Studiology

A Winter Season

My jobs in horticulture are seasonal, winter is a period of unemployment, kind of a season of catch up. This year has been unusually long, the weather forecast is for continuing cold and below average temperatures. Now, you would think that I'm disappointed, what?!, no work yet!? But I have to be truthful, it's been one of the best winters I remember. I feathered my artist's nest in summer, bought art supplies for winter and signed up for 3 on-line classes that would take me through March. One of my goals was to conquer assemblage, something that has eluded me, or better said - it's never gone as I had hoped. The process is to put things together, assemble stuff and then finish it off in a pleasing, artistic way. My favorite artist for this is Michael DeMeng, which I have mentioned before, I love his work. He's very talented and extremely clever. 

Two pieces have been finished and a third is in the works. To say I'm happy with them is an understatement. And I completely understand if this is not your style, it's weird, I know. The first piece needed a certain shade of blue. Now it seems that there's 52 shades of blue and I specifically wanted "royal blue", not that exact shade, more the blue of royalty (in my mind). Within these 52 shades there's everything from glaucous blue to periwinkle (two shades gardeners know well). So I did a little test of blues and knew right away it was Phthalo blue that I wanted. 

This piece is titled "Cyclopian Royalty" and it's a talking head, the lower jaw is hinged and can be pulled up. The blue worked out well, it suits his royalty, don't you think?

My next project was a hard cover book, in this case a shell for a sketch book. I am taking one of Michael DeMengs classes called "Punk Fiction" and it's all about altered or altering books. The title for my piece is "Year of the Goat" which is the eighth sign in the 12 year Chinese Zodiac, hence the number 8 and the goat. 

Now if my 56 page journal is done before I have to go to work, I will share that too. Just need a few more weeks of winter, hush you say! Just hush!!

 

Free Lecture and Tour of Oak Hill

Several people have asked me about touring Oak Hill in spring. Green Spring Gardens has organized a tour of Oatlands and Oak Hill for May 20th, a Tuesday. Use this link to sign-up or call  (703) 642-5173. The fee includes lunch, two gardens and a fancy bus.

On Saturday, March 1st I will give my favorite lecture at the Fair Oaks branch of Merrifield Gardens. This lecture is titled "Perennials with Personality" which is a very elevated lecture as far as gardening goes. You learn how to put perennials together based on growth habits which will lower your garden maintenance and make it much easier to understand how to design your garden space. This concept has completely changed the way I think about gardening with perennials. It's free, begins at 10:00 AM in the upstairs class room and there's no registration required, but I suggest you arrive early because I think it will be a full house.

 

The Elusive Spring Green

For the second time I am sitting down to try and make spring cards. The ground is still covered in snow, so it's been a stretch to say "I'm thinking spring". But I really am this time because I have to get busy. As I started to grab green fabric, I've started thinking about that wonderful green of early spring, when plants are pushing out new leaves. It all explodes at once, like they've been holding their breath, waiting for frosty nights to pass. As the new growth hardens, the paleness of green dissipates and the new green is not nearly as exhilarating. Like when you're driving somewhere and the trees have that first aura of green from new leaves and the sun is back-lighting them. Or early in the morning as the rising sun catches the backside of newly sprouted perennial leaves, that green that just makes you want to jump for joy. 

I tried to evaluate that time-line, when exactly does that green change? I looked at lots of spring photographs and started studying the green. As far as I can tell, the change (here in Virginia) occurs sometime between the third week in April and the first week in May. It's a subtle thing, the leaves simply go from soft to firm, light green to medium green. Here are some examples:

Taken the third week of April in Judy Springer's garden in Staunton, Virginia:

Third week of April in Tony Avent's garden in North Carolina:

This shows why Phlox divaricata is so lovely with it's pale blue flowers against that wonderful light green of early spring.

This is also in Judy Springer's garden the third week of spring, she's a master at pairing plants.

But then comes the darker green of May. This is the second week of May at Oak Hill.

Even the green of fall is different again, like a gray green.

A contributing factor is the angle of the sun. When it's lower on the horizon, the lack of intensity holds the colors of the garden better. We see this again in fall, but the green is entirely a different green.

So I'm trying to extrapolate this into fabric and colors. Little piles of stuff will become cards that say spring. No woolly threads, they say winter, no dreary greens they say summer. Blue and pink with green say spring. A bright, cheerful spring green! 

 

February Stuff

Twelve inches of snow fell last night, although it seems like much more. Going to feed the chickens was an ordeal but I was rewarded with a fresh, warm egg. The guineas usually stay in their roosting tree when we get this much snow, but flew down to the wood pile by the door. There they will sit all day, and probably all night because I don't see how they'll get enough momentum to fly back up into the trees. As they sit so close I can photograph them.

I've not mentioned the guineas in awhile but we are good at 11. Pearl # 7 has become a very nice gentleman and keeps 2 ladies (smart girls). The other guinea roosters are dominant, like a pack of bullies. But who's to say that the bully will attack a predator faster than gentleman Pearl, and save the damsel guinea? Alas, poor Pearl and his wives get no respect and are the last to get to the feeders in the mornings. So it goes in the world of alpha versus beta.

Before the snow, during the ice storm, I went out and photographed the snowdrops as they emerged. There's hope, spring is really coming.

And the snow always melts first from the hot compost piles. I took this picture yesterday, a day that never rose above freezing temperatures. 

My terrariums are still a source of joy. A little world of green. They have not been watered since I put them together and sealed the top. 

Tiny clay pieces decorate the inside. The detail in the painting is remarkable. This tiny man is the size of a penny, yet look at the detail in form and color. 

Because I knew I would be snowed in, I brought homework from the studio. I'm off to do a little painting myself, it's going to be a lovely day! Crank up the music!

 

"Plant Baggage" Corydalis 'George Baker'

I'm starting a little series called "Plant Baggage". I will highlight a plant that I consider one of my favorites, and that means any kind of plant. Everything from tropicals to herbs, perennials to trees, if I like it, I will tell you why and hope you might consider growing it. Since we are in the middle of winter, and a particularly cold and long winter, I thought I might talk about one of my favorite March plants. This little tuber is called Corydalis solida 'George Baker', the primary reason I chose it (as will be the case quite often) is because it's been a very faithful plant. It grew in my little rock garden when I operated my nursery, Windy Hill and it's also in my garden at home.  In pronouncing the name, said correctly it's kor-ID'-a-lis with the accent on ID. Don't draw out the last syllable dalis, something I was reminded of in my youthful days of gardening. 

Growing from a tuber, the time to purchase this corydalis is in fall with the rest of the bulbs. As with my nursery, many businesses pot up any bulbs they have left and you may find it for sale in spring after it's been wintered over. There are many corydalis, 300 species, over half of these come from China. Corydalis solida is from Romania and was once known as Corydalis transsylvanica, found in the Carpathian Mountains by Dr. Albert Amlacher. Doctor Albert was a historian and writer, his family was Austrian, he was born in Romania. From what little I can tell, he was not a plant collector but probably passed the plant along to George Baker, who owned a nursery in England. References say that the plant was not associated with George Baker until 1977, which is 103 years after his death, although there was a George Junior. The actual history of this particular plant is a bit confusing, but many plants have a murky background. 

What is clear is that it's from a cold part of the world and often used in rock gardens, rubbing shoulders with other little alpine plants. This is part of the reason I like it so much, Virginia is not an alpine place, yet  Corydalis s. 'George Baker' is happy here. Typical of early bulbs, in this case a tuber (like a potato), it pops it's little floral head up, flowers and then disappears for the rest of the year.  Related to poppies, as the foliage arrives it's a nice glaucous blue and low to the ground. Only 4 to 6" tall, the colder the spring, the redder the flowers. The fact that it's dormant for so long, the gardener forgets about this little gem. It arrives in cold March, while things are very sleepy, blooms and disappears by June. The space it occupied in spring can easily support other perennials in summer, it's great for the layered garden.

When planting, summer shade is good, it keeps the soil a little cooler. Cooler being the key word for so many corydalis species, only a few grow well in Virginia. So when you find that electric blue flowering variety for sale, don't succumb. 

New Work

New work has been put in gallery 902 for the month of February. We have been allowed 5 pieces for this coming month, and a number of mine are new to the Lorton Workhouse. One is a triptych, based on the book "A Game of Thrones", it features Daenerys, the mistress of dragons. This piece has 6 panels, it's complete on the front and back. Measuring 17" across, the technique is stamping, embossing and printing, all on treated and untreated muslin fabric. A few sections are also sewn.

I also added this encaustic work. The original photograph is glued to a board, sanded and then coated in wax with some oil painting on top to finish. I named her "Fireflys" and I think it's kind of obvious why.

I am one of the Associate Artists, our work is displayed in building #9, room 902 (same building as the museum). There is also a particularly great match with the featured artists (also Associates) in building 16 for February. I encourage all to visit this coming Saturday, which will be "Second Saturday", a party in every building with featured artists and great food (6-9). It looks like the storm will arrive Sunday, so it's all clear. Come join us.