The Van Der Kloet Method: Confetti Planting Bulbs

When I attended the GardenComm (formerly GWA: Garden Writers of America) conference in Chicago last summer, I found myself captivated by the ideas of keynote speaker, Jacqueline van der Kloet. She has designed garden beds all over the world and has become known for her flower bulb combinations.

She spoke about her approach to designing with bulbs. She mixes a variety of bulbs in a wheel barrel and then tosses them into the desired area like confetti. The gardener then plant the bulbs where they land. She recommended having bulbs in different sizes and colors:

• Snodrops or muscari
• botantical tulips
• long stem daffodils or tulips
• ornamental onion or allium

I was captivated with this idea and starting telling people I was going to plant my bulbs using the Van Der Kloet Method. My husband prepared the bed in the front of our house and then we mixed the bulbs (my assortment is shown above) and tossed them like confetti into the prepared area.

We did this in the October when we had a house guest and she thought it was a fun approach to bulb placement. I love having a Master Plan and in this case, I was planning for a happy combination of flowering bulbs in our front garden.

It looks darling! The bloom time has been staggered, so I will definitely add even more bulbs this fall to maximize the effect. Now that I know that it is effective, I want more confetti-like color and texture in my front bed. Only 3 tulips have shown themselves so far, so I'm a little nervous that they were eaten, but this bed develops more every day.

Thank you, Jacqueline van der Kloet for the inspiration.

#floweringbulbs #gardenlife #plantingbulbs #springhassprung #springflowers #finddelight #masterplan

Planning Projects: Let it Percolate

I wrote about having a Master Plan back in 2009. When I referred to it again this week in my post about decorating cookies with edible wafer paper, I occurred to me that I left out part of the explanation.  

Having a Master Plan can mean that you have a stockpile of ideas that you want to try, much like a Pinterest Board, and that satisfaction comes when you follow your plan to completion, like when I finally put that French ribbon around my bouquet of mustard-colored roses. 

What I neglected to say is that a master plan can also include ideas you've had for years. I write this because of the images above and below. Every year I try and get a few good pictures of the landscape - cherry orchards, rolling hills, vineyards, barns, trees.  Why?

I want to embroider or needlepoint the landscape of northern Michigan. Rolling hills with trees in every shade of green, a cherry orchard (french knots?), Lake Michigan in the distance. 

I know that I can buy a software program called "PC Stitch" that converts photos into cross stitch patterns, but I'm not ready. The software costs $50 and once you load it onto your computer you can convert images forever. So my dream its within reach, but I'm not done thinking about it yet. Does that make sense?  It is part of my master plan. 

My suggestion is to make note of things you'd like to try. When you think about it again and it comes even more into focus, jot those ideas down too. There's no hurry. Let it percolate. 

Custom Cookie Cutters and Edible Art from Fancy Flours

So much of my happiness comes from completing projects from what I call my master plan. I make up something I want to do or try and then chip away at it until everything falls into place.  

In this case, I want to do more cookie decorating with edible wafer paper. Edible wafer paper is a potato starch paper printed with USDA-approved food coloring. It allows beautiful images to decorate cookies. Remember when I first tried it here?

And I wanted to amuse myself with these ridiculous (and I mean ridiculous in the best possible way) Marie Antoinette edible wafer paper images from my favorite baking source, Fancy Flours. 

When one wants to make Marie Antoinette-style cookies, one needs an Marie Antoinette-style cookie cutter. No small feat. A Marie Antoinette would be impossible to find but easy to make. Especially when you have a "Make Your Own Cookie Cutter" Kit and a husband with excellent handicraft skills. Look closely in the image above and you can see it. A cookie cutter that will accommodate a large head of hair and an enormous skirt.  Custom, indeed.

Fancy Flours sells the Make Your Own Cookie Cutter kit and the wafer paper, as well as a beautiful copper plaque cookie cutter that would also highlight the Marie Antoinette images if a custom cutter isn't in your near future. 

I have the cookie cutter, wafer paper and rolling pin packed! I'm taking it all to Florida and doing some condo-baking by the sea. 

What do you have in your luggage?

Waiting for Eden: A Gardener Thinks of Spring

Did you know that you only need to tend one rose bush to be considered a rosarian?  Not that I would advocate stopping at just one.  The more the merrier in my garden.  And since roses require special care:

• do not allow water to hit the leaves (as with a sprinkler system) - water from the ground with a soaker hose
• plant roses with enough space to allow plenty of air circulation
• be vigilant in removing yellow or dead leaves
• spray with a recommended fungicide and treatment to prevent black spot/bugs
• love them with all of your heart

I know that all that work seems like a pain in the neck, but I assure you that the bounty outweighs any burden.  I can cut a bouquet any time I want to and I love it.

This particular beauty is an Eden Climber.  A soft white climbing rose with a pink center that I know you will love.

Any day now, the garden catalogs will start arriving in the mail.  As you dream of this year's improvements (I personally want to add Bellflower, Zinnias and more Peonies to my garden) consider adding an Eden Climber.

Honey Dijon Rose

It is only November and I am already missing my roses.  Sometimes it helps to stare at a beautiful image from Summer and remember how good we have it.  Life has seasons and we have to embrace the time we are in.  I'm shifting toward cozy recipes and holiday touches...are you with me? 

Right vs Left

I've been living a creative life long enough to recognize some patterns.  My year is divided distinctly into three phases.  I'm not sure if it is really right brain vs left, but it definitely uses different strengths at different times. 

January - April: Analysis, Planning, Writing, Organizing

May-September: Creating, Designing, Photography

October-December: Tradition, Memories, Baking

I spend so much of Jan/Feb/March/April writing articles, blog posts, planning promotions and generally thinking.  I brainstorm book ideas and talk a lot about the future, while I organize everything.

When the first blooms of May open, I am "shocked" into my creation phase, where everything is time sensitive.  Each blossom (tulips, weeping cherry, marsh marigold, lilac, iris) will only be at peak for a few days (and if the sun is out, you'd better grab it!), the sunset is right now, the festival is this weekend only.  So you see what I mean?  I have to be camera-ready all the time to capture the ever-changing world of delight.  I feel most creative during this time of year and bounce between making jewelry, taking pictures and sewing/taping/knitting/serging/threading/painting etc.  It is so much fun.   

And then by the Fall, I end up putting aside all business design ideas in lieu of the "what I can make for the house" ideas.  I like to revive memories with a certain recipe.  I like to fill the house with beautiful Christmas vignettes.  I want to attend (and host!) the holiday parties and events that bring people together.  I love it all.

And then it is suddenly after New Years, I'm exhausted and I settle down to think, write and reflect.

Does your year have a distinct pattern?  As I look out the window, the trees tell me that I am about a week from my creative phase starting.  Wish me luck!   

Delight in Paris, Imagining Each Step

I have started the "visualizing" step for my next book, "Delight in the City of Light!"

I took over 1,200 photographs in Paris (on this last trip alone) so I am visually sifting through the images to determine the sequence, collections and messages I want to bring to you.

I think you are going to be blown away by the final product. All I need now is tunnel-vision and time...