Chainsaw Safety Video

It is not uncommon for me to have a camera strapped to my side for unique photo or video opportunities.  Earlier this year, I shot this video during a chainsaw safety demonstration at Longwood Gardens that was part of the arborculture training in our Professional Gardener Program.  I later edited it in i-Movie.  Mert LaBare (with the saw) and Kyle Parks, both arborists at Longwood, did a great job of showing the importance of chainsaw chaps through a powerful visual demonstration.  These guys are serious about safety (and so is Longwood)!  It was great to learn from their example.  I really learned from them, and the rest of the Longwood staff, that safety is an attitude and being "careful" is not the same as being SAFE.

Best wishes and health to everyone in the New Year!  And Be Safe!

Quick Update & South Africa Video

   Well, I have been quite busy and as I feared, the blogging fell to the bottom of the list of priorities.  I graduate from the PG Program in the middle of December and then hopefully by spring I will be in a new job in public gardening -or possibly even an internship.  Of course, I have to get out all the applications first!
    In the meantime, I am here now to redeem myself with a video I made (with some editing help from my wife) from our study abroad trip to South Africa.  Hope to get back to some more blogging soon...    Enjoy! 

Well, it should say South Africa Study Abroad 2011, but who knows what happened to the other '1' ?!

Wind movement can be such a nice effect

   

   I like how the 'Karl Foerster' feather reed grass (Calamagrostis x acutiflora) responds to the wind.  It's quite relaxing to watch it and especially cool when you use it in a diagonal sweep, zig-zag, or in a space moving from the foreground to the background, and/or left-to-right.  They grab your eye and can help visually 'lead' you through a space. Some plants joining the grasses in movement in my personal garden are: purpletop vervain (Verbena bonariensis), jewels of Opar (Talinum paniculatum) 'limon', and some white spider flower (Cleome hasslerana).
   Some other good grasses for wind that are shown in the video are:  white tussock -a.k.a. Mexican feather grass (Nassella tenuissima), fountain grasses {varieties of } (Pennisetum), 'Heavy Metal' switchgrass (Panicum virgatum),  Miscanthus, Northern sea oats (Chasmanthium latifolium), 'Red Rooster' leatherleaf sedge (Carex buchananii).  Each of these grasses has their own way of responding to wind, giving them each a unique quality or feel.   


     There's just something about the way plants sway,  move or flutter in the wind.  


    It's almost as if,  as you tune into the subtle rhythm of the movement,  you find a contrasting stillness growing within.


Filmed in my personal garden and Student Exhibition Garden at Longwood Gardens, and at my next door neighbors' house in Conshohocken - 2011. 
Video footage, production & editing: (c) Timothy Allen Snyder 2011

A picture says 1000 words... and apparently so can I !!!

Pond-less waterfall I build a few years ago while working for Fine Garden Creations

   Well,  I had hoped to have more postings by now, but school is pretty intense and my car was put out of commission due to a laundry list of problems which, as a gardener, means one thing... truck shopping!!!  I just purchased a 'new' used Toyota Tundra today which I am totally stoked about!  Anyway... I thought I oughta put up some pictures of some current and previous work to give, sort of, a preview of what's to come.  In the future I will include 'little discussions' on various projects, explaining them in more detail.  So, for now, enjoy the pictures and thanks for stopping by!

Before photo of a project I did in Roxborough.  A low maintenance garden with a waterfall was desired. 

A dry waterfall (Japanese influenced) I created on the slope.  The 'blue-ish' upright stone represents the falls.  

In order to create more depth and dimension to the site, I transformed the predictable slope into more of a peninsular type landform,  like something you might see from an airplane.  Using this 'aerial view' technique subconsciously expands and shrinks the scale all at once, and is sometimes used in the creation of Japanese gardens.  I have a book that explains this concept in greater detail and when I figure out which one, I will post the name and author here.

This is the slope as I first encountered it.  The only thing it had going for it was a few nice rocks at the top.

I used those rocks in as close to their original positions as possible, as I felt they had accumilated some chi (energy) over the years and had an very comfortable feel to them as they were.  So, I integrated them with other stones I dug out of the site (buried into the slopes) as well as a few rocks donated from my yard and the side of the road.  I used pea gravel (symbolizing water) to connect either side of the walkway into one cohesive whole.  This helps again in making this small space feel bigger.  The small gravel causes your eyes to 'dance' across the surface of the area helping the space visually expand.  Other benefits of the small gravel are that it contrasts with the larger rocks and other elements, emphasizing scale. By representing water, it helps to create a 'sense of place' especially when plants such as iris and sweet flag or other 'water edge' plants are planted beside it.  This is additionally reinforced by the waterfall, but you can still create a similar effect or mood without one, by creating either a dry pond or dry stream bed.  This option can be further enhanced by turning a dry pond into an ephemeral one, or into a rain garden by routing rain-spouts into the 'pond' area.  For a more natural look, be sure to conceal these pipes from view and try larger stones to slow-down the water upon entry and minimize wash-out of gravel.  Gravel is a good option for a low maintenance garden when used in the right situation.  Some locations may benefit from the use of a blower for ease of maintenance.

A close-up of the pond.  I'll talk more about this later,  but one detail I'd like you to notice is that I was sure to match up the water level of the pond with the 'water level' of the pea gravel to 'keep the chi flowing'.  If the levels were off say,  by 1 or 2 inches or more, a conflict would be created because the gravel is supposed to become visually and subconsciously, an extension of the pond.  I feel that 'flow' or the movement of chi through a site has a great deal of impact on the overall experience.  Details can make the difference.

And now, quickly, because I lied and started writing a book here...  more photos, but with brief captions.

My personal garden at Longwood Gardens in the spring of 2010 beginning stages.

The garden on May 18th 2011

Same garden April 27th 2011

Same garden from the back July 2011

Our contribution (Emily Mox, my classmate, and I) to the 2nd ever Longwood Gardens Student Exhibition Garden.  Photo taken July 12, 2011

Another view of the Student Exhibition Garden.  I will be posting a separate blog on this garden in the near future, covering design, construction, and maintenance details.

I expanded this little vignette garden / entrance to my next door neighbors house in the fall of 2010.   My intent was to bring the feel of nature to a typical streetscape to create a welcoming low-maintenance planting.  Flowers from itea, ajuga, bulb-iris, crocus, snowdrops, and penstemon (not visible in photo view) create a little bit-O-cheer in the spring!  Picture taken early July 2011.

Thanks again for visiting, feel free to comment or ask questions.  I've stayed up way too late! Now it's time for bed!!!!

Hello!

   Hello!  My name is Tim Snyder and I have been gardening, and interested in gardening from the age of 10.  Now 33, I am creating this blog as a garden journal and photo (& possibly video) portfolio.  This is the first blog I have done and hope to get some good content up soon!  (Believe me, I have no shortage of photos!)  I have previously worked under accomplished Japanese gardener, Hiroshi Makita for a number of years, among other jobs, and am currently very fortunate to be a Professional Gardener Student at the internationally recognized Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pa (USA).

Timothy Snyder - Me in a tree

   I will share some of my early garden projects up to my most recent, which are a personal garden at Longwood Gardens (not public) and a Student Exhibition Garden (which I developed with my classmate Emily Mox) within the public display -which is the 2nd year it's ever been done!  I am very excited to have the opportunity to have both gardens seen by the attendees of this years' APGA (American Public Garden Society) as I hope to move into a career in public horticulture.  I have a deep passion for design as well as the hands-on aspects of creating a garden and its development over time.  I love making small spaces feel bigger and finding ways to have the garden be an engaging experience.  I also am in love with rocks and rock setting! 

   Thank you for your interest in my blog and I can't wait to post some pictures and thoughts!
Please join my blog to keep up with current posts! 
 Happy Gardening!!!