21 May 2012

Developing a Landscape Garden….

That age old saying, "One is closest to God in the garden" does not refer to a vegetable garden or flower bed.....or a home orchard.   It refers to a landscape garden. What is a landscape garden, then?.......to be basic, it is a piece of land that is landscaped.    It is a piece of land to be entered as one enters a cathedral or a cemetery park, classically to  inspire the visitor  by the most revered...

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21 Sep 2009

Much About Mulch!

Why mulch? About fifty years ago most suburban homeowners asked, "Why landscape my yard?  I like lawn."  Trees and shrubs seemed in the way keeping neighbor from neighbor.  Fences were unfriendly.  These were the days of the spreading lawns; the openness of meadow where lots of kids could play with moms nearby.  No one talked much about mulch. In many quarters today, moms and children have disappeared.  Fences are erected.  Garden rooms have replaced the meadow in...

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08 Sep 2009

Boulders in the Minnesota Landscape Garden

Here in Minnesota boulders happen.  They were carved out from bedrock by glaciers and then dumped willy-nilly as the glaciers receded.  For decades farmers gathered the gatherable to get them out of the way of plowed fields.  Some still do.  Now, they  sell them. Some boulders are more beautiful than others.  Some are larger, others more square than oblong.  Some are granite, others limestone. Things "boulderlike" have become very popular in landscapes.  In the old iron...

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