I simply love the idea of adopting trees.  Especially when the whole ‘adoption’ thing is actually specific enough that you get a map of where your adopted tree is so you can even go and visit it for a hug if you want.

Admittedly, I am the odd type of person who would (romantically) plan a whole trip around making the journey to find my adopted tree.  I argue: 1) that you only live once and you always need a new adventure….and 2) how often do you get to be a part of one of the most ancient species on our planet?  Have you ever seen a 900+ year old (olive) tree?  I have, and I can tell you that it is impossible to not revere them and want to be part of that spirit.

Nudo, an artisanal olive oil maker offers just this.  Your adopted tree, which is planted in a grove in Italy, will provide you with olive oil twice per year and your support helps keep a small scale farmer in business.

Like other types of farming, olive growing is becoming more and more mechanised. This is leading to soil erosion and blander, mass produced oil. Nudo makes olive oil with special care and time honored traditions so you know your tree is in good hands and will be ready for your visit.

Make sure to also check out Nudo’s blog for some amazing olive oil recipes.

Plants, on a stick — reminds me of a Jeff Dunham comedy routine….

The truth is, I can’t think of anything more perfect for a casual garden accent than these post planters and wall planters from Wallter.   I would stick these into a gravel patio to create focal point, line them up in a herbaceous border to give it a new twist, or maybe stick them in a bigger pot to create even more growing area in a really tight spot.   How would you use them?

Back when I was in design school, I had this period of time where I was obsessed with re-grading every project so I could create sculpted berms that I would then plant with daffodils and grass or some other seasonally explosive plant that would come through the lawn and that I could later mow down.  I moved on, but this picture reminded me of that little design obsession and now I think, like all fashion, I might need to recycle it.

This installation is part of a urban recovery plan for the  Historic Center of Lima, Peru.  The institution “Gran Semana de Lima” presented the project, in which different Latin American urban artists transform this space.

found via zainteriora.

These stumps make me think about the energy and strength that is contained inside a living tree and how their impact on the landscape reflects that.

Also I think of this quote….”The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit.”
-  Nelson Henderson

This installation was created by Keiko Sato.  Here is the description from Sato’s website:

“The outer world” is literally the outside world which confronts people. Soil, sand, and leaf mold. Vines and withered leaves. Logs cut from huge trees. If you look at the basement from the ground floor balcony, approximately 30 island-like groups composed of soil and logs are scattered across the floor. Memories of scenes in nature captured by Sato are gathered, spread, and uplifted. By going downstairs to the basement, your viewpoint shifts from a distant view to a close-range view. Viewed close by, there are electronic parts of different colors such as a transistor, a condenser, or electric wires with their covers removed. They add color to the monotone world like flowers benefiting from the faint sunlight filtering down through the trees deep in a dense forest. Attached to the logs are innumerous strings that reach up to the ceiling.

found via Design Love Fest

Here in the USA, I think we have this tendency to be hyper-concerned with keeping things like stone walls and garden structures pristine and new. Certainly there is a place for that, but there is also a place for the rustic natural feel of stone walls with enough dirt on them that you can plant your bulbs on top of or on the sides of the walls rather than just in the ground beneath.  Concha over at Saidos da Concha took these images near her home in rural Staffordshire, England.  I think they are beautiful and I am wondering if I can let go of a little bit of perfectionism in my masonry projects to allow in a bit of rugged earthy beauty like these plants provide.

I simply adore Bruce John Riddell’s work.  His office is in Bar Harbor, Maine and they do the most amazingly beautiful natural landscapes.   This terraced slope is a beautiful work of art both in planting selections and in the stones used to sculpt the hillside.  Creating a cultivated version of nature itself in this already extraordinary landscape is a talent that requires restraint and a keen eye for detail that is unique in the design field.