Edibles are fun with "Food Head Fred". Let's get creative with food!
Mon, Jan 27 2014 01:44
| Organic Edible Gardens
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Ideas for vegetable gardens, kitchen gardens & edible landscapes.
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| © Food Head Fred, Elaine Callahan |
Besides, when combined with other flowering plants that attract beneficial insects and pollinators, you will have a more healthy and vibrant garden. The vegetable garden does not need to be crammed into the far corner of the rear yard. Imagine it conveniently located near your new outdoor kitchen and part of your outdoor living experience. What if the only place in your yard with adequate sun is in your front yard? No problem! I've created many front yard edible gardens that are absolutely beautiful. So whether you want an herb garden, salad garden, home orchard, or edible estate, there are ways to integrate that into your landscape. Look at this idea ...
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| Pretty front yard, organic salad garden |
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| Edible garden is hidden behind the pink azaleas where it can't be seen from street |
I have many more ideas to share with you. See upcoming posts to this blog from my recent seminar "Interesting Edibles: New, Unusual and Creative" that was first presented at the 2014 GGIA Wintergreen Conference. Discover how edibles are being incorporated intro trendy urban & suburban landscapes. Learn how to attractively integrate perennials, annuals and herbs that will attract pollinators & beneficial insects. Enjoy examples of how the design principles of color, texture & form are utilized to create beautiful results.
If you're too anxious to wait for the upcoming posts, you can peak at a few photos of organic edible gardens on our website.
Be sure to also visit elainecallahan.com to discover more "fresh art available in several delicious flavors". I'm certain you'll enjoy her refreshing illustrations.
Let's have some fun with edibles!
Danna Cain, ASLA
Home & Garden Design, Inc., Atlanta
Comments
Interview with writer from HGTV.com
Mon, Jan 27 2014 08:09
| Awards Recognitions, Recent News
| Permalink
Small patio in Cobb County gets attention!
So excited to have been interviewed today for a potential article to be featured on HGTV.com. We talked about how to make small patios special. The Cooper alley project caught their attention due to the high level of detail and it's special appeal.
Danna Cain, ASLA
Home & Garden Design, Inc., Atlanta
HomeGardenDesign.com
Danna Cain is featured speaker at GGIA Wintergreen State Conference
Tue, Jan 7 2014 02:41
| Awards Recognitions, Organic Edible Gardens, Recent News, Trends Ideas
| Permalink
Interesting Edibles: New, Unusual & Creative is topic for seminar
I'm excited to be one of the speakers at Wintergreen 2014. GGIA invites renowned leaders in Georgia as well as nationwide horticulture specialists to share their knowledge of the latest info and trends related to landscaping. I'm very honored to be in the lineup of speakers that includes Michael Dirr & Alan Armitage of UGA fame as well as Jenny Edge Hardgrave, owner of Simply Flowers, one of the most talented landscapers I've ever meet.GGIA's conference has been Georgia's #1 top horticulture conference for decades. Everyone who's anyone in the horticulture/agriculture world has attended this event since it's inception in the 1970's.
In addition to the fabulous educational sessions, GGIA Wintergreen features a trade show of companies from all over the Eastern U.S. who have the highest quality plants and other materials used for landscaping. It's always a joy to see and learn about the new introductions that will be on the market soon as these items will make my designs and your landscapes shine!
The current trend in the industry is to develop plants that are more dwarf, disease resistant and with longer blooming seasons. For my clients, that means plants that are very colorful, easy to maintain and small enough to not require pruning. I'm always looking for problem-solving plants so hope you contact me when you need advise or are ready to renovate your landscape.
At the conference, I will be presenting "Interesting Edibles: New, Unusual & Creative" ways to incorporate vegetables, herbs and fruit into the landscape. Explore how edibles are being incorporated into trendy urban and suburban landscapes. Receive inspirational ideas and information about extraordinary new plants, containers, vertical gardening, pollinators and more!
If you miss this conference be sure to check upcoming blog posts where I will be posting excerpts. I'm also available to present this hour long presentation at your conference, retreat or meeting. Inquire regarding details by sending email to contactus@homegardendesign.com
Danna Cain, ASLA
Home & Garden Design, Inc., Atlanta
homegardendesign.com
AJC writes about our storage spaces with style!
Sun, Jan 5 2014 11:21
| Awards Recognitions, Outdoor Living, Outdoor Storage, Recent News, Trends Ideas
| Permalink
HGD in the AJC Homefinder's Jan. 7, 2014 issue
We're featured in UAC professional journal
Wed, Dec 18 2013 10:17
| Awards Recognitions, Recent News
| Permalink
Interview with Danna about her background and interests.
Every month the Urban Ag Council selects a member to feature in their journal. We're honored to have been the one selected for the December 2013 issue.
Landscape consultation donated to GLA
Wed, Dec 4 2013 09:33
| Recent News
| Permalink
Georgia Lawyers for the Arts fundraiser
HGD supports Georgia Lawyers for the Arts by making a donation to their 38th annual Gala's silent auction. The winning bidder received a landscape consultation & design with Danna Cain, our landscape architect.
5 Modern Fire Ideas for outdoor living areas … think outside the circle.
Tue, Dec 3 2013 10:13
| Outdoor Living
| Permalink
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| Photo by Terraflamehome.com |
Gel fuel powers the torches and the vertical flame pictured below. Both are instant fire that can be extinguished just as quickly and simply.
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| Photo by Venturi Flame |
I love the simple, clean lines of the granite & stucco fire table pictured below. I would place comfy outdoor sofas around this for a very relaxing outdoor living area. The patio below it could be stained concrete or bluestone possibly edged with Japanese garden pebbles to echo the sleek luster of the granite on the table.
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| Uptown gas fire pit table |
The reflecting fire wall below would certainly be the focal point of the landscape where it’s used. The bench shown, though beautiful and artistic, would not be very comfortable or practical in a residential back yard. I would suggest different furniture unless the theme is Minimalist or Zen.
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| Photo by Colombo Construction |
The fifth idea I’d like to share is of a wrap around linear fire. Give me an circa 1950’s/60’s brick planter around a carport or patio and I’ll transform that space into something interesting, exciting and usable.
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| Photo by outdoorkitchenandgrills.com |
Danna Cain, ASLA
Home & Garden Design, Inc., Atlanta
http://www.homegardendesign.com/contactus.php
New walkway and interesting plants transform curb appeal at this John’s Creek home
Tue, Dec 3 2013 05:13
| Curb Appeal
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| After |
Soft textured plants and meandering walkway create a welcoming entrance
There are many things to consider when designing a new entrance walkway. Orienting guests, slope of the land, ease of use and architectural style are all very important. The most special entrances, however, are the ones that create an ambiance that reflects the owner's personality thus truly welcomes guests to the home. Given the style of the house, the walk could have been very linear and formal however we chose a more informal design. The owner wanted a much softer and more welcoming look that would incorporate low maintenance Southern color and texture. Tops on her list were old fashioned favorites such as forsythia, gardenia and daylilies.On my first visit to this home, I was shocked to see that the builder had provided only a stepping stone path to the front door. It was difficult to walk on and completely too small as the approach to this huge front porch. The landing that made the transition between the path and porch was settling and of mismatched materials. This all needed to be replaced.
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| Before |
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| Before |
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| After |
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| After |
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| Before |
After much deliberation, I decided to keep the old clipped ilex bushes because the house really needed the massiveness of these shrubs. Reclamation pruning has begun on these to equalize the heights, remove dead limbs and encourage healthy, interior foliage.
To soften the look, we added 8’ tall forsythias on the corners of the house behind the old shrubs. More softening was achieved by adding daylilies and perennials in front of the old shrubs. We also introduced evergreen Indian Hawthorne ‘Eleanor Tabor’ and Crown Jewel dwarf gardenias with the intent that these shrubs would grow together forming soft masses.
On the left side, we started reclamation pruning on the large sasanquas. We reshaped the one by the chimney, deciding to keep it shrub-form as a backdrop for all the perennials in the butterfly garden. The other sasanqua by the garage was limbed up into tree form.
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| After |
Danna Cain, ASLA
Home & Garden Design, Inc., Atlanta
See our portfolio
Transform your holly bushes
Sun, Sep 1 2013 08:11
| Curb Appeal, Herb Gardens, Italian Garden, Organic Edible Gardens, Perennial Gardens, Pots Containers, Pruning, Small Front Yards
| Permalink
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| These holly trees have been "limbed up" into tree form plus new, more interesting plants added around for color, texture and an Italian flair |
Morphing a holly hedge into an award winning statement
Here's an idea you can use! When faced with a huge, boring hedge, consider "limbing it up" to morph it into a row of trees. That was our solution when the City of Atlanta arborist would not allow us to remove these Virginia Highland hollies. The raised canopy gave us space and sun to plant the herb and perennial garden that the client desired. This idea won the 2013 Atlanta Home Improvement, Best Before/After Makeover contest in the landscape division.The hedge was so fat and robust that it was difficult for the owner to keep up with pruning it off of the unique, yet small driveway. The first goal was to give the client more space.
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| Before photo |
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| Before photo |
The photo below was taken immediately after pruning the hollies. Yes, that entire hedge was from only 2 plants! Notice how we selected only a few of the best main trunks on each plant. We then shaped and cleaned out the canopy. Strategic limbs were cut back severely so that they would “bush up” to fill in and grow into a more compact form. Drastic reclamation pruning, such as this, should be done in February while the plant is dormant. This timing, just before the flush of new Spring growth, assures that the plant will not be barren for long.
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| During photo, taken just after pruning the hollies |
The next photo shows the holly trees "limbed up" into tree form plus the new, more interesting plantings surrounding the hollies. This client wanted color, texture, herbs and an Italian flair. Notice how we incorporated the Italian cypress that he really wanted for texture. He did not mind seeing the neighbor's house. In fact, he welcomed the more spacious view that this idea presented.
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| After Photo, one year later |
Between the hollies, we placed a large Italian Terra Cotta urn as a focal point. This provides color rear round, especially in the winter when the surrounding perennials are dormant.
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| Large Italian Terra Pot with annuals |
The sunniest place in the yard was at the corner, so this is where we placed the main herb garden. See how the pruning of the hollies, addition of the Italian cypress and the herbs plus perennials have transformed the curb appeal of this Midtown home.
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| Before photo |
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| After photo shows how this idea provides better curb appeal plus space for the herb garden at the sunny curb |
Award announcement
Magazine article
Portfolio photo #1 curb appeal
Portfolio photo #2 perennial gardens
Good Housekeeping features our organic vegetable garden
Sat, Jul 13 2013 10:12
| Awards Recognitions, Organic Edible Gardens, Recent News, Trends Ideas
| Permalink
"Creating an Outdoor Oasis" article about HGD
Good Housekeeping's official website has selected one of our projects to feature in an article about "Creating an Outdoor Oasis". Here, you'll see an interesting oasis in a front yard landscape that just so happens to be a beautiful organic vegetable and herb garden. We're excited to be picked up by this well respected national magazine.
More about this project ...
In Good Housekeeping
In UAC journal