Give the gift of health, knowledge & nutrition this Holiday when you donate a Woolly School Garden. Just in time for Spring planting, your Woolly School Garden will arrive at the chosen school donated on your behalf, or in the name of someone of your choice. The donor’s name will be listed on the Woolly School Garden website, on your chosen school’s unique page.

Give your niece, nephew, grandchild, son or daughter a gift that will impact the rest of their lives!

Or take ‘team-building’ to the next level by having a day outside of the office & giving back to the community by helping out your local school!

The gift of a complete Woolly School Garden & nutrition curriculum is $1000. Smaller contributions can be made in any amount & are appreciated just as much! If you’d like more info, or to customize something, contact Becky: becky@woollyschoolgarden.org

Thank you for helping our schools grow!

Woolly Yours,
Becky + Aurora

Christmas trees are great, there’s no denying that. But every year in America millions of trees are cut down for the Holidays. This year, we’re asking you to consider a new tradition by using a living tree, not just a real one, a tree that is alive & potted! What we call – Pocketed!

Living trees can be reused for years to come. They’ll look great in your home over the Holidays & will also help ease levels of CO2 . When you’re finished for the Season, either re-plant your beloved tree into the ground, or plant it in your Brian, Lana, Tina or Steve to give it a wonderful home. Living trees can be purchased by local growers & even some in-the-know nurseries and garden centers! If you don’t know where to plant your tree after the Holidays are over, consider donating it to your community school or local tree adoption/urban reforestation services.

Alternatively, consider companies like the LA based Living Christmas Tree Co. that will rent you a potted 2 – 7ft tree & pick it up after the Holidays – all in a biodiesel truck!

So, don’t cut your tree short – consider making it a long-term member of your Family & the Planet!

Send photos of your Pocketed trees to info@woollypocket.com for the chance to win the Pocket of your choice!

Stay Woolly,

Aurora

The Theodore Payne Foundation is well known for their efforts to promote the understanding and preservation of California native flora. Their newsletters are always full of great information and exciting events. I’ve only been there a few times, but they were unforgettable experiences. If you’re in the area, stop by their center to find amazing native plants for sale. Their latest newsletter had the most amazing story about a spider that I just had to share it with you all.

Words and Photo by Lisa Novick

Friend of Theodore Payne,

Green Lynx spiders are one of the few arachnids that display maternal care. For the hour that I watched her last Friday morning, this mama Green Lynx spider spent her time defending her spiderlings from ants. Perched at the top of my Fuyu persimmon tree, Mama patiently waited until an ant made a move on one of her babies, then picked up the ant and dropped it from the tree. Then, when one of her spiderlings started to drop away from the nest, Mama reached down and lifted the baby back into the protection of the web. This mama’s abdomen looks withered, and that is probably because this mama is not long for this world. The Green Lynx spider is an annual univoltine species, meaning that the species lives only one year and has only one brood or generation per year. After a reproductive season during the summer, oviposition of anywhere from 25 to 600 eggs in the autumn, and hatching and dispersal of juveniles by ballooning in winter, the juveniles grow to maturity during the spring, passing through four to ten instars before the cycle repeats. Mama even opens the egg case to help her young emerge — how sweet!

Lisa also adds:

90% of all insect species can eat only plants that are native to their region.  Insects are the basis of the food chain because they convert leaf matter to protein.  Most non-domesticated land animals depend upon insects in some way for their survival.  So, California native plants not only save water, they save wildlife as well.

The caterpillars of most butterflies and moths can eat only a few species of native plants.  Without native plants, most butterflies and moths go extinct.  This would be terrible because butterflies and moths are pollinators AND because caterpillars are the main food (think soft, squishy pure protein) of baby birds.  Everything is connected:  Without caterpillars, our bird populations crash.  And we would have so much less beauty in the world.

Thanks so much Lisa for letting us share you story with our readers and for all the amazing work Theodore Payne is doing to preserve native flora!

Theodore Payne Foundation for Wild Flowers & Native Plants, Inc.
10459 Tuxford Street, Sun Valley CA 91352
818/768-1802
Like Theodore Payne on Facebook
www.theodorepayne.org

Artists, philanthropists, gallerists, collectors, and entertainment world notables gathered at the Hammer Museum’s eighth annual Gala in the Garden on October 9, 2010. The Gala, which raised over $1 million for the Hammer’s renowned exhibitions and public programs, was held in the Museum’s elegant outdoor courtyard and honored artist Charles Ray and author, chef, and food activist Alice Waters. The event was co-chaired by Viveca Paulin-Ferrell and Will Ferrell and featured tribute speeches by artist Jeff Wall for Ray and actress Jane Fonda for Waters. A “living wall” of plants, designed by Woolly Pockets, was featured as a backdrop to the presentation stage –a nod to Water’s commitment to sustainability – and helped create the rich and textured elements of the overall decor.

We are proud to show off such a spectacular living wall (2 Wally Ones), designed by woolly customer, Brian Chapman. We are impressed! The plant selection and arrangement couldn’t be more stunning. For someone who claims to not have the greenest of thumbs, we think he just revealed a hidden talent!

Brian also posed an excellent install question about planting Wally’s.

“Normally when you first plant something you water it heavily, so what’s the recommendation for the Wally’s given that they’re inside and can only hold so much water?”

When planting Wally’s indoors we recommend soaking the plants in a large bucket of water before planting (still in their containers). Fully submerge them until there aren’t any more air bubbles, and then set them inside an empty bucket (on an inverted can) or in an empty sink until all the water drains out. This way the plants are nice and moist before planting them, and they’ll be less likely to shock during the transplanting process.

After filling your mounted pocket with soil (about half way), remove the pots and plant the moist plants in their new home, with their root ball towards the back of the pocket directly touching the ‘tongue’. When all your plants are in, gently pack soil around the roots to eliminate any air pockets, especially in the corners and under the straps. For complete step-by-step guide, click on the video below to watch our youtube video of how to install a Wally!

I was personally very intrigued by the hanging branches he installed above the pockets and Brian was so kind to fill me in. They are Algue, made by Vitra. It is pretty cool stuff- they’re all individual, modular pieces that you basically put together however you like. People have done some very creative designs with it! Click HERE to view. Brian used little eye hooks and fishing line to help shape it.

A job well done! If you have a woolly wall that you would like to share, please email photos to info (AT) woollypocket.com and we would love to feature it!

We’re thrilled to feature international garden designer Diana Harari as this month’s Woolly Design Star! Diana splits her time (and projects) between Mexico City and NYC. For this woolly project, she solves a very common urban (and suburban) landscape problem – what to plant outside a picture window that has no view? Her answer, a beautiful living tapestry of shade-loving plants endemic to Mexico, happily growing in a Woolly Wall.

Name: Diana Harari
Company Name: Dos Arquitectura Construccion
Website: http://dianaharari.carbonmade.com/
Blog: http://diangerous.blogspot.com
Location and Areas Served: Mexico City and New York City

1. What services do you offer?

Anything related to architecture, urban design and environmental design.

2. How did you get into landscape design?
I studied my masters in Urban Environmental Systems and realized how important the open space is in the big cities as New York and Mexico. We are surrounded by pavement and buildings so the vegetation is important and necessary.

3. What’s your design philosophy?
Anything that is natural will be nice and comfortable. I don’t know what exactly is my philosophy but I know that capricious architecture is not.

Before

After

4. What are some of your favorite plants for Woolly Pockets?
I know the names in Spanish… But basically the ones that hang like ivy.  I used endemic plants as well because they need less water and are more comfortable in their own land. Here are the names of the plants used in the installation:

1. Hiedra sueca – Lamiaceae plectranthus verticillatus
2. Hiedra azul – Hedera helix
3. Velo de novia – Gipsofila
4. Millonaria – Plectranthus australis
5. Telefono – Scindapsus aureus
6. Pasto liston – Chlorophytum comosum
7. Peluca
8. Cola de borrego – Sedum ‘Morganianum’
9. Acopa
10. Alamo
11. Coleus – Solenostemon scutellarioides

All the plants are for shadow and endemic to Mexico.

5. Is this your first installation using Woolly Pocket?
Yes

6. What was the client’s initial response to installing a living wall? And the end result?
My client was looking to do a living wall so I offered this system because is faster, cheaper and better for the plants than other living wall systems.

7. What was your experience working with Woolly Pocket?
It was an easy process. The people from Woolly Pocket answered all my questions. The website is very helpful too, like the videos.

8. What do you see as the greatest benefit of using Woolly Pockets?
Its nice, fast, easy and a great environment for the plants.

9. How are living walls & vertical gardening changing landscape design?
In big cities where there is not enough horizontal space we need to have vertical vegetation in order breath and keep our environment clean. I see the future full of vegetation growing vertically, even for agriculture.

10. How/where are you planning to use Woolly Pockets next?
I cant wait to have them everywhere, I think they automatically make a space look nicer. I would love to have them in buildings facades.

We can’t wait to see Diana’s next Woolly Project!

In this past weekend’s New York Times Magazine, a photograph was published that caught our eye. With Jamie Durie smiling in his backyard japanese soaking tub, you may not have noticed the tapestry of plants hanging behind him. I know, I know, it’s hard to focus on anything else, but indeed there is a Woolly Pocket Living Wall right there! We’ve added arrows to show what we’re talking about:

Stay Woolly!

Jay Longtin is the owner of Envy, a cozy and inviting nursery in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle, Washington. He is well known and loved for his passionate love of plants, especially rare and exotic houseplants. If you ever find yourself in Seattle, definitely stop by Envy and you’ll feel like you’re “walking into someone’s really cool apartment loft– plants arranged like furniture! of all kinds, all interesting-looking, squiggly, bulbous, branchy, bonzai, interesting intelligent shapes I always see at cool people’s houses who have cool plants.“

Hi Jay! Thanks for taking time to speak with us! So when did your store open? How long have you been selling Pockets?
Our store originally opened in July of 2008.  We were in a space 1/2 the size of our current space.  We’ve been in this new location since July of 2009.  We’ve been selling pockets for a year now.

Who is your favorite Pocket? Why?
I have a feeling my favorite pocket is going to be the chandelier, but as of now I’d have to say the indoor hanging walls.  I love them because they can go pretty much anywhere and they create such a dramatic focal point/addition to the room!

Who is your customers favorite Pocket?
My customers are primarily buying the outdoor Wally 1-5′s.  I’ve done a few installations on customers patios/balconies and they just love them!

Do you have an in-store Pocket installation?
I do have an in-store pocket installation, pictures included.

How do you think gardening has affected you?
Gardening is an artistic release for me.  It calms me a bit when this world gets too crazy.  Although, in my yard it sometimes consumes me!  But overall, gardening is a joy.  The pockets are great because they let me be even more artistic than I thought possible when it comes to creating vertical garden art.

Do you think plants & gardening can impact children? How so?
I do think plants and gardening can impact children.  I think it’s important for our youth to understand where and how food can grow.  I also think it’s important for them to see the beauty in all plants because plants create the world that we live in.  Having an understanding for plants and a relationship with them will help keep our world green!

What is your favorite color of Woolly Pocket?
My favorite color pocket.  While I think that brown or black is the most practical for most uses, I love the blue.  It’s bright and really commands attention!  I also think the camel hair is just a beautiful, soothing color that makes most plants feel very soft and comfortable.

If you could create ANY color for our next Pocket, what would it be?
If I could come up with the next color, I personally would love to see a terracotta color.  It would be very rustic and any plants would look fantastic in them!

If you could design any Pocket, what would it look like? What would it do? What would you name it?
If I could design a pocket… just off the top of my head, maybe some kind of 3 tier meadow would be really cool.  Almost like a pyramid.  There would be some kind of stand up the middle that mounts to the base (largest planter) and then a smaller one above that, followed by 1 more above that.  They would be spaced so that when they are all planted you would not be able to see the pole/mounting support up the center.  And I suppose I would call it the Pyramids.

How do you think Pockets can change the World?
How can pockets change the world – I think pockets can make planting really exciting for people.  The colors, the different options for size and design, the ability to use it for home gardening, the educational benefits for our youth… I think people can get excited about these!  It’s a great product, and it takes gardening to a whole new place.  I think we’ll be seeing many many more bright, vertical living walls given the ease and design of the Woolly Pockets.

Envy is located in Seattle, Washington.

1546 15th Ave.

Seattle, WA 98122

(206)-588-2498

Visit them online at envygrows.com, on Facebook or Twitter!

Look what the amazing kids of Tomoka Elementary School sent us! They’re so happy to have a Woolly School Garden. Does your school have one? Get it here:

www.woollyschoolgarden.org

Hey Woollies! Ever wonder where all our crazy ideas get turned into reality? The Woolly Laboratory of course!

Our Woolly Mad Scientists: Ben Redgrave & Jason Adams of Alumina Design

Nestled in a quite neighborhood near the LA River is where the Woolly scientists create, develop and test all of our wondrous woolly inventions.  Most recently at the Woolly Lab, the Woolly Bar has been brought to life!  The Woolly Bar simply put, displays Wally’s in action!

On one side you have shelves stocked full of pockets along with a neat framed poster showcasing different pocket installations that gets your mind flourishing with options.

On the other side is an intriguing living wall where you get the live experience of planted Wally’s. It’s designed to make the light bulb in your head turn on and keep the possibilities glowing! This crafty apparatus is also easy-to-assemble and eco-friendly.

The Woolly Bar is very “woolly” in terms of sustainability, as it is made from reclaimed raw cypress wood salvaged from the swamps of North Carolina. The wood is coated with Poly Soy instead of noxious lacquer and does not contain any harmful VOCs (volitale organic compounds). Poly soy is both environmentally friendly and non-toxic, you can even eat off of it safely! The framework that holds the shelves in place is even made from 100% post consumer aluminum cans, thus making the entire Woolly Bar 100% sustainable, just like the pockets that are displayed inside it!

The Woolly Bar can be found in garden & home retailers across the US that stock Woolly Pockets. Just email info@WoollyPocket.com for more information about the Woolly Bar and where to find the closest one near you!

2nd & 3rd images ©suthi picotte