Deborah Silver is an accomplished and experienced landscape and garden designer whose firm first opened its doors in 1986.
A lot of work has been done this past week. Seeing this group of pictures, I am pleased that each one has a presence all its own. In showing the draft of this post to Rob, he asked me to click on the first picture, which opens that picture in a larger format, with the added option of viewing the pictures as a slide show. I had no idea-did you?
Watching this garland go up yesterday, it occurred to me that the real story of our holiday landscaping is about the people who make it all happen. Rob, Sunne, Monica, Christine, Shannon, Scott and Margarita make sure that Detroit Garden Works is stocked with every material we might need. From fresh cut great quality greens,branches and cones, picks in every conceivable color and style, lighting both stock and custom made, to zip ties and bamboo poles in bulk, this wide range of materials makes it possible to put a look together. If you shop at Detroit Garden Works, you probably have put the names with the faces, as they do such a great job of interacting with people.
The people who work for the landscape design and installation division, Deborah Silver and Co, work behind the scenes. They do all the fabrication, and installation of our projects. It may be startling that a group of people who know how to lay out a landscape, plant, and finish an installation know how to construct and install winter and holiday containers and garlands, but they do. Each one of the eight of them has their particular strengths. To their great credit, they all know how to work well with one another to bring a project to life. They certainly deserve the lion’s share of the credit for everything we do.
The columns are quite beautiful. They did not need anything in the way of decoration. My preference was that the garland would seem to drop at the outside edge of the porch roof. The fascia would need enough screws and concrete wire to hold the heavy garland. Owen and David, who usually take the lead in an installation, added a pair of vinyl covered steel poles at either end. This would provide an armature that would take the garland wide of the columns.
Four people and 4 pairs of hands made the business of getting the garland aloft a graceful and fairly quick affair. All of the design and fabrication issues had been dealt with in the garage. All of the installation issues were reviewed and planned on the ground. It was easy to locate the center of the porch roof. The dentil molding on the underside of the overhand was symmetrical. This garland would be hung in the center first, and then progressively, out to each edge.
Everyone involved with hanging the garland could rely on the integrity of the fabrication. The top, bottom and front face of the garland was clearly marked. The plug for the lights was on the left side, as the only exterior electrical outlet was on that side. Every element, even those we attach on long wires to permit rearranging, were securely attached.
It was a pleasure to watch the four of them work. While we 5 were on this installation, 3 people were in the garage, working on our next project.
We did put lighted winter containers on the porch, on either side of the door. The porch roof makes this a dark spot, in spite of a ceiling fixture. A pair of wire baskets were lined with moss sheeting, and filled with mulch and soil. The centerpieces were comprised of several bunches of cut pussy willow. Fresh cut magnolia and gold poly mesh added another layer of interest. AG does most of our exterior lighting and hookups. A strand of lights tucked behind the magnolia would light the pussy willow at night. A strand of garland lights would illuminate the mixed noble and silver fir. An extension cord was place right next to the step up into the house, and covered with a door mat, for safety’s sake.
The garland detail
A pair of pots with boxwood had been on the top tier of the stair pillars. We moved them down one level, so all four pots would be visible from the street.
The crew that made and installed this garland is a highly skilled crew indeed. They have expanded their skills in ways of which I am very proud. We have worked together a long time, and it shows.
My clients sent me this picture last night. They are pleased, and so are we.
Day and night get equal play in our zone this time of year. There is no need to convince you. The dark and the cold is obvious to any gardener within range of my zone. Winter and holiday containers can help mitigate the down and dormant garden. Whatever you create in the way of winter pots has to have a little evening wear waiting in the wings. These pots positioned at the end of a driveway have silver eucalyptus and matte surfaced holiday balls-these materials are naturally reflective. White in the landscape comes to the foreground visually. Dark colors recede. The night light in this pot-wound around the topiary form. This form in a summer setting could provide structure for a vine. Unadorned, it is a sculptural element hovering over a planting. In the winter, it is an armature for a source of light.
The night light provided by the topiary forms is strong and lacy. Even the glass balls have a subtle glow. My client calls these the onion heads- with great affection, I might add. The look at night is welcoming. There is a practical aspect. The way to the garage is marked loud and clear.
We plant a pair of tall Belgian wood boxes for a client, every year, for all four seasons. We removed the fall planting yesterday-I was pleased that it still looked good. But for some wilt in the kale after a string of nights around 12 degrees, the fall planting was entirely presentable. But now is the time to move beyond the fall to the winter season. The winter arrangements need to be large, as the pots are big. They also need lighting, as the front of the house is not especially well lit. A string of garland lights, which has 300 bulbs on a 35 foot strand, has been wound around the base of the centerpiece. This will provide a first tier round of lighting at night.
Barely visible here is a second strand of 100 count mini lights on brown cords. This lights have been tucked between the eucalyptus and the red twig dogwood. During the day, those lights strings are all but invisible. At night, they will glow. A number of tall gold picks will pick up the twinkle light in the evening hours, and provides a little holiday sparkle. These branches can be taken out after New Year’s. The red twig and eucalyptus will look great for the remainder of the winter.
This is the basic structure and shape of an arrangement that will last all winter. I would bet it will still look serviceable in March. Cut noble fir wears like iron over the winter. The branches and the needles are very strong, and will handle any bad weather a winter has to dish out. The preserved eucalyptus will survive the winter without a blemish. No container arrangement delivers so well and for so long as a winter arrangement. No watering. No deadheading, or fertilizing. All there is to do is look, and be pleased about what you see.
The final details come after the basic structure is in place. Bringing the holiday expression, and the red of the holiday down into the lower portion of the arrangement makes for an execution which is all put together, and ready for company – top to bottom. A third layer of lights is added to the greens. Could there be too many lights?
During the day, these winter pots keep the front door company in a formal way. A holiday way. A winter way. The color compliments the stone on the house. These boxes are dressed for the winter season. The lighting contained within these pots will illuminate the entrance to the front door at night, over the course of our long winter. These clients are serious about the garden and the landscape. They rue the coming of the cold as much as you do. These pots express that interest in the landscape every day of the dormant winter season.
These boxes provide lots of light at the front door, after dark. Any light says welcome. Lots of light creates a glow that would warm the heart of any visitor.
I so value a beautiful expression of light for the winter season. Our darkness is long, and even the days are cloudy and gloomy – for month to come. A fresh snow will glow in this light. These lights will burn off a heavy blanket of snow. My advice? Turn the lights on.
All of these winter containers came to be, one stem at a time. I hope you enjoy the pictures as much as I enjoy the process.
one glass drop at a time.
Lots of the pots pictured above were done by Rob. I learned from him how to slow down, and work one stem at a time. He is confident enough to let a design evolve. Nothing hurries him. My advice? Don’t hurry. Take one step at a time. Have fun. Be challenged. Go ahead. Our 2014 winter and holiday container construction is underway-I hope yours is too.