Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Jeffrey had the opportunity to work with garden photographer Jerry Pavia for a spread in the April 2013 edition of Container Gardens Magazine. Check out our work on an upper west side NYC penthouse. If you want to see more photos of this stunning garden, visit our online portfolio!

Container Gardens April 2013 Magazine Available Now

Container Gardens Magazine April 2013 Issue Available Now

Check out Jeffrey's Work Photographed by Jerry Pavia

Check out Jeffrey’s Work Photographed by Jerry Pavia

Current blog avatar

About these ads

Jeffrey gives a garden quick tip to take your lighting to the next level. Enhance lighting that you already have by adding another level of fixtures. Learn how to add more glow to your garden by placing lights strategically.

Current blog avatar

Image

A Soho Roof Garden with Custom Pergola

Jeffrey Erb Landscape Design was busy creating wonderful gardens in 2012. However, some of them are only going to be in full bloom for the first time this season and we can’t wait to share them with you. Until the plants are in full leaf, we thought we would give you a sneak peek of some of our newest gardens.

Image

Tiered Planters Offer Multiple Levels of Vegetation in Soho

This Soho rooftop now features a custom pergola to escape from the hot summer sunshine. Custom tiered planters offer two levels of flowering vegetation. We utilized the method of color blocking to create groupings of perennials within a set range of colors.

Image

A Retaining Wall Doubles as a Planting Bed and Sitting Ledge

A chic backyard in Greenwich Village has been completely gut renovated. New bluestone pavers, a retaining wall and custom decking give the space a whole new feel. Our plantings will be highlighted by a low voltage lighting system.

Image

The Gut Renovated Garden is Ready for Planting, Vines will Cover the Trellis

Image

Custom Planters Fit into the Corner of this Midtown Penthouse

Midtown Manhattan never looked better than from the roof of this private penthouse. Custom fiberglass planters anchor the edge of a deck which sits above a luxurious rooftop lawn. We installed over 250 square feet of live sod on this rooftop. The four-legged resident of the house is thrilled!

Image

Over 250 Square Feet of Live Sod in Midtown Manhattan

Current blog avatar

 

I am reposting this timely advice from our tango with hurricane Irene from last year.  As you may have guessed hurricanes and roof gardens don’t exactly make for a party. For those of you with exposed outdoor spaces, here are some tips to consider as you batten down your hatches and prepare your roof garden for a storm.

1. Bring all lightweight furniture, cushions and accessories inside. Anything that you can lift and fit through the door should be brought in.

2.  Prune prune prune. Any extra branches or leaves you can remove will help reduce the impact of wind on the plants.

3. Cluster planters against the sides of buildings. Small pots that can be grouped together against building walls will generally be more secure than those left on the middle of an exposed rooftop. Of course each roof has its own specific conditions, but this is a general rule of thumb.

4. Turn dining tables upside down (assuming it doesn’t fit through your patio door). They can get caught by strong winds if left in their normal position. Place a protective surface on the floor, turn it upside down and place something on top of it to weigh it down. Extra concrete pavers or small planters could do the trick.

5. Fill some buckets of water and leave them on the terrace. Just in case the electricity goes out you are still going to want to water your plants after the storm dissipates.

Current blog avatar

 

Pinus thunbergii ‘Thunderhead’ at the Arboretum at Penn State

I had the opportunity to speak to landscape contracting students at Penn State this past week about starting my business and working in New York City. The differences between working in the country and city are many. While visiting campus, we were able to partake in the tradition of enjoying the creamery and also had a chance to walk through the H.O. Smith Botanic Gardens at the Arboretum at Penn State.

The first phase of the Arboretum was completed in 2009 and includes a demonstration Garden, event lawn and overlook pavilion. The fragrance and rose garden is partially completed but is not currently open to walk through. The next phase is construction of the children’s garden which will include a conservatory, education center, Medieval garden, orchard and much more. The plans look amazing and I can’t wait to see it come to fruition.

A Water Garden Surprisingly Still Lush and Full in October

There is plenty to see in the botanic garden this time of season. The original plantings are starting to grow in nicely. Fall color is in full swing now and the Viburnum ‘Winterthur’ stood out with brilliant red leaves and showy blue berries. The gardeners had fun decorating with pumpkins and gourds throughout the garden and there was an entire area planted with festive Chrysanthemums and Kale mixed in with Gomphrena and Salvia still hanging on to their late summer blooms. If you are in State College or plan to go to a football game, take 30 minutes to enjoy the garden and you won’t regret it.

Current blog avatar

 

On a quick trip out to the nursery last week I came across a gorgeous plant with spiky pink flowers that made me stop in my tracks. October is not the time of year I would expect to see Celosia in full glory, but this cultivar, called ‘Cramer’s Amazon’ looks fantastic even now. Nestled into a mixed annual bed, it fits right in with Verbena bonariensis in the backdrop.

Celosia ‘Cramer’s Amazon’ with Verbena bonariensis in the Background

Celosia ‘Cramer’s Amazon’ was discovered in Peru and features magenta blooms. It is recommended to pinch the plants back when they are smaller to produce more stems, but if you leave it undisturbed, it can grow up to 9′ tall! The flowers are excellent for cutting and can also be dried. The reddish tinge to the leaves and veins are also ornamental in my book. Try it out in a garden bed with other annuals like Verbena or Salvia or try it next to fail-proof perennials like Rudbeckia or Perovskia for an Erb-approved planting scheme!

Current blog avatar

 

Labor day weekend is here which means school is already in full swing and autumn is just around the corner. Fall is the best time to utilize planters as focal points in the garden. As perennial beds start to die back and the days grow shorter, a spicy mix of foliage can revitalize a bland landscape. Break out of the mindset of only using “annuals” for seasonal displays. I achieve the most striking plant combinations when I mix plants from different hardiness zones.

Euphorbia ‘Ascot Rainbow’ Adds an Unusual Texture for this Fall Display

For early autumn, mix Codiaeum variegatum ‘Johannah Coppinger’or Fluffly Ruffle Fern with Euphorbia x martinii ‘Ascot Rainbow’, Heuchera ‘Plum Pudding’ and Carex pensylvanica. Finish off this gorgeous display of textures and variegated foliage with Viola x wittrockiana ‘Delta Pure Yellow’ for a pop of color that will send your planter over the top.

The Croton and the Fluffy Ruffle Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata) are not hardy in the Northeast. I would absolutely recommend bringing them indoors before the first hard frost. They can be overwinter as houseplants. Just make sure to gradually introduce them to an interior environment and give them a lot of bright indirect light.

In the spring I suggest transplanting everything left from the container into perennial borders around the garden. By doing this you get to recycle the plants and watch how different perennials grow in your garden. This is also a great way to introduce unusual plant species to the garden which you are unfamiliar with.

Current blog avatar

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 1,045 other followers