Old blog

Once upon a time we had a blog here and it was a little different from what we’re doing now. Might be fun to glance at but we’re focusing more on the nature – city connection now 🙂 All the old posts are below.

Garden Party

Everyone in the City is so busy 24/7, right? We can barely “make time” to see friends, much less to, say, totally re-do a medium-sized backyard in a mere day. See where the permaculture adage, “The problem is the solution” might come in handy here? A garden party! In this case, Elisa’s friends had recently bought a house near Duboce Park. After doing some…

File under: Cool Things To Do with Sticks

One time I found a burgundy-colored Manzanita branch lying on the corner of Page and Clayton in the upper Haight. I nailed it to my wall, hung dozens of pairs of earrings on its delicate branchlets, and inadvertently created the most commented-upon piece of functional art in my room for the next three years. The lesson here? Sticks and branches have a ton of…

Modern Support

These sturdy black columns were made by pouring concrete into columnar forms. Though these ones are part of a building in Potrero Hill, it’s not hard to imagine them as supports for a modern-styled arbor or trellis in a garden needing some verticality. Or, similarly, in a small grouping as a sculpture; add water flowing up the center and tumbling down the sides for…

Jeepers!

How could you not want to sit in this chair? It’s a worthy addition to a funky, artsy garden, hand-constructed from reclaimed metal parts and with a grill from a Jeep giving it a quirky personality (assuming a chair can be said to have a personality). This piece was found at Renga Arts, http://www.rengaarts.com/, a gallery in Somona specializing in art made from recycled and…

Part II: Mexico City, Muy Moderna

Lines and edges, and more lines and edges. Mexico City’s dry landscape and reliance on water conserving plants like agaves and cacti present a sleek, minimalist vibe by default. These agaves popping out of holes cut into a deck create a miniature desert forest in the middle of an apartment complex. Much more dynamic than just a wooden platform! The addition of bright wood…

Part I: Gardens Everywhere in Old-School Mexico City

For New Years 2013, Elisa found herself celebrating in Mexico City. Though she may have had a short break from gardening, once one starts paying attention to plants, it’s impossible not to notice them in the landscape, and Elisa snapped photos throughout the city. All of these small spot gardening ideas could be easily executed in San Francisco   Part I: Gardens Everywhere in…

Branching Out

It’s hard to find a more perfect material for creating outdoor structures than branches. They’re inexpensive, if not free. They complement the landscape, especially if you’re going for a woodsy vibe. They’re 100 percent organic, and will eventually return seamlessly to the earth from whence they came. The only trick is finding a source and knowing some patience might be involved. Small Spot Gardens…

The Giving Tree, Revisited

A throne fit for a forest queen! This stump-turned-chair from the northern woods of Ashland, Oregon is lovely example of how death can be given new life. Have to cut down a tree in your yard or garden? Is it in a good spot for contemplation, conversation, chillin’? Consider this au natural, totally local and 100 percent organic garden furniture. This is an especially…

Just Pebble It

Ugly concrete floors and patios often, unfortunately, go with the territory of a garden. And though it’s usually feasible to break it up and haul it away (or, of course, re-use the urbanite in some creative way on-site), this extra labor isn’t always appealing. So consider this simple, attractive solution by simply by covering it with pebbles and adding a couple of pavers. This…