Verdant Landscapes

05/18/2026

The utility company did a light pruning of the horse chestnut in front of my house. I rescued the flowers but think I will only be able to enjoy them for a few minutes. They are deconstructing as I write

05/05/2026

Swarthmore Perennial Plant Conference, 2018 - a magical day in one of my favorite places, with many of my favorite people. and I found .dunnett having breakfast alone in our hotel, and we managed to join him. It was the beginning of far-too-brief conversations over the years. I introduced him at a Zoom meeting at our NYBG alumni group, and wrote another intro to give at Madoo in Manhattan but a snowstorm stopped me from delivering it. Here’s part of what I said:

“Nigel’s work, based out of Sheffield, England, incorporates designed plant communities by distilling ecological functions and making them legible and visually stunning. The psychological impact of immersing yourself in his gardens is quite the experience. The work provides a reciprocal restoration: of the ecological functions of the plantings, and of the human relationships to those communities.”

It’s been a week since news of his death has opened a flood of sorrow around the globe, highlighting the astonishing range of people he impacted. He wasted no time getting his message out in compelling ways. He changed the way we look at, and shape, the landscape, and for that I am forever grateful.

04/17/2026

If you’re anywhere near New York on April 23, come hear about the verdant vision for one of my favorite places, Blithewood Garden at Bard College. Tom Stuart-Smith’s studio has figured out how to bring this beauty back to life in a most compelling way.

04/16/2026

April 15 7 PM / April 16 10 AM

Let the conkers begin.
The nursery where I used to work had them listed for years as “hoarse chestnut”, and it was so charming that I refrained from correcting them.

02/06/2026

In memory of Paul van Meter, gone 12 years ago today. His wide-ranging interests spanned design, art, ecology, landscapes, history, and trains, and he wove them together with a singular passion. He was exhausting, and infuriating, and is very much missed.

01/02/2026

Rabbit rabbit.

12/05/2025

11/26/2025

A late Day of the Drop.

11/23/2025

10/03/2025