13 Jun
Check out these graceful, edgy planters from Planterworx. Today, Fab.com (yeah, you need to register before you can shop) has a special price on these recycled steel planters. They are handmade in Brooklyn and would be great for a modernist gardener who wants a lot of impact with a minimal amount of plants. Just watch the weight!
Round out the modern look with Zuo Outdoor, also at Fab.com.
7 Mar
I hear that all things “figural” are hot. Plates passing as otters, teapots turned into top hats . . . so why not stacking planters that looks like giraffes?
Stacking planters are also super popular right now. The stacking trend seems to come from at least two inspirations: trendy succulents do well in stacking planters + stacked pots help us space-challenged city gardeners to give more plant a home. It is a bummer that there are not drainage holes in these $128 pots. If you want to embrace the figural trend, but aren’t up for all the color, maybe you could try the taupe version of these stacking planters?
6 Mar
Last summer we searched for low glazed pottery container under $100 for our succulents. We didn’t find much and ended up with a plain terra cotta pot from Home Depot. (These succulents didn’t make it, but we want to try it again.) Well, look what R* and I found at Target yesterday! Pretty great right? These are my favorite item we’ve found while cruising NYC’s big box stores for gardening items — before they all sell out. Why didn’t I buy a couple when I was there? I hope they don’t sell out too soon. (Don’t tell anyone else about them, okay?)
How great are these old-school webbed lawn chairs in Americana colors plus margarita lime? These instantly brought back memories of early childhood trips to the Catskills and my grandparents buying kits to re-web their old lawn chairs.
The affordable solar lights are another draw at Target. We didn’t buy any on our first trip out, since we’ve found that our target does a pretty good job keeping these in stock all summer. Plus shoppers can find something very similar in Home Depot.
One more thing to keep an eye on: Target now owns the Smith and Hawken brand and sells the exclusively. They didn’t have many of these items in our store, but we’re looking forward to seeing more Smith & Hawken come in as the season moves along. I found this set of tools and a carrier online. I hope they keep the quality up on these items.
I can’t be the only one stalking these big box stores for garden fun. What are your best finds so far?
19 Jan
Is it spring yet? R* and I miss the roof garden so much. We’ve been trying to bring some garden style inside with some cut flowers and a few houseplants that don’t need much light. The new indoor gardening collection by Shane Powers for West Elm is just the inspiration we need. Read more about the collection at Apartment Therapy and shop the new line at West Elm.
(Image: Cut Clay Cylinders at West Elm)
8 Jun
Our small, shared roof garden needs to fit people, a patio table and chairs, a few lounge chairs, two grills, and the occasional dog or two. And then there’s the plants! We’re running out of space for plants! While Sunset Magazine’s table-as-container-garden would create a special new space for plants, it is not so practical.
Umbrella planters are a more straight forward way to bring plants to the patio table.
Image: Sunset Magazine
29 May
There’s a lot to swoon over at Hotel Delmano in Williamsburg, Brooklyn: the cocktails, the yuppie snacks, and the steampunk smashed with speakeasy style of the place. Me? My favorite part was their window boxes.
They serve a drink here called the Granny Polite – white port mixed with fresh lemon and tonic. Pelargonium and begonias, usually thought of as polite granny plants, are mixed up with mint and thyme for a fresh look. Skinny silvery rosemary leans out of the boxes, kind of like the hipster dudes walking past the sidewalk bar. (I haven’t seen a local Brooklyn source for Perlargonium geraniums; I might order some of these geraniums from Logee’s next year. Read more about scented geraniums on design*sponge.)
These creative plantings do an amazing job of echoing the mood of the bar. I’d like to ask the garden why they also included dalhias in these boxes. They stood out as the one off note to me.
16 May
Cool stoop top container garden, right? The container and the contemporary topiary bush are a great pair — and very different from what shows up on most Brooklyn stoops.
22 Apr
We’re looking for a few new containers to spice up our collection. I love the selection at Jayson Home and Garden in Chicago. Take a look. I’ve visited Jayson Home and Garden twice on trips to Chicago and pushed mail order from them as well. I highly recommend them.
A friend from Apartment Therapy also suggested that I check out Pottery Manufacturing, though they may be more of a trade resource?
Do you have a favorite place to buy your pots in Brooklyn, NYC and beyond? Please comment and share your resources!
Image: Jayson Home and Garden
16 Apr
The bug candle we used on our roof garden last summer stinks. Light it up and it throws off a totally overpowering citronella smell. We’re ready for something different and just might try this candle ($56) from Hillhouse Naturals. They promise it will keep the mosquitoes away naturally, with either Eucalyptus, Mint Leaf and Lemongrass; or Wild Mint, Juniper and Tea Tree scents. And when the candle is finished, the concrete planter would be great for a succulent garden.
Image: Hillhouse Naturals
13 Apr
Yeah, yeah, I know. Unfortunately, this is not the most practical concept for a roof garden. Under the blazing August sun, you’d need to water these every five minutes. Still, this photos and the others on stringgardens.com are perfect inspiration on a cold, gray morning in Brooklyn [discovered via Apartment Therapy].
Image: StringGardens.com
Brooklyn Roof Garden 
