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 

3 LAST MINUTE GIFT IDEAS FOR MOM

It's Thursday and I have yet to buy my mom anything for mothers day.  I can't say that I have not had time, because that would not be entirely true.  I can say though that I am probably not alone.  If you much like me have yet to honor thy mother, then I have 3 gift ideas for you to consider.  These 3 ideas are available to buy offline and really cute for mom. 

The first is a small planter from Anthropologie.  Called the Waterloo Pot, it is nice and small with legs and has a certain funkiness to it.  Pared with a small succulent and you have a cool gift for mom. 

The second is called Half Dipped Stoneware by West Elm.  These are cool because they come in different shapes and sizes.  Some are big enough to plant in wile others are just perfect for a single rose.  They are also currently on sale. 

The third is a planted mason jar.  You can go to any arts and crafts store and buy a small mason jar and literally plant inside of it.  Add a little string around it to hang and it instantly adds a certain something to a blank wall.  In this picture I added a Photos plant and hung it in my kitchen window. 

COOL DIY THINGS TO MAKE

I am an avid user of Facebook.  Addicted might be the right word to describe me but then again I am also connected to family outside of the United States that I love to catch up with.  I also heavily use Facebook as another social media platform to promote my business.  As I casually scroll through my news feed things pop up that are gardening related that strike my fancy that I thought I would share with you here.

The first is a slice of cake.  How cool would this look on your outdoor table?  I am not entirely sure how they made this but I intend to find out and will keep you posted.

The second is the cutest gnome that apparently loves to garden.  This cute planter can be place indoors or out.  I personally would put this in a place where my cats can't get to.


The third is a really cool way to make a mushroom decoration for you garden.  Just imagine the color possibilities and combinations you could try.




The fourth is a succulent planted in a glass container made to look like it's under water. There is even a fish swimming.

If you have tried / made any DIY garden related things then please share with me and will blog about it or share it on Facebook.

HOLIDAY 2013 GIFT GUIDE

This holiday season you may be wondering what to give that special someone or the friend/colleague on your list.  You want to shy away from the typical stores that everyone and their cousin goes to.  Something unique and cool is more your cup of tea that will make your gift more memorable for the holidays and not to mention useful.  If this sounds like you then I have the perfect gift ideas for you to consider giving this holiday season.

Manure Tea:  Yes you read right!  What I am referring to is simple... Cow shit.  You want me to give what to my loved ones?  Manure tea is great for plants.  A natural fertilizer that will help boost the growth of your native/friendly/edible plants.  This product is manufactured and harvested in California which means that you will be boosting the American economy and buying something truly useful.


The Drunken Botanist:  (info taken from website) "Sake began with a grain of rice.  Scotch emerged from barley, tequila from agave, rum from sugarcane, bourbon from corn.  Thirsty yet?  In The Drunken Botanist, Amy Stewart explores the dizzying array of herbs, flowers, trees, fruits and fungi that humans have, through ingenuity, inspiration, and sheer desperation contrived to transform into alcohol." I am sure that you can think of at least one person (sure more) in your life that would love this book.




Woolly Pockets:  If you know of someone that has limited land (room) to have a garden or perhaps no land at all, then this is the perfect gift.  Going vertical just might be the perfect gift for someone you know.  You could even buy the book Garden Up as a companion to the Woolly Pocket.

Mason Jar Solar Lights:  This is a DIY gift that any garden enthusiast will enjoy.  Perfect for patios, balcony's or front porches.  Simple and inexpensive to make and easy to install.  I have 12 in my front porch that I share with my neighbor.



Succulent Plant Arrangement:  This is a great way to get your creative juices flowing and give something that can be tailored to the recipient.  Very low maintenance and low water loving plants.  This could be good for both indoors or out.

UNIQUE GIFT WRAPPING IDEAS

I am all about the holidays and doing things that don't conform to tradition.  Especially when it comes to wrapping gifts.  I don't like the traditional wrapping that everyone and their cousin can buy at the store.  Something unique is more my style and this year I happen to have the perfect solution.  I have a bunch of old landscape drawings from completed projects that are large enough that I can use them as wrapping paper.  I will post pictures tomorrow in my wordless Wednesday post but in the meantime I wanted to share these other neat gift wrapping ideas that I found on Pinterest.

The picture above shows some newspaper used as wrapping paper.  Some green ribbon and newspaper made roses and whoa-la.  If making the roses is too fancy for you then I could suggest picking some flowers from your garden instead.

The left pictures is a neat way to reuse an old map from your travels.  I am sure that you can get creative and come up with something unique idea that will make the recipient go nuts with joy.

If you would like other unique ideas then click here to visit the disfunctional designs blog post about unique wrapping ideas.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS GIVEAWAY

The holidays are almost here and I am excited that this year I get to spend it with family that I have not seen in years. My cousin whom I have not seen in 10 years is visiting from Sweden with his family.  His mom (my maternal aunt) is coming from Canada.  My plan is to take advantage of their visit and snag as much quality time as I can.

I am also really excited about the fun new things that I have planned for this blog.  More videos, tips and tricks to get you on the right path to having your earth friendly landscape.  I am also trying to get more landscape designers involved in contributing by posting pictures and articles of sustainable designs that they have done to give you more ideas.  2013 is looking great in my virtual psychic ball. 

I would also like to offer a December holiday giveaway for you loyal fans.  One reader will win the following prizes.  

• One complimentary nursery visit to show you want plants will work best in your garden by me at Tree of Life nursery.  
• Two Eco Notes card with two pots and some soil.  This would make a great gift for someone special in your life.  
• A 3 pack of manure tea.  Manure tea for your plants that is.  Rich in nutrients to help your plants flourish and thrive.  

This giveaway ends Jan 19th 2013 and here is how you can enter to win these awesome goodies.  All you have to do is 2 of the following plus one more step.

• Like earth friendly landscapes on facebook and write on their wall that you want this giveaway prize.
• Like eco notes (aka backward prints) on facebook and write on their wall that you want this giveaway prize.
• Like manure tea on facebook and write on their wall that you want this giveaway prize.
• Share this giveaway on your facebook page.
• Tweet this giveaway including @earthfriendlyla @greensoil @backwardprints.  

Once you have done two of the above then comment on here saying what you did and how much you want to win this contest.  

One "random" winner will be chosen the morning of Jan 19th.  

HOLIDAY GARDEN GIFT IDEAS

Is there someone in your family or amongst your friends who is a gardener, landscape designer (landscape architect) or landscape contractor whom you are debating on what to get this holiday season?  Maybe you have a friend who's landscape could use a bit of pizzazz this holiday season.  If this is your situation and you are thinking of what to do then I have the perfect ideas for you to consider.  These 5 ideas are cost effective, neat and clever that any gardening enthusiast will enjoy.

Eco notes that grow:  Yep thats right these inexpensive cards (if you stick them in a pot with soil) will grow as the paper is embedded with wildflower seeds.  You could buy a small clay pot (perhaps paint it a color) with some soil raped up with the Eco note.  The recipient can plant the card and watch it grow.  I would suggest that you do not plant the card straight into the ground as the worms in your garden may eat the contents (that's right - it's compostable).

Manure tea:  That's right you read me right.  This is the perfect product to help your plants grow and flourish.  They say that compost tea is good for the garden.  True but so is manure tea.  This product conditions the soil and provides nutrients to aid in the growth of your garden.  You could even purchase this in a gift pack.

Moss ring:  How cool would it be if your girlfriend had a ring that grew (figuratively off course).  While these do not really grow they sure do look like they do.  You can get them in round or square shapes.  Better yet you can buy one for you and one for your BFF.  Something that will bond you together and say I love you for being there for me.


Solar lanterns: These are a great way to add light into your garden especially if you are renting and cannot modify the landscape.  I live on the second floor of a condo complex and have no land to garden in and therefore cannot have a lighting system so this helps me by adding light.  They come in a variety of styles and colors to choose from.

Something handmade:  Whether it's a planted pumpkin or a succulent pillow, something handmade shows that you took time for that person by making them something that is cute and from the heart.  You can get creative and make something truly unique.

These gifts are reasonably priced, unique and perfect to add a pop of joy to your world or your friends.  This would even be a nice white elephant gift.

RESOLUTIONS AND A GIVEAWAY

This holiday season is a great time for reflections and making resolutions worth sticking to. I am making a few resolutions of my own that I will try this year to stick to without fail. My first resolution is to find peace and let go of all the stress I feel. How? I don't know but somehow I will figure it out. My second resolution is to live the healthiest year ever. This will involve some eating changes and weight loss. The end result is going to be a healthier me. I will assume that if I am healthy then my business will be healthy. My third resolution is to continue to build my business. I have been thankful for the clients I have had thus far but like any other business owner I always want more. Cheers to more and more...

My forth resolution is to give away more goodies to the earth friendly landscapes readers. Little things, big things, cute things and even the quirky. So here is a special gift for one lucky reader this holiday season. The gift (pictured) is a quirky garden ornament. You could even plant inside of it.

Alright so in order to win this you must do 3 of 4 things...

1. Comment on here and tell me what you would do with this or where you would put it.
   
2. Like earth friendly landscapes on facebook (click link above).
3. Write on the earth friendly landscapes facebook page by saying "happy holidays".
   
4. Tweet @earthfriendlyla "happy holidays"

Each entry will be put in to a hat and one person will be selected at random. Good luck and happy holidays from earth friendly landscapes. The deadline for this giveaway is Dec. 31st, 2011.

ROSEMARY INFUSED MARTINI

Patti Moreno does it again making me want to try something that I would not normally. First it was the Sage martini and then the Thyme martini. Now it's time for some Rosemary. These recipes are great for any holiday occasion.



As I have asked in the past if you have made any of these I would love to share photos on here. Perhaps you have a variation of your own that you would like to share.

VODKA THYME LEMONADE

Previously had blogged about making sage martini with apple. This time its all about thyme in honor of veterans day. As I have asked before give me a picture of whichever variety you have made and I will post it on here. Enjoy and happy tgif.



To those that served for our country and gave their life YOU ROCK!!!

SAGE MARTINI WITH APPLE

I love watching Patti Moreno's videos about gardening or in this case making a martini with Sage and apples. Definitely something that I am going to try for Thanksgiving.



I would love to hear your comments on this drink. If you make it then email me pictures (info@creationslandscapedesigns.com) and I will share them on this blog.

HOW TO BUILD A SPIDER WEB

I was sifting through posts on facebook and came across this video that my friend Shirley Bovshow posted. The lady from gardenmagik in the video shows you how to build a spider web.



This is really cool and the perfect thing to try with your kids. Enjoy!

PUMPKINS AND MORE PUMPKINS

I love October! Halloween is my favorite holiday and I will admit that the Exorcist is my favorite movie. Yes I love any movie that is horror. Call me a freak or just plain strange. I just love this month. What I also love is carving a pumpkin into something. This year however instead of carving a pumpkin I will attempt to cook with one. Can I cook? Yes! Can I bake? Hah no! Having said that I found a bunch of pumpkin recipes on All Recipes that I thought were interesting. The recipe I found that made me go hmmm, is called Pumpkin Stew that I will attempt to make. The recipe is as follows copied straight from the website.

Ingredients

• 1/4 pound beef stew meat, cut into 1 inch cubes (I am vegetarian so mine will be meatless)
  
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, divided
• 2 tablespoons water
• 3/8 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1/2 carrots, sliced
• 1/8 large green bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 clove garlic, minced
• 1/8 onion, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/8 (14.5 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, chopped
• 3/4 teaspoon beef bouillon granules (any suggestions for substitutes?)
  
• 1/8 sugar pumpkin

Directions

1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Place beef in the saucepan and cook until evenly brown. Mix in the water, potatoes, carrots, green bell pepper, garlic, onion, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer approximately 2 hours.
2. Dissolve the bouillon into the beef mixture. Stir in the tomatoes.
3. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
4. Cut top off the pumpkin and remove seeds and pulp. Place the pumpkin in a heavy baking pan. Fill the pumpkin with the beef mixture. Brush outside of the pumpkin with remaining oil.
5. Bake in the preheated oven 2 hours, or until tender. Serve the stew from the pumpkin, scraping out some of the pumpkin meat with each serving.

I may further revise this dish to add more vegetables especially my favorite spinach. We shall see. I am curious to know what pumpkin dishes you make and if there are any recommendations you have for cooking pumpkins.

THE STAND OUT LANDSCAPE GIFT

When I give gifts to friends or family I like to put a little bit of thought and a lot less money into it. Believe it or not a $100 outfit is easy to buy and does not require any thought. But a nice plant arrangement is homemade, thoughtful, unique and a lot cheaper than the $100 outfit.

The wicker purse bag on the above picture was $3 at the used goods store + $10-15 worth of plants makes a great planted purse that looks unique and is bound to be loved by the receiver. In this case I added some hemp mesh and a blue denim fabric stripe for a punch of color and whoa-la.

Have you ever seen those old containers that were once used for teas or spices? I bet your grandmother may even have some in her garage somewhere. If you have some then may I suggest putting a succulent in it. In the bottom picture Dudleya lanceolata shines in it's true glory in what used to be a tea container.

There are many things that you can do to get creative and impress your friends or family. Just remember that some plants prefer shade while some prefer sun and knowing the plants habit will help you better select the right plant to use. You could also bring the container to the nursery and have the sales associate assist you in picking the right plant for your container.

Another neat gift idea is a holiday herb basket as demonstrated by Fern Richardson from Life on The Balcony.

EDIBLE ORNAMENTS

I have to admit that I don't like the traditional ornaments that you can buy at the store. A little to cookie cutter for me. So this year instead I decided to experiment with edibles and try something unique and different. Here are some fun options.


Take a bunch of cinnamon sticks and tie them with string. Instant ornament that will also add a nice aroma. You could even add beads to the string for bit more pizazz.

Marshmallow's anyone? Take the marshmallow's and stick them together with glue or toothpicks. Use paint to add some detail, toothpicks for arms and legs, some string and whoa-la you just made an instant snowman.

This one requires a little baking but is super neat and fragrant. Cut some citrus into 1/4" slices. Bake them at the lowest temperature until they are completely dried (approximately 2-4 hours). Poke a hole through the dried citrus and ad a string. You could even do this with apples.

These ornaments are inexpensive to make and can become a great craft project for the kids. You could even invite a bunch of friends over and have a wine sipping ornament party. Super fun, easy and cute!

THE LIVING CHRISTMAS TREE

You can rent a car, rent furniture and now you can rent a Christmas tree. It's the coolest thing ever. Not to mention a sustainable option for the holiday season. Just imagine the hassle of driving to get the tree, getting it in your car and ultimately having to haul it away. Well The Living Christmas company will take all that headache from you by not only delivering the tree to your home or office, selling you all the decorations you need but also picking it up for you. No hassle, no mus, no fuss just a living Christmas tree for you to enjoy this holiday season.

Owner Scotty Claus puts it nicely...
"Our trees are alive, in a pot with their roots, and growing. This means we can delivery the tree to you and pick-up after the holidays. The tree then goes back to our nursery, where it continues growing until next year. Not every tree is suitable for rental year after year. Those that do not make the cut (no pun intended) are donated to a tree planting organization or become part of an Urban Reforestation Project. After about 7 years, the trees grow too large to rent and are taken out to pasture (we mean planted) to become big, beautiful trees."