Flowers a bloomin' at Garden Variety

The Scotch Broom flowered yesterday, and the garden smells AMAZING. I kept catching a strong aroma, and looked around for the fancy lady wearing too much perfume. It really made me happy to discover the amazing odor was coming from our new garden!

We also just noticed the first flowers blooming on the empress trees in the courtyard. We are looking forward to one of our favorite days of the year, when all the blooms fall and the yard is covered in purple flowers....pure heaven.

And thank you to Frosty who has put in countless man hours on the yard. His most recent completed project are the enormous planters repurposed from Jimmy Luxury's original creation.

Garden Variety Loves Mid-Century Furniture!

The Garden Variety family has their hands in many pots! Besides being mom and dad our precious little Sadie Ann Spiker....

Frosty moonlights as a DJ....

And Heidi's speciality is Mid-Century and Danish Teak Furniture. What the heck is that you may ask? Just check out her blog and stop by the next warehouse sale in Fishtown, and you will be hooked!

http://www.midcenturyfurniturewarehouse.com/

We put the Garden Variety yard work aside today and assembled furniture for this weekends sale! Check the blog for deets.

Portland Food Cart Revolution Inspiration

We continued to be impressed and inspired with the food cart culture thriving in Portland Oregon. We love this idea of progressive land use - via open air food cart market - as a way provide interim uses for vacant lots.

Here is a link to a cool report that discusses some concepts that are completely in line with our mission at Garden Variety to creatively activate underused spaces.

Portland Food Carts: Catering to the Pedestrian

Planting Day

Thanks you to Emily and Adam for overseeing the landscape design strategy for the first spring at Garden Variety. Our April 23rd planting day had amazing volunteers: Mary Beth, Nikki Hill, and Clarie Wadsworth represented for the GV fam. It was a great day that felt like the beginning of something very special! Thank you so much!

We're online!

Welcome to the online home base for all things Garden Variety. This project will begin with a focus on food – featuring local chef/entrepreneurs. The open air food court will be open for weekend brunch (La Copine), dinner (chef to be announced soon), and late night snacks (Dapper Dog). We will also host a monthly full evening supper club presented by La Copine.

Garden Variety also has some other projects in the works including
- Monthly flea market presenting local artisans and their work, and curated thrift vending
- Evening music concerts open to the public
- Commissioned public art projects

Our mission will unfold as the season progresses. We hope to be an artistic and community hub that activates a vacant space into a vibrant destination!

Frosty + Heidi