Posts by Jenks Farmer
Garden Week Head’s Up
I’m going to be in cool gardens all week — mostly hanging out, hosting, escorting. I’ll post lots of pictures here. Today, one of my favorite men, mentors and gardeners — we started out ‘designing’ his slippery slope garden about four years ago. At the time, there was no way to get from the…
Read MoreMust Have Happy Flower for Fall Seed-in
From mid-march all the way through May everyone who sees any garden I’ve designed wants that cheerful, easy to grow wildflower that I call Moroccan Toadflax. I like that name since this little plant looks like our native called toadflax, or field flax (there’s an essay about that lovely little wildflower in this book). But…
Read MoreWhat Do You Do First?
I worked with two different twenty-something couples this week. One planning to resell in a few years, one there for the long haul. It made me think of my own place in Columbia — I was 27 when I bought it. What were my priorities? 1. Privacy 2. A place to hang out…
Read MoreTony Carr — Copper Artist, North Augusta, SC
Artist use things to focus other peoples attention. To help people see the beauty. Tony Carr made this garden frame and I’m trying it out…… I
Read MoreKnow Where You’re Going
The front seat of my truck was full of rice today. I drove gingerly. This was incredibly important rice and even if it wasn’t, I don’t want rice spilled all in the truck. The start of any plant is so full of potential that it’s priceless to the owner— to the farmer. Rice seedlings,…
Read MoreBackgrounds
What you see behind makes all the difference to how your garden looks. My background is really different from yours. Be creative. I’m outside about 12 hours a day this time of year. In the background of my life, a group of editors at Timber Press have been reviewing and marking up the manuscript I…
Read MoreI Dug It. And I’d Do It Again….
When I was little, all the adults in my life had tiny folding camping shovels. They kept them in the trunk, just in case they came across some cool plant on the side of the road. My Mother still has a her little shovel in the trunk. Stopping to dig may not be cool anymore. …
Read MoreWhen is the best time to work in the Yard?
Nothing better than a rainy day to do gardening. Stuff sticking to you. Muddy boots. Compost and clay welding into the wrinkles in your hands and that filmy part around your fingernails. That’s all good, but the best is that a rainy day is perfect for moving all kinds of plants and getting seedlings divided…
Read MoreShopping for Wood
We’re building a giant trellis. I love the day shopping for wood….. Here’s the first stop…. On to the Lumber Barn…. …
Read MoreInnovation
I’ve been reading lots about a recent study that show that being outside enhances creativity. Self analysis complete! Now I understand me and I make perfect sense. That should help relieve any concerns about how I’ve chosen to use this incredible shrub. As a vine. Nothing new really. Some Jasminum are vines while some just…
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