I read an article that struck a chord recently, which said that architects should get real about these green skyscrapers that we see drawn so often, that in fact few trees can withstand the strong wind that accompanies elevation. It made me think that citrus are probably just not suited to an exposed balcony either. I have a Tahitian lime (above), a Eureka lemon (below), a kumquat (bottom), and a Kaffir lime. Really only the kumquat does well, and the Kaffir lime does very poorly. Kaffir limes always grew easily…
Read MoreCategory: The Balconies
Who are we?
I was deeply impressed recently by a film clip from the late 19th century. It was part of a program on the development of the new technology of electricity generation in New York city. A ‘war of currents’ had developed between Edison, who was heavily invested in direct current, and Tesla, who wanted to introduce the radical new alternating current. Edison wanted to make AC unpopular by portraying it as dangerous, and so he staged public electrocution of various animals. The clip shown was of an elephant, shackled, being electrocuted…
Read MoreConcentric reflections
Here’s a photo that added interest to a midwinter evening. I had got caught in unexpected rain on my way home from the gym, but was glad to see this pattern in the plane trees on the way home. It demonstrates some aspect of physics that only concentric surfaces reflect light back to an observer. Pretty though.
Read MorePlanning a balcony
The style you choose for your garden will influence not just the plants and pots you use, but also the function of the space. A Japanese style might be too densely planted to allow a large dining table and barbecue, but would be perfect if you need a quiet space to relax. For an urban garden you may want something that will work like an outdoor room, and it’s useful to think of the plants as items of furniture. That means not getting confused by the endless variety of plants…
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