Get the whole family involved in holiday cards this year! While posing for a family photo does have a certain caché, making your own ow botanical greeting cards with pressed flowers is a fun way to spend some time together this season, without the drama of matching sweaters. (You can always include a photo if you want!)

If you live in a place where things are still green, go on a walk with the whole crew and source materials from your own garden or local park (just make sure you’re allowed to take it). If you’re somewhere without much in the way of live vegetation, try picking up a few stems from your local florist, or snipping a few springs from your indoor herb garden. (We like using rosemary, as it not only looks appropriately icicle-like, it also smells amazing and seasonal.)

We used the Armhino Herb Press to create the materials for our cards and used traditional snowflake shapes as inspiration for our patterns.

Materials

• herb press
• flowers or leaves, ideally foraged from a park or garden
• card stock (we love using [easyazon_link identifier=”B00NFUSUVI” locale=”US” tag=”gardcoll03-20″]seed paper[/easyazon_link] as a biodegradable option!)
• glue

Directions

• Leave the flowers and leaves in the press for at least 24 hours.
• Using glue, decorate the cards or seed paper.
• Infuse with love and spread holiday cheer!

The post How To Make Holiday Cards with Pressed Flowers appeared first on Garden Collage Magazine.

Just in time for the holiday season, Phaidon has released a sumptuous and comprehensive survey that celebrates the beauty and appeal of flowers throughout art, history, and culture. Flower: Exploring the World in Bloom takes readers on a journey across continents and cultures to discover the endless ways artists and designers throughout history, from ancient Egypt to today, have depicted flowers and floral motifs.

Following in the footsteps of Phaidon’s international bestseller Plant: Exploring the Botanical World (2015), this captivating survey is a collection of more than 300 spectacular images of flowers depicted in art, history, science, and culture. Curated by an international panel of experts on the subject, including art historians, botanists, floral designers, and museum curators, the book opens with an introduction by Anna Pavord, author of the international bestseller The Tulip and renowned garden writer for The Independent.

The images in Flower span a wide variety of styles and media featuring both renowned and lesser-known works. These range from still-life paintings and photographs to botanical illustrations, herbaria, and sculptures as well as floral arrangements, film stills, and fashion and jewelry pieces. Entries span across the creative arts including drawn, painted, and photographed subjects as well as those sculpted from sugar, cut from paper, embroidered, or blown from glass.

The latest title in  Phaidon’s  Explorer series, Flower is organized as a visually stunning sequence with images, regardless of period, thoughtfully paired to allow interesting and revealing juxtapositions between them. Large-format reproductions are accompanied by a short and accessible text on the work. At the back of the book, a reference section features a glossary of select flowers and their meanings, written by florist and floral advocate Shane Connolly, alongside an illustrated timeline and selected biographies.

Whether depicted by the ancient Romans in stone mosaics, filmed in Technicolor, or digitally rendered with the latest cutting-edge technology, the beauty, symbolism, and presence of flowers in our everyday lives has been an enduring focus for artists globally and will continue to inspire for years to come. Flower is really the perfect book for all those interested in this beloved subject and how the grace and charm of blooms transcend garden walls to a vast scope of creative mediums.

The post Phaidon takes us on a journey to explore the World in Bloom appeared first on Garden Collage Magazine.

At the same time, about a third of all food is wasted.

Studies have determined that the energy needed to cultivate, process, pack and bring food to the table accounts for around 26% of the European Union’s energy consumption in 2013, with similar numbers in the US and around the world. This has called for a need for a more sustainable, earth-friendly way to manufacture food: an organic, eco-conscious food system that takes care of the environment and the people alike.

Initiatives are already reaping significant success. Between 2012 and 2017, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations engaged farmers, governments, retailers, consumers and people at every stage of the food system to raise awareness of the issue and create a dialogue on sustainable production and consumption.

Organizations such as the Stone Barns Center are working tirelessly to address the main problems of unsustainable farming practices, food manufacture, and food consumption. Driven by the motto to create a healthy and sustainable food system that benefits all, they provide educational resources, training, workshops and launch various initiatives to invest in resilient, regenerative farming.

One of the greatest issues behind the unsustainable food system is the prioritization of profits over people. The current food system doesn’t pay farmers living wages, all while putting their lives and health at risk with practices that degrade and pollute the environment. Stone Barns Center aims to address all these problems by advocating for viable and just incomes for farmers and everyone involved in the food system while maintaining food prices affordable to ensure everyone has access to nutritious, quality food.

The organization is already making a difference via various initiatives. The Growing Farmers Initiative targets the human aspect of the food system, supporting farmers with training, workshop and the necessary resources to help beginning farmers succeed. At the same time, the Food Ed initiative aims to educate the public about the issues of the food system, how these affect our planet, our health, our lives and everything in between, and the ways we can tackle the problems, moving to a more sustainable way of consuming and producing food. The industry is slowly but certainly moving towards a more sustainable, planet-friendly food manufacturing but is there a solution in sight? A growing body of evidence suggests the answer lies in agroecology: a paradigm that takes a systems approach to the food system, taking into account all of its aspects – including production, distribution, and consumption. Specialists believe that agroecology has the potential to double food production while alleviating rural poverty and diminishing the effects of climate change. Are we there yet? Not entirely but thanks to the efforts of organizations like Stone Barns Center, and their family-oriented education system, we are slowly working towards a more balanced food system that benefits everyone.

The post How do we make the food system more sustainable? The Stone Barns Center is paving the way. appeared first on Garden Collage Magazine.

Neonicotinoids are among the most widely used class of pesticides in the world, and are known to be a potent neurotoxin. Though they are considered more of a harm to insects (rather than vertebrates) in the short-term, the effects of chronic exposure have not been extensively studied. A few projects have tied some neonicotinoids to development and neurological concerns, as well as inflammation of the liver and central nervous system, but there have been no attempts to curtail use. Some of the most incriminating evidence against neonicotinoids is their speculated role in declining pollinator populations; other research has also accused neonicotinoids of harming non-target species in aquatic ecosystems.

As evidenced by the harmful consequences for ecosystems and environment, part of the problem with neonicotinoids is their prevalence (they are especially common in surface waters), and their persistence in the environment. According to the USGS study, “at least one neonicotinoid compound was detected in 63% of the 48 streams measured.”

Moreover, as the USGS study demonstrated, treatment systems do not have the means of effectively removing neonicotinoids from water. The USGS reported “conventional water treatment results in no measurable removal” of two specific types of neonicotinoids.

While the USGS study was limited to the area surrounding the University of Iowa, the scientists noted that neonicotinoids were “likely present in other drinking water systems across the United States,” due to their widespread use. The researchers also cautioned that their XX did not even produce the full picture; one type of neonicotinoids has been show to react with chlorine and “may undergo at least partial transformation during chlorination”– meaning the neonicotinoids may, during water treatment, be transformed into other toxic compounds, or may produce toxic byproducts.

Fortunately, the researchers did have good news to buffer their alarming results. Their study measured the efficacy of granular activated carbon (GAC) and found it “rapidly and nearly completely removed all three neonicotinoids” they were studying. The presence of  pesticides is mostly a concern in highly agricultural areas, like the Midwest, and the scientists recommended investing in GAC filtration in those areas, as GAC is far more economical than reverse osmosis or advanced oxidation processes filtration systems.

Concerned for your own home? Check out Minnesota Department of Health’s guide to at-home GAC filtration.

Looking for more ways to cut down on harsh chemicals in the home and garden? Check out our all-natural lavender sage cleaner or bee-friendly pesticides.

The post Pesticides in Water Are More Widespread Than You Think appeared first on Garden Collage Magazine.

Handcrafted luxury brands like Elizabeth Suzann and Alabama Chanin are making modern clothing by hand again, while Instagram accounts like Thea Coleman and Two of Wands have made DIY #knitting cooler than ever.

Enter into this environment Jimmy Beans Wool, a one-stop shop for knitters who offer beautiful Shibui skeins made with recycled silk, fine merino wool, and cashmere.

Offered in a wide variety of freshly picked, earthy colors, the company’s offerings of tweedy lace-weight yarn are complex, tonal, and unique– perfect for color work, lace, and a variety of garment making applications. It’s also super soft, which is a key attribute when it comes to preparing for sweater weather and the Fall harvest.

The company’s Shibui Knits Bouquets (shown in the banner above and the image below) are the latest incarnation of this sumptuous tweed bundle, which adds a plush feel and rich depth of color to any fabric.

We also love the wholesomeness of purchasing fresh bundles of yarn from a trusted retailer– especially one who makes an effort to incorporate recycled materials. (As of this writing, 85% of textile waste goes straight to landfills when much of the fabric and material could be recycled.)

For beginner and experiences knitters, we recommend ordering your first Jimmy Beans Wool products in a variety of colors in order to experiment with the look and feel of the resultant fabrics. The colors are rich without being in-your-face, while the textures have a beautiful tactile appeal– the slight variation in individual skeins makes each product feel special. What more could you want?

To order your own set of yarn bouquets, visit Jimmy Beans Wool online.

* This post was sponsored by Jimmy Beans Wool. The opinions are completely based on the product experience of our editors. For more information, visit our Terms and Conditions.

The post We Love This Freshly Picked, Partially Recycled Yarn appeared first on Garden Collage Magazine.

Below, we highlight some of our favorite botanical artists of the moment, with examples of the beautiful cards they make.

Janelle Sing (For Bespoke Monograms)

Janelle Sing’s materia medica of letters makes us wistful about the bygone era when monograms were de rigueur. We love the delicate line weight that Sing articulates on her bespoke cards, which are ideal for weddings and events. Moreover, we also think they’re wothy of framing in their own right (perhaps as a letter on the wall in a child’s bedroom). Increasingly in this era of tech, people want cards that feel unique and handmade, and the artist’s gentle hand and her relaxed sense of composition impart this exact feeling of sentimentality. Lovely.

The Mint Gardener (For Haute Watercoloring)

Sarah Simon, aka The Mint Gardener, favors dark, moody tones in her romantically saturated watercolor cards, which are among our favorites in the genre. Her eye for detail and precise renderings of some of our favorite flowers. The regal poppy, the humble artichoke, make her perfect for art lovers and plant lovers alike. We adore the density and drape of her bouquets and the rich hues she uses to shade her foliage. Each plant is like a baroque version of the real thing.

Rifle Paper Co (For Affordability)

Rifle Paper Co. offers a variety of custom greeting cards, stationery, calendars, prints, wallpaper, and notepads. You name it. But their standard Botanical Stationary Set is a good staple for those looking for a reliable floral greeting card without too much pretense. They offer a seemingly infinite number of greeting cards for every occasion, and florals are a key motif. Pair any one of them with Rifle’s Egg Art Print and you’ve got the perfect matching gift.

Helen Kleores (For Hi-Res Australian Favorites)

Melbourne-based Botanical Designer Helen Kleores knows a thing or two about beautiful floral specimens that feel quintessentially Australian. Bright-orange banksia, bottle brush, red waratah, flowering gum, and ferns are just a few of the many plant subjects she photographs and transforms into chic, minimalist cards. Her White Nature collection includes flowers and flora of every season and color, always photographed on a smart, clean background. Great for greetings and decoration.

Vincent Jeannerot (For Old World Elegance)

Vincent Jeannerot is a famed peintre aquarelliste membre de la Société Française d’Illustration Botanique— one of the most prestigious botanical art societies in the world. Based in Lyon, France, his refined and realistic depictions of onions, peonies, ferns, and other garden staples reminisce of leather-bound textbooks and turn-of-the-century ethnobotanical drawings. Behold beautiful color grading and a keen eye for depth, texture, and light. As a true botanical artist, Jeannerot also teaches the craft of botanical illustration and painting at various workshops around the world.

Catherine Lewis (For Gorgeous Saturation and a Handmade Feel)

Catherine Lewis‘ “Houseplant Collection” and “Species Collection” cards prove that there’s always beauty in simplicity. We love her Monstera Heart ‘Love You’ and her house plant patterns. Her gentle depiction of light on every leaf in her designs makes each card feel special and handmade. The cards, in turn, make lovely gifts for housewarmings and heartfelt Thank You’s. Her intricate illustrations have been translated onto pillows, wrapping paper, iPhone cases, and the like. Get ’em while you can!

Hackney & Co (For The #PlantFolk in Your Life)

Katy Hackney’s penchant for simplicity and detail makes her hand-illustrated watercolors a joy to behold. Even more for those of us who love botanical illustrations and all of their styled minimalism. Hackney & Co‘s Orkney botanical cards are little recordings of the natural elements found around Hackney’s studio in the Orkney Isles, an archipelago off the northeastern coast of Scotland. Some specimens include Marsh Mallow (Althaea officinalis), White Nettle (Lamium album), Comfrey (Symphytum officinale), Eyebright (Euphrasia officinalis), and Wild Garlic (Allium ursinum). All of them are lovely keepsakes, especially for those who have traveled around Scotland.

On the back of each card in the botanical series, Hackney also includes detailed information about each plant, including where it grows, practical applications, and any folklore surrounding the plant. What’s not to love?

Sonia Cavallini (For Pretty Patterns)

Sonia Cavallini‘s patterns remind us of the whimsical wallpaper of our youth, or at least an imagined wallpaper from the 1950’s that wouldn’t feel out of place on a Prada scarf. We love the simple hues that the Lyon-based artist tends to favor, and the fact that her cards’ shiny surfaces bear the unmistakable stain of watercolor. Those looking for a more refined message will appreciate her “Je t’aime” postcards, while her “Girl Power!” cards are a nice way to say hello to someone in need of a pep talk.

Lou Baker Smith (For Wanderlust and Color Harmony)

Lou Baker Smith‘s images have an inimitable wistful quality that we can’t get enough of. The moments of what we’ll call “slow living” that she captures so eloquently in her scenery. A pot of geraniums, a vase of ranunculi, and a lemon on a cutting board remind us of the subtle moments in our own travels. Like smelling fresh produce at a local market, or treating oneself to a bouquet, ideally foraged from some sort of Edenic oasis in the Cyclades. We also love the delicate color palettes of Smith’s cards and the ways in which they are layered to create texture while maximizing emotional impact. So lovely!

The post The Best and Most Beautiful Botanical Stationary appeared first on Garden Collage Magazine.

This year’s event featured the expected suite of beautiful roses– adorning the entrance in lovely hanging vessels, festooned to the columns in the spillover cocktail room, and curated together in perfect orbs set atop each table setting. New York Botanical Garden’s first female president, Carrie Rebora Barratt (who came to the organization from the Metropolitan Museum of Art last March) gave the opening statements about horticulturalist and self-identified “plant geek” Marjorie Rosen, who has offered the garden immense leadership and inspiration in her 22 years of sterling service.

The evening’s guests included Ariana Rockefeller, who wore a lovely theme-appropriate rose patterned dress and rose colored heels while exploring the rose garden named after her grandmother.

Other notable guests included Jason Amis, Vera Aryeh, Carrie Rebora Barratt, John Bernstein, Edgar Bronfman Jr., Richard and Maureen Chilton, Barclay Collins, Diana Davenport, Todd Forrest, Charlotte Frieze, Bob Gossett, Jill Joyce, and many others.

Despite a rain shower earlier in the day, many of the guests were able to get out and enjoy the eponymous rose garden before dinner and dancing began– a garden with nearly 700 varieties of roses that continue to thrive in the only surviving New York City garden designed by eminent landscape architect Beatrix Farrand, who did so in 1916.

Renowned as one of the most beautiful rose gardens in America, the Rockefeller Rose Garden has become one of the most sustainable public gardens in the world– and with event’s like the Rose Garden, it continues to welcome support from the enthusiastic community who continue to ensure that it will prosper.

The post NYBG’s Annual Rose Garden Dinner is Once Again a Lovely Affair appeared first on Garden Collage Magazine.

But regardless of this longstanding debate, what about method of delivery? If much of the debate surrounding supplements has to do with bioavailability, shouldn’t more companies be emphasizing the innovations that can help boost absorption?

LivOn Labs‘ liposomal supplements aim to do just that; the company provides a range of dietary supplements like Vitamin C, B Complex, and Glutathione that are delivered using liposomal encapsulation technology, which maximizes bioavailability through their trademark smart lyposomal nano-spheres.

Sold in single-serve packets whose contents are more efficiently absorbed than pills or powders, LivOn’s liquid supplements are also easier on the digestive system and more comfortable and affordable than IV injections.

The packets are meant to be taken 1 or 2 times per day in 1 to 3 oz of liquid, ideally on an empty stomach to maximize absorption. (After 15 minutes, food can be introduced.)

“Lypo-Spheric” products use lyposomes made from phospholipids, which the company notes is “the same material that makes up your cells.” These phospholipids encapsulate the nutrient being supplemented to protect it through the digestive process, which serves the twin purpose of maximizing absorption and satisfying the body’s need for phospholipids.

The company offers a variety of nutrients in their lyposomal supplements, which are all non-GMO, sugar free, gluten free, and 100% vegan. Their glutathione supplement is great for protecting cells from the onslaught of damage caused by free radicals, promoting optimum cellular health, and supporting a health immune system– but we love it most for its capacity to restore our energy levels.

The Lypo-Spheric Vitamin C (which is unsurprisingly a best seller) boosts immunity and supports healthy skin, joints, and muscles– and we love how portable it is, as the small packets are perfect for flights and other on-the-go moments when the body needs Vitamin C the most. (A feature in the New York Times that called this product “the hot new neutraceutical on the block” points out that Lypo-Spheric Vitamin C “is almost as good as a C drip.”)

LivOn’s B Complex Plus, meanwhile, delivers safe and natural energy support that helps the body burn fuel more efficiently. There’s no added sugar and no caffeine– and B vitamins also help support healthy blood sugar levels in those already within the normal range.

Ultimately, the effectiveness and much of the messaging surrounding it comes down to the patented technology that delivers the vitamin– rather than a discuss of the vitamins themselves (though they are obviously a big part of the equation). With innovations in the method of delivery advancing beyond the realm of pressed pills and powders, we might begin to image a future where people who hate taking pills can still take supplements if they want to– and when they do, their bodies will make it count.

To order your own set of lyposomal supplements, visit LivOn Labs.

* This post was sponsored by LivOn Labs. The opinions are completely based on the product experience of our editors. For more information, visit our Terms and Conditions.

The post When it Comes to Supplements, The Method of Delivery Matters appeared first on Garden Collage Magazine.

In an attempt to unify these twin obsessions, Patchology, a U.S.-based skincare company, has emerged as a popular choice among millennials, as many of the brand’s all-natural ingredients are sourced from Korea.

Two of Patchology’s products– the Restoring Night Eye Gels and Lip Service Gloss-to-Balm Treatment— caught our editors’ attention for their capacity to deliver Eastern-inspired ingredients that can be delivered at the pace of an American lifestyle– which is to say, quickly.

In an article written for American Spa, Kristin Vukovic explains:

“In April, the company launched a SmartMud No-Mess Mud Masque infused with the detoxifying benefits of volcanic mud, sourced from Jeju, a South Korean island. ‘Our innovation was to put mineral-rich volcanic mud right into a sheet mask, so the mud is easy to apply, comfortable to wear for 10 minutes, and virtually mess-free to remove,'” CEO Chris Hobson told Vukovic at the time.

“‘You get all the benefits of mud, but without the mess.’ Last spring, Patchology launched its FlashMasque sheet masks featuring HydraSurge5, which delivers hydration in five minutes versus 15– a perfect adaptation for the impatient American consumer. The innovative mask material virtually disappears when applied to the skin, and the shape and serum levels are customized for the U.S. market.”

Lip Service is a lip balm and treatment that nourishes, conditions, and protects lips’ delicate skin with a physical barrier and an antioxidant-rich barrier. Goji fruit extract (lycium barbarum) is a powerful anti-aging antioxidant that slows cellular degeneration. The gloss has a nice shine and fresh, almost minty tingle (so you know its working).

The Restoring Night Eye Gels— known as “flashpatches”– contain arnica extract, peptides, retinol, and evergreen bark extract to counteract dark circles and wrinkles– beautifying, synergistic ingredients that we love because they can be worn so many different ways: under the eyes during makeup application, over the eyes to counteract upper eyelid puff, over makeup for a mid-day refresh, or even skinny-side-in to target crows feet specifically. (They are the consummate multitasking treatment that can be worn for extended periods, when you have the time, for a deeper treatment.)

Patchology recommends each of these styles of wear with cute, sassy names: The Dollface; The Scarecrow; The Minotaur, etc.

It’s one of the many reasons we like the brand: Patchology is keyed into the trendy, millennial-friendly branding that is necessary to secure a following in the natural beauty world of 2018. The packaging is on point, as is the branding, but most of all, the ingredients are forged from plants that consumers already recognize for their health benefits. What’s not to love?

Can’t get enough beauty? Read our articles on the best all natural toners, moisturizers, and sunscreens. 

The post Evergreen Bark and Goji Go Glam in Patchology’s Latest Offerings appeared first on Garden Collage Magazine.

Lily Diamond of the lovely Kale & Caramel blog has a new book out that celebrates farm fresh ingredients like herbs and flowers, and the many ways they can be used in the context of dining and beauty. While the idea of farm-to-table eating has been popular for years, few foodies in the space have managed to eloquent relay the multiplicity of uses that many of the world’s most popular herbs and flowers can provide– lavender and rose, for example, can both be used to make skin-softening beauty treatments, but they also add finesse and intrigue to desserts.

Why not combine both ideas into a single, easy-to-reference book?

With the publication of Kale & Caramel, a collection of 80 vegan and vegetarian recipes for sweet and savory foods, Diamond accomplishes just that.

Each chapter of the new book celebrates a single aromatic herb or flower and organizes it’s uses into recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert… and plant-based infusions, face and body masks, exfoliation, and moisturizers. (Think: lavender oat milk baths, blackberry basil healing masks, brightening citrus scrubs, and the like. Ingredients you can pronounce, in combinations that nourish the body, mind, and spirit.)

With beautiful photos and easy-to-follow instructions, the book is must for anyone looking to (literally and metaphorically) get back to the roots of eating well and prioritizing self-care– without too much fuss or time expenditure.

We love Diamond’s recipe for Fig & Honeyed Thyme Ricotta Galette (above) just as much as we love her recipe for the endearingly-named two ingredient “Night Night Oil” (captured in the gallery below), which is so simple and satisfying to make that you’ll never spend money on expensive aromatherapy oils again.

Check out more images from inside the book, below.

Kale & Caramel is available for purchase now. To get your copy of the book, go here.

The post Kale & Caramel Highlights Beautiful, Practical Uses for Herbs and Flowers appeared first on Garden Collage Magazine.