Spring Projects and Inspiration + Tentative Upcoming Events

Jan Kirsh Studio | 410.745.5252 | jankirshstudio@gmail.com www.jankirshstudio.com

Spring is here! Remain calm and find tranquility in Nature.

Greetings!

It's not a surprise to any of us on the east coast, Spring has arrived. Winter didn't provide much of a frozen blast this year, so our gardens have 'slipped into gear' earlier than normal and we are keeping the landscaping momentum going, regardless of the evolving virus news.

Now, more than ever, the respite that nature provides is welcome, a true counter-balance to our shared anxiety and stresses.

What better time to head into the garden? Walk in the woods. Take a breath. Do whatever it takes to stay calm and keep going. I am being cheered on by new art opportunities, glorious colorful blossoms, and will cherish the feel of warming soil as I head into the garden.

The native 'woodsy' garden

The two landscape projects that kept my design eye busy this winter are becoming reality. The next phase is layout. I have sited trees in the wooded property, using multiple colored flag and tagging ribbon combinations to designate tree selections and locations.

Underway next was creating the naturalistic design concept for planting beds around the house. It's important to choose deer resistant native plants that will prosper in the semi-shaded forest.

It's a wonderful, artful challenge to imagine how the gardens will look when both newly planted and full grown, while taking into consideration the desire to have visual treats in every season.

Oak Leaf Hydrangea

White Fringe Tree

Rudbeckia submentosa 'Little Henry' (Dwarf Sweet Coneflower)

Cornus mas (Cornelian Cherry Dogwood)

Sporobolus heterelepsis (Prairie Dropseed)

Fothergilla

Kermit's Privacy Hedgerow

The hedgerow has been designed and the 'bed' has been drawn using spray paint with the scale drawing as a guide.

Soil prep happens next. This link speaks about prepping for vegetables, but the same principles apply to bed preparation for landscaping, too.

https://www.almanac.com/content/preparing-soil-planting soil prep

This step has always been key, but now with weather extremes, adding soil conditioner and organic material is super important.

We add compost, ground pine bark and soil conditioner to help plant roots thrive. Happy, healthy roots make for good growth and beautiful, resilient plants.

As the climate changes and we contend with weather extremes, we are preparing beds ever more thoughtfully.

Bed prep right before digging in!

Kermit the Dog

Tools of the Trade

Symposium @ Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden

Richmond, VA

I drove south for a few hours in February to attend the symposium at LGBG. There was discussion of natives, pollinators and the new realities in our gardens. "Times, they are a changin" and garden professionals are leading the way, optimistically planting wildlife-friendly gardens in order to return the much needed balance in our landscapes.

Camellia

Witchhazel 'Helena'

Reminiscent of Giverny

Tropical Staghorn Fern

Agave

Camellia

So many colorful, exquisite Orchid varieties!

The Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden has been voted America's #4 public garden by USA Today. Much like many other public establishments during this time, unfortunately, LGBG has been forced to close until March 31 at the earliest.

Still, worth planning a trip later in the season!

LEWIS GINTER BOTANICAL GARDEN

'Women Sculptors Bringing Balance with Humor'

Art on Pennsylvania Avenue - Washington, D.C.

Thanks to gallerist and artist Margery Goldberg of The Zenith Gallery for planning a sculpture show featuring select pieces of my fruit and vegetable sculpture along with the sculpture of

Barbara Kobylinska and Cindy Winnick.

Margery's engaging concept partners the work of three women sculptors to help balance the recent "hard to imagine" news with whimsy, warmth and humor.

This new exhibit's mission is to return laughter & smiles to the Capital City.

We are optimistically planning to install the show and look forward to sharing our work with visitors as life returns to a more even balance.

'Women Sculptors Bringing Balance with Humor'

Show dates to be announced soon

Monday - Friday: 8am - 7pm

Saturday: 8am - 4pm ( enter on 12th St NW -please knock & guard will let you in)

Eleven Eleven Sculpture Space

Hosted by Zenith Gallery

1111 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20004

ZENITH GALLERY

11 ELEVEN GALLERY

'The Art of the Garden'

A month long exhibit (closer to home) is scheduled to open at

The Trippe Gallery in Easton, MD.

The Art of the Garden: Floral and Botanical Oil and Watercolor paintings by Meg Walsh, Jill Basham, Lynn Mehta, Kathie Odom, Lee D'Zmura, Stephen Haynes, David Plumb and my fruit and vegetable sculpture.

Nanny Trippe's annual celebration of all things garden will include a selection of my sculpture, plus the first collection of 3D printed 'sculpture as jewelry' will be on display during the opening!

The Trippe Gallery

23 N. Harrison Street

Easton, MD 21601

First Friday - We'll update as the date grows closer

Tentatively May 1st, 5 - 8pm