Hello all of my readers. I have recently renovated my website and would like you all to stop by and go for a tour. I have been updating the blog rather consistently on the web site.
Thank you for your interest and I hope you are happy with the new setting for my blog!
Gregory
www.nativerootdesigns.com
Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Monday, May 23, 2011
Good intentions make good neighbors? -I love my job
I am consistently reminded of how lucky I am. There is not much that I like more than making people happy. To inspire others into laughter and gratefulness, so they can live to their fullest and spread the power of kindness throughout their lives.
I recently was working in a small community of neighbors. There had been some discontent around a community park. Some of the neighbors wanted to remove a hedge and others were against it. The result was a sloppy execution of a hedge renovation and partial removal. It was ugly to say the least.
As various neighbors started getting involved and others grew increasingly upset one of them offered plants from there own garden to help fill in the space.
My co-workers and I moved about five evergreen Huckleberries that we had planted and maintained for the last five years. They were all healthy and full, standing three to four feet in height with a spread of at least twenty inches. We also moved in some vine maples in an effort to block a view from one neighbors front door.
This neighbor had been very upset at the hedge removal and the resulting view. When we had finished the small project of moving a few shrubs thoughtfully into place to screen the view we called the neighbor out to see. We just asked them to come out and see if everything was in the right place and if they were happy with the result.
They cried.
They were so touched that we had all moved such mature and full shrubs, placed them with such care, and made a hole in their view the future model for the rest of the remaining hedge. Most of all they were touched that we did what we said, when we said and that we did it with such thoughtfulness.
I had nearly nothing to do with the arranging of this project. I was just planting and placing the new shrubs. The reaction of the one neighbor was so dramatically different than what I had heard the tone of the issue had been. It was an enriching experience to be involved in and I was so happy to be part of it.
Good communication, patience and kind intentions go a long way!
I recently was working in a small community of neighbors. There had been some discontent around a community park. Some of the neighbors wanted to remove a hedge and others were against it. The result was a sloppy execution of a hedge renovation and partial removal. It was ugly to say the least.
As various neighbors started getting involved and others grew increasingly upset one of them offered plants from there own garden to help fill in the space.
My co-workers and I moved about five evergreen Huckleberries that we had planted and maintained for the last five years. They were all healthy and full, standing three to four feet in height with a spread of at least twenty inches. We also moved in some vine maples in an effort to block a view from one neighbors front door.
This neighbor had been very upset at the hedge removal and the resulting view. When we had finished the small project of moving a few shrubs thoughtfully into place to screen the view we called the neighbor out to see. We just asked them to come out and see if everything was in the right place and if they were happy with the result.
They cried.
They were so touched that we had all moved such mature and full shrubs, placed them with such care, and made a hole in their view the future model for the rest of the remaining hedge. Most of all they were touched that we did what we said, when we said and that we did it with such thoughtfulness.
I had nearly nothing to do with the arranging of this project. I was just planting and placing the new shrubs. The reaction of the one neighbor was so dramatically different than what I had heard the tone of the issue had been. It was an enriching experience to be involved in and I was so happy to be part of it.
Good communication, patience and kind intentions go a long way!
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Plant abuse
It's true; I ran over a whole row of Primroses, Hellebores, and Iris's with my Garbage can! I confess. It really wasn't the first time. Yes the Primrose and the Hellebore are in full bloom but they are almost finished.
Why I opt for functional designs to lifestyle and site. Function; most of us lead outstandingly busy lives. For many years I have kept very close account in my world to what uses energy and what is effortless. This is in part so that I can believe people are truly not too lazy by designing gardens that allow them to be. It gets tiresome returning to old gardens that I have created only to see that the owner didn't actually hand water the shrubs the first three seasons; or to find a pathway trod right through the garden bed even though the owners were sure one wasn't needed in that location.
In truth it is not the owners responsibility (initially at least). Given that every job in horticulture is an educational job it is the designers job to take the site and habits of the owners into consideration. If a path (point A to point B)is trod across a front lawn and the lawn comes out, regardless of the pathways that are installed, chances are the same path will be found and utilized.
Back to my plant massacre. I kill plants a lot. Who is it that said if you love someone set them free (aside from one of my ex-girlfriends:))? I love plants and try to plant them anywhere I can. My garden is full of plants that I have rescued from being tossed to the compost pile. Occasionally I will try to save one and it will sit in my driveway and slowly die because I do not have the time or room. It is very sad but at least it had one more chance. I will ask friends if they would like them and somtimes that works.
Then there are times when it's just shameless. I'm sorry Primroses!
Proper design would have my driveway about four feet wider (with a bench wall the entire length on one side and a low curb on the other side, all poured concrete with a cistern built underneath that channeled run off from the driveway and house!)
It's just not realistic for me too move my wife's car out to street in order to take the cans in and out. So for now when all else fails I take it out on the plants. And they still look lovely!
Why I opt for functional designs to lifestyle and site. Function; most of us lead outstandingly busy lives. For many years I have kept very close account in my world to what uses energy and what is effortless. This is in part so that I can believe people are truly not too lazy by designing gardens that allow them to be. It gets tiresome returning to old gardens that I have created only to see that the owner didn't actually hand water the shrubs the first three seasons; or to find a pathway trod right through the garden bed even though the owners were sure one wasn't needed in that location.
In truth it is not the owners responsibility (initially at least). Given that every job in horticulture is an educational job it is the designers job to take the site and habits of the owners into consideration. If a path (point A to point B)is trod across a front lawn and the lawn comes out, regardless of the pathways that are installed, chances are the same path will be found and utilized.
Back to my plant massacre. I kill plants a lot. Who is it that said if you love someone set them free (aside from one of my ex-girlfriends:))? I love plants and try to plant them anywhere I can. My garden is full of plants that I have rescued from being tossed to the compost pile. Occasionally I will try to save one and it will sit in my driveway and slowly die because I do not have the time or room. It is very sad but at least it had one more chance. I will ask friends if they would like them and somtimes that works.
Then there are times when it's just shameless. I'm sorry Primroses!
Proper design would have my driveway about four feet wider (with a bench wall the entire length on one side and a low curb on the other side, all poured concrete with a cistern built underneath that channeled run off from the driveway and house!)
It's just not realistic for me too move my wife's car out to street in order to take the cans in and out. So for now when all else fails I take it out on the plants. And they still look lovely!
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
What images come to mind when you think of spring?
I know of a few things that come to mind when I think of Spring. Bluebells, Dogwood flowers, Meerkerk Rhododendron Garden on Mothers Day or a friends house that we visited for my wife's birthday, all visions that come up with the idea of Spring. With each of these memories are associated events such as birthdays, moments in a park with certain friends, laughing with little kids. In turn each of these recollect a time in my life and their associated emotions; excitement when my girlfriend (wife to be) moved to Seattle, pleasure at sharing my garden with our friends families our kids collective first birthday party, love for my wife on her birthday when I surprised her with a bouquet of dogwood flowers on the counter and the whole tree in the garden.
I guess it is through many of these multisensory memories that I measure out my life and in turn my success and happiness. I track events and frames of my life through this blend of seasons, family, emotions. At times it is even the lighting alone that will create a memory and a scene of my life.
I know that these events will begin to fade and new ones will have less clarity due to age and the overall amount of thoughts and information my brain will be responsible for.
That said, I wish that I may continue to capture these moments by using the seasons and their coinciding elements to trigger my mental lens to click and saveur the light, the smells, and the people that make my life so rich.
I guess it is through many of these multisensory memories that I measure out my life and in turn my success and happiness. I track events and frames of my life through this blend of seasons, family, emotions. At times it is even the lighting alone that will create a memory and a scene of my life.
I know that these events will begin to fade and new ones will have less clarity due to age and the overall amount of thoughts and information my brain will be responsible for.
That said, I wish that I may continue to capture these moments by using the seasons and their coinciding elements to trigger my mental lens to click and saveur the light, the smells, and the people that make my life so rich.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Winter Crafting
While doing our winter clean up this morning, alright today since it took three sessions, Lila and I stopped for a little crafting in the garden. I was shearing down all the wintered over perennials and the Pacific Coast Iris leaves caught my eye. Lila was asking for a headband so we sat and put it together with the Iris leaves. First I found the longest and nicest three blades and split them down the center to have six narrower lengths. then I braided them together folding each turn so the whole thing kept a flat look and feel. As the length of one was about six inches from it's end I tucked the stub of the next one into the braid under it and used them together until the one ran out. they are a great material to work with right now, I didn't find them to be too brittle at all. A perfect garden craft to keep a child engaged!
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Ready or Not?
What should you NOT do right before hosting a garden tour?
1)Tear all the gutters and old fascia boards off your house to prepare for a new roof.
2)Remove your chimney and store all of the busted masonry in your driveway.
3)Dig up a 7x3 foot section of lawn and lift it up 4 inches.
4)All of the above.
Well I managed to get into all of these projects just in time. I didn't think about it until I was lifting up the lawn section at 3 o'clock Wednesday afternoon in about 90 degree heat. It crossed my mind that it might look like I laid sod down in strips so I stuffed the cracks with dried grass from raking. The lawn has not been watered other than where Lila's pool is and we try to move that around fairly often.
The roses are coming back into full bloom just in time. One of my favorites is Dapple Dawn. It is a beautiful single pink rose that flowers most of the season, kind of loose open flowers. And of course the lovely Sally Holmes, a blushed pink single flower in huge bunches covering the shrub.
I do plan on having the place cleaned up for the Rainier Valley Garden Tour this weekend so please stop by and take a look!
See you on Saturday!
Gregory Smaus
Native Root Designs
sustainable garden management, design, and exploration...
206.227.4458
www.nativerootdesigns.com
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