On Saturday, I returned to Chagrin Falls for an afternoon of shopping and of course, Jeni's Ice Cream! I had a lovely time roaming up and down the streets checking out all of the adorable shops and chatting with the locals. I found one store that I absolutely fell in love with, Bonne Amie, an adorable shop with vintage and antique treasures all surrounding a French theme. I could have bought everything, especially the amazing chandeliers!
I also checked out the local wine shop, with a goal of purchasing another bottle of Razzberry Riesling from last week's visit to DeBonne Vineyards because it was simply amazing. However, I got sidetracked and spent quite some time discussing Italian wines and my time in Switzerland with an Italian sommelier. He basically gave me a crash course on Italian varieties and allowed me to taste a few of their hidden gems, it was really an enjoyable experience. I am still far from being a wine snob, but I really appreciate having the ability to discuss wines and viticulture with others, perhaps this could turn into a future hobby for me! Oh, and there was also a cheese tasting to go with the wine. I was a bit reluctant to get involved, as a result of over-tasting in Switzerland, but for the first time in a couple of months I enjoyed white cheese again!
My final stop was to the oh so famous Jeni's Ice Cream. A treat indeed with interesting flavors like Riesling poached pear sorbet and Juniper and lemon curd. So many things to try, but I was able to finally narrow my decision to a two-half scoop cup of Brambleberry Crunch and Wildberry Lavender. Delicious. I would love to say more, but that's it...delicious.
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| Chagrin Falls, OH |
Sunday was the day I really decided to dig into my intern project. I had very good intentions of going into the garden and doing some sketching and measuring, but I got sidetracked. Thankfully, my sidetracking was still quite productive, as I visited the Stan Hywet Gardens. The English Garden at Stan Hywet was designed by Ellen Biddle Shipman in 1929 with a complete replica replanting completed in 1990. Larry, my mentor for this project, suggested I do some research on Ellen Shipman as well as few others to gain insight and inspiration to English Garden design. I am so glad I made this trip, it was quite inspirational to view this garden in person. Who knew this beautiful landscape would be so close and accessible!? I am now a lot more excited to break ground, well figuratively, on this project! Her work is incredible and I hope some of her inspiration and my research will be noticeable in my redesign of the Courtyard Garden at CBG.
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| Manor House at Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens |
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| Ellen Biddle Shipman's Planting Plan for the English Garden at Stan Hywet |
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| English Garden at Stan Hywet |
Well enough of my Ohio whereabouts, let's head to Spiny Desert for a look into my Monday spent working in the Madagascar biome at Cleveland Botanical Gardens. It was quite the trip, thank goodness I have no new injuries or scratches to add to the list next to severe skin reactions! It was a bit of a scary experience, you've got to always watch your back because you never know which poky thing you are going to run into.
I spent most of my morning working with Neem, using a combination of dry Neem cake granules and Karanja granules in equal parts. Neem is an organic pesticide control method that basically gives the plant a polished appearance which is unappealing to insects so they avoid feeding on the foliage. The Neem oil comes from the Neem tree, making it organic, therefore safe for the animals in the biome. It takes a very small amount of Neem in an area to be effective, I was really surprised at how little needed to be spread. So, I had the tedious job of spreading the granules on the ground and raking them into the soil. If you were to visit Madagascar, you would quickly understand why I say tedious even though it seems to be a rather easy task. Spiky, spiny plants are everywhere and each step must be calculated just right to avoid severely scratched arms. Even more importantly, to avoid getting your hair stuck in one of the trees, it's a bit scary! Oh, and I also had to avoid the Pencil Tree which appears to be harmless, but contains a toxic secretion capable of severe skin reactions and blindness if too much gets into your eyes. With all of these warnings, it's a miracle I made it out alive!
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| Neem Granules |
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| Spiky Trees! |
Just like Costa Rica, the animals are part of the foundation for greenhouse protocol and organic IPM methods must be used. Madagascar has some pretty neat creatures as well, like my favorites the Panther Chameleon and the Radiated Tortoises.
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| Panther Chameleon |
I'd have to say my favorite feature of Madagascar is the Cactus and Succulent Reef. It looks so cool with its variance of plant selections, textures and colors. It was designed by Joe, the horticulturist in charge of the Madagascar biome, originally as a temporary exhibit but remained permanent due to its popularity with guests. Besides working with Neem and learning more about the Madagascar glasshouse in general, I also assisted Joe with some pruning, staking and clean up of a couple of small areas.
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| Succulent and Cactus Reef |
After an adventure-filled morning in Madagascar, Joe and I headed over to the Rockefeller Greenhouse to do a little cleanup. I was right at home in my organization element as we cleaned up a mess of plants and containers. A few of the cacti also got re-potted and moved into larger pots for their roots to continue expanding. This seems like it would have been the easiest portion of my day, however, it was definitely the opposite. When it's 90+ degrees outside, the last place you want to be in is a greenhouse. I am still re-hydrating after spending a short time in the 105 degree room! Oh well, just another day of high heat and humidity, it's really nothing new and noteworthy, only adding to my excitement for snow and winter!
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| Re-Organized Cactus and Succulents at Rockefeller Greenhouse |
Looks like I may have done a bit of rambling today, but I am so excited to be sharing all of my adventures with everyone! I would like to thank everyone following this blog, it means a lot to know that not only are friends and family supporting me but also complete strangers are enjoying my experiences as well! We are nearing the point of one month remaining, and as much as I have loved and am loving my time here, I am starting to feel excited for the familiarity of home, friends and family! Especially, as my parents are preparing for departure for London on Friday to visit my sister, I am of course jealous to be missing out on this trip (and the Olympics!) but I wish them the best in their travels! Anyway, that's all for now. I look forward to reporting again on my week and another visit to the Costa Rica biome this coming Thursday!
Keep up the good work!!
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