasses...

found here

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GUEST POST: Fire Glass

Here is a very interesting guest post by Emily Micucci about Fire Glass. This is an intriguing way to add some magic to your garden or terrace and add some alternative lighting:

Fire Glass

In my opinion, the best way to furnish a gas fire pit or table is not with faux logs or lava, but with decorative fire glass. Smooth fire glass beads, designed to withstand white hot temperatures, electrify the scene in your outdoor living space. You’ll introduce a vibrant pop of color, or an iridescent pool of crystals, depending on the hue you choose.

Assuming you already have a fire feature to fill with fire glass, you can get right to the fun stuff. Choose a fire glass retailer that offers advice on how much you’ll need, as well as detailed product information. Often, fire glass retailers will give you criteria for calculating exactly how much glass you’ll need, based on the size of your fire pit or fire place. This is ideal, since you don’t want to order more than you need.

Next, make sure you choose a color that will have the most impact on the setting. Here is a beautiful example from Houzz.com. The cobalt blue is so striking.

modern landscape design

For a coastal retreat, I prefer a more pastel look—something that emulates the color of water.

Of course, you can always take the neutral route. White, silver or gold create a glowing ambiance perfect for virtually any setting. I love the sparkling gold set-up shown in this photo, courtesy of firepitglassrocks.com.

Fire glass lasts for years without losing its luster, so even if you’re not convinced by these gorgeous examples, look at it from a practical standpoint. It’s always beautiful, never cheesy, and looks like a lake on fire when you flip on your gas fire pit!

By Emily Micucci, my firepits.com

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Thank you, Emily, for this lovely post.

Here are some more pics about fire places of this kind because I find them very inspirational:

modern landscape design

modern landscape design by san luis obispo landscape architect Jeffrey Gordon Smith Landscape Architecture

modern pool design by san francisco landscape architect Huettl Landscape Architecture

mediterranean patio design by san luis obispo landscape architect Jeffrey Gordon Smith Landscape Architecture

mediterranean patio design by san luis obispo landscape architect Jeffrey Gordon Smith Landscape Architecture

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Now look at this view:

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And for indoor use:

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GUEST POST: Interior Designing with Topiaries

I simply love plants and I could not imagine living in a home without any plants. So this guest post by Jenna Lee Smith is right up my aisle:


Interior Designing With Topiaries
The horticultural practice known as 'topiary' dates back centuries and has been used for everything from Roman castle entrances, courtyards, and portable displays at Disneyland to subtle indoor decorating in modern homes. Popularized in films such as Edward Scissorhands, The Shining, and Errol Morris's delightful documentary Fast, Cheap, and Out of Control, most people don't realize that topiary displays can be used subtly to achieve remarkable effects, both outdoor and indoor. Indeed, both faux and real topiaries made from evergreen create a one-of-a-kind decorum to your living room, bathroom or bedroom. Here are some of your best options for uniquely artistic indoor horticultural design:

Chinese Evergreen—Boasting minimalistic care-taking and dark green and silver tones, Chinese Evergreen is durable and works wonderfully for indoor contours and corners. Compatible with a variety of styles, including Feng Shui, pair this plant with low lights and virtually any furniture you want. It even works in home offices, for which you can acquire any number of appropriate accessories and furnishing at the RoomPlace furniture stores.

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Angel Ivy Ring Topiary—Angel ivy, or wire vine, is a perfect accessorizing plant because it grows fast, contains thick foliage, and works well as a frame for flowers, lights, and even furniture. Popular among gardeners for its versatility and stylish festivity, angel ivy proves you don't need to be outdoors to harness the aesthetic power of the topiary.

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Miniature Herb Topiaries—Herbal topiaries comprising lavender, rosemary, serissa, and a variety of other herbs can be lively and verdant additions to a room. Mixing the benefits of wonderful fragrances and pleasing shapes, herbal topiaries work great in sunny kitchen window sills or as refreshing bathroom accessories.

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Cactus Combo Bonsai—This one's not for everyone, but can certainly add an interesting flourish to non-traditional rooms. A mosaic of different cacti shapes and colors can afford an interior space a Southwestern motif or an exotic centerpiece for an indoor fountain. They're also perfect for table tops and window sills and require very little maintenance.

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Myrtle topiaries—Though miniature myrtle topiaries are better suited for outdoor use, during cooler months they can be used indoors if they are rotated often. Myrtle adds a naturalistic touch to rooms.
Interior designing can receive a nice artistic infusion of green vitality from plants, vegetation and topiaries. Many interior decorators insist that topiaries can be the saving grace in the layout of a room. Look into Angel Ivy Rings, Chinese Evergreen, Miniature Herb, Cactus Combo Bonsai, and Myrtle Topiaries can all bring fresh perspectives to your home interiors.

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Thank you, Jenna, for this lovely article!

I have added some image examples for herb topiaries for the garden - a personal favourite of mine:

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What is growing in your Balcony Garden?

This year I am really happy about my "balcony garden" because it is so lovely overgrown. In fact not very stylish as it could be and not even very tidy but greeeeeeeeeen and many blooms still to come.
I did not want to invest much money because you never know how the weather will be like and if the plants you lovingly potted will survive without mildew or other lovely pests. The question whether they will survive our harsh winters is also important because I have no possibility to put the more sensitive plants in a cool place inside.

So I decided to try something new this year:
I planted vegetable seeds and simple flowers. Vegetables can have some lovely blooms and depending on what it is, grow nicely in pots with climbing branches such as the small pumpkins. They have big yellow blooms - unfortunately they last only for one day. So this is something I am not going to repeat next year.

I also planted seeds of the Tropaeolum (Nasturtium) which is one of my favourites because it creates absolutely lovely blooms in various shades of glowing yellows, oranges and reds and their perfume is wonderful. They look very nice in small glass vases together with one of the leaves or two and can serve as lovely table decoration.

I also planted the seeds of sweet peas - which have started to bloom in the meanwhile. Their perfume is wonderful and the colours of their blooms are absolutely beautiful. They also look marvellous in small vases. I can only recommend these.

And then of course herbs in little pots or larger ones such as lavender and rosmarin may not be missing. I especially love to cook with rosmarin. There is nothing better than adding a branch of fresh rosmarin while roasting fish. Astonishingly these grow amazingly well in my balcony garden (the herbs not the fish) although we have the sun here only till about midday. Then it is wandering off around the corner of the building.

Here is what I am talking about:

So do YOU have a balcony garden and what is growing there?
Btw - something else is very valuable when you have a balcony with a green wall - it keeps the heat off considerably on really hot summer days and functions like a natural air conditioning.

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LUCKY HOUSE: Houses with Trees are lucky Houses

I do believe in the positive influence and vibrancy of trees. Therefore it is essential to plant some near your home. Not only do they provide shade and oxygen they also can be the habitat for birds and other critters which are nice to observe and which make a garden finally come alive.

Not to talk about the beauty they offer each spring - this is absolutely priceless:

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A beautiful Home in a beautiful Garden...

Just something for you to smile...
I thought for the little snail it is true - isn't it? It's design - not human made but natural - nevertheless a design.

Here is the house and...

and here is the garden...

Did I lie or what?

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LUCKY HOUSE: another Wisteria House...

You already know my fanatic enthusiasm for Wisteria. But this house really knocks me out of my socks. Sorry - no interiors again but the exteriors.

This seems to be an old house in a residential area in Munich - near where I live - that is surrounded by rather newer homes. I don't know anything about this house - the fact is that you can hardly see it. Even in winter it is covered somehow by some evergreens - I think it's ivy - and it is enclosed with a high fence of shrubs which are that thick that you cannot even peek through them. Very mysterious - don't you think?

As you can see during the Wisteria blooming season the whole house disappears beneath a lump of blossoms and the front is totally hidden beneath a sea of green leaves. A wonderful place. Unfortunately you cannot even get a glimpse of the garden and what is growing there. So there is nothing left for me to do than staying outside, stretch myself as high as possible and shoot blind with the camera...




As you can see in the last photo the wisteria covers half of the roof already and you can see the top of the hedge which is really high - at least 2 meters! What a decoration!

What kind of people may live in there - I often wonder. They must be nice people with blossoms like these - such blossoms do not grow in gardens where you have nasty people - don't you think? So I just call it another lucky house and it will not be the last one...
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