American Potager

Speaking at the GWA Symposium in Raleigh

Thursday September 24 @ 10:15

    I will be speaking on The Seasonal Useful and Edible Garden at the 2009 annual Garden Writers Association meeting. I will be showing photographs and talking about inspirational edible gardens from around the world. This presentation borrows some design ideas from the French on creating the potager- a kitchen garden with vegetables, fruits, flowers and herbs. We will look at creating a useful garden in all seasons and touch on ways to use shrubs, perennials and annuals to create the space of the garden, supply something for the table or attract beneficial insects throughout the year.

   

   

upcoming lectures

Horticulture Society of Maryland
April 14, 2009 at 7:30 PM

1710 Dulaney Valley Rd., Lutherville, Md
Contact: Richard Cole 410-821-5561
Designing the New Kitchen Garden, book signing to follow 

Get Gardening at Copperfield's
May 12, 2009 at 7:00 PM

Copperfield's Books 138 N. Main St., Sebastopol, California
Contact: Emma Alpaugh ealpaugh@timberpress.com
Designing the New Kitchen Garden, book signing to follow 

Get Gardening at Chaucer's
May 14, 2009 at 7 PM

Chaucer's Bookstore 3321 State St., Santa Barbara, California
Contact: Emma Alpaugh eapaugh@timberpress.com
Designing the New Kitchen Garden, book signing to follow 

Alaska State Fair Garden and Art Festival
July 11, 2009 at 1:00

Alaska State Fair, Palmer, Alaska
Contact: Sarah Cimino 907-745-4827 or gardenfestival@alaskastatefair.org
Designing the New Kitchen Garden, book signing to follow lecture

 

join me for a garden tour in Ireland

 

Ballymaloe, Ireland. Photo: Ginger Aarons-Garrison

  
Ballymaloe, Ireland. Photo: Ginger Aarons-Garrison

Ballymaloe, Ireland. Photo: Ginger Aarons-Garrison

    My favorite landscape architecture professor used to say that every great design project began with a great vision. There is no greater visual inspiration than touring the fabulous perennial borders, kitchen gardens and castles of Ireland. I am thrilled to partner with Time Travel of Portland, Oregon to present Down the Garden Path a garden tour of Ireland.
    Not just an ordinary trip, we will trek down the hidden paths, through the garden gates to see Helen Dillon's private urban garden and expansive castle kitchen gardens. The trip includes the great gardens of Ireland like Powerscourt, Mount Usher and Derreen Gardens. We'll even find something delicious and local to eat. Part of the tour will be a hands on cooking experience at the Ballymaloe Cookery School.
    I'll offer a lecture at Glin Castle. We'll stay in Country Houses. Ginger has outlined a great itinerary on her website and I invite you to peruse the schedule. Join us for a monumental garden and food tour of Ireland that will refresh and inspire you. It will be an intimate group with limited space. I look forward to hearing from you. The dates are August 8-21, 2009. We'll meet in Dublin. Pack extra camera batteries.

upcoming lectures

"The Monday Talks"
February 2, 2009 @ 1:30
First United Methodist Church
Newark, Ohio
Contact Judy Riggs: 740-522-4905

Midwest Gardening Symposium: Incredible, Edible Gardens
February 19, 2009 8:30-5:30
Olbrich Botanical Gardens
Madison, Wisconsin

Arkansas Flower and Garden Show
February 27, 2009 @ 11:30
February 28, 2009 @ 1:00
Statehouse Convention Center
Little Rock, Arkansas
Arkansas Flower and Garden Show

I will be signing books at all of the events and look forward to meeting you and talking about your garden.

plantersplace.com

    Look for me at plantersplace.com. I will be writing a regular blog on kitchen gardens. We'll cover everything from design, history, recommended varieties, attracting beneficials and what to have for dinner. My design practice stems from the way I seek to live... connected to the earth and seasons by growing some of my own herbs, vegetables and flowers.

    Creating an edible garden that is beautiful as well as functional is a design issue. It requires solving problems that may be unique to every site. There are shared problems as well. Where should you plant your kitchen garden? How do you create enclosure? What about winter- what will the garden look like then? Where do I hide the compost and work area? How do I attract birds and butterflies to the garden? What if I have no time? What if I have no space?

    Let me know the questions you have and I will address them here or there. I would love to see photos of your successes too. Happy gardening.

a blue ribbon day

Little Garden Club of Woodford County
Wednesday June 25, 2008
All day event
Welcome Hall
Versailles, Kentucky 40383
Phone: 859-223-1204
Benefit to restore and preserve The Little House in downtown Versailles, Kentucky

spring gardening fling

Sunday May 18, 2008 2-5
The McKivergin Building
124 Main St.
Granville, Ohio 43023
Contact: Lisa McKivergin 740-587-1901 Ext. 101

I will be signing books and talking about kitchen gardens; Stop by I would love to meet you. Lisa may have some good things to nibble on as well.

Coastal Maine Botanical Garden

Symposium: The Kitchen Garden Makes a Comeback
Saturday April 26, 2008 8:30-3:30
Coastal Maine Botanical Garden

Designing the New Kitchen Garden: A Design Workshop for Home Gardeners
Sunday April 27, 2008 1-4 PM
Hands on Design Workshop

Hilliard Area Garden Club

Tuesday, March 11, 2008
7-8 PM
 Hilliard Area Garden Club
Hilliard Senior/Community Center
3800 Veterans Memorial Drive
Hilliard, Ohio
Contact: Sondra Kesler
Hilliard Garden Club

I will be giving a presentation on my book, Designing the New Kitchen Garden and answering questions on creating a kitchen garden. Join us for a respite from the weather and a time to dream about the spring garden with fellow garden  lovers. Book signing to follow lecture.

Thank you KCMO!

    Thank you again to Powell Gardens and The Garden Center Association of Greater Kansas City for having me speak at the Garden Symposium 2008: Making Your Garden a Work of Art. I truly felt your hospitality and enjoyed great KC barbecue, meeting new garden comrades, listening to the great jazz legend - Ida McBeth, the Ewing and Muriel Kauffman Memorial Garden and the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. I truly had a wonderful time.
    It was a privilege to share the stage with Richard Reames, arborsculptor; Dan Benarcik, horticulturist at Chanticleer; and Rosemary Alexander, author and founder of The English Gardening School.
    This major gardening event only occurs every two years. If you live in the area I highly recommend the program, so look for it in 2010. The volunteers are passionate and donate countless hours to the success of the symposium- also a great time to meet fellow garden enthusiasts and get your mind out of winter and into spring.