tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16541912390904564262024-03-12T16:26:28.153-07:00Wildwood World Where Gardening Happens in Real TimeJoseph Montehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05936870498181239667noreply@blogger.comBlogger304125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1654191239090456426.post-41119338442490684022022-11-18T20:04:00.004-08:002022-11-18T20:04:55.238-08:00An Odd Couple: Nature Meets Crypto<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0eC91QgO1kbPIjizcuWfLpOa8Jx7E1PF87QiaieXTPEUKxvueX7CJ0e7_sqSHX1A2w1i41lhn8APqRDoCegglHPP6EJrSvWSaNd7tbQ9QaroIc1y170P0Y3KfaqRDkj4vUkrFEKKcHpOKUd8nZEmyVaVkqHq9xkkCeibJ0VFxwzmbIShe_ZtmTa9Jjw/s678/Autumn%20Moon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="635" data-original-width="678" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0eC91QgO1kbPIjizcuWfLpOa8Jx7E1PF87QiaieXTPEUKxvueX7CJ0e7_sqSHX1A2w1i41lhn8APqRDoCegglHPP6EJrSvWSaNd7tbQ9QaroIc1y170P0Y3KfaqRDkj4vUkrFEKKcHpOKUd8nZEmyVaVkqHq9xkkCeibJ0VFxwzmbIShe_ZtmTa9Jjw/w320-h275/Autumn%20Moon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Discovery often reminds us to cherish familiar places and memories.<p></p><p>Wildwood Nursery was an unforgettable experience for many who toured the grounds. From the plants to the conversations, it was far from the typical garden center. Before all the Wildwood memories fade into the sunset, we want to start to capture highlights.</p><p>In that spirit, Wildwood is launching a limited edition NFT collection. </p><p>The<a href="https://testnets.opensea.io/assets/goerli/0x4fc1631a680595fa0516f24fe60639e78b8f4f7c/2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Fall Winter 2022 Autumn Moon</a> collection is a release of a digital Acer shirasawanum 'Autumn Moon' in a blaze of orange fall color. Holders of these digital collectibles will be entitled to two hours of consultation. The best part of this collection is that holders can sell their collectible after the consultation. The value of the collectible will be set by the people who receive the consultation!</p><p>The blockchain will track the owners of all the collectibles. The new Wildwood network will resprout on chain! We recommend using the consultation on plant and design related ideas. One day we'll be able to advise on the intersection of plants and crypto!</p>Joseph Montehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105124125181667159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1654191239090456426.post-85584332470520092582022-04-17T10:23:00.004-07:002022-04-17T10:40:55.450-07:00From Zero to One<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6xJI3VhKhW9PdhQ-QTtyU1qCjlUag5tFvtB3ZD11KI4mCOnRAzabA3j9isWW2gRKaN7C9NxOYQvlTsyjib8d2V2XF5OL8av6-g-urhboYy2fibQEN-BVdVud9wTmjWXpoiRFCaF7-sw0VGKUuOrYzq47lChnTt1gBMoglD8qyLorDIbKLBRItTui96A/s1822/ETHPortland%20Site%204.10.22.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1236" data-original-width="1822" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6xJI3VhKhW9PdhQ-QTtyU1qCjlUag5tFvtB3ZD11KI4mCOnRAzabA3j9isWW2gRKaN7C9NxOYQvlTsyjib8d2V2XF5OL8av6-g-urhboYy2fibQEN-BVdVud9wTmjWXpoiRFCaF7-sw0VGKUuOrYzq47lChnTt1gBMoglD8qyLorDIbKLBRItTui96A/s320/ETHPortland%20Site%204.10.22.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />Hackathons are a breeding ground for ideas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="https://2022.ethportland.com/" target="_blank">ETHPortland</a> showcases emerging web3 projects.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My team left the event with 2nd Place for most interesting idea and recognition for deploying a site on <a href="https://skale.network/" target="_blank">Skale Protocol</a>.<o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">During team formation I put “Instagram filters for NFTs” on
a 11 x 17 card.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People were
curious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Blaire came to the event to
learn about ‘socials and web3’. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was
the first person onboard even though she didn’t bring her coding laptop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dex came to the event to work on a security
project.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He audits smart contracts for a
living.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was the second person onboard.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I showed Blarie and Dex my research into Github repositories
for NFT projects.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Developer Ally’s NFT Hack
2022 presentation has a basic site to mint NFTs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Alchemy Protocol’s tutorials provide code
that displays NFTs based on wallet addresses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Blaire believed she could fork these repositories for a new project.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We started with Developer Ally’s repository. We quickly realized
using existing NFTs would accelerate our project.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We pivoted to Alchemy’s code for our project.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Blaire added a feature that showcases the
ETHPortland logo with a 'Mint Filter NFT’ button.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Fellow hackathon participants helped us bring <a href="https://docs.openzeppelin.com/contracts/2.x/api/token/erc721" target="_blank">Open Zeppelin’s</a>
boilerplate ERC721 functionality to the ‘Mint Filter’ button.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We finished the hackathon with a product that
mints an empty smart contract.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">During the final hackathon presentation, we focused on the business
case for adding filters to PFPs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many celebrity
backed NFT projects soft rug and dilute the reputation of the brands involved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Filters bond fans and brands to foster engagement.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">What’s Next:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We’re adding features to our ERC721 smart contract.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Image and logo are first.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pricing and royalty structure will follow if the
product gains traction.<o:p></o:p></p>Joseph Montehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105124125181667159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1654191239090456426.post-44128763810216399152022-02-19T20:06:00.005-08:002022-02-21T18:29:59.520-08:00Reporting From ETHDenver<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhQMzTCYPcUbZcnUVNhT3P1oFFh0AtzO3Aua0RMchabPpcmkUb4rBq6GRjxZAENshDwhPRldjycovAAEJDznHpvVmH7XpjUTmMTr3jXYMILiIg4bfkpTWsA-YQDhTvdGD1YFVQpIISBYwbYsxMSmRosrQEKuoPrGeQN0IJWGF5Sh7JmhYlrre4xM4K_Tw=s1400" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="1400" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhQMzTCYPcUbZcnUVNhT3P1oFFh0AtzO3Aua0RMchabPpcmkUb4rBq6GRjxZAENshDwhPRldjycovAAEJDznHpvVmH7XpjUTmMTr3jXYMILiIg4bfkpTWsA-YQDhTvdGD1YFVQpIISBYwbYsxMSmRosrQEKuoPrGeQN0IJWGF5Sh7JmhYlrre4xM4K_Tw=w640-h182" width="640" /></a></span></b></div><b><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif"><br />TLDR<o:p></o:p></span></b><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span face="Helvetica, sans-serif">Nation
States are very ineffective at combatting climate change. A borderless
problem warrants a global decentralized solution. Open Forest Protocol
has a blockchain native product for monitoring, reporting and verifying carbon
credits earned by protecting forests.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span face="Helvetica, sans-serif"><b>Climate x Crypto: Decentralizing Climate
Solutions</b></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span face="Helvetica, sans-serif"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span face="Helvetica, sans-serif">Every
February, thought leaders in the blockchain space convene at </span><span style="color: #0070c0; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><a href="https://www.ethdenver.com/" target="_blank"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #0070c0;">ETHDenver</span></a></span><span face="Helvetica, sans-serif"> to
showcase solutions to pressing problems.
Currently, nation states are the main bodies coordinating actions to mitigate
climate change. Not surprisingly, attempts
to stem climate change are fragmented and largely ineffective.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span face="Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyepstein/"><span style="color: #0070c0;">Jeremy Epstein</span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></a></span><span face="Helvetica, sans-serif">from
the </span><span style="color: #0070c0; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><a href="https://www.openforestprotocol.org/" target="_blank"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #0070c0;">Open Forest Protocol</span></a></span><span face="Helvetica, sans-serif"> stepped
onto the ETHDenver stage and unveiled a pioneering methodology for
supercharging the carbon credit marketplace.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span face="Helvetica, sans-serif">Regenerative
Finance or ReFi is a new mechanism producing promising results. ReFi sits
at the nexus of climate, crypto and future. It blends the best climate
change solutions with cryptography tools.</span><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span face="Helvetica, sans-serif">Climate</span></b><b><o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span face="Helvetica, sans-serif">The
scientific community knows that trees and forests capture carbon. They
are the lungs of the Earth, absorbing CO2 and emitting O2. Cutting down
trees is a two-fold setback. Annually, the world loses a forest the size
of Greece.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span face="Helvetica, sans-serif">Until
recently, the financial community did not recognize the benefits forests
provided to the global community. This ‘<i>tragedy of the commons’</i> is
a problem in economics that occurs when individuals neglect the well-being of
society in the pursuit of financial gain.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span face="Helvetica, sans-serif">To
date, pricing carbon is the most widespread effort to incorporate the commons
into the marketplace. Carbon credits are still a voluntary piece of the
marketplace though. In theory, credits incentivize corporations to
preserve forests or to replant trees. In practice, carbon credits are a
small piece of world financial markets.</span><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span face="Helvetica, sans-serif">Future</span></b><b><o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span face="Helvetica, sans-serif">Seventy
percent of global GDP flows through corporations who have a goal for ‘Net Zero’
carbon emissions. These corporations will first look to reduce emissions in
supply chains and operations. Once they streamline operations, they will
look to offset the remainder of their emissions by purchasing carbon credits. </span><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span face="Helvetica, sans-serif">This
increased interest in offsetting should lead to higher quality offsets and
higher costs for offsets. Forecasts have the carbon market growing to $50
billion by 2030 and $500 billion by 2050.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span face="Helvetica, sans-serif">MRV
or monitoring, reporting, and verifying is a crucial part of pricing carbon
credits. The legacy system is slow and expensive. Instead of taking
years to verify a project, it can now be done in 40 days. How? With ReFi!</span><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span face="Helvetica, sans-serif">Crypto</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span face="Helvetica, sans-serif">In
six months of existence, ReFi has captured 5% of global carbon credits.
Climate solutions are officially on chain! Now, there is an immutable
record of a verified asset/tree whose performance is monitored. A
universal standard of accounting for carbon credits exists.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span face="Helvetica, sans-serif">The
Open Forest Protocol will launch a dashboard in May to track this market.
It will have a very simple user experience [rare in the blockchain space] that
allows the average person to interact with the blockchain. </span><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span face="Helvetica, sans-serif">Under
the hood, there will be more complex crypto tools such as tokens, minted Open
Carbon Credits and a carbon backed currency. Tokens will incentivize
auditors to verify projects and their performance. Blockchain users will be
able to trade credits for other commodities. The network of users will
receive dividends from using this carbon currency.</span><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif">All this opens the door for more organizations
to participate in the carbon market.
Already, <span style="color: #0070c0;"><a href="https://www.celo.org/"><span style="color: #0070c0;">Celo</span></a></span> offers nature backed
currencies. </span><span style="color: #0070c0;"><a href="https://www.nori.com/"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #0070c0;">Nori</span></a></span><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif"> allows farmers to sell carbon
removal assets on a blockchain. Open
Forest Protocol knows </span><span style="color: #0070c0;"><a href="https://www.klimadao.finance/"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #0070c0;">Klima DAO</span></a></span><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif">
wants to buy more Open Carbon Credits. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif">Suddenly, a $50 billion carbon
credit marketplace is closer than ever.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span face="Helvetica, sans-serif"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span face="Helvetica, sans-serif">Get
Involved</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span face="Helvetica, sans-serif">Join
the Open Forest Protocol as a project operator or validator.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><span face="Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;">Follow
#ReFi on twitter.</span></p>Joseph Montehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105124125181667159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1654191239090456426.post-23515502960891164902022-01-17T17:03:00.001-08:002022-01-17T17:03:20.707-08:00Looks Rare: Lessons from Minting an NFT<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEguOi-bO7Q9mhz2ch7v3tb6gUXGSwcy8AXVEHyxzcyKdEEkq9bfxo_VUCssEHPSHW4mCDjSyhz0aMwPq44dXKRDbjmXqfDYqgNrB8mcs-sl3Ap4xgPtr1ikA1Doqj8-NHYOSVBPNpZtfxhrOWVV5JN_z9MArDlBK5noHpQxio463DK9J9WW7ATyYB_0pA=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2268" data-original-width="4032" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEguOi-bO7Q9mhz2ch7v3tb6gUXGSwcy8AXVEHyxzcyKdEEkq9bfxo_VUCssEHPSHW4mCDjSyhz0aMwPq44dXKRDbjmXqfDYqgNrB8mcs-sl3Ap4xgPtr1ikA1Doqj8-NHYOSVBPNpZtfxhrOWVV5JN_z9MArDlBK5noHpQxio463DK9J9WW7ATyYB_0pA=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br />My two goals for this exercise were:<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Wingdings; text-indent: -0.25in;">§<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Bridging the digital and physical worlds with
art.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Wingdings; text-indent: -0.25in;">§<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Learning the minting process.</span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 2.75in; text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Harmony Protocol’s Year-End Event featured artist @GMUNK -
designed Window's logo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He presented elaborate examples of light
shows that look like computer generated at.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This inspired my elementary Techno Fox.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I cobbled together a Photoshop rendering and LED lights using an iPhone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Challenging but fun!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This provided momentum to learn the software
plumbing under the hood of NFTs.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Solidity is the software language for writing programs on
the Ethereum blockchain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A Non Fungible
Token is a representation of something on the blockchain. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two main points here: there’s a description
of the token and a smart contract that tells the blockchain to recognize the
token. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Metadata describes the thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Metadata is stored off the blockchain to save
space, time, and costs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Smart contracts
are programs written to fetch the description and initiate exchanges of tokens
between parties.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">ERCs are types of Ethereum standards that establish
different types of contracts. ERC721 governs NFTs - tokens that are unique from
any other token.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Minting a NFT involves
writing a contract to record the metadata.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The cost of using the blockchain is called a Gas Fee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A Transaction Hash is proof that the contract
was executed and recorded.<a href="https://d.docs.live.net/966a56271353461e/CRYPTO/Lessons%20from%20Minting%20a%20NFT.docx#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Opensea is a popular marketplace to buy and sell NFTs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I used OpenSea because it offers an ‘easy’
way to start trading NFTs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Opensea creates
a proxy account of a blockchain contract on their marketplace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This allows users to trade NFTs without
paying costs to execute contracts on blockchain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Currently my Techno Fox only exists on
OpenSea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could the pay the Gas Fee and
record the account at any time.<a href="https://d.docs.live.net/966a56271353461e/CRYPTO/Lessons%20from%20Minting%20a%20NFT.docx#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Formatting the art for a NFT marketplace showroom is
simple.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When Adobe launches ‘Prepare as
NFT’, it will be one click.<a href="https://d.docs.live.net/966a56271353461e/CRYPTO/Lessons%20from%20Minting%20a%20NFT.docx#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[3]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Formatting the attributes of the metadata and
smart contract are also options for artists.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sophisticated artists like @Pplpleasr – Forbes 30 under 30 - code
contracts to evolve the art based on events like who buys the art.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">My next project will be to enhance the Techno Fox’s
metadata.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">View the fox at https://opensea.io/collection/studiowildwood-collection<o:p></o:p></p>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="https://d.docs.live.net/966a56271353461e/CRYPTO/Lessons%20from%20Minting%20a%20NFT.docx#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> <a href="http://www.openzeppelin.com/">www.openzeppelin.com</a> <o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn2" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="https://d.docs.live.net/966a56271353461e/CRYPTO/Lessons%20from%20Minting%20a%20NFT.docx#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> <a href="https://opensea.io/blog/guides/non-fungible-tokens">https://opensea.io/blog/guides/non-fungible-tokens</a>
<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn3" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="https://d.docs.live.net/966a56271353461e/CRYPTO/Lessons%20from%20Minting%20a%20NFT.docx#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[3]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> <a href="https://messari.io/pdf/messari-report-crypto-theses-for-2022.pdf">https://messari.io/pdf/messari-report-crypto-theses-for-2022.pdf</a>,
pg. 111<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
</div>Joseph Montehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105124125181667159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1654191239090456426.post-24415319191885635212021-10-31T19:37:00.001-07:002021-10-31T19:37:37.634-07:00Wild Ideas<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOxC1IsibKi-tKuyq_S_ms0KAEgJGzdBTIy1AmbLRLcXJkw81rmc4a82I7Lr8eR89ORkAvUpBlNOmHwm4yqrtOeKu69JL75DA2rBdG9HEVxrfUZYXnjo-dpQD-9RUDz4W0Hkfhp0oHQpoE/s1440/eth+header.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="606" data-original-width="1440" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOxC1IsibKi-tKuyq_S_ms0KAEgJGzdBTIy1AmbLRLcXJkw81rmc4a82I7Lr8eR89ORkAvUpBlNOmHwm4yqrtOeKu69JL75DA2rBdG9HEVxrfUZYXnjo-dpQD-9RUDz4W0Hkfhp0oHQpoE/w320-h135/eth+header.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />Just checked to see if #photosynthesis is trending on Instagram. 170K posts <i>total</i>. Popular #photosynthesis posts include a female. There's evidence that females, especially young females, are pressured to look and act certain ways to get attention. <p></p><p>Competition for attention is at the heart of a massive debate now. Apparently social media company's profits increase as people spend more time on their platforms. Pundits and lawmakers are falling over themselves to provide clever soundbites of more earth shattering revelations.</p><p>Social media companies feed off of this circus. Will adolescent females living on a beach ever forego a skincare session for weeding a vegetable garden? Everyone has the power to shape their brand. How we shape the soundscape and landscape is a lifestyle decision. </p><p>One or two people at Google control what happens with Wildwood posts. Decentralizing decision making power starts with the writer though. Blockchain technology offers an alternative to centralized decision making processes. There decisions are based on merit not stature. Communities are already coalescing around blockchain powered concepts. People are building trust and consensus using technology.</p><p>Humans have the power to tell the computers what to do. The internet needs a nursery type environment to get it to a mature place. Just like parenting, there is no manual for building the internet.</p><p>There are manuals for growing plants. Perhaps, a decentralized organization is the best way to share insights about plants. Go ahead and chuckle as Wildwood wades into the metaverse. It's a wild place.</p><p>WILDWOOD.ETH</p>Joseph Montehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105124125181667159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1654191239090456426.post-32774386367719914472021-05-17T18:18:00.001-07:002021-05-17T18:18:40.310-07:00Censoring Plants<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9PGUd5k8IkvnyjeKHKS64VRlSEL7EeoYi_hj7f6pWmH9ryU7Rn6MEfczaktlVB3UKIqRnlWEqESLYY80V0r1VH3qHVWHcmsAviXh6TWCo12-xEAP7A7_n0rlH6qWmINKOSr0ZMQG40Kh8/s1920/censorship.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1282" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9PGUd5k8IkvnyjeKHKS64VRlSEL7EeoYi_hj7f6pWmH9ryU7Rn6MEfczaktlVB3UKIqRnlWEqESLYY80V0r1VH3qHVWHcmsAviXh6TWCo12-xEAP7A7_n0rlH6qWmINKOSr0ZMQG40Kh8/s320/censorship.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />What do Donald J Trump Junior and Wildwood have in common?<p></p><p>A social media company 'took down' their posts for violating guidelines.</p><p>It is ok to write about pouring pesticides on plants, pouring fertilizer on plants, forcing plants to bloom out of season, buying plants that were trucked in from hundreds of miles away, and modifying genetic structures of plants. </p><p>But vaccinating plants - no.</p><p>Horticulture insiders love to refer to their industry as the green industry. Just because we grow plants doesn't mean we're sustainable. Intentional or not, greenwashing affects all industries.</p><p>An open honest dialogue about the state of affairs is superior to sanitizing discourse with AI. While it is tempting to bury ones head in ones plants, listening and engaging with other organisms that depend on plants is beneficial. Perhaps, start with fellow gardeners and widen your circle. </p>Joseph Montehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105124125181667159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1654191239090456426.post-27832322707755967382021-03-06T15:54:00.001-08:002021-05-17T18:00:38.092-07:00Vaccinating Plants<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF6CwYTVo193DnVhW5If6aMkQtpxIZ0dZrWmSziiP6VYY7Co99O4iuhYEXQC9ZmzTSPQFTAN4NsRhdXX6uDjv_nvBgo97Bpidm7zkJvvfprIfmAEmsMdobo14Lu0M520N9ywLxQvWPEPyV/s540/biodynamic_gardening.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="205" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF6CwYTVo193DnVhW5If6aMkQtpxIZ0dZrWmSziiP6VYY7Co99O4iuhYEXQC9ZmzTSPQFTAN4NsRhdXX6uDjv_nvBgo97Bpidm7zkJvvfprIfmAEmsMdobo14Lu0M520N9ywLxQvWPEPyV/s320/biodynamic_gardening.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Are anti-vaxers organic purists? Another subject...<p></p><p>For millenia, humans grew food without synthetic additives. Then progress arrived in the 1950's. So now gardeners have a boat load of products - from Morton's Salt to Roundup - to use on their plants. Never mind, the klaidescope of hybridized flora on the market. </p><p>Starting simple with gentle products is a safe approach to trialing new methods. Resisting the temptation to speed up nature is always smart. Seasons move at their own pace. Usually they are simultaneously too slow and too fast for a gardeners liking.</p><p>Products that jolt a plant are best reserved for fancy greenhouse raised plants. BTW 'greenhouse-raised' should be mandatory reporting on labels! Asking for the history of a plant is always smart.</p><p>Find nature's rhythm and play along.</p>Joseph Montehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105124125181667159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1654191239090456426.post-89126750630784752972021-01-31T09:14:00.002-08:002021-03-06T15:25:23.590-08:00Public vs. Private Plants<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iKGgpamTPpo" width="320" youtube-src-id="iKGgpamTPpo"></iframe></div><br />The default setting for plants is opting in to sharing private data. Pollinators are the gatekeepers of hybridization. <p></p><p>Public parks are the zones where humans have the same access to nature as the rest of the region's fauna. Conservationists selectively choose these landscapes to protect for public viewing. Influencers perpetuate the aura of public landscapes with glamour articles and dreamy photos. </p><p>Plant lovers consume these stories and flock to public landscapes in search of their own dreamscape.</p><p>What we find is a personal perspective, made possible by many plants that came before us.</p>Joseph Montehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105124125181667159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1654191239090456426.post-56112245875426447942021-01-10T19:16:00.000-08:002021-01-10T19:16:09.868-08:00What is Wildwood?<p> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgovLfQ7lK9g-Y_xu5DUzAzxNzhqwVPHKXdsqpOaVkHoBI0VJzIc6xaDGVjzlD-_Z6skEO5wPBMT3J793Q6CPxxOmSdMsAKvhVs5O6j2visT8titqzooCAUw2BEt-xnLTTL5Cuc5G7sSVga/s2995/AD1F9ED4-60BA-4A36-A3FA-12AE26CBD00D.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2995" data-original-width="2246" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgovLfQ7lK9g-Y_xu5DUzAzxNzhqwVPHKXdsqpOaVkHoBI0VJzIc6xaDGVjzlD-_Z6skEO5wPBMT3J793Q6CPxxOmSdMsAKvhVs5O6j2visT8titqzooCAUw2BEt-xnLTTL5Cuc5G7sSVga/s320/AD1F9ED4-60BA-4A36-A3FA-12AE26CBD00D.jpeg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">500 year old bonsai at Huntington</td></tr></tbody></table><br />For 45 years, people visited and loved the nursery. Huge century old oaks, twisting pathways lined with maples and treasures around every corner. Wildwood was heaven for curious gardeners.</p><p>The transition to a purely digital Wildwood in 2021 offers new realms of gardening exploration.</p><p>Technology allows 'visits' before we set foot in a garden and provides new mediums to communicate concepts. Plants will always be the guideposts for the journey.</p><p>Wildwood was founded by Ricardo, whose parents opened a nursery in the 1930's. Think of all that has happened in the gardening world in the past 90 years.</p>Joseph Montehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105124125181667159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1654191239090456426.post-52050709215975038862020-12-06T15:32:00.002-08:002020-12-06T15:32:50.787-08:00How is a tree supposed to grow?<p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0EA_2mtka42TKXLwhGlj5mliY8iPerreDxc0NAk3TVP3XKDG22OpESYlOIbm7PEehY1EMXsZWeKZlzBD9vefiXa2tofpQpIDBTpSZHoThCSgP9MhuaEI2JwG14NMeyI5YhSzBLObBL2Mg/s2048/Bay+Tree+Bonsai.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0EA_2mtka42TKXLwhGlj5mliY8iPerreDxc0NAk3TVP3XKDG22OpESYlOIbm7PEehY1EMXsZWeKZlzBD9vefiXa2tofpQpIDBTpSZHoThCSgP9MhuaEI2JwG14NMeyI5YhSzBLObBL2Mg/s320/Bay+Tree+Bonsai.jpeg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Windswept Bay Tree on Mt. Tam</td></tr></tbody></table><br />This is a top question that people ask about their trees. They want to know what a healthy tree looks like, how long it takes to grow to maturity and the best conditions for their tree.</p><p>Based on the photo to the left, there is no set in stone answer. The tree will reflect the will of the gardener. In some cases, the gardener [bird] dropped a seed on a rock and never spent an ounce of energy caring for it. In other cases, the gardener [human] carefully amends the soil and diligently monitors the moisture level of the soil.</p><p>Both approaches can produce stunning results. Nature never ceases to amaze us and is endless source of inspiration. Smart gardeners make small adjustments to nature over time to create man made masterpieces. </p>Joseph Montehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105124125181667159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1654191239090456426.post-39500378043745408422020-10-24T11:30:00.000-07:002020-10-24T11:30:42.838-07:00Gardening for Fun & Gardening for Work<p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaDxJqP6TD2u9N9gSjpZwGhMsAxOkiyxgUwxsHaUv5DQY5YW_bJjU4gBQ4bLckAw_U9R01XUIbe5Nu7vynScsi-DfgtdMC0sn0g76AEr2E1k2d27Ope7epz9ofd22zMdjdVVPUF0JPLvfD/s2048/Clement+Nursery.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaDxJqP6TD2u9N9gSjpZwGhMsAxOkiyxgUwxsHaUv5DQY5YW_bJjU4gBQ4bLckAw_U9R01XUIbe5Nu7vynScsi-DfgtdMC0sn0g76AEr2E1k2d27Ope7epz9ofd22zMdjdVVPUF0JPLvfD/s320/Clement+Nursery.jpeg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clement Nursery: inspiring small spaces</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Many office workers are adjusting to doing more work in their backyards. Stepping outside to take a call is no longer a casual affair.</p><p>Comfort, electricity, and internet strength in the backyard garden are suddenly top of mind. Reduced commute time and separation from work/ home life are other contributing factors in outdoor design. </p><p>Old landscape layouts and old habits can still constrain how people visualize garden design. Collaborating and sourcing ideas for garden designs are evolving as people reach different stages in their gardening journey. </p><p>Visiting [outdoor] garden stores and speaking with [outdoor] professionals can provide a fresh perspective on the age old task of gardening. </p>Joseph Montehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105124125181667159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1654191239090456426.post-65347338035336550182020-09-26T09:07:00.000-07:002020-09-26T09:07:18.521-07:00Relocating Plants<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal">Whether you’re moving plants cross country or from the front
to back yard here are 8 tips:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibVr4bsoCs3JEU1YERZx1DBUmMzbR-9KrkR1NyGaDd_JB8p6oa1VNiYoXzZgNSHfmNTHVcgsobRX0ZPKZO_J2RnlAwtf_VYDoOXvvJo94fyJum8yLxaYASipzQVFtZxJXKLRRPrGMAc1Rt/s2048/Backpack+Plant+I.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibVr4bsoCs3JEU1YERZx1DBUmMzbR-9KrkR1NyGaDd_JB8p6oa1VNiYoXzZgNSHfmNTHVcgsobRX0ZPKZO_J2RnlAwtf_VYDoOXvvJo94fyJum8yLxaYASipzQVFtZxJXKLRRPrGMAc1Rt/s320/Backpack+Plant+I.JPG" /></a></div><br />§<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span>Rare plants merit special status. Preserve diversity.<o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Start fresh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Purchase common plants at a local garden center when you arrive. Shock
from digging and moving is tough on a plant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Sentimental plants help anchor a garden.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The extra care you spend on them will carry
over to other plants.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span><!--[endif]-->Bring your fertilizer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Proven combinations will jump start a new
garden. Plus, they’re resource intensive to manufacture.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Ignore the old design.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Decades of unimaginative gardening bores the
wildlife.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Invite friends and new neighbors over for
advice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’ve been gardening in the
neighborhood longer.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Remember the basics. Plan how to get regular
water to everything.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span></span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Stay upbeat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Always plan for the next spring.<o:p></o:p></p>Joseph Montehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105124125181667159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1654191239090456426.post-86444846044368430582020-08-17T19:42:00.005-07:002022-02-19T20:26:04.431-08:001975 - 2020<p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl6liSFcX3X-E7NdCGAFzhruLAMbsQafGQzBuQQ2r7v3s-rI-ALZArACcf9zW_VoawzDK0YkL10OZk1IWew4OFNsXOoGwNT9MMg1_-xCK7XtOw8JGxJKCoiQF8Ov9A8aJAK4aW6wGp_oMu/s2048/Root+Doctors+1.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1532" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl6liSFcX3X-E7NdCGAFzhruLAMbsQafGQzBuQQ2r7v3s-rI-ALZArACcf9zW_VoawzDK0YkL10OZk1IWew4OFNsXOoGwNT9MMg1_-xCK7XtOw8JGxJKCoiQF8Ov9A8aJAK4aW6wGp_oMu/w320-h240/Root+Doctors+1.jpg" title="Random photo from back when" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Random photo from back when</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Nature can be beautiful and generous. At its height, Wildwood Nursery reached gardeners from coast to coast. Plants from Wildwood are growing in gardens across the United States. They're bringing smiles to lots of faces. Employees from Wildwood have gone on to launch their own small businesses and careers with publicly traded companies.</p><p>Ricardo Monte introduced several rare trees into the gardening world and received recognition in many leading publications. Ironically, the Wildwood approach was anything but textbook. When customers learned how Ric cared for plants, they were usually surprised! Gardeners from all walks of life appreciated the lessons and inspiration from visits to Wildwood. </p><p>It's hard to sum up 45 years in business. If you have a plant from Wildwood [or even a plant] keep the spirit of Wildwood alive!</p>Joseph Montehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105124125181667159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1654191239090456426.post-14317823175800381422020-05-13T07:32:00.005-07:002020-09-18T14:41:25.980-07:00The Bright View<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4k709WS09I4w76N1Tv1AOGwrGOAnk2EAfAnjmRV3SIuoMOXcZBeq0TaOUbgH_MaHrxqYnh_K8nsUPvMVDz9HMjLO-WgmVN51xHDUksYAV6ET-jQnkZdBz_Zg5IAi5jjUgiEKI253WlKN2/s512/512px-Rosemary_bush.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="341" data-original-width="512" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4k709WS09I4w76N1Tv1AOGwrGOAnk2EAfAnjmRV3SIuoMOXcZBeq0TaOUbgH_MaHrxqYnh_K8nsUPvMVDz9HMjLO-WgmVN51xHDUksYAV6ET-jQnkZdBz_Zg5IAi5jjUgiEKI253WlKN2/w400-h266/512px-Rosemary_bush.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Last week, a lady left a voicemail asking if we prune rosemary bushes. The short answer is rarely. It's usually not cost effective for the client [or us] to prune two rosemary.</div>
<br />
The lady left her name and address at the end. She lives up on Adobe Canyon Road. Three years ago we cleared 100' of defensible space around her home while leaving a few majestic manzanitas.<br />
<br />
That saved her home from both fires.<br />
<br />
So we'll go up and prune the rosemary. This visit won't be that profitable but the idea of worthwhile is different these days. As you know, everything else burned up there so she doesn't exactly have the best quarantine view. The two rosemary might be her only 'garden'. <br />
<br />
Stay safe. When possible try to brighten someone else's view. Real or virtual, views are all we have these days.Joseph Montehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05936870498181239667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1654191239090456426.post-88482328019032804212020-04-23T08:48:00.003-07:002020-09-18T14:42:37.283-07:00Photoshop The View<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVG6x23TxpMQ2M_Dlmpbj5JDOOepL9PGa25jrDYukZz9enuWey-l76ojw_zZjnPsoZRDOWA0CE9jtThP2fz1inewg_VfZnQGWso6fOMhLE9B-9_GW3ASrhfl0WZ2SXqDYbVsQrf40Oxu1t/s1600/PavilionVineyard4.21.20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1143" data-original-width="1600" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVG6x23TxpMQ2M_Dlmpbj5JDOOepL9PGa25jrDYukZz9enuWey-l76ojw_zZjnPsoZRDOWA0CE9jtThP2fz1inewg_VfZnQGWso6fOMhLE9B-9_GW3ASrhfl0WZ2SXqDYbVsQrf40Oxu1t/w400-h285/PavilionVineyard4.21.20.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">6 photos in 1</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="background-color: white; color: #323232; font-size: 10pt;">Are you spending more time
looking at your garden these days? Do you want to improve the view?</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #323232; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Wildwood Nursery now offers virtual consultations. </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #323232; font-size: 13.3333px;">Visualize changes without picking up a shovel.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #323232; font-size: 10pt;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #323232; font-size: 10pt;">Adding a new
centerpiece, changing a backdrop and moving pathways has never been
easier.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #323232; font-size: 10pt;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #323232; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Staff at Wildwood have decades
of experience trialing and growing plants. Let us quickly assess variables in your garden like sun/shade, growth rates, root
structure, flowering seasons, compatibility, and plant hardiness. From there, Photoshop can project a complex change in a
simple 2D image.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #323232; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Skip ‘designs’ that use
colored circles and dashed lines.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A quick Photoshop refresh could add years and new wrinkles to your plant palette.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Joseph Montehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05936870498181239667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1654191239090456426.post-73215545532628883532020-03-17T17:50:00.002-07:002020-09-18T14:44:03.059-07:00Plant Spacing<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV_zWnY-5QFrsDgQrE0jTs8xaD77Ga4HiA4D-zm7vQx6rARU3JM5gLid8t002eCq98KILhE9tJolFo9IHNPhT1Wzaxru8cweVlPsLYLnXI4X2de3rw6LlRJ0O2Fv68xCA8f8MZJiJfoVlk/s640/Littlefield_Garden_Trees.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV_zWnY-5QFrsDgQrE0jTs8xaD77Ga4HiA4D-zm7vQx6rARU3JM5gLid8t002eCq98KILhE9tJolFo9IHNPhT1Wzaxru8cweVlPsLYLnXI4X2de3rw6LlRJ0O2Fv68xCA8f8MZJiJfoVlk/w400-h268/Littlefield_Garden_Trees.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>We are in constant contact with nature monitoring conditions on the ground during this raging global pandemic.</div>
<br />
Please maintain 3.14159 feet between all your trees. With certain trees, like redwoods and magnolias, it may be necessary to maintain 19.8 feet between trees. Large trees have extensive root systems and can lift up foundations, walkways and sidewalks. A middle ground, of say 5 feet, is adequate for fences where the tree is able to grow up and over an obstacle.<br />
<br />
Smaller trees like dogwoods and maples can be be grouped in odd numbers. Please limit groupings of these trees to a forest or smaller. In a formal or linear grouping, even pairs are ok. It may be necessary to provide ongoing care for pairs of trees so they maintain a uniform shape.<br />
<br />
NOTE: Shipments of bulbs from affected areas like China or Italy can be moved out of quarantine warehouses and opened in your garden. Take a few of the bulbs to an edible schoolyard near you. Kindergarteners will return from break to perform tests. They are trained to move the bulbs to random locations and see how the ecosystem responds. There is limited cause for concern at this point and no need to divert resources from USDA facilities studying the effects of roundup.<br />
<br />
Due to the fluid nature of evolution we will have an update for you April 1 2120. In the meantime, hug a tree.Joseph Montehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05936870498181239667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1654191239090456426.post-23342744312499087582020-03-05T08:08:00.000-08:002020-03-05T08:08:45.286-08:00Changes in the ValleyAfter more than 30 years, <a href="http://www.quarryhillbg.org/">Quarryhill Botanic Garden</a> has a new executive director.<br />
<br />
The name Scot Medbury may be unfamiliar, but you may recognize some of his past accomplishments. The <a href="https://cof140.org/7/">Conservatory of Flowers</a> in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park underwent a major restoration 20 years ago. Mr. Medbury spearheaded the fundraising effort to create that budget. Soon after, he accepted an offer to become president of the <a href="https://www.bbg.org/news/bidding_farewell_to_scot_medbury">Brooklyn Botanic Garden</a>. Everything, from the visitor center to the gardens, saw a Medbury improvement.<br />
<br />
Now, he is at the helm of Quarryhill and there is a sense of anticipation in the valley. The announcement alone nine months ago created quite a buzz. People who had not seen him in 15 years stopped into the nursery to say they were excited about his return. If you're a curious plant person, a visit to Quarryhill might be worthwhile. Remember, members of botanic gardens get 10% off plant purchases at <a href="http://www.wildwoodmaples.com/">Wildwood</a>.Joseph Montehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05936870498181239667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1654191239090456426.post-64200757100464574162020-02-19T13:42:00.000-08:002020-02-19T13:42:05.931-08:00Garden ImprovSo you had a plan. Then the gophers showed up. Or the mercury hit 70 in February.<br />
<br />
Sticking to a rigid plan with gardening can be dangerous. Historical data is informative but should never drown out what we see and hear in a garden. Looking for cues from plants is the best way to proceed with gardening tasks.<br />
<br />
Make it rain. Or turn on your irrigation system for half a day to simulate a rainstorm. Antsy to start your frost tender plants now? What will you do if there's a cold snap in April?<br />
<br />
Gardening is one of the few professions where experts often try to eliminate change [see hedges in Webster]. Course-correcting nature requires constant adjustments because nature constantly changes. <br />
<br />
Improvising will produce its share of comedic moments. Hopefully some unexpected and beautiful ones as well.<br />
<br />
<br />Joseph Montehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105124125181667159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1654191239090456426.post-54613307636860124702020-02-02T11:02:00.000-08:002020-02-02T11:02:25.103-08:00Powering Through 2020<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Plants rely on the sun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>People rely on PG&E.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People should
be smarter.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thankfully there are groups like Silicon Valley Clean Energy
& Powerhouse that are building a healthier more resilient energy ecosystem.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gridshift Hackathon was part of that effort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Teams presented apps that display billing
data intuitively and take the guesswork out of saving energy/money.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In layman’s terms, pricing signals are as antiquated as PGE’s
grid infrastructure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Intelligent use of
computing power and smart devices would reduce spikes in demand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Storing power in the growing fleet of electric
vehicles could capture renewable [solar] energy as it is created. Note: a battery
in a Tesla Model 3 could power a dryer [the most power thirsty residential appliance]
for 20 cycles.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Supporting <a href="http://www.sonomacleanpower.org/">Sonoma Valley Clean Power</a> and paying more
attention to how you use power is the best way to create a safe and smart energy
system.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Joseph Montehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105124125181667159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1654191239090456426.post-71560539671668576182020-01-09T13:32:00.003-08:002020-09-18T14:45:06.547-07:00Dreaming of Tropical Trees<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSlLmXeIQG5ySj8rtG25Sx5tGQ13J74St8VP9o_5ibiq9fbeTscGlwkxi82JwEPVpodp-nNYwVz2ZhHtLgkYQUZODISm72Z_wIqx8vHQ4RUq0X8HqPS9wuIBl71Cl6T2F5UIEGk8KPLMd8/s1600/croton-colorful.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="227" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSlLmXeIQG5ySj8rtG25Sx5tGQ13J74St8VP9o_5ibiq9fbeTscGlwkxi82JwEPVpodp-nNYwVz2ZhHtLgkYQUZODISm72Z_wIqx8vHQ4RUq0X8HqPS9wuIBl71Cl6T2F5UIEGk8KPLMd8/w303-h400/croton-colorful.jpg" width="303" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Croton: real or a dream?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
When the bright holiday lights fade and spring still seems years away, visions of palm fronds swaying in the warm tropical breeze enter our minds.<br />
<br />
Jacaranda is an example of a tropical tree at the edge of its natural range here in Northern California. Perhaps best suited as a multi-trunk tree, the fern like foliage softens the overall effect of a wide canopy. The most striking characteristic of the tree is the purple blue flower that appears in summer. True blue is a very rare color in the landscape and Jacaranda comes very close.<br />
<br />
Crotons are over-the-top displays of color that squeal at the slightest temperature drop. In their native habitat of Asia, they form oversized bushes that could be confused as trees if they stood alone. The magenta and yellow leaves are the land equivalent of tropical fish. The best we can do in the SF Bay Area is grow them indoors.<br />
<br />
Your garden will forgive you if the weeds start to pop up while you're dreaming of a tropical escape.<br />
<br />
<br />Joseph Montehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105124125181667159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1654191239090456426.post-58917397487934064582019-12-23T10:23:00.003-08:002020-09-18T14:48:56.074-07:00Salesforce Park & The High Line: a study in redevelopment<p><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The High
Line Railway in New York City was a true diamond in the rough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Its redevelopment galvanized a larger
movement in cities to reclaim underutilized infrastructure and reimagine them
as public space.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This ‘High Line Network’
includes projects throughout the US.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately,
Salesforce Park is not on the list.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5iyRqplUVEk4OMiWaMaQJQVNEjcobEunGM-2zBB6WiuQkNP9DGNAl3BKPdKy6mFUeKlzLV-TB4_YYmV3L-OXeZ7FRJ7IFSJ3bDYBywHvb9Xa6waKuI7G6Gsc0mHz5Iy6kOGjPOmY_j5ZP/s1600/Ned+Kahn.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5iyRqplUVEk4OMiWaMaQJQVNEjcobEunGM-2zBB6WiuQkNP9DGNAl3BKPdKy6mFUeKlzLV-TB4_YYmV3L-OXeZ7FRJ7IFSJ3bDYBywHvb9Xa6waKuI7G6Gsc0mHz5Iy6kOGjPOmY_j5ZP/w240-h320/Ned+Kahn.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ned Kahn's dormant water feature</td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">At its core,
the Salesforce Park is a reimagining of the top of an old transit center.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Designers saw an opportunity to transform a
turnstile for buses into a lush green oasis in the heart of SF.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With lofty ambitions comes high expectations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Examining how people interact with the space will
ultimately tell the story of the park.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Nothing is
more important to using a park, then getting to it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Salesforce Park has two main elevators at
either end, two main escalators, and a gondola.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>No stairs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stairs level the
playing field for everyone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People can pause
on stairs, meet on stairs, go at their own pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The High Line has wide stairways that accommodate
the thousands of people that visit it every year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At Salesforce Park, machines throttle the
flow of people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One rarely hears “let’s
get in the elevator” and “let’s go to the park” in the same sentence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Machines are great for security and keeping
out the homeless but bad for access.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In the name
of art, a 1,000 ft water sculpture lines one edge of Salesforce Park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The designers built a 5’ deep bed for drought
tolerant plants alongside the fountain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They <i>shield</i> the plants from view [and excess water] with 5’ tall
plexiglass panels.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Moms encourage their
kids to stay <i>out</i> of the fountain zone so they don’t get wet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s 10,000 square feet of space where
space is at a premium.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">There is
more to the park than the fountain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lots
of no mow, low water grass with signs to stay off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lots of domes – a la the California Academy
of Sciences – where people are off limits. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The planting is similar to museum exhibits; groupings
of plants with master signs and big railings to keep viewers back.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Salesforce Park
feels like a museum that opened a long time ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like a place that has the Hope Diamond on
display, with security cameras, people queuing up to get in, and VIP receptions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Except New York has the real crown jewel of
raised parks.</span><br /></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Access is hot
topic for green spaces and redevelopment in general.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ideally, all walks of life are encouraged to use
parks and enjoy nature equally.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To that
end, The Friends of The High Line operates the NYC park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The name just sounds happy and fluffy, like a
wagging Newfoundland. Sure, Friends of The High Line has received its share of criticism
about park programming.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s New York
and that’s healthy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Biederman Redevelopment
Ventures operates Salesforce Park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They transformed New York's Bryant Park into a safe vibrant place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> T</span>hey’re organizing a whole host of free
activities in the park. Let’s see how they do.</span></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />Joseph Montehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105124125181667159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1654191239090456426.post-27965047012036713692019-12-09T14:18:00.002-08:002020-09-18T14:49:38.916-07:00A 2019 Highlight
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6RmaAejGl_zx1lecIJYIxRFUxgAIzNmjRn6rzXT77P6386mFoIpIl-4cn_3w3flEWXe7Y1kZfU7xqLHc66LYNuEACHSJ4U_IUegdfND9cbooC7TUn6Vnww8-qWfG6oFomUOndIF4kgQvj/s1600/IMG_1532.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6RmaAejGl_zx1lecIJYIxRFUxgAIzNmjRn6rzXT77P6386mFoIpIl-4cn_3w3flEWXe7Y1kZfU7xqLHc66LYNuEACHSJ4U_IUegdfND9cbooC7TUn6Vnww8-qWfG6oFomUOndIF4kgQvj/w400-h300/IMG_1532.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Our Spring
collaboration with <a href="http://www.karlthestore.com/">Karl The Store</a> in Sausalito was a big undertaking for
Wildwood.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The
opportunity to design indoor and outdoor spaces with a midcentury modern flair
was a huge draw.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Moving from the wide
open vistas in Sonoma to a small store footprint was an exercise in curating a
plant palette.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We brought the Wildwood philosophy
to Sausalito – showcasing rare and unusual plants that love California.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">People
responded. We heard “this reminds me of LA” and “you should open in France”
more than once! Everyone loved the bonsai collection.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Look
for us on the Champs-Elysees next year;)</span><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">We left with
so many insights.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The warmer climate expanded
possibilities for plant combinations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Table top displays are great conversation starters with beginning
gardeners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pedestrians appreciate the
detail in sidewalk curb appeal versus our ‘loud’ display for drivers at highway
speeds on Route 12.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Keep pushing
your gardening boundaries in 2020!</span><br />
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Joseph Montehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105124125181667159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1654191239090456426.post-18649460810209618362019-11-30T14:08:00.000-08:002019-11-30T14:08:08.589-08:00Gardening With Evergreen Content
<br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A long time
ago [relative to the speed of tech], marketing professionals coined the phrase ‘evergreen
content’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They say the inspiration for
the phrase comes from evergreen plants “which retain their leaves over the
seasons”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Content refers to the language
and story in the marketing material.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Ironically, writing about evergreens might not be evergreen content.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Evergreens are most popular in the
winter when everything else looks dead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Of course, in the context of a formal garden, they would be evergreen
content because evergreen hedges anchor the design throughout the year.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In a garden
design with nuance, evergreens can be a complimentary backdrop, or foil, to splashy
spring and summer color.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A row of bright
burgundy<span style="color: #000120;"><u> </u><a href="https://wildwoodmaples.com/flowering-plants.php">Fringe Flowers</a></span> are a great contrast to yellow daylilies or orange dahlias.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Glossy green Sasanqua Camellias compliment
<a href="https://wildwoodmaples.com/upright.php">Coral Bark Maples</a> and other lime green foliage.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
Are your evergreens relevant all year<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">?</span><br />
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Joseph Montehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105124125181667159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1654191239090456426.post-82453097223439392942019-11-11T09:29:00.000-08:002019-11-14T08:48:21.543-08:00Gardening TeamworkWhat do you get when a lawyer, world traveler, plantsman, and surf photographer walk into a garden? A fountain. No joke. Here's how it unfolds.<br />
<br />
During our 4th Annual Garden Party, a husband [lawyer] and wife [world traveler] stated their goal of planning a garden next to their new barn. They liked using plants from <a href="http://www.wildwoodmaples.com/">Wildwood</a> within the limitations of zero shade and heavy deer traffic. Before they started planting, they wanted to build a fountain. Did we have any ideas?<br />
<br />
I suggested two local statuary stores. In my mind, the word fountain conjures up images of tall, formal, tiered, classic water features. They frowned, mumbled and the wife asked about something a little more in tune with a California aesthetic. I asked for an example and the husband pointed out a stone water feature we have at Wildwood. Visual examples are an important part of establishing a concept.<br />
<br />
The Wildwood water feature gets its name from the 300lb centerpiece. I harvested this rock from the fields around the nursery and drilled a 5/8" hole in the center. Jon [the surf photographer] stretched out a pond liner and we lowered the rock onto blocks. Jon used more blocks to create a triangular wall, filled it with water, and plugged in a pump that spills water over the sides of the centerpiece. The level of the rock is such that half the rock is wet and half is dry. The Yin Yang Fountain. Trust a surf photographer to know water.<br />
<br />
This story motivated the lawyer to get on his tractor and harvest rocks from his hillside. I visited the property for a rock consultation. Of course, they wanted a bigger fountain than the Ying Yang Fountain. They wanted to drill vertically through 36" rocks to create a taller spillover effect. That would be easy for Rio Tinto to do at one of their mines but not in a backyard. The lawyer suggested sandwiching a pipe between two matching rocks to create an illusion.<br />
<br />
However, rocks don't match. If you find two twin rocks, buy a lottery ticket. The final centerpiece is the result of lots of cutting and underwater blocking. There are actually five rocks that make up a six foot wide and four foot tall centerpiece. Water plants complete the disguise.<br />
<br />
The wife decided an irregular shaped exterior wall would look better than a formal square or oval. Containing water is tricky because it looks for weak spots. Framing and fortifying an organic edge requires the flexibility of cinder blocks and bender board to hold concrete. The surf photographer created a half oval, concave teardrop shaped wall that is pure genius.<br />
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The world traveler found a reddish brown thin flagstone that matches the rock from their property. The flagstone cap is the only flat linear surface on the entire fountain. It simultaneously frames the centerpiece and the dry stack rock wall while paralleling the water level.<br />
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The fountain could stand on its own with no embellishment. Plants are the feather in the cap for the whole project. A tall thin papyrus, wide leafed Tropicanna Canna, and low grasses break up some of the 'weight' of all the stone. They play nicely with the plants that are outside the fountain.<br />
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Teamwork is like gardening. It's not what plants one decides to grow. It is the combination of plants that creates a garden. A lawyer, world traveler, surf photographer, and plantsman make a pretty cool combination.<br />
<br />
<br />Joseph Montehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105124125181667159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1654191239090456426.post-51455237633660477512019-10-21T13:33:00.002-07:002020-09-18T14:50:14.203-07:00When Power's Out, Get Out[side]<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKMq1Uy5gxvk1CN6EIrDYlaZt0ljjGmtqoaF5I3yqRkRFJZANHMD7DJJvHChAzVU6wtEXkNs3l_ZR3s40GnVRQTEswHGkiYt9HvB8gSUIuULYJvLJmSHz0WCnRSSZowQXgCK6K6NFeMWfH/s1600/Fall+II.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKMq1Uy5gxvk1CN6EIrDYlaZt0ljjGmtqoaF5I3yqRkRFJZANHMD7DJJvHChAzVU6wtEXkNs3l_ZR3s40GnVRQTEswHGkiYt9HvB8gSUIuULYJvLJmSHz0WCnRSSZowQXgCK6K6NFeMWfH/w400-h266/Fall+II.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
What do you do on a beautiful fall day in Sonoma when there's a light breeze and temps are in the high 70s?<br />
<br />
If you're PG&E, you turn off the power.<br />
<br />
If you're a gardener, you go outside. <br />
<br />
Plants love this time of year. The soil's still warm and the sun is less intense so a little irrigation does wonders. Puttering around and tending to your plants is very relaxing. Maybe you'll make a plan for some changes in 2020!Joseph Montehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105124125181667159noreply@blogger.com0