An Update on the Green Roof at United Therapeutics

OvS paid a visit to the United Therapeutics Headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland on May 25th to complete a Final Plant Warranty Inspection for the site. The purpose of the visit was to inspect all plant material and determine if any replacements were required. We completed a walkthrough of the site and were pleasantly surprised to find that there were very few replacements required. We were also shocked at just how much the plants had grown in a two-year period.

The roof terraces in particular were fantastic. The Achillea tomentosa was a full bloom bright yellow, the Salvia ‘Tesquicola’ was just starting to pop blue and the multiple different colored Sedums had spread as intended. Stainless steel planters, the 6th floor arbor, and beautiful site furnishings, together with the plantings, have created pleasant outdoor rooms to be enjoyed by the employees of United Therapeutics.

 

 

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A Visit to Garden Treasure Nursery

On Thursday Afternoon, May 19th, OvS Principal Eric Groft stopped by Garden Treasure Nursery in Sagaponock and walked a demonstration garden that owner Holger Winenga has established. Known as “The Wilderness,” the garden is a treasure of rare and unusual plants, a true horticultural delight.

Holger descends from a long line of horticulturalists, nurserymen and hybridizers of plants in Germany and OvS considers him one of the most knowledgeable nurserymen on the east coast.

Enjoy!

Lamium Ovala

Rodgersia Podophylla 'Braunlaub'

Rhododendron 'My Mary' (not narcissiflora) Holger

 

Anemone sylvestris with Senecio

 

Anemone sylvestris

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Eric Groft at Kendale Farm

Detail of Honeysuckle blooming on the vegetable garden fence

On Friday May 4th Eric Groft visited Harrison and Sue Wellford at Kendale Farm on the Rappahannock River in Virginia. It had been several years since Eric had a chance to review the garden and in general the garden and grounds look amazing. Kendale Farm is featured in our new book THE ARTFUL GARDEN: CREATIVE INSPIRATION FOR LANDSCAPE DESIGN. You’ll find a panoramic spread of the farm in Chapter 4: Rhythm & Movement.

Lady Banksia Roses just finish blooming in the cut flower garden

 

Iris Ceasars Brother blooming in front of summer kitchenCut Garden detail

 

Sue Wellford standing in front of a glorius stand of PeaoniesCut flower garden framed by old summer kitchen now used as a potting shedFront of Kendale FarmThe fields of barley were simply mesmerizingDetail of Barley

Lisa Delplace at Toledo Botanical Garden

Customers shop the annual plant sale at Toledo Botanical Garden (Photo by the Toledo Blade)

The horticulturally hungry descended upon The Toledo Botanical Garden in Toledo, OH on a Saturday in May for the annual spring plant sale. Oehme, van Sweden CEO Lisa Delplace was among the many to browse the over 10,000 perennials on sale, and also serve as the day’s keynote speaker. Some of the most popular items for sale were of the sustainable variety. For those looking to capitalize on the rain as a way to water their gardens, stormwater management barrels were on sale. For those looking to capitalize on breakfast, chicken coops – which included three hens – were available. It goes to show that no matter where you live – urban or rural – you can enjoy farming and dabble in raising livestock.

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New York Botanical Garden Azalea Garden Opening

The New York Botanical Garden commemorated its 120th anniversary with the grand opening of the New Azalea Garden on May 7 and 8 with a festive ceremonial ribbon-cutting and preview of the New Azalea Garden. The 11-acre Garden features extensive perennial collections designed collaboratively by NYBG and Oehme, van Sweden & Associates and landscape architecture by Towers│Golde, LLC.

The first tour of the garden!

This premier collection of the world’s azalea species features 300 varieties of azalea, rhododendron and diverse companion plantings which are woven together in this restoration of the original garden.  The display offers a venue to enjoy, learn about and be inspired by the beauty and diversity of these ornamental shrubs and perennials in a mature woodland environment. 

L to R: Jane Cooke, Sheila Brady, Todd Forrest, and Barbara Slifka

The design team of Todd Forrest and Frank Genese of NYBG, Shavaun Towers of Towers│Golde, LLC and OvS’ Principal-in-Charge Sheila Brady, were honored at the festive ceremonial ribbon-cutting and preview of the New Azalea Garden. Distinguished guests were treated to the garden’s dedication, performances by the Greenwich Academy Madrigal Singers and tours of the New Azalea Garden.

Eric Groft and Barbara Slifka

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Eastern Shore Garden Tour

Guests from the Hillwood Estate, Museum and Gardens visited gardens designed and installed by Oehme, van Sweden & Associates on the eastern shore of Maryland on Monday May 9th. OvS Principal Eric Groft led two garden tours on the bay at Ferry Cove in Sherwood, MD including OvS Founder James van Sweden’s home and garden and the garden of next door neighbor, architect Suman Sorg, who designed the houses on each of the properties.

Eric Groft address the hillwood museum group in the formal garden on Marengo Creek

Hillwood Estate Executive Director Kate Markert and Program Director Joan Wetmore were in attendance along with 40 other friends and sponsors. Following the tours, Eric Groft signed the new OvS book The Artful Garden: Creative Inspiration for Landscape Design.

Eric Groft signing the Artful Garden in the garden at Ferry Cove

It was a spectacular spring day of Euphorbia palustris, Tradescantia, and Baptismia all at peak bloom. Lunch was served at the home of Jan Kirsch in Bozman, MD. The day finished with a tour of a historic house and garden that Eric Groft had worked on 15 years ago, located on Marengo Creek. Iris Caesars Brother and Paeonia lactiflora ‘White Wings’ provided a show in the formal garden.

Eric explains the philosophy of the garden to the group on the bayside of the SorgHouse

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The Chicago Botanic Garden Trellis Bridge

There is exciting progress on the Trellis Bridge at the Chicago Botanic Garden! Construction began this past fall and with the stone piers and steel beams in place, the bridge is ready for wood decking.

The Trellis Bridge is the third in a series of bridges designed by Oehme, van Sweden at the Chicago Botanic Garden. Each bridge was designed with classic elements of the garden in mind. The Serpentine Bridge recalls the gentle meandering form of a garden path. The Arch Bridge and adjacent plantings were inspired by Monet’s famous bridge paintings and an Impressionist color palette. The new bridge features a cable trellis to guide vines planted on the shore out past the water’s edge and along the span of the bridge, providing a contemporary take on the traditional garden trellis.

Once completed, the Trellis Bridge will link Evening Island to CBG’s Plant Evaluation Garden and the new Plant Conservation Science Center. The Plant Conservation Science Center is a LEED Gold Certified 38,000 square foot facility housing state-of-the art laboratories and teaching facilities to support the garden’s ongoing mission of plant conservation. The building’s viewing gallery and green roof (designed by OvS as well!) are open to the public and offer visitors a unique opportunity to get a firsthand look at the science and study of plants.

Stay tuned as construction on the Trellis Bridge progresses!

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Landscaping Coastal Properties

Oehme van Sweden has a long history of work in the coastal areas of the United States. From the rugged Maine coast, to charming Nantucket, to the beaches of Sagaponack, to the coastal areas of North Carolina, we have designed gardens that are not only beautiful, but withstand the tests of time, weather and use.

In this short video, OvS Principal Sheila Brady talks about why she loves working on coastal properties. View the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LucjVLGTGg

For more information on our work, including our projects in coastal areas, please see our website at www.ovsla.com.

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Contrast in the Garden at Cornerstone Sonoma

Oehme, van Sweden was again praised in the blog-o-sphere for our work at Conerstone Sonoma in California, a self-described “collection of shops, wineries and a gourmet cafe set amidst nine acres of garden installations created by the world’s leading landscape architects.”

The Garden of Contrasts at Cornerstone Sonoma

Designed by Founding Principal James van Sweden and Partner Sheila Brady, The Garden of Contrasts at Cornerstone Sonoma is a study in contrasts and ephemeral impressions. The geometric framework of the garden is a circle bisected with a diagonal hedge of rosemary that divides the garden into fields of contrasting textures, form, color and scent. A sunny ground plane of low, textural grasses is interplanted with the sculptural form of agaves and highlighted with colorful poppies. A grove of olive trees provide shade and opacity as the seasons advance, and the sculptural sphere by Grace Knowlton provides an alluring and dramatic effect. Ephemeral natural patterns of sunlight, shadow and plant texture reinforce the garden’s dynamic qualities. Seasonal change is marked as plants emerge in the spring, blossom in summer, change color in autumn and fade into dry foliage in winter.

Alice’s Garden Travel Buzz recently visited Cornerstone Sonoma, commending the OvS garden as that which ‘achieves a lovely clarity in its division of space.’ To continue reading what Alice had to say, click here.

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Creating Texture in Container Plantings

On a recent glorious fall day, Lisa Delplace and Hilary Oat-Judge installed container plantings for a long-time client in McLean, VA. Lisa selected a mix of evergreen shrubs, grasses, perennials and annuals to create distinct textural compositions at each entry and terrace.

Here are a few favorite combinations in the custom Pennoyer Newman Florentine Planters on the rear terrace:

Pieris japonica ‘Flaming Silver’ with Carex morrowii ‘Ice Dance’

Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Hameln’ with Bergenia cordifolia ‘Bressingham Ruby’

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