Hedged In
April 25, 2016
Or, so I thought. The last several winter’s extremes have taken their toll on all of my boxwood hedges. Gone. Time of death? Officially April 11, 2016. Where they once served as sharply clipped extensions of the house itself sits blank space in need of attention. So now what? Replace them as they were or start fresh with a new direction…and new plant materials that will be able to take on the bitter winters and always hungry deer. Now’s the time to jot new ideas, review old inspiration and perhaps even move into uncharted territory plant-wise. While I loved things the way they were, I can’t help thinking change might be good.
Top to bottom:
You’ve got to love the modern use of clipped layered hedges of boxwood and yew in the masterful garden designs of Luciano Giubbilei. More of his genius can be found here: http://www.lucianogiubbilei.com/
Maybe my solution is not more boxwood at all, but horizontal fencing and drifts of native grass Bouteloua Gracilis, Blonde Ambition. Napa Landscape by Scott Lewis Photo: via Gardenista
After a black and white Winter perhaps yellow Magnolia tucked into the woods would be a welcome sight come Spring, like this Magnolia Yellow Bird. Photo: gp
Spring Break
April 11, 2016
Now we’re talkin. Give me a little respite in the Spanish countryside over Florida or Mexico for Spring Break any day. In a small simplequietmodern retreat like this…even better.
More photos and specifics here: http://www.chqs.net/project-tipo-19.htm#
On Your Mark…
April 5, 2016
Get set…Bang! While Spring takes a little “back pedal” it’s the perfect time to pull the trigger on this project.
Photos:gp
What could be easier…
March 27, 2016
…than leaving well enough alone? Happy Easter.
Photos: gp
Boing!
March 21, 2016
It’s official…it’s Spring! While the threat of a Nor’easter is still possible and a chill remains in the air there is no looking back. It’s time to grab hold of some Spring and not let go until June. I’m not sure where I’m going to start but I’ve squirreled away some inspiration to help get me started . How ’bout you?
Top to bottom:
A fresh bottle of Simple Green and stack of clean cloths…on your mark, get set…clean.
A handful of parrot tulips will not only freshen things up, they might trigger reading The Tulip by Anna Pavord.
Now is the perfect time to add a new tool to your gardening arsenal. Maybe this hand rake to get into those tight spots. http://www.shopterrain.com/new-arrivals-garden-plants/sneeboer-hand-leaf-debris-rake
Asparagus…grilled as a side or maybe in a risotto.
Simple bowls of forced rye grass and undyed eggs…the simplequietmodern way to decorate for this weekends Easter brunch.
photos: gp
Let the sun shine…let the sun shine in
March 10, 2016
From Falling Water to the factories of the Rust Belt, steel framed windows have both let light in and expanded our views for decades. Large paned or small, modern technology is allowing us to capture the look once again, in new construction or vintage renovation projects. The narrow sight lines, energy efficiency, UV protection and custom finishes provide the perfect window solution for your modern ranch or to inject a more modern note to a residence that has more traditional roots.
Photos: http://www.portellairondoors.com/portfolio_steel.php and
http://www.gardenista.com/posts/hardscaping-101-steel-frame-factory-style-windows-doors-pros-and-cons
Bucket List
February 25, 2016
On your bucket list of things you’d like to see or do, can there be room for those things you’d like to have? I’m thinking yes. Like the Mies Van der Rohe Barcelona Couch. A classic. And, simply one of the most beautiful pieces of modern furniture produced. Even with the Knoll Classics Sale going on now this piece is still a major investment. Sometimes you just need to bite the bullet.
Photo:http://www.knoll.com/product/barcelona-couch
Life in Black and White
February 15, 2016
When these February mornings look like a black and white photograph, some color is in order. A little pink will warm things up…particularly if that pink is expressed in tulips. Simply arrange in hand, tie up with a piece of jute cord and lean in a simple glass cylinder vase, simplequietmodern style.
Photos: gp
Less is …
January 25, 2016
more difficult than it looks. The classic quote ” Less is more” is often attributed to modernist architect Ludwig Mies Van der Rohe who knew a little something about materials, the qualities of distillation of design and the elimination of all unnecessary and confusing detail. The residence here, by i29 Interior Architects, illustrates these principles beautifully while incorporating and elevating one of my favorite materials, plywood.
photos via http://plastolux.com/?s=plywood+in+a+modern+home
Winter Garden
January 17, 2016
There is no better time than now to rethink the Winter garden. Keep the plan simple…implement it in the Spring…let it take root through the Summer and wait for the rewards come Fall and Winter. You might be inspired by the gardens of Dutch designer Piet Oudolf, with great drifts of native perennials and grasses, their varied color,texture and structure framed by clipped hedge rows or a distant borrowed vista. Maybe a simpler plan is more to your taste with the selection of a few species planted together in a sort of modern meadow. Simpler still, the work of San Franciscan landscape architect Scott Lewis might lead you to bold stokes of a single variety, neatly framed and punctuated with a mature specimen. The best part of this exercise is your reduced carbon footprint, time freed up this summer to spend doing anything but weeding and deadheading and a simplequietmodern new view through every window from October to the following March.
http://www.gardenista.com/posts/10-garden-ideas-to-steal-from-superstar-dutch-designer-piet-oudolf
simplequietmodern 