Getting closer with Pantry Design / Pop of Color?
oldbat2be
7 years ago
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mama goose_gw zn6OH
7 years agolast modified: 7 years agocluelessincolorado
7 years agoRelated Discussions
New plan...I'm getting closer!
Comments (18)Following Inkognito's question, and guessing from the "new" contributor names appearing here that you are of conifer forum origin, I had already postulated that one of the major purposes of this design is to find a way to plant all these plants that you love. That's a perfectly legitimate purpose - a collector's garden. Having made one of those myself (unintentionally, incrementally), and having transitioned out of that style to some extent, I would caution you to take a step back, waaaaay back, from the stage at which you are contemplating plant names. Think about the really basic questions, such as, do you really want to plant up against the house? This is not a foundation planting plan we're looking at here, but the use of the house as an anchor. But I don't really think that (a) your house is going to look any better with plants against it in this arrangement, or (b) that they will necessarily grow well up against the house. Deciduous plants in particular reach for the light, even when they are against a south-facing wall, and they do not look good after a few years. Fundamentally, what I'm seeing in this design is a case of what we call "perimeteritis" around here; a fear of simply stepping into the open and creating a bed for plants right where you want them to be for some aesthetic, functional, horticultural, or plant-tending reason. You've made a really easy design decision that is an alternative to Ken's "if I'm collecting I might as well just line 'em up" style, but is still not the creation of a pleasing and functional landscape that allows you to collect plants to your hearts content. There is a distinction here between perimeteritis and boundary definition. Nothing wrong with defining boundaries. But one way of distinguishing the two is to say, if my neighbour defined his/her boundaries the same way, could we co-exist? The answer is no - because your big trees, for instance, are borrowing airspace (and root space). At the same time, your big trees may be lending or wasting their primary amenity: shade. They may also end up competing with each other for airspace. Is this necessary? What you need to do to avoid a situation in which you will want to redo this all in five or ten years - and trust me on this, because I've moved every single one of my plants a half-dozen times as I transition from one garden form to another! - is to think in terms of plant form and its function for your life - shade here, sightlines there, enjoy the early spring or late fall flowers from this window, compost bin accessed this way, and view of your house from one vantage point or another. AND water flow. Do your design in terms of "big conifer here, arching deciduous shrub here, bulbs there, spreading deciduous tree here with shade on this patch." No plant names yet. Later, you fill in the plant names. The problem with a collector's garden is that once you live in it for a while, you start to think of the way the landscape functions for you, vs. for the plants. So my advice to you: step away from the structures, step away from the lot lines, and put down the pencil. Walk around your property and think about the places you like to BE on it, whether to enjoy the morning sun with coffee in hand admiring the new growth on the pines, watching the kids play while you're weeding, what have you. Put a plastic garden chair there. Sit in it, and think about what you want to see from there. Maybe one of your places is your back steps, your deck; others may be in the shade of the big trees you already have. Make pathways to get to the places you want to spend time, and also make pathways that reflect the routes you already go. Also, where do you sit IN the house and what do you want to see from there in what seasons? Landscape design, even if it is intended to collect plants, is for people, not for houses, properties, or plants. Design it around the people and their needs. KarinL...See MoreThe big day is getting closer!
Comments (18)I'm healing well-I'd say I'm at about 70% of normal, definitely learning my limits! It's a gorgeous setting-there is a large grass area adjacent to a lake, and we've got a 500SF covered area with a dance floor also. Food is tapas style. It'll be vegetarian, but there will be shrimp. I'm not sure of the menu, I wasn't able to get to the tasting, but DD assures me the food is very good, and her MIL approved it (she was wary about the vegetarian menu). So no sit down dinner, but plenty of food available to nosh on. The only alcohol will be microbrew and there will be mojitos, the signature drink. Otherwise it's flavored waters, lemonade and coffee. Knowing the crowd, this is going to be fine. No snakes-we only have non-venomous in this part of the state, and they'd be grass-inhabitants, not in a landscaped area. The only bugs we'll worry about would be mosquitos, but I'm not expecting that to be too bad-we have bug spray available. There may be moths (due to the lights) but mostly it's not too bad here for bugs. I'm more concerned about flies-but the place is extremely clean, no outhouses (only full, delux bathrooms) or garbage cans in the vicinity. I've been to many outdoor evening events and never had problems in our area. I think it's just too cool at night to worry. In fact, that was one of the brides concerns-needing a wrap once the sun went down! It's going to be fairly cool in the evening, since it's in a forested canyon, and the sun will be low enough at 7pm to be below the treeline. We don't get full dark till almost 10pm, but I expect us to be utilizing the candlelight by 8pm for sure....See MoreGetting closer to making backsplash decision (I think).
Comments (5)I really like the Crossville tiles but perhaps a different shape than those squares - what are they 6x6? They have got to have a huge range of shapes and sizes just looking at the website pic you posted. Do some combination of big and small with a detailed row to keep it from being boring. Your kitchen has a rustic, earthly feel to it so maybe 6x6's are the way to go instead of the more trendy subway shape. I wouldn't do 4x4's though. They look year 2000 to me and your kitchen it too beautiful to date it. I would probably put the 6x6 squares on a diagonal though. To me, it looks much better - more interest and movement without being crazy and certainly not boring or static like a grid. I think the smaller brick shape *is* more modern even though it is still a subway shape. It's the smaller shape that makes it feel that way. And the tiles Olandy posted are gorgeous too but the scale is too small. 1x1's get really busy in a large space. Personally, it would make me dizzy while standing at the sink. Have you looked at Sonoma Tile Makers? I know someone posted their a link to their tantrum glass tiles but they have a huge range of basic colors that come in all different shapes and really neat decorative tiles. We used them for our bathroom three years ago and I did a combination of decorative 1x8's as a border, 4x4's, and 6x6's. If you are interested I'll try to take some tiles pictures and post later. I admit I haven't read all your backsplash threads so I might not know the vibe you are going for and these could be way off but here are some ideas from houzz. I did read you are drawn to simple and plain, tonal tile but are you worried all together it will be too boring? If so, why not just add a "little something" over the cooktop or behind the sink or both to give it just a touch of interest without going over board. Here are some ideas and maybe these all have too much going on for you but you could limit the "extras" to whatever amount you are comfortable with. The field tile in all of these is very calming and tonal though. [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/english-tudor-kitchen-traditional-kitchen-portland-phvw-vp~131656) [traditional kitchen design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2107) by portland kitchen and bath Robin Rigby Fisher CMKBD/CAPS [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/kitchen-backsplash-traditional-kitchen-new-york-phvw-vp~852438) [traditional spaces design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-home-design-ideas-phbr1-bp~s_2107) by new york tile stone and countertop Portico Tile & Fixtures, Inc. [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/showroom-display-traditional-kitchen-boston-phvw-vp~96089) [traditional kitchen design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2107) by boston kitchen and bath Venegas and Company Certainly not these colors but maybe something like it in what works with your kitchen colors: [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/aston-road-kitchen-traditional-kitchen-boston-phvw-vp~87928) [traditional kitchen design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2107) by boston kitchen and bath Venegas and Company [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/sen-design-kitchen-and-bath-professionals-traditional-kitchen-san-diego-phvw-vp~73516) [eclectic kitchen design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/eclectic-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2104) by san diego photographer Chipper Hatter Architectural Photographer...See MoreCan You Get Any CLOSER?
Comments (23)The seedling caught my eye before I pulled it out of the bed, irawon. I was just walking around, taking pictures, pulling tiny weeds out of the beds and almost pulled it out. I looked around to find more, and there are tons of em coming up under and around where Dick Ward, Christmas Tree and Gosan Sunproof are growing. This one is just kind of novel to me because it's the first seedling I've ever discovered growing among my hostas. Of the seedlings I looked at closely, this one definitely seemed to have the most substance. Super-tiny, that "stick" in the picture is a pine needle. Hostas are fun : )...See Moreromy718
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7 years agosherri1058
7 years agolast modified: 7 years agoeam44
7 years agooldbat2be
7 years agoeam44
7 years agomama goose_gw zn6OH
7 years agooldbat2be
7 years agosherri1058
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7 years agosherri1058
7 years agolast modified: 7 years agooldbat2be
7 years ago
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