One of these days, I’m going to run into Lauren Springer Ogden (she and her family spend half of the year here in Fort Collins), and when I do I hope I can keep my shit together. She’s a bit of a local hero, and one of the most celebrated experts in American garden design.
So, with everybody and, well, their mother, posting about “the perfect Mother’s Day gift”, I thought I’d jump into the fray and offer these simple, perennial suggestions inspired by none other than Lauren Springer Ogden. And, while I’m not a mother myself, yet, I can say, for sure, these gifts would be a-okay with me — anytime of year!
Papaver somniferum (Poppy - Lauren’s Grape)
I love that these seeds have their own legend, and I’m thrilled to see our Lauren immortalized in this way! While it’s best not to sow these seeds now (wait until early fall), these plants will add depth, softness and richness to the Spring garden next year. The blossoms and the seedheads will make for gorgeous cuttings, too.
Plant Driven Design
As Panayoti Kelaidis, the Senior Curator at the Denver Botanic Gardens says,
This is not just Another Pretty Garden Book, although it is chockablock full of stunning images. Unlike cookie cutter coffee table books with the same plants and same rehashed notions… the Ogdens deliver the goods: their stellar photography captures the most beautiful North American gardens and crystallizes their salient aspects (microclimate, hardscape, texture and light) showing you how you can recreate many of these artistic habitats in an urban or suburban setting. …Encyclopaedic in scope, intimate in feel, this is a handbook for creating sustainable, gorgeous, truly American gardens. Every serious gardener, designer or landscape architect in America should own and cherish this book.
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