maximum garden house

vertical gardening has really come into its own, and has migrated from commercial and public installations to the front of your house. and, why not? green spaces are becoming more dear as development takes over every inch of the urban/suburban landscape. the maximum green house (above) was recently completed in singapore, where every inch of land is at a premium. i snapped this photo during my recent visit to san francisco's russian hill, where gardening space is also highly valued.

this gardener may have gone a little overboard, completely obstructing the view of their house (i think there is a house in there!). maintenance of this place must be quite a chore!

lessons learned from the field

as i watched the final (sunny) sunset of this week while listening to the chatter of the kingfisher, i contemplated this past season's garden and the lessons i have learned...

1. smaller is better for me...at least when it comes to gardening...i dont have time (apparently) to deal with my city garden and a fairly large (for me) vegetable patch in a community garden: square foot gardens are the answer.
2. containers also appear to be my forte´ when it comes to edibles and i got a fair amount of food out of my pots...some died in the drought, though.


3. self watering containers are good.
4. self watering containers are good, but other contraptions didnt work that well for me. my fancy upside down tomato planters were weak...

i dumped my spring potato bag after there was nothing in it at the end ( i have since replanted for a possible fall crop)
...my weed blockers didn't work.

5. figure out the edibles you really need and grow them prolifically. work edibles into every possible nook and cranny, because fresh foods rock.

6. get vertical.

7. compost rules...bottom line: it rules!

vertical planting: not!

i saw this vertical planter on the comtemporist: i really dont like it...maybe if it wasnt shown in such hideous colors.

south face

stunning south facing vertical garden designed by italian architect iosa ghini as part of the interni design energies exhibition held during salone del mobile in april.

verticle gardening with patrick blanc

green roofs are one thing, but vertical walls are crazy...and fantastic! i have started seeing vertical scapes everywhere: from smith and hawken to the landscaping at my doctor's parking garage, but none compare to the grand vision of scientist and designer patrick blanc.