Using tropical plants to add an element of luxury and elegance to your outdoor spaces

Tropical plants can be difficult–expensive, fickle, and ill-suited to most of the year’s weather.  And when done incorrectly, a tropical installation can scream “70’s Tiki Party” reminiscent of cheap beer, grilled pineapple, and terrible shirts.  Mind you, all three of these things can be GREAT–just not necessarily what you may be intending to convey when utilizing tropical materials.

But when done correctly, a well-curated tropical installation can hearken back to earlier times when only the Elite could afford to have tropical elements cultivated and shipped on their behalf.

We recently executed a rush installation for one of our new clients in Montgomery County, preparing for a catered and valet’d July 4th party.  Although the actual installation was relatively quick (approximately a day’s work), curating a collection of pristine and coordinated elements can be difficult on short notice.  The basic design was established ahead of time, but some adjustments needed to be made to accommodate current stock at our favorite suppliers.

We created a more formal arrangement in the dual urns flanking the front door.  Elements include pink caladium, oregano, black sweet potato vine, white angelonia, variegated ivy, magenta sunpatiens, tall dark tropical foliage, and a large pink bromeliad.

The garage featured three cocoa-fiber windowbox style wrought iron trough planters, installed below a decorative lattice.  For these three planters we chose a brighter installment–pink mandevilla vine, pink caladium, white angelonia, blue “kauai mix” torenia, and variegated ivy.

Not pictured are two second story window boxes complete with pink begonias, diamond dust euphorbia, and variegated ivy; as well as two tropical mix urns featurining orange hibiscus centerpieces located on the back patio.

The tropical arrangements at this tudor estate complimented its outdoor themes well–the property also features a koi pond, tea house, and other “collected” elements reminiscent of turn of the century luxury living.

If you are interested in more tropical design ideas, get in touch!  Also make sure to check out our tropical feature garden at The Fareway within the Chestnut Hill Hotel outdoor compound.

Full disclosure: I made this by guesstimating amounts and without writing anything down as I went, and I did 16 portions, so the recipe below isn’t precise. But it should be close enough that you can fine tune it to your own preference. You can do most of this recipe a day or two ahead and just heat and garnish when you are ready to serve them. Don’t be put off because the recipe has 12 steps, it actually goes together pretty quick.

Delicata Squash Stuffed with Orzo in a Sage Brown Butter Sauce
Serves 4 as an entree
Preparation time: 45 minutes
Vegetarian, vegan if you use olive oil instead of the brown butter, gluten-free if you omit the breadcrumbs and substitute a gluten-free pasta or other gluten-free grain for the orzo

• 2 delicata squash
• 8 tablespoons (one stick) unsalted butter
• 3 leaves fresh sage
• 6 ounces orzo pasta
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 cup pepitas (green, hulled pumpkin seeds – or substitute chopped almonds)
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries, halved
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs (preferably homemade; not panko)
• Handful of fresh pomegranate seeds
• Italian parsley

1. Carefully halve the squash, remove the seeds (a tablespoon or ice cream scoop works well), rub with oil and roast in the oven at 375 degrees until thoroughly tender. When they come out, rub the inside with a little butter.
2. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and allow it to keep cooking until it develops a nutty / caramel aroma and light brown color, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Taste (carefully), it should have a caramel flavor as well. If not, you haven’t cooked it long enough. While the butter is still hot, tear the sage leaves and add them in, allowing them to steep for awhile.
3. Boil the orzo according to package directions, being sure to leave it al dente, then drain. Strain the brown butter, add the lemon juice, and toss with the orzo. You may not need all of the butter. If you have some left, try it on popcorn or brussel sprouts.
4. Toast the pepitas in a skillet, toaster oven, or oven until slightly browned and smelling good. Add the cranberries and pepitas to the orzo Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Mound the orzo into the squash. At this point you can refrigerate them for later use, or serve immediately.
6. To serve, sprinkle on a good layer of breadcrumbs and heat in oven. If reheating from cold, start covered with tinfoil and remove for the last few minutes. Garnish with the parsley and pomegranate seeds, a good finishing salt and a grind of black pepper.

Note: an even better way to do this ahead would be to make the orzo mixture without the pepitas, and wait to add them and fill the squash just before heating. That way the pepitas will retain their crunch.

Found on Herbavoracious, thank you to Michael Natkin

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Smoky-Roasted Chickpeas and Bacon

Yum.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
2 small butternut squash (about 4lbs total)
extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper
15oz can garbanzo beans (also called chickpeas)
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1-1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika, divided
6 slices bacon, chopped
2 large or 3 small leeks, white and light green parts only, chopped in half then thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1-2 Tablespoons maple syrup (depends on how sweet you want your soup)
3 cups chicken broth

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pierce bulb ends of butternut squash with a sharp knife then microwave for 1-1/2 minutes to make them easier to cut. Cut in half lengthwise with a sharp knife then remove seeds with a spoon and place cut-side up on a nonstick sprayed baking sheet. Brush or mist with extra virgin olive oil then season liberally with salt and pepper.
2. Drain chickpeas then rinse and pat dry with a towel (the dryer the better.) Pour onto a baking sheet then add extra virgin olive oil and 1-1/4 teaspoons smoked paprika and then toss with your hands to coat.
3. Place baking sheets into the oven. Roast butternut squash for 45-60 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the thickest part of the squash goes in easily. If squash starts burning before it’s tender, lay a piece of foil on top. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Roast chickpeas for 25-30 minutes, stirring or shaking the pan every 10 minutes, or until crisp (beans will continue crisping as they cool.) Sprinkle with salt then set aside to cool.
4. Meanwhile, crisp bacon in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat then remove to a paper towel lined plate to train. Remove all but 2 Tablespoons bacon grease from pot then add leeks and season with salt and pepper. Saute for 7-10 minutes, or until leeks are golden brown and tender, then add garlic and saute for one more minute. Transfer mixture to a blender then remove pot from heat and add maple syrup and remaining 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika to blender.
5. Scoop butternut squash flesh out of the skin with a spoon then add it to the blender along with 2 cups chicken broth (may need to do this in two batches.) Blend until very smooth then pour back into soup pot and turn heat to low. Stir in remaining cup chicken broth then cook on low for 10 minutes. Taste and add remaining tablespoon maple syrup, salt, and pepper if desired. Serve topped with cooked bacon, smoky-roasted chickpeas, crostini and/or fresh bread.
6. To freeze: Cool soup then scoop into a freezer bag and freeze flat. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight then reheat on the stove (may need to add more chicken broth to thin out a bit.)

Thank you to iowagirleats.com

Chestnut Hill Community Association/Black & White Gala

Gravers Lane Gallery

Delphine Gallery

J. McLaughlin

Artisans on the Avenue

Joseph A. Banks

Style Camp

Poppy’s Cafe

Statement Boutique Consignment

Villavillekula

3000 BC WellMed Spa

Powell Mahoney Bellinis

Salon 90 at Nicholas & David Gift Basket

Our family moved to Philadelphia from Chicago 18 years ago and I still am in awe of where we, gardeners from birth, landed.  Not only did the Founding Fathers instill here a tradition of horticulture, but the climate allows for an array of trees, shrubs and perennials that is simply spectacular.

I have been so blessed to find a successful calling in Philadelphia for landscape/garden design, as much for its history and palette (a palette because it is indeed a process not unlike layering paint on a canvas that we do) as for the many warm and wonderful people we’ve worked with through the years and a crew that’s like family.   This season, my son Jackson rejoined us.  Photos here are of a corner of our beautiful, if too often like the cobbler’s shoes, 200+ year old property and two of the nursery areas taken in spring before brimming beyond their borders. (Current pics I won’t share with you…bordering on chaos!)

Distilling our mission these years to a few words: We Aim To Provide Delight.  It’s been a joy.  We’ve been thinking for some time of ways to spread that joy beyond the realm of the landscape and Philadelphia, too.  The web site you’re visiting now will be the launching pad for our new project.  I do hope your curiosity is piqued and that you’ll stay tuned and sign up to take the ride with us.  No annoying overkill of emails, we promise!  Along the way, lots of practical information, steals ‘n deals, style and relaxation and entertaining tips and hopefully for you, delectable inspiration.  Feel free to contribute your own ideas, questions, resources, tips, pics, and comments.

“Gardens are not made by singing Oh How Beautiful and sitting in the shade.”  

                                                                                                                                                                                                           Rudyard Kipling

Hazelnut Blackberry Cake with Mascarpone Cream

Serves 8-10

Ingredients

CAKE:
– 3/4 cup roasted hazelnuts
– 2 and 1/4 cups white spelt flour
– 2 teaspoons baking powder
– 15 tablespoons soft butter
– 4 large eggs
– 1/3 cup superfine sugar
– 1/3 cup maple syrup
– 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
– Zest of 1 lemon

MASCARPONE CREAM:
– 1 cup mascarpone cheese, soft
– 1 cup heavy cream
– 1 tablespoon superfine sugar
– 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Also have a bunch of fresh blackberries ready to go (about 1 pound).

NOTES:
– I suggest you leave a brick of butter out overnight so you can easily spoon the butter the next day.
– Leave your eggs out for a few hours so they are at room temp
– To soften the mascarpone, simply leave it out of the fridge at room temp for about 10 min.
– This recipe calls for 2 loose bottom pans, I used one small one for the photo above BUT I had to bake longer at a reduced temp to get the centre cooked. I suggest you follow the recipe below for fool-proof results (unless ur a master baker!…teehee).
– If you can find roasted hazelnuts in the store (I did!) just buy those, if you can’t, then roast them at home in a pan in the oven at 300F for about 5-7 min, careful not to burn them!

Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350F and grease 2 loose-bottom 8 inch cake pan
2. Using a kitchen towel or napkin, shake the hazelnuts to remove skins (like this), then using a blender or food processor, pulverize those nuts ’til they become a fine meal (don’t make them butter tho!).
3. For the cake – In a large bowl, place the butter, sugar, and eggs and lightly beat til they incorporate (it’s ok if they look a bit “split). Sift the flour and baking powder and add it along with the rest of the ingredients (the vanilla, ground hazelnuts, lemon zest, and maple syrup). Gently incorporate all ingredients making sure you don’t over mix (say no to tough cakes!).
4. Divide the mix between the pans and place them in the oven for about 25-35 min. Check the centre with a toothpick and when no dough comes out and the sides look golden brown then take them out.
5.Let cakes cool completely at room temp.

Now make the mascarpone cream:

– In a bowl mix all the cream ingredients and whisk until nice and thick (stiff peaks).
– Mush a few blackberries and add this blackberry “paste” on top of the cream – don’t mix it tho!

Assemble the cake:

– If your cakes have a weird top, just level it with a knife.
– Place one cake on a plate, then top with dollops of the cream (you’ll see the blackberry paste will create a marble effect when you scoop it out, cool eh?).
– Arrange fresh blackberries all over the cream
– Add one more thin layer of cream on top of berries and place the 2nd cake on top.
– Place the rest of the cream on top, load it with berries and – if you have some – decorate with fresh chamomile.

That’s it!

Hope you enjoy this delicious summery treat.

CREDIT:
Photos and styling: Artful Desperado
Recipe: adapted from Love Bake Nourish by Amber Rose

Fresh strawberry slices

Fresh cucumber slices

2 fresh limes

Fresh mint or basil.

Simple syrup.

Club soda or other sparkler.

Prepare your glass by adding sugar sprinkles to the rim.  Adhere with a bit of honey or some simple syrup.  In your glass, combine the juice from the limes, 1 tbsp simple syrup and ice.  Sparkling water to taste.  Add the slices and herb for garnish.  To further infuse the limeade, simmer  additional cucumbers and strawberries with the sugar.

Homemade simple syrup…simple!  1 part sugar and one part water simmered over medium heat until the mixture is completely liquid.  Let it cool.  The syrup will keep, covered and refrigerated, for a day or two.

Thank you to Elsie and Emma.

“To sit in the shade on a fine day and look upon verdure is the most perfect refreshment.”   Jane Austen