magic

I captured this image at an amazing garden in Somerset, England called Hestercombe. I visited in September, when the cool damp mornings did much for great mysterious misty photos. I think the magic and mystery of many of the gardens that I visited on that trip is a good part of what is lacking here in the States. There are so many wonderful opportunities for designers today to really beef up the landscape with innovative plants, materials, and design ideas, but many in the industry are more interested in the bottom line than with their responsibility to innovate. Maybe this is why I remain a small company--perhaps it's more fitting to say because of this I am a small company. I am thrilled to be able to work intimately with clients--as well as with my contractors and suppliers. I can't imagine being in the business without being able to create that connection: client-design-grower-supplier-garden. None of us in the green industry truly works alone: we are a web of creative, conscious folks working towards a rather noble goal: beauty.

day of rest

in bloom

Have you thought about starting seeds for planting out in summer? Now's the time to plan and order so that you can start growing in time for spring! Don't be afraid of seeds... sometimes you can stick them right in the pot along with nursery grown plants and a few weeks later you've got wee little sprouts doing their thing. A good one to try is scarlet runner bean. Super easy to grow and very forgiving. For another easy pot o' green, try wheat grass...good for your kitties to nibble! You can also plant up a strawberry pot with herb seeds and watch for things to start sending up their fragrant first sets of leaves.

Looking back while looking ahead

After speaking with colleagues during the past couple weeks, I've discovered I'm not alone: we're all feeling a bit jumpy. The unseasonably warm weather is kicking our biological clocks into 'prep' mode for the coming spring...should we be starting spring cleanups even though it's only January? Should we start pre-booking spring and summer annuals? Will we be able to get all the dormant pruning that we had planned done before clients start calling with their wish lists? I've been trying to keep things at an even pace, despite my body's instinct to want to shift into high gear. I have been thinking about the landscapes I've had the wonderful opportunity to be a part of, and what changes or additions I'll be making come spring. It's also a great time to look over and critique projects that were a challenge and remember what worked well. I hope you'll enjoy seeing some of the fun projects I've worked on in the past year.

footprints

It's a busy time of year, believe it or not. People not in the landscape industry always ask, "What do you do in the winter?" Plenty! For starters, I can get to the 101 things I can't even think about the other 8 months of the growing season (plus the 'getting ready for the growing season' season, as well as the 'put the season to bed' season.) This time of year I'm finalizing designs for the spring and meeting with clients, making sure that everything's set for the whirlwind we call spring. I've also started teaching a bit more: my first class at CBG is coming this March! I've also got another class co-taught with Julie Siegel at Northwind Perennial Farm this August. Hope to see you at one or both of these events!

You'll also see me at the Midwest Ecological Landscape Association's (MELA for short)Annual Conference: it's a great place for those in the landscape industry as well as others concerned about the future of our landscapes to come and hear all about 'getting green greener'.

A Beginning

I'm glad you're here and hope you'll stop back often to see what's new with Dig In. It's an exciting time as I continue with my internship outside Springfield, IL at Starhill Forest Arboretum located in Petersburg, IL. My next commute downstate happens early next week, and will see me continue with my proficiency tests in chainsaw use, as well as a sightseeing tour of WAY downstate: southern Illinois' Horsehoe Lake. There our little team of explorers, including my chainsaw mentor Guy Sternberg, will explore the varied landscape that is this part of Southern IL...swampy bottomlands as well as drier upland flats. I hope to include some photos of the wonderful trees that populate the area, including Taxodium and Nyssa Stay tuned!

Where's winter...

greetings!

trying to figure this out...

First Contact

This just in! My brand new blogsite to share the work of Dig In with you. More later...