warmer days at terrain

May 4, 2018

Here in Connecticut, temperatures have skyrocketed and thoughts of snow are finally behind us! A flurry of garden related thoughts is running through my head! I can’t wait till Mother’s Day – my official planting day – to get some annuals into the ground!

For today’s Friday field trip, I thought I would share a little garden inspiration from my favorite garden store. Here are just a few captures from my last visit to Terrain in Westport.

Enjoy! Hopefully, while enjoying a good cup of coffee and sitting on an outdoor terrace or deck in the early morning light!

Have a fabulous weekend and remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

P.S. If you live close enough to the Westport store for a visit, there are some excited new things happening to check out!

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repurposed plant materials

April 20, 2018

Pieces of jewelry crafted from plant materials are a highlight of the Philadelphia Flower Show each year. For today’s Friday field trip, please enjoy some of my favorites from the 2018 show!

Although the lighting and display cases make it impossible to get great photos, I think you will still be able to grasp the unbelievable creativity in the designs of these pieces. They are truly works of art.Remember, these pieces are all crafted from plant materials! It is hard to believe, even when you see the photo of the items used!

If this type of art appeals to you, I encourage you to check out the work of botanical artist, Bridget Beth Collins. For a treat, follow her Instagram @flora.forager

This last one is a handbag!

Thanks for stopping by! Have a wonderful weekend!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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philadelphia flower show 2018

April 6, 2018

My two favorite vignettes at the 2018 Philadelphia Flower Show (the nation’s largest and longest-running horticultural event) were a study in contrasts. The first, very elegant; the second extremely casual.

You can see why this library display would be a favorite of mine – it showcased plants and books!

The dramatic wall color was the perfect way to offset the gorgeous display of books and plants.

This second, more relaxed display, featured a ‘shipwreck.’ Using a boat to display the plants was a perfect way to incorporate the 2018 show theme Wonders of Water.

Is it crazy to think about a similar installation in my backyard?!

I hope you enjoyed sharing my two favorite displays from the Philadelphia Flower Show for today’s Friday field trip!

Thanks for stopping by! Have a wonderful weekend!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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white orchids

March 16, 2018

The current highlight at Longwood Gardens, one of the top public gardens in the nation, is orchids. I like orchids, though they are not my favorite. But, I have to say, on my last trip to Longwood, I fell in love with one of the orchid installations.

It consists of all white (my favorite flower color!) orchids suspended from the ceiling in balls.

I am sharing a few photos of this display for today’s Friday field trip. I am sorry the exposure of the photos isn’t the best, but they were taken on a stormy weekend!

If you are an orchid lover, I strongly encourage you to visit Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. The Orchid Extravaganza continues through March 25^th. If you can squeeze in a trip, you will also be treated to a viewing of a rare display of blue-poppies – currently in bloom.

Thanks for stopping by! Have a fabulous weekend!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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longwood gardens green wall

March 9, 2018

The Green Wall in the corner of the East Conservatory at Longwood Gardens definitely achieves its goal of resembling a lush green jungle! This display really needs to be seen in person to be fully appreciated. One view is enough to cause a fern lover go into shock! Not only is the sheer size of the display impressive, but the way the design incorporates a hallway of doors is simply beautiful!

The Green Wall, containing 47,000 plants, is the largest in North America – a very impressive 14 feet high and 300 feet long.

The wall is made up of 12” x 12” stainless steel panels containing a potting mix for use in vertical gardens. Each panel is planted in one of 29 different planting configurations. Each configuration is based on plant type, lighting requirements, and other factors. Just inside the stainless steel, a layer of coconut coir fiber lines each panel to hold moisture.

In 2010, the panels were assembled in Florida where over 50 pallets, each 8-foot-tall and containing 72 boxes per pallet, were loaded in 3 climate-controlled refrigeration tractor trailers and transported 36 hours to Longwood in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania.

I hope these photos on today’s Friday field trip give you a little sense of the amazingly beautiful Green Wall at Longwood Gardens. This display is just one of the many breathtaking displays at one of the most beautiful public gardens in the nation (and one of my happy places).

Does this inspire you to start thinking of your spring garden? We change the clocks this weekend!!

Thanks for stopping by. Have a wonderful weekend.

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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diy basil infused salt gift

November 14, 2017

Before the first frost, what do you do with the last of the basil from your garden? Do you make batches of pesto to freeze? Have you ever thought about making some basil infused salt?

I recently had the good fortune to stay at the Ritz-Carlton in Amelia Island, Florida. The Ritz on Amelia Island has a fabulous selection of infused salts for sale. Trying some of the salts from their collection, and watching the kitchen staff demonstrate how it is made, inspired me to use my ‘last of the season’ basil to make some of my own infused salt!

Basil salt makes the perfect seasoning for a tomato and fresh mozzarella salad when the basil from the garden has long gone…and, when packaged, it makes a great holiday gift as well!

It is super simple to create a basil infused salt!

First, I pulsed ½ cup kosher salt and ½ cup packed basil leaves together in the food processor. I dried this mixture by spreading it on a baking sheet in a 225-degree oven (tossing it every 15 minutes) for about 40 minutes – until dry.

After letting it cool, I pulsed the mixture one last time to make the salt extra fine. Of course, you can control the coarseness by the number of pulses used.

For packaging, I used some glass tubes I had purchased for another DIY. I think three tubes tied together are a great way to package the salt as a gift. If you try making some other herbed salt flavors, you can even package three different flavors of salt to gift as a trio! If you would rather use a more conventional container, small Weck jars or glass spice jars would also look super cute!

I hope I have inspired you to use some herbs from your garden to create some infused salt!

Thanks for stopping by!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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pumpkin tower urn diy

October 17, 2017

Today I am sharing a simple DIY. Remember my ‘ferns in urns’ project? I bought some inexpensive urns at HomeGoods and planted them with ferns for a wedding? You may remember one of those urns was transformed into a fall planter.

You may wonder what happened to the second urn. Well, it got transformed into a pumpkin tower for my mom’s house! I just love stacking pumpkins, don’t you? Pumpkins can get pretty pricy at garden stores when they are classified as ‘specialty’ pumpkins. Not true when you purchase them from Trader Joes!

I found a big selection of what would be called ‘specialty’ pumpkins at Trader Joes for just $6.99 each!

To convert the urn I used for the ferns, I purchased 3 carefully selected pumpkins from Trader Joes and a can of flat black spray paint from Home Depot.

After the sprayed urn dried, I added an old grapevine wreath and some faux greens to the rim before stacking my 3 purchased pumpkins…perfect! An easy DIY to convert one of your planters for some fall décor! Just spend a little time picking out the stackable pumpkins so they work together. Before you go to the store, measure the diameter of your container so you know what size will work for the bottom pumpkin. Either bring a ruler or measure out a strip of paper to the size you need and tuck it into your purse. For the best-looking tower, make sure your smallest pumpkin choice (top spot) has a pretty stem!

Other things you may want to add to your tower are hay, straw, Spanish moss, or green moss. Add your own personal style with the container and accessories you add! To give you some pumpkin tower inspiration, I have included in this post some photos of pumpkin towers created by Terrain in Westport, Connecticut.

If you don’t have a yard for a tower outside, it is easy to create a ‘mini’ pumpkin tower for your inside décor. Buy a pretty container, flower pot, or pedestal at HomeGoods or local garden store and create a smaller version of a pumpkin tower!

I hope I have inspired you to create a pumpkin tower of your own!

Thanks for stopping by!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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german village, columbus

October 13, 2017

The most picturesque place we found during my recent visit to Columbus with a friend was just south of the downtown – the quaint, historic neighborhood of German Village.

Settled back in the 19th century by German immigrants, the neighborhood is now a hip location to shop, dine, or just walk around. With many alley-like streets made of brick and pristine landscaping, German Village oozes with character.

We visited a few unique shops – like the 32-room bookstore called The Book Loft and the gift shop at the top of all the local’s list – Helen Winnemore’s.

We also stopped at a candy shop for award-winning fudge and some ‘buckeyes’ to take home. In case you didn’t already know, Ohio is the ‘buckeye state’ and Brutus Buckeye is the mascot of Ohio State University – and, believe me, Columbus certainly has buckeye fever! The candy version of a buckeye is a peanut butter flavored ball dipped in chocolate!

Another noteworthy visit while in German Village was to Jeni’s scoop shop – with shops located throughout the city, this mouth-watering ice-cream brand originated in Columbus. (I will share more about Jeni’s in its own upcoming post!)

For dining, tourists can find a classic German meal at Schmidt’s, but the hip locals favor Lindey’s. And, because Lindey’s has the best outdoor dining in the Village, that was our restaurant choice for dinner while in German Village.

Outdoor dining at Lindey’s in German Village, Columbus, Ohio

You can probably tell by my photos, that for us, the best part about visiting German Village in Columbus, Ohio was admiring the buildings and the landscaping! Walking around the neighborhood was like attending a garden tour!

I hope you have enjoyed my little piece of German Village on today’s Friday field trip!

Thanks for stopping by!

Have a wonderful weekend and remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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2017 country living fair columbus

September 26, 2017

If you read this blog regularly, you know I am a big fan of The Country Living Fair. I have been attending the fair in Rhinebeck, NY, only a short distance from Connecticut, annually.

The Dutchess Country Fairgrounds are picturesque and provide a beautiful venue for the fair.

Put on by Country Living Magazine, the fair is a big show and sale of antiques, vintage, handcrafted goods, art, furniture, home decor, handcrafted clothing, jewelry and more. It also includes scheduled seminars and artisan demonstrations.

Each year, The Country Living Fair provides a fabulous weekend of shopping and inspiration.

I started thinking last year, why limit this fun time to a weekend? With three other Country Living Fair locations at different times of the year, why not visit one of the others? Atlanta, Columbus, or Nashville were my choices.

After some consideration, Columbus won as a second destination choice when I discovered Ballard Designs, Frontgate, and Grandin Road all have outlet stores near Columbus!

So, many months ago, a good friend and I put together plans to brave the 10 hour car trip to Ohio!

The photos here are from the 2017 Country Living Fair in Columbus, Ohio! I will share some additional photos from the fair next Tuesday. I hope you enjoy them and are inspired to attend one of the Country Living Fairs yourself!

It is so fun to visit a new locale! Which location do you think I will visit next? ;) Nashville? Atlanta?

Thanks for stopping by! Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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pumpkin tower in columbus

September 22, 2017

Even though the temperatures here in Connecticut this weekend will feel more like summer, it is now officially fall!

Because it seems so appropriate, for today’s Friday field trip, I am sharing some photos of the pumpkin ‘tower’ at this year’s Country Living Fair in Columbus.

Don’t worry…that’s not it on the fair…I will be sharing some fun finds from the Country Living Fair next week!

Thanks for stopping by! Enjoy your first weekend of fall! I have already bought plenty of white pumpkins and I am working on some neutral velvet and cashmere handmade pumpkins!

I hope you are inspired to put out some fall décor! Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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