9 Jun

Evergreen Container Gardening in Brooklyn

Posted by Chris P in Summer 2009. Tagged: , , .

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Check out this inspiring new Brooklyn brownstone front garden. This planting just went in a few weeks ago and I stop to admire it on my walk to work every morning.

It looks to be all bushes and low-maintenance plants in many shades of green. Does anyone know the botanical names for these plants? I only recognize the rhododendrons.

What an elegant solution for the small garden space in front of many Brooklyn brownstones. This is a container garden space, really. Next year I’d like to try a small wind-loving tree in our roof garden.

8 Jun

Early Summer Roof Garden Inspiration from Bearsky

Posted by Chris P in Summer 2009. Tagged: , , , .

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Brooklyn terrace and roof gardener Bearsky has more photos to share. (Thanks, Bearsky!)

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Spring green sprouts look amazing in concrete troughs, though concrete would be booted off my roof — too heavy! The lion garden sculpture is amazing. Where’d you get it, Bearsky?

I blogged Bearsky’s rooftop vines too.

Images: Bearsky, via Flickr

8 Jun

Roof Gardens: “Weird Urban Serenity”

Posted by Chris P in Summer 2009. Tagged: , .

Did you see the editorial about roof gardens in Sunday’s New York Times?

There seems to be two kinds of roof gardens: there’s the fancy green roof projects like The Times is endorsing in this editorial;  and then there’s the roof gardens like ours where you (safely) put a few pots and a patio table up on the roof and having some fun. Both are great, but I’m wondering how the semantics will shake out to define the difference.

No matter what you call them, The Time’s is right about the “weird urban serenity” roof gardens of all kinds create. And check out this fact: “summer heat … can exceed 170 degrees on a roof.”

6 Jun

Windowbox Herbs Grow in Brooklyn

Posted by Chris P in Summer 2009. Tagged: .

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It doesn’t take too much space to grow a beautiful herb garden. Check out these pictures Prospectus shared on my neighborhood’s message boards.

Tomatoes too!

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6 Jun

A Haws Watering Can for R*’s Birthday

Posted by Chris P in Summer 2009. Tagged: , .

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We lug the water for our roof garden up from our second floor apartment to the fifth floor roof. So we’ve been hunting for a watering can that was balanced, sturdy, and … yeah we wanted something beautiful too.

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When we couldn’t find a galvanized metal watering can at any of the local hardware stores, we just went with a green plastic watering can from Home Depot (about $4). It gets the job done, but it isn’t balanced or elegant.  And the water pours out unevenly and too much water drips to roof and never hits the plants.

Enter John Haw who solved the problem back in 1885 with his “Improved Watering Pot.”

This is the BMW of watering cans, but a worthy treat, especially since they are made in Smethwick, West Midlands in the UK, about 15 mines from where R* comes from. The Haws can is totally balanced and the removable brass “watering rose” can be turned to prevent drips as we go up and down the stairs.

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I chose this Haws V122 Slimcan in fade-resistant Titanium for R*. The slimmer size makes it easier to store. But the Biriths racing green round can is the Haws classic.

Here’s a detailed guide for selecting the Haws watering can that’s right for your roof garden. I couldn’t find a local store selling Haws. Let me know if you find one in NYC.

Happy Birthday, R*! Now a few more days without rain and we’ll get a chance to test drive our Haws.

Images: Haws

5 Jun

Gardening with the Sky

Posted by Chris P in Summer 2009. Tagged: , , .

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Isn’t O2B’s Brooklyn roof garden photo stunning? Totally captures the moody city summer sky.

As I studied this picture, I realized this photo can teach us a lot about texture and varying materials in roof gardens too: ceramic tile, wooden furniture with canvas pillows, cement pillars. The light fixtures create a sense of a roof … and see how the vines are creeping up the support wires?

Image: O2B via Flickr with Creative Commons

4 Jun

Umbrella Planter Puts a Centerpiece on the Patio Table

Posted by Chris P in Summer 2009. Tagged: , .

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The only place in our roof garden that isn’t stuffed with plants is the patio table. That’s the opposite of how we live inside, where we almost always have a plant or flowers on our dining table.

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Next year, we could add one of these umbrella planters to the center of the table. The more gardening books I read, the more curious I’m getting. This could be a fun place to plant a tiny alpine container garden or a crazy scene full of sedums and hens and chicks.

HGUMBRELLAPLANTER__1But would it leak and splash in the rain, leaving mud all over the table? I know that’s what R* would ask me. The bird crap on the table is enough to scrub off as it is.

Shopping for an Umbrella Planter:
eBay: Inexpensive and goes with everything, but terra cotta breaks easily

Grandin Road: $99 is pretty steep for something seasonal, but for someone going copper, it could be great.

Simply Planters: Too expensive and too dramatic.

Back Yard City: Out of stock.

I can’t figure out why large stores and brands like Martha Stewart, Target, and Home Depot don’t sell these. And why are these out of stock at so many online retailers? I’m looking for umbrella planter gossip. Does it have something to do with these patents?

4 Jun

Our Latest Container Garden Try

Posted by Chris P in Summer 2009. Tagged: .

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So far the green and yellow sedum has been our best plant, so we’re adding another one here. The contrast between the greeny-purple of the sedum and the purply-green of the tall Red Star makes this our most coordinated pot yet.

There’s room for another plant in this post. Any suggestions?

We apartment people don’t have garages, so this pot is hanging out in our kitchen today, waiting for drier sedum friendly weather to head to the roof garden.

Does anyone know the name, botanic or otherwise, of this particular sedum? The couple who sold this to me at the Greenmarket didn’t know the name.

3 Jun

Brooklyn Roof Deck Inspiration: Bearsky

Posted by Chris P in Summer 2009. Tagged: , , .

bearsky_brooklynroofdeck

Check out this inspiring picture from fellow Brooklynite Bearsky. The vines add a sense of whimsy and  soften the edges with jungle-y style. I’ve gotta find a way to incorporate some vines this summer. The rich deep colors of the foliage are an inspiration too. Better get some coleus quick.

Thanks for the inspiration, Bearsky.

Photo: Bearsky, used with permission via Flickr

3 Jun

If You Spend a Lot of Time in Your Roof Garden at Night . . .

Posted by Chris P in Summer 2009. Tagged: , , .

containergardening06Plant white flowers!

Duh, why didn’t I think of that before we bought so many plants. I’m reading Container Gardening 2009 and picking up a lot of advice, but this is my favorite tip so far.

“I like to slip in white flowers whenever possible because they are the ones you notice at night,” wrote Kimbery Crane from EarthArt. She was talking about window boxes, but this is especially relevant for rooftop gardens since the light there can be limited.

R* and I were up on our Brooklyn rooftop at 12:30 a.m. this morning, watering and checking in on our ailing rose bush. White flowers would definately be more visable.

Here’s more pondering on white flowers at night: “As I think of white-blooming plants, I envision flocks of white geese flying in the night sky. They are like reflectors, mirrors that toss back to the earth all the available light.”

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