invisible homes

jeweler michael hill is to build 17 underground homes under his new zealand golf course. wow...no pools or spas allowed. i guess no plants allowed, either.

heuchera is hot for shade

im in the beginning stages of plant selection for the "river bed" garden that actually is a storm drainage ditch for potomac river overflow: this is part of my overall rain garden project. i have ordered a large quantity of heuchera 'oakington jewel from sunshine farm & gardens in west virginia. i love the heavily veined foilage and think the silvery leaf color will shine in this shaded garden!

grow shelter, grow!

the growshelter from brooklyn-based xlxs is this year's winner of the schuykill environmental education center's sustainable design/build competition. The shells of the GrowShelter are embedded into a 100 x 100 sq. foot space within the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education, a 350-acre nature preserve near Philadelphia. Each shell is made out of lime mortar, which is 80% more environmentally friendly than regular mortar, formed around a reinforced frame, and embedded into a mixture of mud, seeds, nuts, and water. 18 species of Philadelphia native plants and flowers, along with birdseed ingredients, like peanuts, sunflower seeds, and corn, are planted in the growing layer of the shelter. that is thinking outside of the box!