A photo tour of the Fishingham Garden

By combining part of my last name with a portion of my partner Ed Cunningham's, friends have been calling us the "Fishinghams" for over 20 years now - and it should be no surprise that the garden at our North Portland home has been dubbed the "Fishingham Garden."

For all practical purposes, the 2011 gardening season has come to an end. However, it's possible to take a virtual walk through the Fishingham Garden by viewing a Flickr gallery of images exhibiting my gardening efforts and results of this past year.

© 2011 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives

Writer|designer Ellen Shapiro 'digs' my early blooms

Yesterday I received a Facebook direct message from writer/designer Ellen Shapiro, in regards to some early 2011 garden photos I have posted on my personal Facebook page and on Flickr. From her home in snowy New York, photographic documentation that anything was blooming anywhere must have offered hope that this winter might yet end. Shapiro asked if some of my garden images could be shared on her garden and design blog, ">Dig It!"

Today a little bit of spring was presented to "Dig It!" readers, in the form of the entry "It's Spring (Somewhere)." I appreciate Shapiro's interest in my gardening efforts - and for giving friends Joy Creek Nursery a mention. She also writes of her intention to check in occasionally on my garden throughout the coming year.

For several years now, I have shared my gardening adventures on bLog-oMotives and in Flickr galleries for the years 2010, 2009 and 2008.

Graphic designer, writer, and gardener Ellen Shapiro is based in Irvington, New York. A frequent contributor to design magazines including Print, Communication Arts, and Etapes, she writes about trends, issues and personalities in design, illustration, photography, and visual culture around the world. She was also a contributor to the book, Identity Crisis!: 50 Redesigns That Transformed Stale Identities into Successful Brands, by Jeff Fisher.

© 2011 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives

A visual stroll through the year in my garden

Winter is here and another year in my garden has come to an end. Throughout 2010, gardening was my best and favorite therapy. When I needed a break from designing or writing, it was always great to simply step outside of my home studio and spend some time playing in the dirt.

This past week, it was a wonderful treat to have Joy Creek Nursery send a crew over to do a seasonal clean-up of our garden (above). After the visit by the gardeners, I was able to get the last 150 bulbs planted for spring. For the most part, the garden is prepared for a Portland winter - there's even a forecast of a possible dusting of snow this week. I'm a bit concerned that some older bulbs in my beds think winter has already passed, as they are already poking through the soil, compost and gravel.

Over the past 12 months, as plants have grown, come into bloom or been added to the beds, I have documented the activity with my camera. I invite you to take a visual stroll through a year in my garden by way of a Flickr gallery of my images.

Best wishes for a new year of happy gardening!

© 2010 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives

Spring 2010: Does your garden grow?

It has been a less than ideal spring in the Pacific Northwest - especially if you are a gardener. Playing in the dirt of my garden is a favorite source of therapy and inspiration. With the recent cold, rain and cloudy days, the garden is not flourishing as in past years.

Our garden did get off to a good start this spring. While we were on vacation in St. Croix in March, a crew from Joy Creek Nursery spent two days cleaning things up, removing plants damaged by the winter storms of the past two years and pruning the pink dogwood behind our home. I did have a blank slate for moving some plants around and the addition of many new items.

While things are a bit behind the usual season - and much wetter - there has still been a lot of color in the garden. As plants have poked through the soil, come into bloom or been added to the beds, I have contibuted photos to my 2010 Flickr gallery of garden images.

© 2010 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives

Design Observer peeks at gardens & designers

Earlier this week the Observatory, a channel on the design industry web presence Design Observer, took a look at gardening by creative professionals. In the article, "Gardens and Their Designers," design editor and writer Timothy Jack Ward ponders what makes so many designers turn to gardening as an added creative outlet.

The Design Observer piece has an accompanying slide show of designer gardens from around the country. Yours truly, sitting in my "summer office," is among the collection (above).

Throughout the year I have been photo-documenting the results of my "playing in the dirt." The images are posted in my garden Flickr gallery. I've also posted a variety of bLog-oMotives entries about the garden.

© 2009 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives

"Playing in the dirt" as a favorite therapy

With my somewhat crazed schedule of client project work, speaking engagements, writing my third book and other activities, some form of "therapy" is a necessity. Luckily, my garden is just outside the door of my home-based studio. Gardening has increasingly become my passion and greatest form of relaxation. "Playing in the dirt" has often led to surprising creative "brain farts," almost subconsciously solving the design challenges of some client needs.

With the gardening has come an increased interest in the photographing of the beautiful results. Some have even suggested I consider doing a book of garden photographs at some point in the future. A Flickr gallery of images exhibits the success of my gardening efforts this year.

© 2009 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives