Roblog

Peas on Grid

robcardillo — Wed, 15 May 2013 20:11:55 +0000

For years Jon McGoran cranked out a cheeky editor’s column for my local coop’s newsletter. With wicked wit (and well aimed puns), Jon poked at the serious GMO, gluten-free, locavore issues of the day or just playfully skewered fellow staff members. At night, he penned gripping ecological thrillers, most recently Drift, to be released in July. Jon is now the new editor of Grid magazine, and for his first issue, he asked me for photos relating to seed saving and celebrity food historian Will Weaver. I didn’t expect the cover but I’m delighted with their choice along with the excellent design by Jamie Leary of Red Flag Media.

Golden Sedge lights up The American Gardener

robcardillo — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 03:38:54 +0000

Anytime you match up chartreuse with purple in the garden (like this pairing from Chanticleer’s Tennis Court garden) you light a fuse for excitement. The wise editors of The American Gardener thought so too when they chose this image for their March/April 2013 cover. Published by the American Horticultural Society, TAG’s a great magazine for readers who really want maximum news, reviews and hardcore horticultural info without the fluff of recipes or fashion guides.

Private Edens

robcardillo — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 23:20:19 +0000

Envisioning grand landscapes is one thing. But sculpting them out of the natural world is a god-like activity that both thrills and eludes me. Private Edens showcases twenty one seldom-seen estates from Massachusetts to Virginia unearthed by friend and author, Jack Staub, who happens to call one of them, Hortulus, his home. We visited most of these destinations together, often staying on site to better witness dawn. Jack pulled poetry out of the heady horticultural vapors while I chiseled pixels in the spectral light. Big beautiful gardens, big beautiful book. The publisher, Gibbs Smith, did a five-star job on the printing too.

More from the Trapp garden

robcardillo — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 15:02:44 +0000

More (and different) images from the Trapp garden in this Design New England web article. Big thanks to Denise Cowie, one of my most connected friends and super garden writer, for spotting this!

Architectural Digest takes a peek at Private Edens

robcardillo — Sun, 10 Mar 2013 01:26:50 +0000

An unexpected review in the AD blog. Although we kept the garden owner’s names anonymous, the reviewer easily identified two of the twenty one right off the bat. Oh well! See it here.

Floating Hellebores for Horticulture

robcardillo — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 14:41:37 +0000

Hellebores from David Culp’s garden grace the cover of Horticulture this month. All Brandywine Hybrids, David snipped these March beauties one morning and set them into a glazed bowl of water. How could I not take a picture?

Michael Trapp in Design New England

robcardillo — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 14:51:19 +0000

Michael Trapp’s splendidly decayed garden gets the cover treatment from Design New England. Michael and I both share a love for the cracked and the crumbling, the old and the imperfect. I will post more from this dramatic garden once the magazine is out. BTW, Design New England is a gorgeous new regional. With the downfall of Garden Design, I’m hoping more of these regional gems pop up.

Tovah + Anne, two of the greats

robcardillo — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 14:41:44 +0000

Esteemed NYT garden writer Anne Raver interviews exceptional garden writer Tovah Martin. You can read the whole story here.

The Layered Garden

robcardillo — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 14:40:35 +0000

What a gift it is to work with friends! When Timber Press asked me to join forces with David and Adam to create a book on David’s garden in Chester County, PA, I agreed at once. We originally planned for six visits over the course of a year but it took a second year and 32 total visits to get the full range of seasons. The publisher asked for 200 images but we couldn’t whittle the count down past 300. So they published all 300+! and used a format that fits the verticals nicely. The design and print quality is exceptional, and the writing is personable and informative. David’s a gifted story teller and Adam, a brilliant interviewer and wordsmith. You’ll certainly want to visit his garden this spring — he opens it up to tours. You can buy the book here.

Good Gardeners need Gardener’s Supply

robcardillo — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 22:29:39 +0000

I’ve been shooting for the Gardener’s Supply catalog for a few years and this is the first cover I’ve done. It’s a great company. Sure, they carry a remarkable selection of cool garden tools and innovative products, but they also employ some of the nicest people around. Everyone I deal with there is so darn generous and friendly ! Maybe it’s the Vermont water or the nearby Ben &Jerry’s discount outlet or the fact that they’re employee owned. Whatever it is, I wish we all had more of it.

Styling and plant wrangling by the talented Nancy Ondra. Her mom made the little purple fence– a perfect counterpoint to the poppies.

When I built raised beds last year, I struggled with the corners. Tried 4×4 blocks at first-but getting them assembled required two more arms and three more hands than I had. Finally got the Gardener’s Supply pre-made corners for the second set and the beds flew together. Highly recommended!