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.

Green up your interior space with a quick and easy herb garden that won’t break the bank

Sundays are for sleeping in, binging on netflix, and if you’re like me–cooking.

You can keep fresh herbs available within arm’s reach if you have a few bucks and a sunny window.

For the pictured herb garden above, we used a set of six square, distressed wooden vases.  Each box is lined with plastic to prevent water seepage.

–> You can find the exact wooden vases here at this link <—

Place a small layer of gravel at the base of each box to catch excess water and prevent rot, then simply insert the potted herb into the vase.  A top layer of spanish moss conceals the structure and helps retain moisture.

To maintain, water a little at a time, and often.  You may have to occasionally service the vase by emptying any excess water out.  For 4-inch pots, I found that about an ounce of water every other day was sufficient.  Some plants will require more, some less.  You will absolutely not have any issues growing mint indoors–it is a weed, basically.  Other plants can be more fickle.  Experiment as you like.

The indoors isn’t ideal for certain varieties–these will not have an extremely long lifespan in your kitchen unless they are maintained perfectly.  No matter–herbs are cheap ($3-$5 per pot), so any mistakes you make won’t be too expensive.

For better drainage, use traditional pots and saucers.  I opted for the wooden vases for aesthetic reasons, understanding their limitations.

As always, reach out with any questions.

Enjoy!

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

Helleborus “Silver Dollar”.  How fabulous is that foliage?!  In winter, flowers open a pale green color with prominent yellow stamens, then petals soon transform to white with pink-brushed undersides.

Dwarf Pieris, soon to be incorporated into an evergreen border.

Such a pretty pumpkin,  a gift from Joe Marano, local  nurseryman (Marano Gardens, Bethlehem Pike, Ft Washington)

Tiarella (Foamflower) “Running Tapestry”, excellent shade groundcover with showy white flowers in spring.

Kale, an extra from planter projects.

Lustrous Tassel Fern, earmarked for an upcoming installation.

Swiss Chard.

Illicium (Star Anise), a very interesting evergreen shrub, in flower.

Ornamental Millet, another leftover from planter projects.

]]> http://www.philadelphiaoutdoors.com/images-from-our-nursery/feed/ 0 http://www.philadelphiaoutdoors.com/krazy-for-kale/ http://www.philadelphiaoutdoors.com/krazy-for-kale/#comments Sun, 26 Oct 2014 21:02:33 +0000 http://www.philadelphiaoutdoors.com/?p=1040  

“The Ten Commandments contain 297 words. The Bill of Rights is stated in 463 words.  Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address contains 266 words.  A recent federal directive to regulate the price of cabbage contains 26,911 words.”

But…for the ultimate experience of the ultimate apple, one must make the trip to Solebury Orchard.  I don’t know what their magic is with this variety and perhaps it should be left at that…magic.

Eighteen years ago this month when we arrived in Philadelphia,  I got into the car and got lost, each day for months.  What  better way  to learn the byways and special spots.  That’s when I found Solebury Orchard, along a picturesque road under arched woodland.  At that time it was a small concern, owned by a young fellow with a passion.  And that’s when I first was introduced to this delectable treat.   Each year since I’ve made the pilgrimage, converting friends along the way.  I  guess I wasn’t alone in that holy mission!  In ensuing years the orchard has grown.  So have its converts.  And that young fellow, who looks young still, has added untold Honeycrisp trees to his grove.  In fairness, he also offers other common and not so common varieties and all are superior.

Of course, you can pick-ur-own.  There’s a frenetic cutting garden, bouquets by weight.  Warm, freshly made apple doughnuts. Iced cider slush.  Apple butters, applesauce, the freshest, sweetest cider I’ve ever tasted.  Pears and pumpkins.  New this year, cider vinegar.  In season: peaches, apricots, cherries, plums, tomatoes, berries too.

The orchard is open Thursdays through Sundays.

 http://soleburyorchards.com/index.html

3325 Creamery Road, New Hope, PA  18938  215-297-8079

 An apple’s core principle is to not get eaten. And who wants to eat the core of an apple anyway?  Jarod Kintz

Above, Calocasia (Elephant Ears, aptly named) “Mojito”.

An elegant assemblage of tropicals in what used to serve as a fountain trough.  Each is planted into its own pot and brought indoors for winter.

Caladium “Garden White” with a companion Boston Fern, wonderful texture.

A full tilt tropical garden at the Fareway in Chestnut Hill.  Blue-flowering plant is the herb African Blue Basil.

Canna tubers can be dug and stored in the basement til spring.

Bananas in a classic perennial/annual border.  Banana trees can be left in the ground, cut back, stump covered with a plastic pot and a pile of leaves over all.  They’ll return in spring with lots of offshoots, even in harsh winters (as we discovered last spring).

Baby bananas!

I like words. Words are places, rooms, distant airs, thin and tropical. They make us feel and imagine we are more than our bodies.  Rickie Lee Jones

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

Because nectar and pollen are precious sustenance to Monarch butterflies and hummingbirds migrating south.

Because our endangered population of honey bees, without which there’d be a world without fruits and far less colorful, require nectar for their winter stores.  So do butterflies and other native critters.

Because songbirds feed on seeds and fruits.

The songbirds keep singing like they know the score and I love you I love you I love you like never before.   Eva Cassidy