Tag Archives | Fran Sorin

42 Top Seeds for 2013 ~From Some Favorite Gardeners and Seed Sources

I’m a seed-aholic. No matter how hard I try to control myself, each winter I can’t resist experimenting with new introductions. Oh yes, and I must have another variety of amaranths, nicotianas…or whatever. I convince myself that it’s inexpensive ~ after all, another $2.75 spent on what will surely be dozens of beautiful flowers …and as a steward of my piece of land, it’s important for me to do.

What started as a post on my selection of 15 top seeds for 2013 has grown into a list of the Top 42 Seeds for 2013 from some of my favorite gardeners and seed companies .

MY PICKS

Red Giant Mustard -Dan Benarcik at Chanticleer turned me on to what has become one of my all time favorites.

Red Mustard Leaves at Chanticleer Photo Courtesy of Fran Sorin

Red Giant Mustard at Chanticleer
Photo Courtesy of Fran Sorin

Red Giant Mustard at Teapot Garden ~ Chanticleer
Photo Courtesy of Fran Sorin

Red Mustard Leaves Taken at Chanticleer Photo ~ Fran Sorin

Red Giant Mustard
at Chanticleer
Photo Courtesy of Fran Sorin

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Why Mien Ruys Is Thought Of As The Leader of The New Perennial Movement

**This article first appeared in Gardening Gone Wild, November 2010.

Mien Ruys, whose garden has influenced generations of well known designers, including Piet Oudolf and Jacqueline van der Kloet, is considered by many to be the leader of the ‘New Perennial Movement.”

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How Chicago Ignited The Explosion of Green Roofs in America

“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.” Albert Einstein

It should come as no surprise that Chicago, commonly known as ‘Garden In The City’, has been a trailblazer in the green roof movement in America. **

It has 359 green roofs, totaling 5.5 million square feet, more than any other city in North America. Last year, it added 600,000 square feet more. The momentum to make Chicago a city of green roofs continues at a rapid pace. Within the next one to two years, green roofs in the city will top 7 million square feet.

Chicago City Hall Green Roof

Photo Credit – City of Chicago

The birth of green roofs in Chicago didn’t happen in a bubble. It was after the terrible heat wave in July 1995, when there were more than 700 heat related deaths, that it was decided to find ways of making the city cooler in spite of rising temperatures.

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Top 13 Perennials For 2013

I’ve experimented with several dozen perennials over the years. But there are certain ones that I return to ~ time and again. They are star performers, easy to grow, hardy, can handle a wide range of soils, and moisture. Each of them adds a unique element to any garden. They are classics.

The genii listed below have other species, varieties, and cultivars that are just as outstanding as these ~ several of which I’ve used in gardens (panicum has about 450 species).

Here are my Top 13 Perennials for 2013.

Achillea millefolium

Amsonia hubrichtii

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44 Inspirational Quotes About Nature’s Beauty

We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature – trees, flowers, grass – grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence… We need silence to be able to touch souls. Mother Teresa

Doe Run Garden In Brandywine Valley

Nature never hurries. Atom by atom, little by little she achieves her work. Ralph Waldo Emerson

An early morning walk is a blessing for the whole day. Henry David Thoreau

Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves. John Muir