August 2010: Shopping List for Gardeners

Author: Nancy Erdmann

Issue: August, 2010, Page 92

SURF’S UP
California-based artists Jane and Will Fowler have found a fun way to bring functional sculpture to the garden and help save the planet. The two refurbish used surfboards, adorn them with tiles, and fit them with fixtures to form outdoor showers. The Surfboard Shower can be attached to a hose as well, and placed anywhere in the yard. Designs may be customized; foot showers also are available. Log on to willandjane.com to learn more.

MEMORY KEEPER
If you have trouble remembering what you did last year to make those hard-to-grow tomatoes turn out so well, or where you purchased that unusual mix of desert wildflowers, The Gardeners Journal can help you keep track. Detail your planting, fertilizing and watering activities, along with other observations, on recycled notebook paper. Available in two sizes at journalsunlimited.com.

DUAL DESIGN
Bringing a splash of color to your landscape just got easier, thanks to Rotoluxe’s Infinity Benches. The curvy perches are offered in an array of hues, and contain a 15" circular pot for holding your favorite blooms. Partially made from recycled materials, they are coated to prevent fading and are available with an optional light fixture. The benches also can be nested to provide a bank of seating. To order, log on to rotoluxe.com.

OUTDOOR LIVING
Sean Conway and Lee Alan Buttala talk about their love for the outdoors in Sean Conway’s Cultivating Life: 125 Projects for Backyard Living (Artisan).

The backyard has taken on a new role, they note, as it has become a significant part of many people’s lives. It is a kitchen, family room and a venue for entertaining or finding peace and quiet. The authors believe it also is a place to reconnect with the land and one’s family.

Based on ideas from the television series Cultivating Life, the book features projects for building and crafting, gardening and cooking. Included are instructions on how to design an outdoor kitchen, build a bean trellis, craft vases, cook maple scones, dry herbs and peppers, plant agaves with glass mulch, and much more.

Readers may well find inspiration for spending more time outdoors in settings they love.
-Taylor Rose