TOUR OF SOUTH WEST BOULDER AND STONE

If you are in the market to buy gravel, boulders, decomposed granite and other hard surface materials then I would highly suggest you visit South West Boulder and Stone.  They have a wide assortment of hardscape materials to choose from.  They also have many locations across California.  

In this video I show you around their Fullerton location.  Their headquarters is in Fallbrook and is about 15 acres.  If you live in the OC then, Fullerton should be just enough for you.  But if you are in for a treat and have half a day to spare, then I would suggest visiting their Fallbrook site.  

In regards to their products, what I love is that they have a wide selection of choices to choose from.  They have multiple colors of decomposed granite and varying sizes and color of rocks/gravel.  They also (in my experience) have great customer service.  

EXCITING NEWS X ETSY

 When I am not designing landscapes, I am drawing and making art.  I love to watercolor and decided to sell prints of my art.   I decided to create an Etsy shop, in which you can buy digital prints of my art.  

Digital prints that you can then print to any size you would like.  Making this a perfect gift for yourself or someone else.  This also during the pandemic makes purchases contactless.  

You can go to my Etsy shop and check it out.  

MY CURRENT FAVORITE RAIN TANK

I am normally not bias to any one company.  I try to remain neutral in favor of all options.  But this time, I actually do have a favorite in the rain tank sphere and that is the Bushman rainwater harvesting systems.  What I like most about this companies product is variety.  You have many options in terms of color and size.  There are a total of 3 colors and 8 different sizes.  This means that in any garden you have options on what size to pick depending on what fits best in the space you want to put it in. 

This video is of a garden in Tustin, where we used several Bushman rain tanks. 

TOP 5 LANDSCAPE RELATED HOLIDAY GIFT IDEAS

The holidays are approaching and sometimes the hardest part is finding the right gift for the right person.  I got 5 landscape related gift ideas that anyone is sure to love.  These gifts are a mixture of useful and decorative.  

The first, is called the AeroGarden.  A hydroponics garden that is great for indoor spaces, that allows you to grow herbs, vegetables etc.  I recently bought one of these and am loving it.  They are available at Macy's, Bed Bath and Beyond, Sur La Table and various other stores or online.  Here is a video about the AeroGarden.

The second, is a product that you may have seen on shark tank.  The Earth Log is a great alternative to burning fire wood.  It is made of recycled paper and unlike traditional fire wood, it does not emit any smoke and even has a nice floral scent.  This is a video I made of the product.  

The third, is another product that I saw on shark tank a few years ago that I believe would be a great addition to any home.  That is a mushroom grow kit from Back To Roots.  This is something that I totally want to try. This video explains how to grow and harvest.

The fourth, is the greenbo railing planter.  I have four of these in my garden and love them.  They are especially great for small spaces.  These are perfect for growing herbs, greens or any plant that does not need a lot of room to grow.  This video shows you an option on what you can grow in them.  I water mine bi weekly.

The fifth, is an art print that it great for the plant lover.  I found this print on Etsy and bought one for myself and love it.  I really do want all the plants.  hahaha 

ALPACA PLANTERS

I recently went to Home Goods and found a really pretty small alpaca pillow that I had to have for the bedroom.  That inspired to try and figure out different ways of bringing that theme into the space.  After some googling, I found these really cool alpaca planters at Anthropologie that I just had to have.  I bought two of the yellow and love it.  This Friday I will share an updated house plant tour and will show you what those look like in my space. 

What I love about these is how quirky they are.  A unique find and at only $18 each they are not that pricey.  They do not have a drainage hole and I chose not to make one, so my plants in it will not get watered too often. 

Image from the Anthropologie website.

DIY CAT SKULL PLANTER & MORE

I have a thing for skulls.  Somehow I have I am fascinated by them.  I also naturally have a thing for plants and love it when I find interesting cool things to plant in.  So one day while searching for unique planters on Etsy I came across a cat skull planter (via Potheads By Amber).  I was immediately hooked and had to have it. I should also mention that I have two cats, so this made it even more enticing to want.  You can almost say that it is one of a kind and I know that no one else has it.  Just me!  Once it arrived in the mail I went to OC Succulents to plant it up.  I also had other containers and skulls to plant.

This video shows you what I ended up planting etc.  Now I am curious and want to know what cool and interesting things you have planted in?  Comment below and let me know.

CLCA LANDSCAPE INDUSTRY SHOW 2017

Every year the California landscape contractors association holds it's annual landscape industry show, where various landscape companies get to showcase their products for designers and contractors to see what is out there.  From irrigation products, lighting and garden art this show is a must attend even if you not in the landscape industry.  This video is a highlight from the show.



My intent is to show in some of the products featured in this video in greater detail.  Stay tuned!

MY PATIO GARDEN - PART TWO

As you may have read in my patio garden part one I recently moved to Santa Ana from Tustin.  This meant that I was not only going to have a space that had a better layout and was energetically better but unlike my last place I now have a descent amount of garden space to play with.  I will do a video of the entire space in a future post.  What I wanted to talk about today is worms and why (if you have a garden) you should have them.

I for the past few years have been trying to live a more sustainable life.  Trying to reduce the amount of waste I produce and just live an all around healthier life.  So when I moved into this place I wanted to not be sending a shit ton of trash into the landfill.  I started years ago by not buying foods that came in any packaging that could not be recycled or reused.  I buy everything in bulk which was a cost savings but I was still throwing the food waste in the landfill and that had to change. So I decided to start worm composting.



I did not want to go the plastic bin route and wanted something that was both functional and decorative.  After some google searching I found this wooden worm composting bin from an Etsy shop called Sacred Resource.  I was drawn to the fact that it was not made of plastic and is far more sustainable than the competition.  It was easy to install and I am certain that my HOA won't huff or puff about it.  I also got some worms (500 red wigglers) from Uncle Jim's Worm Farm.   Both products came with some tips and tricks to get started that were helpful.


So far it has been a few weeks since I have been composting and I have learned a few things...

• Have a bucket in the kitchen to which you can store the food waste until you are ready to put them in the bin.  I bought one from World Market.  
• Out of 500 worms about half a dozen died. 
• Onion peels are not liked so much.
• Avocado peels, tea leaves and tomato peels are a big hit.  
• You really do need equal (or thereabouts) amount of green and brown waste or there will be an odor.
• You may get some critters inside the bin.  I have some gnats and tiny ants.  I am sure they are harmless.  
• Once in a while add a bit of water to the bin to keep the soil somewhat moist. 

I will share updates from time to time.  If you are worm composting I would love to hear about your adventures and if you have any tips for this newbie then feel free to share.

RIP GARDEN DESIGN MAGAZINE

When I heard this news I almost started to cry.  This is really sad and I am truly stunned in shock.  To make what appears to be a long story short.  Garden design magazine is no longer going to be in publication.  I have bunch of their issues that I look at all the time for inspiration and feel truly sad that they are no longer going to publish.  Below is the full information from Plant Talk.  Click on the link to get the fool scoop.  

I must vent and say that it's sad that the advancement of the digital world may put an end the print world.  Gone may be the day's where you can go outside in the morning and get the newspaper or go to the magazine stand and pick up the latest issue of your favorite magazine.  Don't get me wrong I do love surfing the net for some inspiration but at the same time there is something to having a hard copy that I can look at without internet connection that will surely be missed.

MINI WOOLLY POCKET IN MY KITCHEN

I love Woolly Pockets and when they recently came out with a smaller version of their traditional pocket called "Mini Wally", I had to test it out.  I wanted to try them indoors but did not have a lot of room.  The plants I used in my mini wally are Pothos that is good at filtering the indoor air and two Sword Ferns that are purely decorative.

The mini wally was just small enough to fit above my kitchen sink.  That would also make it high enough that my cats would not be able to get into it.  The perfect place that is centrally located in the house.  This is the perfect product for those who have small spaces.

Below are a list of indoor appropriate plants that are good at filtering indoor air:

• Areca Palm
• Arrowhead Vine
• Boston Fern
• Chrysanthemum 
• Date Palm
• English Ivy
• Photos
• Rubber Tree
• Spider Plant
• Weeping Fig

EASY STEPS TO USING THE EARTH LOG

Every year millions of trees are killed for one reason or another and most of the time there is a better alternative to that reason that does not involve harming the environment.  There are sustainable options to the traditional paper you buy and now there is an sustainable option to the log that you burn in your fireplace.  You now can enjoy the warmth of a burning fire without harming the environment.  Sitting in front of that warm fire with a glass of wine and a book can be enjoyable again and not to mention soothing for your senses.  Just imagine burning a fire that smells nice, does not require cutting down trees and takes less time to light than traditional fire wood. 

The Earth Log is just such a product.  Prefect for the environmental conscious side of your brain and your wallet.  It is made from 100% post consumer waste and is not in any way chemically treated.  The Earth Log is also inexpensive.   The below video shows you just how easy it is to use.



A few things I learned from using the Earth Log:

• It only took 2 minutes to light the log.
• The fresh floral scent was soothing.
• One log takes 2 hours (give or take) to completely burn.
• My friends husband and dog did not mind the smell.  
• One log provided enough warmth.  

PLANT JOTTER

I came across the Plant Jotter and had to share with you all. It's like writing down everything you ate but only for the garden. You can write down what you planted, how much fertilizer to add and even when you last maintained that overgrown plant. This is not free (30 day free trial) but the paid version is only $21 per year which is not that expensive. The video below give you more information. The company also has more videos posted on their YouTube channel about how to use the online journal. Happy jotting!

EARTH LOG

I was at an outdoor market window shopping when I came across a vendor who's product I found interesting. A log (fire wood) that is made of sustainable/recycled materials. None of the toxic odors. Earth Log is a great earth friendly alternative to real fire wood. Info from their website.

"The Earth Log (fire log) was created by American Green Products in Huntington Beach, California. We realized that there was an incredible amount of waste paper being generated by individuals, business and government. We searched for ways to reduce our own waste and to use or recycle all that we couldn't. After years of study, we found that most of this clean, dry paper waste could be mixed with a recycled candle wax to create a mixture that could then be compressed to make a cleaner. greener, better smelling fire log."

"Earth Logs have been proven to release less carbon dioxide, less particular matter emissions, lower opacity (smoke) and even less creosote accumulation when compared to cut hardwood. From our patent pending closed loop, zero waste production process to our grass roots waste collection system, all of our products are made from 100% recycled materials."

My impression of the product is that it was not heavy to handle and smelled nice. Easy to use would be my take on the product. I should mention that I have not actually used it as my place does not have a fireplace. But if you have used it and would like to share your thoughts then feel free to do so as a comment on here.

SUN STICK - SOIL STICK - WATER STICK

The sun stick, soil stick and water stick made by Plumstone are really cool products that are great for performing site analysis.

The sun stick will tell you if you garden gets full sun, filtered sun, part shade or full shade. This is a great tool to help you determine what plants to plant depending on your sun/shade pattern.

The soil stick will test your soils pH, which will better guide you on what to plant based on your soil condition.

The water stick is really interesting and great at telling you when your plants need water. The stick will light up in red to indicate that the plant needs water. This would definitely work well in my container gardens.

GREEN SLEEVES

Tell the landscape contractors that there is a more sustainable way to stake trees. No more old school style that in fact is damaging to the trees. This new product called Green Sleeves is made from recycled materials. Watch this training video for more info.



I received a sample of their product in the mail and love how easy it is to use.

CONTAINER GARDENING INSERT

I was watching the Garden World Report and saw a video on this really neat product. The Ups A Daisy is not that expensive and saves you from using excess soil. Not to mention the weight of the pot is less heavy when you are using less soil. They are sold in different sizes depending on the diameter of your pot or how far down you would like it placed, starting at 10" all the way up to 18".

Here is a quick how to use guide taken from the product website...

1. Select a round, tapered container measuring 12 to 24 inches in diameter at the top rim.
2. Measure about half-way down into your container for most plant varieties; at that depth measure across the container to determine the width. This will be the insert size you will need.
3. Place the Ups-A-Daisy insert into the container, label side up. It should fit securely about half-way down for most plant varieties and slightly deeper for tall or deep rooted plants.
4. Fill the container with potting soil to one inch below the rim.
5. Whoa-la you are ready to go with a beautiful container garden.

This is great if you are going to have a really big pot in your garden. Rather than filling the bottom of the pot with gravel you can same money by using one of these.

GREEN FORM

This seams like an interesting product so I thought I would share. Green Form products are made from 100% recyclable fiber cement. Each piece is made using a regulated form so all products in a collection maintain the same thickness, dimensions and color with slight natural variations. Because the fiber is combined with cement, you get all the durability of a concrete product without the weight. This product is designed for both indoor and outdoor use and even comes with pre drilled drain holes. They can even design a custom piece if you are interested.

YOU CAN DIG IT

Apparently you can dig it! With this product that is. This connects to your standard drill and is used to literally dig in the dirt etc. The soil that was used in the demonstration was very soft and easy to work with so I am not too certain if this will work well in clay soils but it never hurts to try. The patent is still pending on this product but this is certainly not your grandmothers mixer.

A few blurbs from the official site.

• Digs perfect, precise holes
• Use for lines, curves and pattern plantings
• Works up to 1 gallon plant size
• Does not puncture, pull or tangle drip lines
• Fits any drill

So if you have something small to plant than this might just be the right fit for you.

SOLAR LANTERNS

I actually have one and it works. What is it you may ask well it is simply put a solar powered lantern made by Allsop. These lanterns which come in different shapes and colors are really cool and a fun way to decorate your space for a party with out burning through your electricity bill.


Allsop also makes other solar powered goodies that make the perfect birthday gift. Very fun, cute and festive.

KENETIC ENERGY POWERS MUSIC PLAYER

No more forgetting to charge your music player just when you get the urge to workout. Now you can burn calories, charge the music player, have an awesome workout breathing in the fresh air and all you have to do is go running. Created by Inesa Malafej and Arunas Sukarevicius from Lithuania these Dance Pants literally power the music player. As long as you keep running or dancing your favorite music will play. When you stop the music stops. This is a great motivator for those that don't like to workout without music.

"It is a 100% interactive way to feel the value of energy on your own . During the movement of feet, kinetic energy is collected to play music. The inverse dynamism of "Dancepants" motivates you to move your feet in order to hear your beloved music. And as long as you keep running or dancing you can be sure you won’t run out of battery." Say's the designers.

I am not sure when this technology will come out but when it does I will surely buy one.