garden Archives - At Home in Arkansas

Outdoor Living: Planning Your New Build with Better Lawns and Gardens

June 28, 2019 by Stephanie Maxwell Newton

Sponsored Content | Photos by Rett Peek

We sat down with David Munsey, III, of Better Lawns & Gardens to talk all things outdoor living and landscaping when it comes to building a new home.

At Home in Arkansas: When is the best time to start planning your landscaping when building a new home?
David Munsey: Although the landscape and outdoor living spaces may be the last piece to the puzzle, it is never to early to start planning them.

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Orange Isn’t the Only Color for Fall

October 11, 2018 by ark_admin

Part of a series: Living the Good Life with Chris Olsen

There’s a lot to be said about meeting people’s expectations when it comes to seasonal decorating. After all, you don’t use shamrocks for Valentine’s Day, or lush banks of blooming flowers for the Halloween show on your front lawn. But you aren’t limited to a certain number of elements or prescribed colors every time you create a seasonal show. Many elements can be injected into your holiday tablescape that are not just unusual in themselves, but also bring in a color you might not have thought to use before. And that color can be from the purple family.

The color range for fall decor is typically restricted to the fiery tones, and for good reason. Ripened squash and pumpkins are always in various oranges or yellows, leaves turn into flame, mature wheat and cornstalks are, well, the color of mature wheat and cornstalks. But think back to art class and that color wheel. The use of contrasting colors, which are found on the opposite side of the wheel, can bring a bit of zing into your design. And they don’t have to be wildly exotic. Using African violets and a thrilling cerise phalaenopsis—both of which can be found at my nursery, as well as lots of other sources—can add a much-needed note of newness to your design.

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Repurpose, Recycle, Relax

July 16, 2018 by ark_admin

Part of a series: Living the Good Life with Chris Olsen

I own a cool store. And I offer many bright and shiny objects for sale, in addition to plants and gardening supplies. But I also think that everything in your landscape does not have to be bought new. While it may seem startling that I’d say such a thing, it really isn’t. After all, I’m in the landscape business, and what is a garden anyway? It’s a mass of energy, color, and growth that is always changing, evolving and, above all, renewing itself. Take that idea in stride and look at what you already have. You can redefine an area of your garden by recycling and reimagining something that is maybe stacked away and forgotten, and through repurposing, create a sense of wonder and newness. For example, I needed to define the end of the terrace and patio, but I wanted to create something of interest, so here’s what I did.

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Not All Rooms Have Walls

May 16, 2018 by ark_admin

Part of a series: Living the Good Life with Chris Olsen

Europeans have long known something that Americans are only just now finding out: You can create a “room” for entertaining within your landscape. And it won’t take a carpenter to do it. If you have a courtyard, patio, or level area in your yard that is wide and long enough to turn into a rectilinear space for table, chairs, and plants, you can treat your guests to a real indoors-goes-outdoors experience. Define the space and mark the “walls” with large specimen plants (read: dwarf or semi-dwarf trees), then plunk a table down between them. Add seating, accessories, personal touches, and then you have it. A delightful area for dining and conversation.

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Walled In

April 26, 2018 by ark_admin

Part of a series: Living the Good Life with Chris Olsen

You may not think a lot about walls, but they work on many levels at a property. They can keep something in or out, provide demarcation and boundary, and serve as punctuation for a landscape. They’re the very definition of utilitarian. But I have a question for you: do they have to be strictly about purpose, with nothing left for aesthetics or pleasure? I think a wall can become part of your plantings, which will mean seasonal interest, color, and a bit of something unexpected in your landscape.

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Outside the Box with D. Keeley: February Update

February 9, 2016 by ark_admin

Much like last month’s reminiscence of my visit to Vaux-le-Vicomte, this month I thought I would bring you more travel pictures turned garden inspiration…this time via a journey to Italy. Hopefully it will help us all make it through this last full month of winter weather, until we can get outdoors and into our gardens and outdoor living spaces this spring. And, hey, what better way to start the week of Valentine’s Day than with a romantic garden tour of Florence and the surrounding hillside towns of Tuscany?

Accompanied by a group of friends, some new and some old, I began my trip in Florence, or Firenze. The capital of Tuscany, Florence is also the birthplace of the Renaissance, the hometown of Gucci and the famed Medici family and the final resting place of Michelangelo. From personal experience, I can tell you Florence is also home to some damn good pizza, and luckily for us, gardens!

My first stop was this beautiful courtyard at the Palazzo Medici Riccardi, meticulously arranged with citrus-filled terracotta planters.

I thought it was particularly interesting (and attractive) how the planters sit on what appear to be the overturned bases of other planters and stabilized with custom iron work.

The courtyard also features gorgeous architecture and statuary.

Leaving the palace I was struck by this massive terracotta jar. I love to use unique pieces like this as powerful focal points within a particular garden space.

Check out the amazingly delicate details of the jar’s lid!

Later that same day, I came across this outdoor living space and art installation at a local restaurant. Its sleek, contemporary vibe were quite a striking contrast to the rest of the city.

I love these stylish outdoor floor lamps. Weather resistant lamps are a great way to bring indoor sophistication to an outdoor setting.

At the end of the day, my friends and I met up at the Hotel Lungarno, a celebrated hotel founded by the Ferragamo family. The street-side entrance to the hotel’s breezeway is elegantly framed with potted boxwoods, a simple classic that never goes out of style.

Situated along the River Arno, with stunning views of the Ponte Vecchio, Hotel Lungarno was the perfect place to enjoy a glass of wine after a long day of playing the tourist!

For the next few days, we set out to tour several of the ancient, hillside towns of Tuscany. One of the highlights was seeing the town of Cortona and the former house of Frances Mayes, author of Under the Tuscan Sun.

Perched on a steep slope, the property is a beautiful example of how successful and intriguing a terraced garden can be.

It was also exciting to see this carved stone niche, where, in the movie, an old man from the village devotedly places flowers in remembrance of his lost love.

Another special experience was our visit to Le Celle, an hermitage founded in the year 1211 and inhabited by Saint Francis of Assisi.

Judging by the look of this flourishing parterre, the 7 or so friars who currently live here are obviously dedicated gardeners!

For the last day of our journey, we headed back into Florence and to the Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens.

Created by the Medici Family, Boboli Gardens is one of the earliest examples of the Italian Style of gardening, marked by long vistas, an organized layout and ornate ornamentation.

The Egyptian obelisk and Roman basin were moved here from the Medici Villa in Rome.

This geometric hedge garden was a previously unseen surprise that revealed itself only as we approached to appreciate the elaborate, rooftop fountain in the background.

These stunning gates lead to a massive water garden and island, filled with potted plants, carved balustrades and classical statuary.

Speaking of statuary, there is no shortage of it in the vast park lands that make up the rest of the gardens!

Leaving the gardens, we passed by what I thought was the most beautiful building on the property: The Orangerie. Used for housing cold-sensitive plants during the winter, it is a testament to the value that European Royals placed on gardening during the time this palace was built.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Exterior designer Daniel Keeley is an Arkansas native and founder/principal of DK Design. His work has won numerous awards and accolades and is featured regularly in various publications. For more information visit dkdesignoutdoor.com.

Living the Good Life with Chris H. Olsen: It’s All in the Mix

January 5, 2016 by ark_admin

We Americans eat a lot of mixed salads, don’t we? It’s at the top of most menus, and even McDonald’s offers a selection. Many of us—especially after the holidays—face salads for lunch as a sort of penance for overconsumption. Mixed salads are always a great way to improvise, use color and texture and contrast, and tell a kind of seasonal story. Your garden can be planned and assembled the same way you create a great-tasting salad for guests. Start with the basic ingredients, a bit of design principle, and add color and texture. It’s not hard because you use a mix of perennial and annual-blooming plant material, according to growing conditions and exposure.

Start with the ‘bones’ of your garden area. By bones I mean the elements—growing plant specimens and architectural aspects—that will anchor your plantings and remain year-round. (Think of them as the basic greens salads are built upon.) Conifers and other tall plants that are usually not deciduous are your best bet for plant materials that establish permanence in your landscape. The large pots shown here add further depth, solidity, and architectural interest, as well as fonts for seasonal color. Use shorter green plantings, such as these boxwood and rosemary for further shape and anchoring. Your annual color—the workhorses of the plant world—are plantings you change with the seasons. And they’re right up front, too, like these sun-friendly New Guinea impatiens.

Once you’ve placed your bones and anchoring plants, stay with the same idea, and put in blooming perennials, like this rudbeckia. Perennials, while not full of color for the whole season like annuals, are just what their name implies, lasting most or all of the year, and into the next. They won’t bloom for the entire time, but they grow often into nice drifts, and provide a bit of further visual interest and texture. Translation: they come with a subtle touch of chaos, which you’ll want to keep your garden from becoming too formal. Note how they seem to caress these dwarf ilex.

Repeat your elements throughout your landscape. Use the same cultivars and plants to create harmony. It also makes your planting area seem larger to use some of the same bones, perennials, and annuals. But you don’t want mirror images of each planted area. That would again inflict a kind of formality that you don’t want in your residential garden. Use some of the same plants, but plant them differently for further visual interest. Musical composers call this idea ‘variations on a theme.’

Why am I smiling in this photo? Simple: the entire planting—and it’s a large one—comes together with finishing touches of annual color and further green texture. I used the same design principle in each planted area, and much of the same material. I began with the bones, then moved forward and out, establishing simple areas for layered plantings of perennials. Then came the easy part: full-blown annual color. You don’t have to break the bank to have a great garden. Nor do you need vast acreage. All you have to do is begin with the basics of your mix, then add elements for texture and color and varied growth habits. Each part can be like the ingredients of a great salad, and you can change it up to please your palate. Good planting, like good food, is a visual pleasure.

Live Life to the Fullest!

Chris H. Olsen

Outside the Box with D. Keeley: November Update

November 10, 2015 by ark_admin

I don’t know about you, but I always seem to have items lying around that I just don’t know what to do with. They aren’t my favorite things, but at the same time, I just can’t bring myself to throw them away. Such was the case with a concrete fountain my company removed from a client project years ago. The fountain was a gift from the client’s children, and while it is no longer aesthetically appropriate for his garden, it, nevertheless, holds sentimental value. So, i agreed to keep it safe and sound.

The other day (10 years later!) I stumbled across the various pieces of the dismantled water feature and had an idea: why not give this underused, yet meaningful object, a new life? I decided to transform the fountain into a multi-tiered planter and focal point, fit for the fall season, and thought I would share the metamorphosis with you. I hope it will inspire you, perhaps, to rethink some of those items around your garden that are in need of a new life!

I think the photographs probably speak for themselves, but let me tell you a little bit about the details. Here is what the fountain looked like before:

Now I’m no killer, but be forewarned…the cherub and dolphin go to fountain heaven before the end of this story!

Other than ordering these dual deaths, all I did was to fill the tiered bowls of the fountain with quality potting soil and to plant a mixture of variegated ivy, ornamental cabbages and violas. Then, I scattered miniature pumpkins throughout the foliage to give the display a seasonally appropriate ‘cornucopia’ effect.

For good measure I added a heaping pile of pumpkins around the base of the fountain, as much to hide another dolphin I wasn’t able to harpoon as for any other reason!

And that was about it! While I was at it, I placed a lovely, rust-colored mum on either side of the entrance to the cabana, and for sheer amusement’s sake, scattered pumpkins and squashes randomly throughout what was left of the vegetable garden for an instant ‘punkin patch’. Hey, sometimes girls just want to have fun, right?!

And, that’s all folks…a fun and easy project that gave me new appreciation for something that had gone unnoticed for a long time. Take a look around your own garden, and see what you can find that is in need of a makeover. I guarantee something will call out to you.

Have a wonderful autumn and a very happy Thanksgiving! See you next month.

Follow the Outside the Box house through the seasons, by reading Daniel Keeley’s other posts, HERE.

Living the Good Life with Chris H. Olsen: A Parade of Pumpkins on Pedestals

October 7, 2015 by ark_admin

Anyone who knows me, how I approach my craft, or what excites me knows I love pumpkins. I use them from the time I can first purchase them—sometimes directly from the grower—then deep into winter and beyond. (They can last many months—a fact that wasn’t lost on farmers in the days before refrigeration.) I feel you can’t beat their vibrant colors, wildly varying textures, or happy shapes.

Here’s the thing: they don’t have to be relegated to Halloween displays, carved up into jack-o-lanterns. Pumpkins and all their range of colors and textures are wonderful complements to the fall garden.

Have you ever noticed how, oftentimes, we love our gardens the most at the end of the season? Everything is at its verdant peak—the colors more saturated, the growth more lush. You can add a mix of pumpkins (and ornamental squash) to the plantings you’ve nurtured all summer long. It will add further visual interest and make the approach of fall a little merrier.

To really get the most out of your pumpkins, why not put them on simple pedestals? You highlight their addition to your garden, add height and interest, and ensure they’ll be noticed. And appreciated. We carry these metal pedestals at Botanica, and you can use them throughout the year.

Think about the area you want to use them in. Do you want them to trace the line of your walk? Give height between foundation plantings near a wall? Create visual interest at the end of a path? Provide punctuation to an existing design? Then give them each a small stage, so that they can have their moment in your garden.

Notice that I’ve mixed them. It’s far more interesting to use pumpkins that differ in size, shape, and color than featuring all the same type. The pedestals make the point here that you’ve found really interesting shapes and colors, even warty ones, and you’re now taking them to another level. They become part of your landscape, part of your hearty end-of-season garden when used this way.

It’s a really simple idea, but (as is often the case with simple ideas) it’s a good one. And those little pedestals can be used to display seasonal bits of interest in your garden all year long. Once you elevate a bit of garden color and texture, you elevate the senses and the design appeal, which is what makes your guests want to come back, season after season.

Chris Olsen is a nationally known home and garden guru, designer, author, TV personality and public speaker. In his book, Chris shares his landscape and gardening knowledge along with his unique flair for home decor and design.He is also a member of the Association of Professional Landscape Designers. Learn more about Chris and all of his work at chrisholsen.com.

Outside the Box with D. Keeley: August Update

August 12, 2015 by ark_admin

Hello again and Happy August! As I mentioned last month, my birthday is July 3rd, and…well…I don’t know if I should read anything into this or not, but all the gifts I received had to do with entertaining, cocktails and imbibing of one sort or another. So, I thought I would use this theme as an excuse to get together with some friends, give the gifts a try and share them all with you, as well!

This gift from my friend Christopher Todd of Christopher Todd Design was the perfect inspiration for a garden cocktail get-together. It is a prepackaged, miniature herb garden meant to inspire gourmet drinking.

It comes complete with seeds, soil markers and even a book of recipes to get you started.

You sow the seeds right in the packaging, and my friends and I had fun getting them all planted. I’ll let you know next month how they turned out!

The herbs inspired me to serve up a variation of one of my favorite summertime cocktails: a classic gin and tonic. Cool and refreshing, a G and T is the perfect drink for relaxing in the garden. This time I decided to mix the drinks (in lovely glasses given to me by my parents) with San Pellegrino instead of tonic for an even lighter flavor and to accompany them with fresh herbs from the garden. Either muddled into the drink or used simply as a garnish, the herbs add flavor and a little gardening activity to the evening.

While I was in the veggie garden, I also harvested a couple bunches of the Arkansas native ‘Cynthiana’ grapes that grow along the fence. The grapes [they are the little green ones] aren’t really that tasty yet, as this is only their second season, but I am so excited to see them growing! I used them as a garnish to go along with a wonderful St. Andre cheese served on a beautiful stone platter that was another birthday gift.

While I was at the store getting the cheese, I also picked up this Pinot Grigio infused summer sausage, which I thought fit the evening’s theme just fine!

It all came together nicely. Friends and I set up a small buffet at one end of the courtyard and decorated the table with some hydrangea blossoms, cut fresh from the garden and placed in a vase that was yet another birthday gift.

The evening also let me make use of another gift from some close friends: silver mint julep cups. Instead of another cocktail, I simply served white wine out of them this time. I think mint julep cups are great for just about any drink, really. Their simple, shiny style is even good for decorating: I often use them as vases and votive holders, too!

And that was my little boozy-birthday-gift-inspired garden gathering, haha! As I was cleaning up, I enjoyed one last nightcap and one final birthday gift: a simple beer from a Yeti coozy, guaranteed to keep your suds super cold. Thanks, Sis!

Just so I am not the only one getting all the gifts around here, though, I want to leave you with a little gift from my friend, chef and entertainer extraordinaire Jen Lewis. Below is the recipe for her Spicy and Sweet Cocktail, sure to spice up any garden party! [check out more recipes here]

Muddled strawberries and jalapenos to taste

2 ounces Vodka

2 teaspoons basil and jalapeno simple syrup

Juice of 1 lime

Shake or stir over ice and top with club soda

See you next month!

Outdoor Living: Planning Your New Build with Better Lawns and Gardens

At Home in Arkansas: When is the best time to start planning your landscaping when building a new home?
David Munsey: Although the landscape and outdoor living spaces may be the last piece to the puzzle, it is never to early to start planning them.

Orange Isn’t the Only Color for Fall

Part of a series: Living the Good Life with Chris Olsen

Repurpose, Recycle, Relax

Part of a series: Living the Good Life with Chris Olsen

Not All Rooms Have Walls

Part of a series: Living the Good Life with Chris Olsen

Walled In

Part of a series: Living the Good Life with Chris Olsen

Outside the Box with D. Keeley: February Update

Living the Good Life with Chris H. Olsen: It’s All in the Mix

Outside the Box with D. Keeley: November Update

Living the Good Life with Chris H. Olsen: A Parade of Pumpkins on Pedestals

Outside the Box with D. Keeley: August Update

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At Home in Arkansas: When is the best time to start planning your landscaping when building a new home? David Munsey: Although the landscape and outdoor living spaces may be the last piece to the puzzle, it is never to early to start planning them.

Part of a series: Living the Good Life with Chris Olsen

Part of a series: Living the Good Life with Chris Olsen

Part of a series: Living the Good Life with Chris Olsen

Part of a series: Living the Good Life with Chris Olsen

Subscribe!

Start your subscription today!

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Root Publishing

At Home in Arkansas

At Home in Arkansas: When is the best time to start planning your landscaping when building a new home?
David Munsey: Although the landscape and outdoor living spaces may be the last piece to the puzzle, it is never to early to start planning them.