GardenDesigns+more

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Ode to the U.S. Open

The U.S. Open is the fourth and final Grand Slam of each Tennis year, following the Australian Open, the French Open, and Wimbledon. It occurs at summer’s end in Flushing Meadows, Queens, New York on the grounds of what once was the 1939 and 1964 New York World’s Fairs.

1964 New York World’s Fair

The Unisphere became the universal symbol of the New York World’s Fair and it’s grounds. It is still the centerpiece of the park!

The USTA National Tennis Center opened in 1978 after then USTA President W.E. “Slew” Hester spotted Louis Armstrong Stadium from the air while flying into nearby LaGuardia Airport.

Today the grounds are known as Flushing Meadows – Corona Park. The view from above shows how large the park is. It includes Shea Stadium; the Billie Jean National Tennis Center, home of the U.S. Open; a zoo; science museum; marina; two lakes; skating rink; soccer pitches; and cricket fields. Some would be surprised to learn that it is larger than Central Park.

In 1995, Arthur Ashe Stadium replaced Louis Armstrong Stadium as the largest venue on the grounds. Designed by Rossetti Architects, it is also the largest tennis-only stadium in the world!

Arthur Ashe Stadium

On August 28, 2006, the USTA National Tennis Center was rededicated as the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. It is the largest and most prestigious facility of its kind to be named after a woman.

There are 22 tennis courts in the Billie Jean National Tennis Center and 11 more in the adjoining park.

Although the Billie Jean National Tennis Center is home of the U.S. Open, it is also open to the public for play 11 months out of the year. The cost to the public is $16 an hour. Each May, it also hosts the New York state high school tennis championships.

Fountains outside of Arthur Ashe Stadium

Last year, 720,227 people attended the two week U.S. Open events. It is crowded with sophisticated and sporty people.

I recently had the great fortune of attending the U.S. Open! We were there last Saturday. I was excited to see my tennis heroes in their New York colors!

I got to see my favorite player, Roger Federer beat Lleyton Hewitt. Here he is on the big screen being interviewed after his win in Arthur Ashe Stadium.

And after a big serve on the courts!

I ALMOST got his autograph!!!

Here is Maria Sharapova warming up for her match against the young American, Melanie Oudin. Oudin beat her!

And Andy Roddick hitting a big serve against John Isner, who went on to beat him!

Here’s Melanie Oudin in tears after beating her idol, Sharopova.

… and me at the biggest venue in tennis!

Congratulations to Kim Clijsters for winning this year’s US Open Women’s Singles title! You know who I’ll be cheering for tomorrow night. His initials are RF!

If you happen to be lucky enough to have a ticket for the men’s championship on Monday evening, check out these Ten Tips when visiting the U.S. Open. You might find them helpful!

Friday, September 11, 2009

From Tree to Table: A New Use for Fallen Leaves

Verterra is now making dinnerware from fallen leaves. The company manufactures environmentally friendly plates, bowls and serving dishes from just two ingredients – fallen leaves and water.

Pack your picnic lunch, serve it up on these beauties and leave them for compost! Guaranteed to decompose into beautiful Mother Earth in just two months!

What’s more, the company will even teach you how to compost Here.

Go get your Green on!

Each Friday, Julia at Hooked on Houses hosts a Friday Blog Party. Stop by it HERE and see if you are lucky enough to find the hidden treasure!

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Zone 8 Gardens

For me, summertime in Wilmington, North Carolina always means a trip or two or three to

Zone 8 Gardens.

This is a gem of a garden center and is owned by

Dick Stinson.

Upon arriving at Zone 8 Gardens,

one is greeted by very loud classical music that seems to be coming from the trees.

Immediately, you know that a unique experience is at hand.

The gardens are truly beautiful.

Dick and his staff have planted them out over the years

with sub-tropicals that do well in our coastal

Zone 8 environment. I’m thinking the garden center

has more plants in the ground to see than it has to sell. Dick

personally showed me what was blooming!

Dick is a collector. He collects plants and art.

Although I loved all of the plants,

I also admired this very large chicken.

This smaller one however, was more within my budget.

How about this pelican?

Dick built this wall inside his greenhouse entirely out of

old windows.

It is stunning!

My eye was drawn to this lobster sitting on the sill.

Imagine, a Lobster in the garden!

I found some ferns in beautiful pots.

and Purple Pixies. I’ve blogged about these beauties.

Here is Dwarf Podocarpus

and some very happy sunflowers.

Dick is now really into xeriscape plants or those plants that will do well in the zone with little to no care at all.

Here is just a small part of his aloe, yucca and agave collection for sale. They are all high energy plants.

This plant has beautiful star-shaped flowers like jasmine.

The Ginger Lilys are so tall and gorgeous and very fragrant as well. They attract the most interesting moths in the early evening hours! The moths can easily be mistaken for Hummingbirds.

At the end of the day, Dick (center) can often be found relaxing with friends out back, enjoying the classical music and the conversation in his subtropical garden paradise.

Oh, what a life!

If you ever find yourself in Wilmington, North Carolina, stop in at Zone 8 Gardens and tell Dick I sent you!

Sunday, August 30, 2009

Giveaway Today!

One of my favorite bloggers, Maya, at Completely Coastal is hosting a giveaway from Black & Light Candles. Check it out by clicking on the image!

And while your’e there, check out her fabulous blog!

Friday, August 28, 2009

2009 Pantone Color of the Year in the Garden

We all know that the Pantone Color of 2009 is Mimosa …

This beautiful color can be found all over the garden in many different flowers. One does not have to look hard to find it in just about any garden, especially at this time of year!

Dahlia:

NiinaC at flickr

Lantana:

jpc101 at flickr

Nasturtium:

Bettendorf Photography at flickr

Marigold:

michael's photos at flickr

Canna Lily:

Mrs. Ramsay at flickr

Daylily:

Lantana:

Gazania:

Yellow Trumpet Vine:

In late summer, this color can be found front and center! Many of these flowers are in full bloom now!

This week, I’m hooked on Mimosa, the 2009 Pantone Color of the year. To find out what others are hooked on this Friday, visit Hooked on House's Friday Blog Party or The Inspired Room's Beautiful Life Party today!

Friday, August 21, 2009

Modern Classics for the Masses

Any one who knows furniture will think of these three chairs first when considering the modern classics.

The Eames Lounge Chair and ottoman, Charles and Ray Eames, 1956

The Barcelona Chair, Ludwig Mies Van der Rohe, 1920

The LC2 Armchair, Le Corbusier, 1928

Now, here is something else to consider.

Who knew that someone would have the brilliant idea to turn these expensive timeless classics into cheap outdoor plastic stackables?

For his final thesis project at the Royal College of Art in London, Design Student Dirk Winkel came up with “A Stacking Hommage” offering a new take on these mid-Century Modern Classics. By turning the Eames Lounge Chair, the Barcelona Chair and the Corbusier LC2 Chair into lightweight plastic stackables, Winkel has made them affordable to the masses! We can only hope that one day, these lightweight classics will make their way into the aisles of Walmart, Target or Ikea and into the hearts of the masses, eventually replacing these beauties, or should I say uglies, across porches and patios everywhere.

This week, I’m hooked on reproducing modern classic furniture into affordable plastic stackables for use outdoors! To see what others are hooked on, please visit Hooked on Houses’ Friday Blog Party HERE or The Inspired Room’s Beautiful Life Friday HERE.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Tree Houses

Pete Nelson is a builder and designer of treehouses. He has traveled the world photographing them and now brings them to us in his book entitled New TREEHOUSES of the WORLD.