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Posts from July 29, 2010
Author Interview Transcript: Laura Schaub
Posted by Jean Ann Van Krevelen
In case you missed yesterday’s Garden Bookstore Facebook interview with Laura Schaub, I am reprinting most of the conversation here. If you would like to see the entire interview, head over to the Garden Bookstore Facebook Page. To see last week’s interview with Esmaa Self, visit this Cool Springs Press Blog post.
GBS: Before we get started, wanted to remind everyone that this week’s bookstore special is 50% off Prairie Lands Gardener’s Guide. Head over to the Garden Bookstore and enter PRAIRIELANDS at checkout.
This week, we are giving away a copy of The Organic Gardener’s Handbook of Natural Pest and Disease Control: A Complete Guide to Maintaining a Healthy Garden and Yard the Earth-Friendly Way (Rodale). To enter the contest, submit your best photos of the creepy crawlies that are “pest”-ering your garden on the Garden Bookstore Facebook page.
The winner will be chosen this Friday, so hurry and get your photos posted!
GBS: Today’s GBS interview is with the lovely and talented Laura Schaub! She is the newest member of the CSP family and is the Managing Editor of Cool Springs Press’ new site Garden Writers Today. Laura is an award winning landscape designer and we are fortunate to have her join us. Welcome, Laura!
GBS: Laura, a couple of our page members submitted questions ahead of time. This one is from Daffodil Planter: How has an art history degree helped you as a landscape designer? Have your tastes in fine art changed since you became a designer?
LS: Oh boy, right off the bat smart question! If any of you have taken an Art History course, you know that you spend most of your time in a dark room looking at images. The language we learn is how to describe what we see.
So there is a language and a way of looking at things that was natural to me, and it found its expression looking at, appreciating and talk about art. It took many years to consciously connect that to gardening though!
As for my taste in fine art, that hasn’t changed much; favorites are still the early 20th C Moderns, Kandinsky, Klee, Rothko, O’Keeffe
GBS: I suspect having an art background has really helped with color and texture in your designs.
LS: Yes, when you learn to analyze a painting and notice, say, a color repeating and how it leads your eye, I use stuff like that.
GBS Page Member Janit Calvo: Artistically speaking, how do you approach using art in your garden designs? Do you create the garden around the artwork or choose the artwork to fit the desired space in the garden?
LS: Janit, as far as pieces of garden art? Very loosely. If they have it I make the most of it. If they don’t, I really want it to be something they choose, so I give them loose parameters (with some suggestions, of course!)
GBS: Laura, I want to ask you a bit about your designs. How would you describe your style? What are your favorite colors?
LS: Oh, I came up with a great name for my style, Eclectic Mediterranean. I love warm colors, gold, apricot, peach, red. I rarely design in a “style” unless it is my palette of plants or that I prefer curves over straight lines, I do what I feel is best for the space.
GBS: Oh, I love that name…and do you design for water-restricted areas? Use a lot of drought tolerant plants?
LS: Yeah, I have to. I remove or reduce lawns in every job, but not 100%. I did if myself, now my property is a Certified Wildlife Habitat…
GBS Page Member Rebecca Sweet: Laura – I’ve met so many people who are hesitant to jump in the Social Media pool….if you were to recommend just ONE to begin with, which would it be–Twitter? Facebook? Something else?
LS: I would start with Facebook. It is rapidly becoming ubiquitous, and you can start in the shallow end with family and friends.
Twitter is for those who are comfortable putting themselves out there to strangers. You find a different tribe of like minds, separated by space.
GBS: Yes, I would also suggest that starting a Facebook Fan Page is a great way to connect with readers.
GBS Page Member Rebecca Sweet: Nicely put! That’s probably why so many people are afraid of Twitter…you never really know who’s reading (if anyone!)…
LS: I reveal more on twitter than I do on FB, much more mixed crowd there, including many family members. I keep FB pretty neutral. I’ll talk about hot flashes on Twitter though…
GBS Page Member Teresa O’Connor: Personally, I don’t reveal very much about myself on Facebook. Some of those “friends” aren’t really people I know very well…just my opinion.
LS: I will not friend a business using a Facebook profile, and I do use lists to sort through everybody. And I hide a TON of stuff, my stream looks a lot like twitter.
GBS: Actually, I will friend a business, but then I don’t consider any of my social media profiles to be exclusively personal
GBS Page Member Janit Calvo: Same. Working on my name as a brand. i don’t get really personal at all – on either. I’ll dm or message instead.
GBS Page Member Christa Hanson: My rule for a while was that I didn’t friend people I hadn’t met in person. I’ve let in some of my online gardening friends recently, whom I still haven’t met in RL, but will some day! No complete strangers. That’s for twitter. To me.
GBS Page Member Rebecca Sweet: You’re all making me think I’m pretty lenient….my rule has been to check out their FB profile and if everything is blocked then forget it (unless they send me a nice message introducing themselves and it’s not obvious they’re just trying to… sell me something). If they seem like they’re obviously into gardening then I let them in…but I don’t usually post anything that’s not garden related, and rarely anything about my family. I don’t use the site to connect w/my high school friends – unless they’re really into gardening. In fact, one of my friends from high school will throw in ‘plant speak’ just so I read her message!
GBS Page Member Teresa O’Connor: I agree. FB isn’t really personal to me. It’s more gardening/local food related. No big secrets revealed there…
GBS Page Member Donna Harrison Steward: Definitely recommend FB, old friends,pictures, gardening info from every Zone and the best flower/plant pics ever!!!
GBS Page Member Teresa O’Connor: What are some of the best ways to use Facebook to build a reputation, Laura?
LS: Well, I love to share things that I think are beautiful and/or interesting; it’s always been my favorite thing to do (except for show-and-tell in kindergarten, I remember mom!)Then commenting on things that other people post. Offering advice when asked. Noticing people. Remembering them.
GBS: And, again…I recommend a Facebook Fan Page. Also, I suggest that most people wanting to build a brand avoid groups. They are a closed system and more difficult to build and maintain memberships
LS: Absolutely, I have a great time with the pages I manage, such interesting communities are really just starting to mature…
GBS Page Member Janit Calvo: I like the separate Facebook Fan Page to keep it separated. Not everyone enjoys the banter I find.
GBS: it is also helpful if you have more than one book or product…you can have multiple pages.
GBS: Well, folks, we are almost out of time…Laura it has been great to chat with you! If you would like to connect with Laura and other garden writers, join our Garden Writers Today Facebook page or on the SchaubDesigns Facebook page.
Summer Is a Time for Pie
Posted by Marc Pewitt
And so is spring, fall, and winter. My old obsession has returned. I’ve always loved baking and cooking in general. Since it’s summer, and different fruits are coming in, I decided to make a pie and brush up on my pie crust skills.
I wanted to make a fruit pie. My roommate was pining for a chocolate pie, but I wasn’t into cooking a custard, so I put that off until later. I was aiming for cherries or nectarines when I mosied into Publix, but I left with black plums. I thought this would be very exciting.
THE ZEN OF PIE CRUST
I’m into crafts with some mystery: pottery, cutting gemstones, jewelry making, and other things that require a meditative concentration to do well. I think making a pie crust fits within that group. Do I use butter? Lard? Some of both? Do I freeze the bowl? It’ll just be butter this time, but for any old Southern pie (chess, chocolate, pecan), lard must dominate. It helps to know what has to happen to make a good crust, and then, working quickly, I focus.
2 cups all-purpose flour (Gold Medal)
3/4 cup fat (pick your poison)
about 1/4 cup water (icey)
My neighbor, Tre, had come over to chat, so she stood there, as I was one with the dough and knocked it out in 10 min. It comes out better the faster you make it. The cold butter goes in, breaking it up by sliding my hands together. Adding just enough water to keep it from crumbling apart is the right amount. It came together, all lovely and phat.
Tre let me know she was coming back the next day for a sample.
The crust was great: crunchy, flaky, and salty. The plums? Hm, just okay. Definitely use the firmer plums.
The chocolate pie is next. This time, I’ll take pictures.
Here’s a link to a great article about pie crust, written for us crust nerds.
Heaven in a Pie Pan (from The New York Times)
Posts from July 28, 2010
Top 5 Pics for Garden Calendars 7/28/10
Posted by Jean Ann Van Krevelen
The Top 5 New Gardening Releases is a weekly feature on our CSP blog. I search what’s new and what’s hot and give you my five picks. Usually we feature books, but this week we are taking a look at hot new calendars. If you have a book (or calendar) you would like to submit for consideration in the Top 5, leave me a comment or send me an email and let me know!
The Organic Kitchen Garden Wall Calendar by Ann Lovejoy, photography Robin 
Bachtler Cushman, Publisher Amber Lotus ($13.99) $9.79 at the Garden Bookstore
Description
The Organic Kitchen Garden 2011 Wall Calendar is a perfect companion to every cook’s kitchen. Featuring beautiful photographs of kitchen gardens and the lush produce they offer, this calendar pairs images with twelve months of recipes and tips inspired by the bounty of kitchen gardens and the local farmer’s market. Each month offers a simple, seasonal and healthful recipe along with tips on growing, harvesting, canning and cooking – all with an emphasis on the importance of an organic approach.
Ann Lovejoy is the author of more than 20 gardening books and two cooking books, and is a regular cooking and gardening columnist for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Robin Bachtler Cushman is a horticultural photographer specializing in organic practices. Her work has appeared in Sunset, Horticulture and Fine Gardening magazines as well as in more than 35 Sunset books. Her images can also be found in Williams-Sonoma cookbooks. The interior pages of this calendar are printed on 100% recycled, 50% post-consumer paper, processed chlorine free and printed with soy based inks.
Gardens of the Spirit Mini Calendar Photographer Allan Mandell, Publisher Amber Lotus ($7.99) $5.59 at the Garden Bookstore
Description
Strongly influenced by Shinto and Buddhism, the Japanese style of landscaping is particularly conducive to restoring an inner calm. Requiring an artful blend of imagination, skill and patience, the Japanese garden is an extension of the self. By adapting the harmonies of natural design to our own landscape, we heighten our understanding of the world around us and within us. The Gardens of the Spirit 2011 Mini Calendar features twelve exquisite images from photographer Allan Mandell.
The interior pages of this calendar are printed on 100% recycled, 50% post-consumer paper, processed chlorine free and printed with soy based inks.
The Secret Garden Wall Calendar by Workman, Published by Workman ($12.99) ($9.09) 
at the Garden Bookstore
Description
Duck behind a hedge, lift the latch of an overgrown gate, follow the meandering path to wherever it leads. You just may encounter a delightful surprise: a lively jumble of greenery and bright blossoms, a trickling fountain, the chirps, warbles, and songs of birds, perhaps a bench placed in the shade of an old tree. Now in its 15th successful year, “The Secret Garden Calendar” opens up to a dozen lush sanctuaries that will soothe the spirit and recharge the mind. A verdant French garden surrounded by weathered stone walls. An intimate breakfast nook overlooking a pretty array of tulips. Every one is an escape from the outside world, its own little paradise. Photographs are enhanced by gardening quotations, tips, and appreciations.
Art from the Garden Wall Calendar by W Atlee Burpee & Company, Publisher W Atlee Burpee & Company ($13.99) $9.79 at the Garden Bookstore
Description
A beautiful collection of early garden art, Art From the Garden 2011 blooms with the hand-drawn and hand-colored tomatoes, vines, and sweet peas that are hallmarks of the company’s iconic vintage seed packet and catalog art. These lush illustrations offer Americana in a soothing pastoral palette, taking us back to a simpler time. Original Burpee catalogs and seed covers are among the most coveted items at gardening collectors’ auctions–fetching several thousand dollars apiece. Since its founding in 1876, Burpee has become synonymous with old-fashioned American values.
The Old Farmer’s Almanac Gardening Wall Calendar by Old Farmer’s Almanac, Publisher Old Farmer’s Almanac ( $8.99) $6.99 at the Garden Bookstore
Description
Each monthly spread in this perennial best-seller offers gardening tips, timely advice, and an original full-color illustration.
Plus, an outdoor planting table identifies the best days and Moon phases for planting vegetables.
Flame and Moth Got a Sweetheart Deal
Posted by Billie Brownell
Music, I believe, predates the written word, and it’s been said that music is the international language, uniting us in ways that nothing else can. That’s true for me. I’ve always been drawn to music, certainly far more than anyone else in my family seems to be, other than my nephew. It’s been one of the bonds that has tied us together. (Although, a few years ago he returned from Bonnaroo with a love of Shooter Jennings–I’m not sure I get that totally, but I’m willing to listen.)
Music was the siren that drew me into clubs–almost always so smoky you could slice it and serve it on a cracker–late at night because nothing good plays before 10 or even midnight. In the beginning, I was a pure sound sensation listener; I didn’t really pay attention to the words. But as my tastes changed, I learned to appreciate the poetry of music.
Aimee Mann–second only to Mark Knopfler as my favorite artist–came out with what has to be the finest story CD ever created, The Forgotten Arm. For those who don’t know it, it’s a series of song vignettes telling the story of a love affair between two people and with addiction. The title comes from the boxing phrase referring to the one-two punch of being hit with one arm that will make you “forget” about the other one, setting you up for the knockout. It is stunning. But as much as I love The Forgotten Arm, it’s Mann’s song The Moth that really gets me; maybe because I lived it. I love the way The Moth and The Flame are personified, and it’s one terrific story.
The Moth
The Moth don’t care when he sees The Flame // He might get burned but he’s in the game. // And once he’s in, he can’t go back, he’ll beat his wings ’til he burns them black … // No, The Moth don’t care when he sees The Flame // No, The Moth don’t care when he sees The Flame. // The Moth don’t care if The Flame is real, ’cause Flame and Moth got a sweetheart deal.// And nothing fuels a good flirtation, like Need and Anger and Desperation … // No, The Moth don’t care if The Flame is Real. // No, The Moth don’t care if The Flame is real. // So come on, let’s go, ready or not // ‘Cause there’s a Flame I know, hotter than hot // And with a fuse that’s so thoroughly shot … // The Moth don’t care if The Flame burns low, ’cause Moth believes in an afterglow. // And Flames are never doused completely, // All you really need is a love of Heat. // No, The Moth don’t care if The Flame burns low. // No, The Moth don’t care if The Flame burns low. // So come on, let’s go, ready or not, ’cause there’s a Flame I know // Hotter than hot. // And with a fuse that’s so thoroughly shot … // Away away away
What’s your favorite song, and why do you love it so?
Posts from July 27, 2010
Blogs We Love: GardenRant
Posted by Jean Ann Van Krevelen
Blogs We Love is a feature that gives Cool Springs Press an opportunity to highlight some of our favorite garden-related blogs. This week, we are giving props to the venerable blog GardenRant. Now, if you read gardening blogs at all, you know that 
GardenRant is one of the most well-known and oldest around. GR was created by Susan Harris, Amy Stewart, Elizabeth Licata and Michele Owens to give an alternative voice to traditional garden-related content.
Recently, one of the GR founders (Amy Stewart) joined forces with other gardening notables and created a new service/site called Great Garden Speakers. We are proud to say that Cool Springs Press is now partnering with Great Garden Speakers to assist CSP published authors to gain the visibility needed to book speaking engagements.
Here’s a bit about GardenRant:
GardenRant has been online since June 2006 and quickly developed a following among garden bloggers, garden writers and editors, and landscape nursery business professionals. We have been named Best Garden Blog, Most Innovative Garden Blog, and Best Written, by a jury of our peers.
Garden Design Magazine called us: “Pithy, hysterically funny, with poignant news and views of all aspects of the garden world. Don’t miss their Manifesto!” We’ve also received praise from USA Weekend, The Washington Post, The American Gardener, Canadian Gardening magazine, BBC’s Gardens Illustrated, and the National Gardening Association.
And, if you happen to be at this year’s Independent Garden Center Show, the GardenRant-ers will are speakers on a panel:
The annual IGC Show in Chicago is fast becoming the hip meet-up for the retail side of the gardening world. It’s oriented entirely around the needs of independently-owned garden centers–which we love–but it’s also a good stop for garden writers, garden bloggers, and the like. There’s a trade show floor packed with purveyors of plants, pots, tools, seeds, books, and other assorted merchandise, and the seminars and tours are getting better every year.
Especially this year! Because they’ve invited GardenRant to put on a panel discussion! That’s right, the four of us are headed to Chicago August 17-19 to mouth off to garden center owners. Our panel takes place on Thursday, August 19 from 11-12, but there’s plenty more you won’t want to miss. Check out the complete schedule here.
If you are heading to the IGC show, check out CSP authors Debra Prinzing, Mary Ann Newcomer and yours truly!
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