How could we not cover an exhibition called “Flower Power,” at The Future Perfect? The artist, Christ Wolston, said he wanted to be a landscape architect when he was growing up in Providence, RI. With “Flower Power,” he has created a landscape of terracotta furniture inspired by the flora found in the mountains and forests of his adopted home of Medellin, Colombia. He also keeps a home and studio in Brooklyn. At the center of the exhibition are 13 throne-like botanical terracotta chairs and benches—some textured with detailed ceramic casts of plants, flowers and wild fruit from the artist’s g ..read more

By Jill Brooke It’s summer time and not only are the flowers blooming but so are the book titles about beautiful blooms. Here is a round-up of six new highly anticipated books. Inside these pages is expert advice to elevate your knowledge of flower arranging and enhance your understanding of the flora around us.  For me, opening these pages brings joy and reinforces that the world is both beautiful and bountiful. 1) A Sweet Floral Life – Romantic Arrangements for Fresh and Sugar Flowers Natasja Sadi –  yes that Instagram sensation –  is a beloved floral artist who composes fr ..read more

By Lawrence Leaf, Jr. As someone who has been digging deep in the garden for several decades, I am here to offer you insights about the world of growing things. So each month, I will be telling you a few things I have noticed. There’s a reason I’m known as the Ambassador to Spring. How a Tropical Beach Fad Started in Ocean City, MD Ocean City, MD hosted the first and now largest white fish tournament in the world, the White Marlin Open, in 1974. Shortly after that, a horticultural event made Ocean City famous for its tropical palm trees. It was 1975 when John Fager started importing palms to ..read more

By Jill Brooke The annual American Garden Rose Selections (AGRS) winners have been announced and here they are!   For two long years in six different regions, roses are tested for vigor, foliage proportion, plant habit, flowering effect, rebloom habit, bloom form, aging quality of blooms, fragrance, and hardiness and must demonstrate superior performances.  So if you are thinking of what roses to plant, consider these beauties.  “The AGRS testing program recognizes roses that are easy to care for, disease-resistant, and suitable for different regions of the count ..read more

You are not still out there hand-watering plants, are you? Don’t you feel like a dope? Because you are wasting water. You are watering the leaves, not the roots. You are also wasting time. What you should be doing is laying down soaker hoses, either that or grow plants that do well in a drought. Buying a set of soaker hoses can cost from $59 to $275, depending on the size and location of your garden. It’s your choice. But you will save time and you might even save money. Have you seen your municipal water bill lately? Are you worried about your well running dry? Do you really use the time you ..read more

The 2022 Dykes Memorial medal winner, a bearded German Iris called Sunday Football, entered by Lynda Miller Tulips, tulips, tulips. Crowds trample each other every year to see tulips in Holland. Why not iris? Do tulips have a better PR company? Iris are blooming now, and through the beginning of June. And, you know, Giverny... Irises are more complex and stately than tulips, and also dreamier. These days they have also been bred to be as colorful as a Pride parade. A day strolling through an iris garden could be like looking at orchids, except down instead of up. Darn if you aren’t ready to st ..read more

By Jill Brooke Photo Credit: Alexandrias Photography Once again the amazing talents of Ricky Paul Flowers galloped away to becoming a winner at the Chelsea in Bloom festivities. No surprise really. They are known in London as the go-to florists for a playful, fun, and whimsical vibe. To add fun to the Chelsea Flower Show is Chelsea in Bloom, which has 70 stores and restaurants collectively creating a theme each year. For 2023, its “Flowers on Film’ theme asked florists to find inspiration from characters in films. Unlike tapping into British icons like Queen Elizabeth, which was an easier them ..read more

  By Linda Lee Your grandmother did raised bed gardening, but she didn’t call it that. She called it “window boxes.” The idea was the same: a confined space, at a reasonable height, and it warmed faster than the ground. Of course she probably wasn’t growing tomatoes in her window box. More likely petunias and a few geraniums. And if she wasn’t careful her window box either had no drainage, or baked in the sun and dried out. Either way, it wasn’t very scientific. These days building a container garden can range from cheap to outrageously expensive. Asian-inspired solutions for tight space ..read more

By Jill Brooke  Photo Credit: Julie Sakellariadis National Poppy Day is May 26, a time to reflect on how this bright red flower is used to honor the sacrifices made by soldiers while protecting our freedoms. Poppies are often presented on graves in the form of wreaths since their circular shape represents eternity, continuity, and the circle of life.  All through Memorial Day weekend,  you will likely see volunteers from the American Legion Auxiliary in your town distributing poppy pins as well. These pins are often handmade by veterans as part of their therapeutic rehabilitatio ..read more

By Jill Brooke  Photo Credit: Julie Sakellariadis National Poppy Day is May 26 which is the time to reflect how this bright red flower is used to honor the sacrifices made by soldiers while protecting our freedoms. They are often presented on graves in the form of wreaths since its circular shape represents eternity, continuity and the circle of life.  All though Memorial Day weekend,  you will likely see volunteers from the American Legion Auxiliary in your town distributing poppy pins as well. These pins are often handmade by veterans as part of their therapeutic rehabilitatio ..read more