Dargan Landscape Architects

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Catch Mary Palmer Dargan’s Lecture at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens in Charleston

Have you wanted to plant or design a romantic garden for your home? If so, mark your calendar for Friday, November 14th, so you do not miss Hugh and Mary Palmer Dargan’s lecture at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, located at 3550 Ashley River Road in Charleston. For the general admission adult price of only $15.00, you can attend the lecture in Magnolia’s Orientation Theatre and enjoy the gardens afterwards with a new perspective.

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Source: Dargan Landscape Architects via Facebook

The lecture will explore romantic-style gardening and its influence. Magnolia Plantation and Gardens provides a perfect location for such an event as it is the last large-scale romantic garden in America. As a licensed and vastly experienced landscape architect, Mary Palmer will share the knowledge she has gained from extensive travels both home and abroad, and how they played a part in her romantic garden designs. 

Having designed many beautiful romantic gardens in Charleston and other areas in North Carolina and Georgia, Mary Palmer will discuss how a romantic garden differs from a formal garden. She will also share tips on how to create a romantic garden within your own landscape. Mary Palmer believes, “A romantic garden provides the perfect canvas for creative thought and inspiration to solace your soul.” Not only will you learn the fundamental elements to this style of gardening, you are guaranteed to find some inspiration in Mary Palmer’s words.

Steeped in history, Magnolia Plantation has been family-owned for more than 300 years. In the late 17th century the gardens were started and during the 18th century their beauty and size expanded exponentially, however, it was not until the 19th century that they took on the grand scale that they maintain today. 

Join Mary Palmer of Dargan Landscape Architects as she details this beautiful, romantic style of gardening and bask in the beauty of the Magnolia Plantation and Gardens.

Join Mary Palmer Dargan at the North Georgia Camellia Society

Are you struggling to bring camellias into your landscape design? On Monday, Nov. 10, Mary Palmer Dargan would like to invite you to a lecture titled, “Camellias Dazzle your Landscape Design with Flowers, Form and Structure.” Presented by Mary Palmer herself, this lecture will be held at the North Georgia Camellia Society, which meets at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens in Atlanta, Ga on the second Monday of each month.  

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As a licensed and storied landscape architect and designer, Mary Palmer will share her knowledge with you about creating idyllic garden designs featuring camellias. Due to the vast variety, size, color and multi-season blooming capabilities of this versatile flowering plant, understanding the important concepts in Mary’s lecture will help inspire your creative endeavors. Mary will also share some of her tips and tricks on how best to work with camellias.

Members of the non-profit North Georgia Camellia Society meet on the second Monday of every month from September through April at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens. They share their passion for camellias, as well as their ideas for grafting, planting and maintaining these beautiful plants.

As low-maintenance shrubs, camellias can easily be incorporated into garden designs as a privacy screen or even a shrub border. Although the appropriate spot for planting is critical to their growth success, camellias are a hardy shrub and can grow as tall as 12 feet.  And according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, they thrive best in hardiness zones seven through nine.

Come join Mary Palmer Dargan on Nov. 10 and learn more about this incredible flowering shrub. To learn more about Mary Palmer and Dargan Landscape Architects, we invite you to browse around our website, or contact us to discuss the design and development of your idyllic garden.

Protecting Your Landscape from Winter Weather

Winter weather can wreak havoc on your landscape and hardscapes if they’re left unprotected. But a little maintenance can help prevent serious damage to plants, pathways and more.

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Source: Personal Touch Lawn Care, Inc. via Houzz

Here are some tips:

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First, you need to determine which of your plants are the most sensitive to cold and frost. Many plants are cold-hardy and don’t need special care, but some species such as gardenias, aucuba and lantana do, according to gardening expert Walter Reeves.

To keep plants frost-free, you can place old towels and sheets over them with tree stakes or poles. The idea is to keep the materials from resting directly on top of the plants while still keeping them covered. This preserves air flow to the plant. During the day, covers should be removed to allow plants to absorb sunlight. Hedges or shrubs can be wrapped thinly with burlap, just not directly on top. Be sure your mulch is deep enough to offer adequate insulation as well. Potted plants should be brought indoors.

Black plastic sheeting can also be used to cover and protect plants from cold. Similarly, evergreens can be wrapped in twine prior to a snow or ice event to offer additional protection. Smaller trees can be anchored to taller, more sturdy trees with rope.

Hardscapes

Hardscapes are just as important as landscapes when it comes to cold weather protection. Be sure to seal and reseal your hardscapes such as driveways, paths and patios to prevent damage from the freeze/thaw cycle. You should also paint or seal any wooden hardscape features such as arbors and decks for the same reason.

Be sure all patio furniture is covered, and watch out for rusting metal, which can stain hardscapes in damp weather.

Draining out water in your swimming pool and above ground ponds will help prevent damage from the freeze/thaw cycle. Pools should also be professionally winterized and covered for the season.

For more landscaping tips and ideas, follow Dargan Landscape Architects on Twitter and like us on Facebook.

Hydrangea…heaven???

 At our friends, Ruthie and Berryman Edward’s garden walk Annabelle’s steal the show. We designed it two years ago and are delighted with the beautiful hydrangea and hosta display very early this summer….3 weeks early. Annabelle, Bella Anna, Tardiva ( just starting) and Endless summer are all in a cacophony of WHITE and blue. The weird thing is that the internodal stretch on the tardivas has created very elongated  nodes, some 6″ apart..not at all normal. This means the limbs will fall out from the weight of the flower heads. It will be 90 here on Saturday. We’ve had heat early, lots of rain and voila! Corset anyone??

World Environmental Day, June 5 : Heal the Earth… One Garden at a Time.

Green, brown or blue, our precious earth is dependent on us to preserve and conserve its resources.

Today, take stock of your efforts to use less paper, conserve water, compost, be energy efficient, smile…and dine on organic and nourishing foods.

 

 

 

 

This historic video about its founding is VERY interesting:  http://www.unep.org/flvPlayer/videoplayer.asp?id=27418&l=en

World Environment Day, begun by the United Nations 40 years ago to celebrate positive environmental action.

World Environment Day is just a small part of the United Nations Environment Program and other agencies’ work for environmental protection and environmental justice. Since its founding in 1972, the UN Environmental Program (UNEP) has been active in the negotiations of numerous international agreements centered on environmental protection.

Read more:  http://www.care2.com/causes/world-environment-day-looking-back-and-moving-forward.html#ixzz1wvi8gEVY