March 17, 2012 by jeffreyerb
Dedon SeaX Armchair by Jean-Marie Massaud
Comfort should be at the top of your priority list when shopping for outdoor furniture. Whether you are spending $100 or $1,000 for an exterior dining chair, the price point becomes obsolete if the piece isn’t cozy enough to use. If it doesn’t pass the tush test it isn’t worth it. I spent this gorgeous St. Patrick’s Day afternoon testing out furniture at Dedon and came up with two chairs which are at the top of my list for comfort.
Dedon is about as topnotch as exterior furniture comes. Their new SeaX line designed by Jean-Marie Massaud is impeccably designed. I instantly fell in love with the dining armchair which happens to collapse into what becomes a very modern take on a folding chair. The back is designed to swivel but still provide support. Crafted with wood detailing in the armrests and optional leather or twill fabric (both suitable for outdoors) this chair gets a big thumbs up.
Play Chair by Philippe Starck for Dedon
Philippe Starck married Dedon’s classic woven fiber look with clean design in the Play line of chairs. With a multitude of frame and backrest colors, you can coordinate this chair with a variety of furniture settings. The frame is crafted of durable polypropylene and is both lightweight and sturdy. The backrest is positioned perfectly for dining. Starck made considerable leaps and bounds in the comfort and usability of this piece when compared to the Louis Ghost Chair he designed for Kartell.
Posted in Retail Therapy | Tagged Dedon Soho, Jean-Marie Massaud, kartell, louis ghost chair, massaud dining chair, modern folding chair, outdoor dining chair, play line chair, SeaX dining furniture, SeaX furniture, SeaX outdoor furniture, shopping at Dedon, st patrick day 2012, st patricks day, starck dedon, starck dining chair, starck kartell, starck play | Leave a Comment »
March 10, 2012 by jeffreyerb
Last year April flowers brought May showers…so I am anxious to see what March flowers will bring this year. Growing up I remember Daffodils blooming at Easter, not before St. Patrick’s day. Everywhere I look something is blooming. From my calculations it seems like plants are operating three to five weeks ahead of schedule, which means if you haven’t started thinking about your garden you are already behind! Check out these shots of some early blooms in Central Park and around the city.
Hamamaelis vernalis in Central Park, February 4, 2012
Crocus Blooms Covering a Lawn in Quaint Sunnyside Gardens
Posted in Urban Garden Design | Tagged april flowers, april showers, bloom time early, central park flowers, central park spring flowers, city spring flowers, daffodil bloom time, early spring blooms, early spring flowers, easter flowers, march blooming crocus, march blooming hamamelis, march blooming viburnum, March Flowers, nyc flowers spring, nyc spring flowers, plants ahead of schedule, spring forward 2012, St. Patricks day flowers | Leave a Comment »
March 5, 2012 by jeffreyerb
For all of you wondering how you can join us to get your hands dirty and get your garden on….this is for you! In the end of August 2011 New York City was girding for an evacuation of low-lying areas from fear of flooding due to Hurricane Irene. For most of us city dwellers the storm was relatively anticlimactic, bringing only a bit of rain and wind.
The Courtyard of Hartley House in Hell's Kitchen
Jeffrey Erb Landscape Design provided a pro bono consultation to our neighborhood community center, Hartley House, one week before Irene’s visit. During that meeting, one of our chief concerns was for a pair of Ailanthus trees growing in the courtyard which had never been pruned properly. This invasive species, known for being unstable, raised fears for the wellbeing of surrounding historic buildings of Hartley House, and for the children attending afterschool and summer programs in the courtyard.
If you are already a reader of Erbology, you know how this story (and storm) ended, as chronicled in When Heaven Came Crashing Down on September 7, 2011. Thankfully no one was hurt, and the property damage was minimal. The courtyard plantings suffered the worst with multiple beds and plantings being demolished and requiring removal.
We are ready to start the next chapter for the courtyard. Alan Klein has taken the initiative as chairman of the newly formed Hartley House Garden Committee. This group is tasked with a fundraising effort to help restore and replant the courtyard between the main building of Hartley House and the original 1800’s carriage house hidden behind. Jeffrey Erb Landscape Design is donating a new design and installation materials while Alan works closely with Hartley House staff members on fundraising for this effort.
We welcome contributions and support of all shapes and sizes. Volunteers will be needed for our June planting (check back soon for dates and times) and contributions of any amount will be greatly appreciated. Don’t miss this chance to be involved and to give back to an amazing community organization.
The Carriage House Stairway and West Planting Bed
Posted in Somewhere to Visit, Urban Garden Design | Tagged Alan Klein, Garden Design Courtyard, Hartley House, Hartley House Garden Committee, Historic hartley house, hurricane Irene, Hurricane Irene NYC evacuation, Invasive species, Jeffrey Erb Landscape Design, Jeffrey Erb NYC, Landscape Design NYC, New York City, NYC courtyard design, pro bono landscape design, when heaven came crashing down | Leave a Comment »
February 26, 2012 by jeffreyerb
It’s entirely possible to walk down the same street in New York City every day without noticing certain buildings or architectural features. New Yorkers are skillfully taught to tune out their surroundings to maintain sanity. This morning I walked down 44th Street on the south side of the street as opposed to my preferred north side due to a construction project. As I continued down the block I glanced across and noticed the most extraordinary roof garden and pergola perched on top of the New York Yacht Club.
The New York Yacht Club on 44th Street, Manhattan
The New York Yacht Club is a beaux-arts style architectural masterpiece. The architects Whitney Warren and Charles Wetmore designed the building in 1899-1900 before their first big commission to work on NYC’s Grand Central Terminal. With plenty of work on early skyscrapers and hotels and private country homes under their belt, Warren & Wetmore developed a prestigious resume of projects.
The Roof Terrace Was an Original Feature to the Yacht Club
As shown in the photograph from 1901, the roof garden was part of the original concept of the building. Today the same pergola design remains with neat rows of boxwood hedges lining the edge of the terrace facing 44th Street. Part of my surprise in seeing this terrace comes from the fact that there are very few roof gardens in this part of midtown. The ornate building features galleon-style windows along the first floor which are dripping with chains, seaweed and various nautical motifs. The garden sits like a little gem set inside a piece of jewelry.
See it in person: The New York Yacht Club is located at 37 West 44th Street between 6th and 5th Avenue on the north side of the street.
Posted in Sidewalk Sensation, Somewhere to Visit | Tagged beaux-arts architecture, beaux-arts nyc, Charles Wetmore, galleon-style windows, Grand Central Terminal, nautical building, new york yacht club, nyc yacht club, ornate beaux-arts building nyc, pergola nyc, Warren & Wetmore, Warren and Wetmore, west 44th street garden, Whitney Warren, yacht club west 44th street | 1 Comment »
February 19, 2012 by jeffreyerb
Ornate wrought iron railings, gates and tree-guards are common in New York City. However, as I strolled through J. Hood Wright Park today, I noticed the most artistic example of metalwork I have seen in a while. Around the edge of a large planting bed full of mature trees and grasses was a fence with inset panels depicting beavers, mice, pumpkins, raccoons and other creatures. The relief work is inventive and completely appropriate to have adjacent to the children’s playground (which is cleverly modeled after the George Washington Bridge).
Fence by Arlene Slavin in J. Hood Wright Park
Arlene Slavin is the artist behind this delightful fence. It turns out Ms. Slavin is talented in painting and sculpture with a diverse portfolio to boot. Her commissioned works can be found in train stations, schools and zoological parks. Ms. Slavin currently resides in NYC where she was born and raised.
A Beaver Cleverly Crafted into the Fence by Arlene Slavin
A Pumpkin Finds a Home in the Fence
See it in person: J. Hood Wright Park is located at 173rd Street and Fort Washington Avenue in Manhattan’s Washington Heights neighborhood. Originally the site of a mansion owned by Mr. Wright, a wealthy banker from Philadelphia, the park came into being in 1925 when the closest green space at that time was over a mile away. The park now features handball, volleyball and basketball courts with stellar views of the George Washington Bridge and a dog-walk. What more can you ask for from your park?
Posted in Sidewalk Sensation, Somewhere to Visit | Tagged arlene slavin, Arlene slavin fence, beavers and mice railing, dog walk washington heights, fort washington avenue park, george washington bridge, george washington bridge park, hood park, J hood wright park, nyc hood park, nyc iron gates, nyc tree guards, ornate iron railings, ornate wrought iron, washington heights neighborhood, washington heights park, wright park, wright park manhattan | Leave a Comment »
February 12, 2012 by jeffreyerb
If your landscape includes a rock garden, stone wall, paved walkway or patio area, this delightful Cotoneaster specimen is a plant you should consider adding. Since we don’t always agree to a single name in the plant trade, you may find this species listed under C. adpressus, C. apiculatus OR C. horizontalis with a cultivar name of ‘Tom Thumb’ OR ‘Little Gem’ Either way we are talking about the same plant.
C. 'Tom Thumb' Growing Over the Edge of a Stone Wall
Hardy to zone 5 (remember to check the USDA plant hardiness map for new boundaries), this Cotoneaster is one of a select few which are semi-evergreen. Dark green leaves provide a rich texture in the garden and give contrast to free-form deciduous plant species. ‘Tom Thumb’ only grows 12-18″ tall and is an excellent option for filling small crevices in the garden. Cotoneaster species generally like full sun but can tolerate light shade. Light pink flowers in May give way to fruit in early to mid fall.
Cotoneaster 'Tom Thumb' in a Rock Garden
Posted in Erb Approved Plants | Tagged cotoneaster, cotoneaster adpressus, cotoneaster apiculatus, cotoneaster horizontalis, cotoneaster little gem, cotoneaster tom thumb, evergreen cotoneaster, little gem, patio plants, rock garden cotoneaster, rock garden plants, semi-evergreen cotoneaster, tom thumb, USDA plant hardiness | 2 Comments »
February 8, 2012 by jeffreyerb
Posted in Erb Garden Videos | Tagged 2012 international orchid show, 2012 longwood gardens orchid show, bird of paradise, bromeliads longwood gardens, Cyclamen, dancing lady orchids, longwood orhid show, moth orchid, PA Orchid Show, southeastern pennsylvania orchid society | 1 Comment »
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