New Year Goals

The new year is coming up, and just like many of you we are making goals for the next year. Check out our New Year resolutions:

• "Work out" more by joining more community plantings in the Mobile area
• "Eat healthy" by planting organic vegetable gardens for you
• "Spend time with friends" online through facebook, twitter, and this blog

Join us in our goals! Find us on facebook, twitter, and follow the Planting the Seed blog!

Alabama Certified Landscape Professional (ALCLP)

Did you know that Planting the Seed is an official member of the Alabama Certified Landscape Professional (ALCLP)? The organization helps to educate and increase success of landscape businesses. Check out their suggestion for water conservation.

"ALNLA Water Conservation Brochure

Conserving water in your landscape doesn’t have to be complicated. A simple tuna can is a great start. Scatter a few around your yard and turn on the sprinkler. Measure how much water is in the cans after 15 minutes and look at the accompanying chart to learn how long you should water your lawn every third day. That’s just the beginning. This brochure is packed with tips and information to help you improve your landscape while preserving one of our most precious resources. In addition, your local garden retailer is an excellent source of knowledge, so if you need to know something that isn’t addressed here, just ask." ALNLA

for more information go to their link:  http://www.alnla.org

PT(G): Planting the Goal: Saxon

You might have had a sneak view of this garden if you checked us out in Access Magazine! If so, here are some more photographs to nibble on!

PT(L): Planting the language

Everyone loves beautiful scenery. One thing we love about our city of Mobile, AL is our pristine driving views. The gorgeous oak trees and hanging spanish moss we are well known for create an arcade. Do you know what an arcade is? Drive down Government Street, Dauphin Street, and Springhill Avenue for a peek.


Arcade: In landscaping, an arcade refers to several arches, which are most often created by a series of trees lining a walkway.
This landscape architecture design glossary is brought
to you courtesy of the Landscape Design Advisor.

Government Street by Fancy Horse

PT(C): Planting the Community

Planting the Seed is getting ready for its next opportunity to reach out and be a part of our community. Saints' Night Out last year fund-raised $77,000 last year for St. Paul's Episcopal School, and we would like to help to beat that number this year!

We just signed up to be a part of this fun event coming up on Friday , March 16, 2012 at the Space 301 Gallery. The event begins at 6:30 pm- so add it to your calendar today so you don't miss out!

http://www.stpaulsmobile.net/page.aspx?pid=506

PT(G):Planting the Goal:Helen Childers

We can make use of existing structures such as arbors, gazebos, or brick walkways, and build out a splendid garden of your dreams. Here is an example of planting around brick, while focusing on an Asian inspired garden incorporating Japanese maples.

PT(K): Planting the Knowledge: Holiday How To's

It is time for holiday cheer, dinner parties, visitors, shopping, and entertaining. Here is a little weekend project that will get you right on track for making your home festive.

PTS and the Botanical Gardens

PTS's founder, Melanie Lobel, is now on the Board of Directors for the Botanical Gardens. Her role as a member on the Board of Director includes working on the market place for the gardens. They will be providing hard to get and heirloom local varieties of camellias, azaleas, hydrangeas and more. We are looking forward to seeing the team's hard work come together. We will keep you posted here with the progress, and pictures of the special plants. 


Check out what's happening at the Botanical Gardens. http://mobilebotanicalgardens.org/

PT(G): Planting the Goal: Terry

Browse through this landscape for the Terry's residence. Enjoy.

Lucky Dog: Our furry friends: Part 2

All of our furry friends are close to our hearts. Recently, we have lost one of our own loved ones. Many of you have met Mushie. For those of you who have not met our late dear ones, here they are Mushi and Sassy Lobel.

Mushie Lobel

Mushie Lobel

Sassy Lobel

PTS: Give Away

We are excited about our new blog, and we would like to thank you by offering a complimentary container gardening session devoted to our readers in the Mobile, Alabama area. Leave a comment below telling us what you like about our blog, and you will have a chance to win a space at the next session!

Thanks again! 

PT(G): Planting the Goal: Cook's Garden

Do you remember Georgia and Peaches? Check out their new garden where they love to romp around together!

Guess who: Georgia or Peaches running around the corner?

Winter Wonderland: Vegetable Garden

Take a look at this winter wonderland-- a home grown vegetable garden. Tasty and beautiful. Would you like one?

Lucky Dog: Our furry friends

Planting The Seed many times through the planning and planting process, gets to know the furry friends of the households it beautifies. It is a fun perk of our work. Here are some of our new friends-- meet them!

Georgia and Peaches Cook

Planting The Seed many times through the planning and planting process, gets the know the furry friends of the households it beautifies. It is a fun perk of our work. Here are some of our new friends-- meet them!

PT(G): Planting the Goal: Home Garden Part 2

Last week, I shared some pictures from my own home garden. There are so many happy little plants to share, and different stages of their life: planting, growing, blooming, and resting. Here are some more images from PTS's very own "Lobel" hydrangea garden. Want to see more?

Oak Leaf Hydrangea

Lace Cap Hydrangea

PT(L): Planting the Language

Language is a tricky thing to learn. Today, we are not going to work on learning Russian, Japanese, or Portuguese, but something that relates to our gardens.


Many times when we jump into landscape projects we run across words that might be unfamiliar, Latin plant names we have never heard of before, or a drawing that is hard to envision. So, PTS has decided to devote some of its blog time to teaching the "Landscape Design" language it uses!


Today, we are focusing the symbol we use in our company identity. You have seen it here- to the top left of this blog. (take a peek)


This repeated circle with the squiggles inside is the "bird's eye view" of a tree. When designing a landscape, we calculate the land space, and how many trees or plants can develop in that space and be healthy. So, when we draw the full grown tree, we draw it as if we were flying over the top, which allows us to appreciate and plan for the whole space. 


Take a look at this piece of a landscape design, and practice envisioning it from above, and how it would look if you were standing on the grass. Enjoy!

It is not too late for your Winter vegetable garden!

If you think it is too late to walk outside your door and peruse through your home grown vegetables-- then luckily you are mistaken. PTS is ready to get you on track with a raised bed vegetable garden that is easy to manage. You can have fresh cabbage, cauliflower, lettuce, and much more. What is your favorite vegetable?

Check out the planting times for your yummy favorites. Below is a great chart from Alabama Cooperative Extension System.

PT(G): Planting the Goal: My own garden

Sometimes the hardest person to please is yourself. So, my goal was to create a beautiful garden surrounding my own home. I have loved transforming my landscape into a tranquil garden. Check out some of the pictures from the "Lobel" garden. Tell me what you think! 

Front Patio Garden

Butterfly Bush

The "seeds" we are planting now!

We are planting hundreds of bulbs now for future blooming gardens. Would you like some of these? Amaryllis, hyacinths, alliums, and daffodils are just a few. Check them out, we would love to help you with your goal. 

Amaryllis

Hyacinths

Allium

Daffodils

PT(C): Planting the Community

PT(C): Planting the Community, is another great part of Planting the Seed. We love to be a part of community growth through the use of our talents. We are working this week on an installation in our community on the corner of Hillwood and Wimbledon on a City of Mobile right away. Below is the beautiful future of this space shown as a landscape design we created for this piece of land. Thank you Wimbledon Garden Club for getting this project off the ground!

PTS Blog The Journey Begins

We are excited about the growth of Planting the Seed (PTS)! Join us in our journey of before and after projects on Mondays; otherwise known as PT(G): Planting the Goal. We can help you reach your goal--a dream garden, no matter how big or small. Here our first peek!

Check us out this Wednesday for PT(C): Planting the Community.

Off to Camden AL

Morning Fans, I'm leaving this morn to meet my newest client in Camden AL. Very exciting. The business is evolving! Yahoo!

Twitter and Facebook

Find PTS on Facebook and Twitter!

Labor Day is Here! Fall and Winter are approaching!

Labor Day Weekend is here! It is time to start thinking of your winter garden. I am here to help! Contact me and I will make sure your yard does not look dead, even in the "dead" of winter. 

Officially Online!

Planting the Seed is officially online!