Garden Centers have evolved over the years. There are independent garden centers often in a local neighborhood. Then there are larger groups with multiple locations.
Many of the big box ‘Do it Yourself stores’ have larger and larger ‘Garden Center’ sections.
The question recently has been where are they all heading.
So Ann asked Sid & John – “If I were to open a Garden Center today what would be your recommendations?”
Our interview with Sid Raisch and John Stanley, two ‘guru’s of the industry may help to answer that question.
We were having a discussion about Parks the other day, the consensus was that whilst they are constantly evolving there was a need to include more of today’s more modern infrastructure within a park boundaries.
Do you think that is the case?
For instance – constant wifi?
24 hour video access to see wild life etc. ?
Adoption of solar energy , for example path lighting powered by solar ?
More group areas for meetings outside ?
More refreshment areas ?
Less grass areas ?
The addition of vegetable areas for people to try or see how to grow ?
More opportunities to show visitors how to do something?
It’s not often you find a garden that was founded in 1673. Which is when the Apothecaries’ Garden was formed.
Ann was on a trip to Europe recently and dropped in on the beautiful Chelsea Physic Garden. Situated on the side of the River Thames in London.
The gardens original purpose was to train apprentices in identifying plants. With the gardens location close to the river creating a warmer microclimate. This significantly increased the many non-native plants that could be grown.
In 1700 the garden had started an international botanic garden seed exchange system, which continues to this day.
The gardens cover some four acres and are leased on what is known as a peppercorn ( very low) rent in perpetuity.
They are with out doubt one of London’s secret ‘gems’ and thoroughly worth a visit.
The gardens mission ” Linking people with plants and nature”
The interview starts with Ann talking for around 8 minutes to a group of school children on a field trip. The gardens have over 100 such school visits a year. Ann then talks to Michael a very knowledgeable and extremely helpful member of staff. We kept all the typical inner city sounds on the recording – the enthusiasm of the children is very heartening.
Integrated pest management is the preferred method of bug control…
They have a project called “Shelf Life’ it is just an incredible way to show children where their food comes from
You can also listen to Ann’s interview on iTunes at Growing Trends
We would love to hear your comments and suggestions for a show… just send us an email to Growing Trends
It’s not often you find a garden that was founded in 1673.
The Apothecaries’ Garden.
Ann was on a trip to Europe recently and dropped in on the beautiful Chelsea Physic Garden on the side of the River Thames in London.
The gardens purpose was to train apprentices in identifying plants. Located close to the river Thames created a warmer microclimate, significantly increasing the many non-native plants that could be grown.
In 1700 the garden had started an international botanic garden seed exchange system, which continues to this day.
The gardens cover some four acres. They are leased on what is known as a peppercorn rent in perpetuity.
They are with out doubt one of London’s secret ‘gems’ and thoroughly worth a visit.
The gardens mission ” Linking people with plants and nature”
The interview starts with Ann talking for around 8 minutes to a group of school children on a field trip, the gardens have over 100 such visits a year.
Ann then talks to Michael a very knowledgeable and extremely helpful member of staff. We kept all the typical inner city sounds on the recording – the enthusiasm of the children is very heartening.
Integrated pest management is the preferred method of bug control…
They have a project called “Shelf Life’ it is just an incredible way to show children where their food comes from
The short answer is certainly, this fully structural Green Wall was designed and built by us in 1984, it won an award, happily we know quite a bit about green walls, designed to last around 50 years they do not require any tie-back as they are designed as a ‘gravity wall’ . We will add a chapter about the How to and Where best to use these lovely walls.
2. Composts, Native and Perennial plants ?
A little more adventurous, next to a small pond.
We may need to add another eBook for this, what we may well do is add more about Allergies with this rather broad topic.
3. Removing and replacing a lawn – right time of year, plus best ways to water establishing new planting?
Creating movement
We will add a chapter on lawns and how best to use them, if you are in an area of long standing drought it is often wise to consider an alternative. It rather depends on how much area is involved , how much impact will be made. The picture above shows an area that could easily be ‘planted’ with alternatives. Sometimes a small green space in a compact garden is beneficial to the overall feeling of space – green is after all a very significant colour, and probably the most important in nature.
So the top three requests were –
Help with Veggie Growing
An eBook for consumers.
Listen to our digital library anytime
Help with water conservation.
Ann and I have taken out our quill pens and started to scribe…..the first ebook will be free for all subscribers to our blog site.
If you would like to write to us with other requests please do..
Ann and I interviewed John Stanley recently about his new book, he jointly wrote with his wife Linda, aptly named – Food Tourism – A Practical Marketing Guide.
The fastest growth in tourism today is the culinary sector.
Listen to John as he explains the overall direction of food tourism, including how he sees future development.
A few snip bits:
25% of the food we buy comes from 2% of the farmland around our cities, which is being swallowed up by development.
Farmers used to make 38 cents on every dollar now its down to an average of just 6 cents
Eating local seasonal food saves you around 25%, and is actually healthier for you!
A few years ago, I was reading a paper about how grasses ‘moved’ to music. Then shortly after, I read about the effects of harmonious sounds on plant growth.
Why do I mention this? Well a few weeks ago we were talking about Tesla and his discoveries. This led us to talking about vibrations, sound waves, force fields etc., Then a strange thing happened.
Ann and I, interviewed a wonderful lady landscape architect Jan Johnsen, about her new book “Heaven is a Garden”.
We talked a little about how at a very young age she discovered during a science fair competition – which against all the odds she won – the effects early morning birds singing have on plants.
The sound waves, which are similar to a violin stimulate a plant, to open its stomata taking in carbon-dioxide to help it grow quicker.
Jan has now written a new book called Heaven is a Garden. It’s a really fascinating and informative read. Jan has ‘connected’ the dots so as to speak. Between the natural world and our emotions. How the Four Winds are important when laying out a space, the careful use of curves, and my favorite Golden Rectangles and the Divine Proportion. – Phi is the mathematical proportion ( 1 : 1.618) we see in every natural form. Using this proportion ensures a sense of harmony in any outdoor space that contains it. I’ve always tried to use these proportions in my designs.
Jan then talks about Trees – natures rechargers as she puts it… The Celts shunnache, the Hindu tree devas, and Greek dryads are really references to light energy? The Chinese call this energy chi…the Japanese consider the health giving properties of trees the basis of a medical therapy called ‘ Forest bathing’, it helps reduce stress.
Jan then discusses the magnetic attraction in a Zen garden – rocks in these gardens reflect a deep understanding of the geomagnetic properties of stone and its impact on a place.
Finally the benefits of color in a garden.
You can listen to our truly fascinating interview with Jan Johnsen or if you prefer on iTunes at Growing Trends
We would love to hear from you, with your comments or ideas for shows write to us at info@grotrends.com
A few years ago I read a paper about how grasses ‘moved’ to music, then I read about the effects of harmonious sounds on plant growth.
Just using white summer bedding is very effective in such a large garden
Why do I mention this, well a few weeks ago we were talking about Tesla and his discoveries, which led us to talking about vibrations, sound waves, force fields etc., then a strange thing happened.
Ann and I interviewed a wonderful lady landscape architect Jan Johnsen, about her new book “Heaven is a Garden” we talked a little about how at a very young age she discovered during a science fair competition – which against all the odds she won – the effects early morning birds singing have on plants. The sound waves, which are similar to a violin stimulate a plant to open its stomata taking in carbon-dioxide to help it grow quicker.
Fushia
Jan has written a new book called Heaven is a Garden, it’s a really fascinating and informative read. Jan has ‘connected’ the dots so as to speak, between the natural world and our emotions. How the Four Winds are important when laying out a space,the careful use of curves, and my favorite Golden Rectangles and the Divine Proportion. – Phi is the mathematical proportion ( 1 : 1.618) we see in every natural form. Using this proportion ensures a sense of harmony in any outdoor space that contains it. I’ve always tried to use these proportions in my designs.
Jan then talks about Trees – natures rechargers as she puts it… The Celts called it shunnache, the Hindu tree devas, and Greek dryads…the Japanese consider the health giving properties of trees the basis of a medical therapy called ‘ forest bathing’ .
Jan then discusses the magnetic attraction in a Zen garden – rocks in these gardens reflect a deep understanding of the geomagnetic properties of stone and its impact on a place.
There has been quite a revival or is it renaissance in growing herbs and vegetables at home recently.
The beauty of growing at home is that the gardener knows where this food has come from, what he has used to grow it, and when it will be ready to harvest.
Square Foot Gardening
The produce tends to be fresh, packed full of nutrients, tastes delicious.
With more and more people are joining this healthy pursuit, we thought an interview with a true Garden expert would be of interest to you all.
There are a number of experts in the field of ‘How to Grow ‘ today we are interviewing the Square Foot GardenGuru – Mel Bartholomew
It’s been a few years since Mel introduced us to space saving vegetable growing.
Today it seems even more appropriate as a way to “Garden in Less Space with Less Work using Less Water”.
We hope you enjoy this first interview with Mel, do let us know what you think and please send us your ideas, suggestions, comments and requests to info@growingtrends.org
“A rare moment of peace in the perfect haven of a garden brings us renewed harmony with nature”
A little more adventurous, next to a small pond.
Today as the weather here in the Mid West is again unusually British – it’s ‘Raining Again’ I thought it might be fun to see what happens when you oblige a client and work in the rain..
The destination for the path
So the four are indeed ‘Wet’ at first, it’s really counter productive as it takes even longer to clean up the mess created and even longer to return a site to attractive…
Ok your turn !
and after a little horticultural magic…this project featured in ‘ A Vision of Britain’
After working a little magic !
Here’s another one :-
Using a 4in1 bucket on a bobcat
This one required weeks to dry out before we could even start to develop the hard play surface inside the stockade.
This next one was really challenging.. how the builder left the site..
Before
How we left the garden sometime later.
Brick edged, bound gravel wearing surface
If you would like to subscribe to this series please just complete a contact form or send us an email to chris@chriscoope.com
We will be producing an ebook that will have many more observations , ideas , examples from the past 30 years of landscaping.
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