Retail may be in a drought, but for many garden supply stores, it's been a green season in more ways than one.
We're paying a lot more attention to beautifying our own backyards, perhaps because we're traveling less. Americans are spending about 20 percent more than last year on planters, benches and outdoor accessories, according to an online sales tracker, CSN.
That's apparently what often happens during a recession. Sharon Acocella, manager of Tony's Nurseries in Larchmont, N.Y., remembers her old boss saying years ago, "Economy's doing badly; we'd better buy heavy." She reports that while there's been a falloff in some categories -- notably statuary and fancier items -- there has been vigorous activity on other fronts.
"Blue and black glazed pots are more popular than ever," she says. "We've re-ordered those, and many of our square and rectangular containers, too."
Next door at Larchmont Nurseries, Gloria DeMatas and Donna Bianco echo the positive assessment. They've done well with wind chimes, window boxes and pottery. "We've sold lots of cobalt blue pots. They're so eye-catching; they stand out nicely in the garden, and all flowers look beautiful in a blue pot," says DeMatas.
Birdbaths are another brisk seller.
"Right now, people are enjoying staying at home," Bianco says. "Inside and out, they want to surround themselves with things that make them happy."
People investing the last of their discretionary cash in their gardens probably want to enjoy them beyond the summer.
Pam Brooks, president of online pottery retailer, likes the durability of poly resin planters, which resist the stresses of freeze and thaw and are conveniently lightweight.
"They're crack-proof, weatherproof, and will never fade like plastic," Brooks says. A wide palette of hues, and styles ranging from classical to modern, make these a versatile choice.
For something different, Brooks suggests Vietnamese river-clay pots, known for weather hardiness.
Terra cotta is often rejected by consumers as delicate, but Brooks says "clay's a natural material that, more than any other, creates a perfect ecological environment." Plant roots maintain an even temperature in clay, which absorbs excess moisture. But the pots can dry out, and do need to be protected in winter.
Try painting the pots inside and out with an insulating liquid resin. And make sure your plantings are well "crocked" by adding a bottom layer of pebbles or broken pottery for drainage. Set saucered containers on pot feet and keep watering whenever the soil feels dry. Move potted perennials to a sheltered spot when the harsher weather arrives.
By Kim Cook / Associated Press
Posted: 08/20/2009 12:00:00 AM MDT
Friday, August 28, 2009
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
The 7 Hottest Home & Garden Trends of 2009
I saw some of these tendencies coming, but I didn't predict the extreme swing in home and garden trends for this year. Some trends were predictable and others came out of the blue. Many of these shifts are peoples' reactions to our slow economy; more of us staying home are finding ourselves with time to use differently, thereby creating the shifts the market is seeing.
As usual, a color - "Mimosa" was the big color announcement this year by Pantone, the global color wheel in fashion trending. Many of you ladies also might label this color "butter, sunflower, gold, illuminated vanilla, or orangey champagne"; as a guy I simply call it "yellow". Because my business carries so many of the new garden fashion items for both inside and outside the home, I closely follow design and fashion trends. As predicted, yellow is THE color this year for both home and garden.
The victory garden is back - Because of our economy I knew that we'd see increased sales of vegetables and herbs, but I never imagined they would soar to such heights. If a plant grows anything edible I can hardly keep up with demand! Young and old alike are turning the soil in newly appreciated old garden beds. The increased numbers of families gardening is the highest I've seen in a decade.
Getting in sync with our rain - Knowing the correct micro-climates in a landscape and planting appropriately will not only increase success, but reduce water use in the long run. A trend to drought-hard, low maintenance plants has been a movement of the past three years, but this year it has taken a giant leap forward. Using
water efficient plants in conjunction with drip irrigation makes for a very sustainable landscape. I can attest that the "Green" trend is alive and well in local landscapes.
Kids are back in the garden - Who doesn't have fond memories of planting those big sunflower and nasturtium seeds as a child? Pumpkins also have big seeds that yield an impressive, showy display that quickly teaches children that gardening is not only a pleasure, but that it can feed you as well. Also, there's no better way to get kids to eat their vegetables than to have them grow their own.
Kid gardens might include: flowers that attract butterflies and hummingbirds, small tomatoes of all colors, mini peppers, French beans, and other bush varieties of vegetables. Such gardens can even be cultivated in containers so that each kid has his/her own garden plot.
Ditch fake plants - Sun-faded fake geraniums, fake ficus, fake topiaries, fake palms, fake vines are out. These plastic phonies are neither green nor good for the environment and can never deliver like a live plant. People are staying home more this year and they want to surround themselves with the real thing. No more artificial ivy at the tops of bookcases and cabinets when a living vine is so much healthier and easy to keep alive.
Greening up the house and the landscape - This can be as simple as finding better materials to clean up the look of that compost bin, changing unsightly old rain barrels at the down spouts, or planting a new tree. Up-graded with better windows or thicker insulation and a home will be more energy efficient. No question that people are trying to save where they can. I changed all the light bulbs in my home to the new C.F.L. bulbs that A.P.S. is pushing and have saved $50 on my electric bill every month since. I changed the bulbs at the garden center and saved thousands! It doesn't take much to save money and better our environment at the same time.
Sustainable is the word on the street - Anything sustainable is a hot item this year. In addition to front-loading washers and low-flow toilets or showerheads, reducing water usage by installing well-maintained drip systems and passive rain harvesting are in the mainstream. Now, if I only could convince my readers to reap the benefits of planting more trees in their landscapes, we truly would be on the sustainable track.
by Ken Lain, The Mountain Gardener
Throughout the week Ken Lain is at Watters Garden Center, 1815 W. Iron Springs Road, Prescott, AZ 86305 and can be contacted through his web site at www.wattersonline.com.
As usual, a color - "Mimosa" was the big color announcement this year by Pantone, the global color wheel in fashion trending. Many of you ladies also might label this color "butter, sunflower, gold, illuminated vanilla, or orangey champagne"; as a guy I simply call it "yellow". Because my business carries so many of the new garden fashion items for both inside and outside the home, I closely follow design and fashion trends. As predicted, yellow is THE color this year for both home and garden.
The victory garden is back - Because of our economy I knew that we'd see increased sales of vegetables and herbs, but I never imagined they would soar to such heights. If a plant grows anything edible I can hardly keep up with demand! Young and old alike are turning the soil in newly appreciated old garden beds. The increased numbers of families gardening is the highest I've seen in a decade.
Getting in sync with our rain - Knowing the correct micro-climates in a landscape and planting appropriately will not only increase success, but reduce water use in the long run. A trend to drought-hard, low maintenance plants has been a movement of the past three years, but this year it has taken a giant leap forward. Using
water efficient plants in conjunction with drip irrigation makes for a very sustainable landscape. I can attest that the "Green" trend is alive and well in local landscapes.
Kids are back in the garden - Who doesn't have fond memories of planting those big sunflower and nasturtium seeds as a child? Pumpkins also have big seeds that yield an impressive, showy display that quickly teaches children that gardening is not only a pleasure, but that it can feed you as well. Also, there's no better way to get kids to eat their vegetables than to have them grow their own.
Kid gardens might include: flowers that attract butterflies and hummingbirds, small tomatoes of all colors, mini peppers, French beans, and other bush varieties of vegetables. Such gardens can even be cultivated in containers so that each kid has his/her own garden plot.
Ditch fake plants - Sun-faded fake geraniums, fake ficus, fake topiaries, fake palms, fake vines are out. These plastic phonies are neither green nor good for the environment and can never deliver like a live plant. People are staying home more this year and they want to surround themselves with the real thing. No more artificial ivy at the tops of bookcases and cabinets when a living vine is so much healthier and easy to keep alive.
Greening up the house and the landscape - This can be as simple as finding better materials to clean up the look of that compost bin, changing unsightly old rain barrels at the down spouts, or planting a new tree. Up-graded with better windows or thicker insulation and a home will be more energy efficient. No question that people are trying to save where they can. I changed all the light bulbs in my home to the new C.F.L. bulbs that A.P.S. is pushing and have saved $50 on my electric bill every month since. I changed the bulbs at the garden center and saved thousands! It doesn't take much to save money and better our environment at the same time.
Sustainable is the word on the street - Anything sustainable is a hot item this year. In addition to front-loading washers and low-flow toilets or showerheads, reducing water usage by installing well-maintained drip systems and passive rain harvesting are in the mainstream. Now, if I only could convince my readers to reap the benefits of planting more trees in their landscapes, we truly would be on the sustainable track.
by Ken Lain, The Mountain Gardener
Throughout the week Ken Lain is at Watters Garden Center, 1815 W. Iron Springs Road, Prescott, AZ 86305 and can be contacted through his web site at www.wattersonline.com.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Economy impacts Oregon nurseries
Big landscape projects are down, but more people are buying edible plants from Oregon nurseries, StatesmanJournal.com reported. Despite the recession, retail nurseries and garden centers are seeing an increase in sales of locally grown food and gardening products. But as people focus on beautifying their existing homes, wholesale profits are dropping as building activity stays low. Elizabeth Peters at Oregon Association of Nurseries, said there has been a huge increase in consumer demand for edible plants. “Those growers have had a very good year so far. As long as the economy is down, we'll have interest in edible plants,” Peters said. “But for growers who wholesale or sell to landscaping trades, it will be a tougher year for them.”
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Container Garden Recipes
Potscaping with Prowess
Creating an eye-catching container garden is much more than putting random plants in flowerpots. We asked three local garden centers to share their tips.
Designer: Martin Stern, owner, Squire House Gardens
The vision: "I'm very responsive to textures and forms," Stern said. "Flowers are not a major concern." The structure of the pots drove this design. Stern combined square and circular containers because he liked the juxtaposition, and four container heights for a "flowing, stepping-down" effect. The color palette is cool: gray green, silver, violet and white. And several plants in Stern's arrangement do double-duty -- they're edible as well as ornamental.
Ingredients: Five pots: two tall squares in a graphite hue, a round dark blue glazed pot and two small round sage green pots. Plants: Twisted Spiral juncus grass; African blue basil; Silver Falls dichondra; SupertuniaVista Silverberry petunia; curry plant; purple sage; Diamond Frost euphorbia; single-leaf parsley; Persian Medley pansy.
Mistakes to avoid: Using too-small pots, especially next to a large-scale house. "People are a little shy about using big pots," Stern said. "But even a tiny garden can carry a big container. It makes a big impact." And don't limit your plant choices to the same old species that appear in everyone else's pots. "Be adventurous," he said. "We use perennials, tropicals, shrubs, grasses -- anything."
FOLIAGE FLAIR
Designer: Allison Slabbert, landscape designer, Lynde Greenhouse & Nursery
The vision: Foliage, not flowers, is the focal point. Slabbert used coleus to add pops of color, grasses for their flowing texture and curly willow for height. She also relies on the "thriller, filler, spiller" formula when designing container gardens. (A large, showy plant is the "thriller." Complementary plants provide the "filler," while "spiller" plants with a trailing growth habit soften the container edges.)
Ingredients: Six pots of varying shapes and heights; five in shades of terra cotta, plus one vivid blue pot as an accent. Plants include coleus (Kong, Rustic Orange and Kingswood Torch); elephant ear; Ruby cordyline; grasses (Elijah blue fescue, Carex Red Rooster, fiber optic and princess); Blackie and Sweet Caroline sweet potato vine; oxalis; Lemon Coral sedum.
Mistakes to avoid: "Using too many different varieties of plants. It can make it look really busy," Slabbert said. (Five to nine is generally a good number of plant species to combine in any one pot; one pot in this arrangement has only one plant, a showy coleus.)
EUROPEAN CHARM
Designer: Ginny Krizan, garden center manager, Noble Landscape & Garden Center
The vision: An Italian-style trio of staggered pots with variations on a simple color scheme. Placing them at different heights or levels, as on steps, "pulls you up into the home," Krizan said. She practiced "pattern planting," choosing two "uniting plants" (asparagus fern and crimson geranium) that she used in all three pots, then combining them with different trailing plants. (Noble offers container "recipes" so gardeners can easily re-create the pots they see at the garden center.)
Ingredients: Three ironstone planters with a similar color theme (terra cotta), but with variations in shade and detailing. Don't be afraid to mix and match pots, Krizan said. "People think they have to stay within the same color, but maybe it's a band of color that ties [the pots] together, or a glaze with a mix of colors." Plants include asparagus fern; Caliente Fire geranium; Gulliver White scopia; Marguerite sweet potato vine; Black Currant heuchera.
Mistakes to avoid: Not understanding your plants and the conditions they'll need to thrive. Plants that need a lot of sun won't perform well if they're mixed with shade-tolerant plants and put in a shady location. And don't go overboard with color, packing a rainbow of hues together in one pot. "Use shades of green and one other color," Krizan said. "Simple can be better."
By KIM PALMER, Star Tribune
Creating an eye-catching container garden is much more than putting random plants in flowerpots. We asked three local garden centers to share their tips.
Designer: Martin Stern, owner, Squire House Gardens
The vision: "I'm very responsive to textures and forms," Stern said. "Flowers are not a major concern." The structure of the pots drove this design. Stern combined square and circular containers because he liked the juxtaposition, and four container heights for a "flowing, stepping-down" effect. The color palette is cool: gray green, silver, violet and white. And several plants in Stern's arrangement do double-duty -- they're edible as well as ornamental.
Ingredients: Five pots: two tall squares in a graphite hue, a round dark blue glazed pot and two small round sage green pots. Plants: Twisted Spiral juncus grass; African blue basil; Silver Falls dichondra; SupertuniaVista Silverberry petunia; curry plant; purple sage; Diamond Frost euphorbia; single-leaf parsley; Persian Medley pansy.
Mistakes to avoid: Using too-small pots, especially next to a large-scale house. "People are a little shy about using big pots," Stern said. "But even a tiny garden can carry a big container. It makes a big impact." And don't limit your plant choices to the same old species that appear in everyone else's pots. "Be adventurous," he said. "We use perennials, tropicals, shrubs, grasses -- anything."
FOLIAGE FLAIR
Designer: Allison Slabbert, landscape designer, Lynde Greenhouse & Nursery
The vision: Foliage, not flowers, is the focal point. Slabbert used coleus to add pops of color, grasses for their flowing texture and curly willow for height. She also relies on the "thriller, filler, spiller" formula when designing container gardens. (A large, showy plant is the "thriller." Complementary plants provide the "filler," while "spiller" plants with a trailing growth habit soften the container edges.)
Ingredients: Six pots of varying shapes and heights; five in shades of terra cotta, plus one vivid blue pot as an accent. Plants include coleus (Kong, Rustic Orange and Kingswood Torch); elephant ear; Ruby cordyline; grasses (Elijah blue fescue, Carex Red Rooster, fiber optic and princess); Blackie and Sweet Caroline sweet potato vine; oxalis; Lemon Coral sedum.
Mistakes to avoid: "Using too many different varieties of plants. It can make it look really busy," Slabbert said. (Five to nine is generally a good number of plant species to combine in any one pot; one pot in this arrangement has only one plant, a showy coleus.)
EUROPEAN CHARM
Designer: Ginny Krizan, garden center manager, Noble Landscape & Garden Center
The vision: An Italian-style trio of staggered pots with variations on a simple color scheme. Placing them at different heights or levels, as on steps, "pulls you up into the home," Krizan said. She practiced "pattern planting," choosing two "uniting plants" (asparagus fern and crimson geranium) that she used in all three pots, then combining them with different trailing plants. (Noble offers container "recipes" so gardeners can easily re-create the pots they see at the garden center.)
Ingredients: Three ironstone planters with a similar color theme (terra cotta), but with variations in shade and detailing. Don't be afraid to mix and match pots, Krizan said. "People think they have to stay within the same color, but maybe it's a band of color that ties [the pots] together, or a glaze with a mix of colors." Plants include asparagus fern; Caliente Fire geranium; Gulliver White scopia; Marguerite sweet potato vine; Black Currant heuchera.
Mistakes to avoid: Not understanding your plants and the conditions they'll need to thrive. Plants that need a lot of sun won't perform well if they're mixed with shade-tolerant plants and put in a shady location. And don't go overboard with color, packing a rainbow of hues together in one pot. "Use shades of green and one other color," Krizan said. "Simple can be better."
By KIM PALMER, Star Tribune
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Choosing Plants for Your Container Garden
Container gardens offer the advantage of changing your garden with every season. The choice of plant material is limited only by your climate and your imagination. If you have a tropical or temperate climate, you may not need to change your container gardens at all, but you still might choose to.
When choosing plants for container gardens, keep in mind the scale of the container and how aggressively the plant grows. While you want your container garden to look full, fast growers will quickly outgrow their pots.
The following choices should get you thinking:
Spring
* Bulbs (Pre-chilled or planted the prior fall)
* Early Flowering Shrubs: Rhododendron, Azalea and Lilac (won’t grow to full height)
* Spring Bloomers: Primrose, Fritillaries, Ferns, Kalanchoe, Pansies
* Cool Season Vegetables: Lettuce and Greens
Summer
* Annuals: Abutilon, Bacopa, Callibrachoa-Million Bells, Coleus, Convolvulus, Dahlia, Fuchsia, Geranium, Herbs, Impatiens, Larkspur, Lobelia, Marigolds, Nasturtiums, Oxalis, Petunias, Scabiosa, Wave Petunias
* Ornamental grasses, Herbs, Miniature Roses
* Warm Season Vegetables: Tomatoes, Squash, Edible Flowers
* Or try a water garden
Fall
* Summer Annuals in Rebloom: Begonias, Fuchsias, Impatiens
* Fall Bloomers: Asters, Cyclamen, Gentian, Heather, Heuchera, Marguerite Daisies, Mums, Osteospermum
* Berries: Cotoneasters, Pyracanthas,
Winter
* Evergreens: Boxwood, Privet, Juniper, Wintergreen
To Add Height
* Canna, Colocasia (Elephant Ear), Brugmansia (Angels Trumpet), Phormium, Salvia, Pennisetum setaceum ‘Rubrum’ (Fountain grass)
Fillers
* Artemisia, Creeping Jenny, Helichrysum, Houttuynia, Ivy, Moss, Plectranthus, Sedum, Spider Plants, Sweet Potato Vines, Transcantia, Wandering Jew
By Marie Iannotti
When choosing plants for container gardens, keep in mind the scale of the container and how aggressively the plant grows. While you want your container garden to look full, fast growers will quickly outgrow their pots.
The following choices should get you thinking:
Spring
* Bulbs (Pre-chilled or planted the prior fall)
* Early Flowering Shrubs: Rhododendron, Azalea and Lilac (won’t grow to full height)
* Spring Bloomers: Primrose, Fritillaries, Ferns, Kalanchoe, Pansies
* Cool Season Vegetables: Lettuce and Greens
Summer
* Annuals: Abutilon, Bacopa, Callibrachoa-Million Bells, Coleus, Convolvulus, Dahlia, Fuchsia, Geranium, Herbs, Impatiens, Larkspur, Lobelia, Marigolds, Nasturtiums, Oxalis, Petunias, Scabiosa, Wave Petunias
* Ornamental grasses, Herbs, Miniature Roses
* Warm Season Vegetables: Tomatoes, Squash, Edible Flowers
* Or try a water garden
Fall
* Summer Annuals in Rebloom: Begonias, Fuchsias, Impatiens
* Fall Bloomers: Asters, Cyclamen, Gentian, Heather, Heuchera, Marguerite Daisies, Mums, Osteospermum
* Berries: Cotoneasters, Pyracanthas,
Winter
* Evergreens: Boxwood, Privet, Juniper, Wintergreen
To Add Height
* Canna, Colocasia (Elephant Ear), Brugmansia (Angels Trumpet), Phormium, Salvia, Pennisetum setaceum ‘Rubrum’ (Fountain grass)
Fillers
* Artemisia, Creeping Jenny, Helichrysum, Houttuynia, Ivy, Moss, Plectranthus, Sedum, Spider Plants, Sweet Potato Vines, Transcantia, Wandering Jew
By Marie Iannotti
Human Rights & Environmental Impact Statement
Dragon Gardens Northwest (DG) considers itself an environmentally and morally conscious, American company. Ceramics are produced by the harvest of raw natural materials, heavy labor, skilled craftsmanship and combustion. The word “ceramics” is derived from the Greek word “keramos” practically translated as “burnt earth.” This being said, we still do our best to persuade and direct the factories to follow humane and environmentally conscious production methods if they are not already doing so. Below you will find some of the challenges we face and some of the solutions we have found work in China and Vietnam.
Working Conditions & Human Rights Overseas
The unskilled nature of harvesting of raw, naturally occurring materials and the physical labor involved in production, create an opportunity for factory owners to exploit their virtually inexhaustible supply of migrant workers, most of who are ignorant of their rights under Chinese law and are willing to work under any conditions without protest. There are a number of actions we have taken to avoid investing in factories that exploit their laborers.
The first action we took is direct supervision. I make frequent trips abroad to inspect and observe working conditions at the factories we support. During these trips, I tour the factory with the managers and my assistant, then ask to inspect without supervision in order to converse with the staff without the intimidation of management listening in. We observe their work areas; ask them about work breaks and hours worked per day. The work day generally begins around 7am and concludes at 7p or dark in the shorter days of winter. The majority of our factories pay their production personnel by the piece. They are allowed to set their own pace and are paid based on the quantity of products that meet quality standards. Most production staff are groups of husband and wife teams working together. The larger factories provide a breakfast and lunch and a mid afternoon rest-time (generally 12-2pm) Workers are guaranteed at least one day off every week, but we have observed that in the "piece-work" factories the workers choose to work nearly 7 days a week, The working conditions are required to be safe and sanitary.
In addition to our personal supervision, we maintain a full-time independent representative, living in China. This individual is valuable for a number of reasons, including quality control and inspection, as well as new source inspections. Since she works for us and not the factory we are able to receive an unbiased evaluation of working conditions at each new factory. She is instructed to look for infrastructure that is hard to fake, like the presence protective equipment (gloves, face shields, fans, etc) clean and uncluttered work spaces and the presence of hydration facilities and first aid supplies. The Ceramics trade does not exploit the use of children in their labor force, due to the physical strength required. The apparel and rug trades are notorious for their use of children.
Another action we have taken was to form a purchasing group with a company similar to ours based in Australia. Between our two companies we are able to present ourselves to the factories as a single entity with significant buying power. In addition to the buying power we also present ourselves as a efficient client since we have opposite "busy seasons, being in opposite hemispheres. The factory is guaranteed year round orders allowing their factories to be more efficient. But as the saying goes, “money talks” and in China this is the bottom line. By sending our rep to the factory with the buying power of two companies that purchase nearly one hundred 40’ containers of pottery a year, we are able to demand conditions meet our standards, in order for them to earn our business.
Our experience in this business, having a practical working knowledge of how our product is produced, knowing the cost of the raw materials allows us to make informed decisions about who we choose to purchase pottery from. Jon Paulson, my father, recently spent two months at our primary Boldstone factory. He was able to truly witness the work flow of the factory, get to know some of the workers and help streamline material handling and quality issues.
We understand the measures taken by a factory if their prices “look too good to be true.” Our knowledge of the production process enables us to avoid the factories who exploit their workers, or compromise quality with cheap or dangerous materials. Either way we choose not to work with those folks. We feel that the reduction in labor rights violations and the maintenance of better working conditions will strengthen the loyalty of factory workers, resulting in improved production quality and efficiency, creating a higher valued product for the factory, importer, retailer and consumer.
Environmental Impact Overseas
In order to discuss our actions to minimize the environmental impact of our products, we first need to review the nature of ceramics. Pottery is typically produced by the application of heat upon processed clays and other natural raw materials to form a rigid product. Ceramic products that use naturally occurring rocks and minerals as a starting material must undergo special processing in order to control purity, particle size, particle size distribution, and heterogeneity. These attributes play a big role in the final properties of the finished ceramic.
The next step is to form the ceramic particles into a desired shape. This is accomplished by the addition of water and/or additives such as binders, followed by a shape forming process. Some of the most common forming methods for our ceramic containers include slip casting, press molds and coiling. Slip casts and press molds are fabricated from plaster. Once the molds begin to show wear, they are recycled into new molds. After the particles are formed, these "green” (meaning un-fired) ceramics undergo a heat-treatment (called firing or sintering) to produce a rigid, finished product. Many of our ceramic products then undergo a glazing process. Some materials used to glaze these containers are Iron, Copper, Cobalt and Magnesium, all of which are made inert, due to the high temperature firing. Any volatile organic or potentially hazardous metallic components are either vaporized during firing or stabilized and made inert during firing.
Our kilns are fired with naturally occurring combustion materials; wood (primarily pine and bamboo) or natural gas. These are the traditional materials used in Asia and the USA for the last 2,000 years. The primary pollutant produced is CO2, ash and soot. Ash is cleaned from kilns and amended into soil (most kilns have an adjoining farm.) Our rustic kilns have been producing ceramics in the same valley for the last 800 years.
Domestic Environmental Impact
Domestically we do our best to minimize pollution. We run electric lift trucks and utilize 'vegan' diesel delivery trucks when available. We recycle approximately ½ to 1½ tons of cardboard per month and heat our warehouse with natural gas. At Dragon Gardens Northwest we take the condition of our environment seriously. As a father of four, I think this Native American proverb says it best...
“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children…”
Thank you for your concern,
Eric Paulson, President
Dragon Gardens Northwest
Working Conditions & Human Rights Overseas
The unskilled nature of harvesting of raw, naturally occurring materials and the physical labor involved in production, create an opportunity for factory owners to exploit their virtually inexhaustible supply of migrant workers, most of who are ignorant of their rights under Chinese law and are willing to work under any conditions without protest. There are a number of actions we have taken to avoid investing in factories that exploit their laborers.
The first action we took is direct supervision. I make frequent trips abroad to inspect and observe working conditions at the factories we support. During these trips, I tour the factory with the managers and my assistant, then ask to inspect without supervision in order to converse with the staff without the intimidation of management listening in. We observe their work areas; ask them about work breaks and hours worked per day. The work day generally begins around 7am and concludes at 7p or dark in the shorter days of winter. The majority of our factories pay their production personnel by the piece. They are allowed to set their own pace and are paid based on the quantity of products that meet quality standards. Most production staff are groups of husband and wife teams working together. The larger factories provide a breakfast and lunch and a mid afternoon rest-time (generally 12-2pm) Workers are guaranteed at least one day off every week, but we have observed that in the "piece-work" factories the workers choose to work nearly 7 days a week, The working conditions are required to be safe and sanitary.
In addition to our personal supervision, we maintain a full-time independent representative, living in China. This individual is valuable for a number of reasons, including quality control and inspection, as well as new source inspections. Since she works for us and not the factory we are able to receive an unbiased evaluation of working conditions at each new factory. She is instructed to look for infrastructure that is hard to fake, like the presence protective equipment (gloves, face shields, fans, etc) clean and uncluttered work spaces and the presence of hydration facilities and first aid supplies. The Ceramics trade does not exploit the use of children in their labor force, due to the physical strength required. The apparel and rug trades are notorious for their use of children.
Another action we have taken was to form a purchasing group with a company similar to ours based in Australia. Between our two companies we are able to present ourselves to the factories as a single entity with significant buying power. In addition to the buying power we also present ourselves as a efficient client since we have opposite "busy seasons, being in opposite hemispheres. The factory is guaranteed year round orders allowing their factories to be more efficient. But as the saying goes, “money talks” and in China this is the bottom line. By sending our rep to the factory with the buying power of two companies that purchase nearly one hundred 40’ containers of pottery a year, we are able to demand conditions meet our standards, in order for them to earn our business.
Our experience in this business, having a practical working knowledge of how our product is produced, knowing the cost of the raw materials allows us to make informed decisions about who we choose to purchase pottery from. Jon Paulson, my father, recently spent two months at our primary Boldstone factory. He was able to truly witness the work flow of the factory, get to know some of the workers and help streamline material handling and quality issues.
We understand the measures taken by a factory if their prices “look too good to be true.” Our knowledge of the production process enables us to avoid the factories who exploit their workers, or compromise quality with cheap or dangerous materials. Either way we choose not to work with those folks. We feel that the reduction in labor rights violations and the maintenance of better working conditions will strengthen the loyalty of factory workers, resulting in improved production quality and efficiency, creating a higher valued product for the factory, importer, retailer and consumer.
Environmental Impact Overseas
In order to discuss our actions to minimize the environmental impact of our products, we first need to review the nature of ceramics. Pottery is typically produced by the application of heat upon processed clays and other natural raw materials to form a rigid product. Ceramic products that use naturally occurring rocks and minerals as a starting material must undergo special processing in order to control purity, particle size, particle size distribution, and heterogeneity. These attributes play a big role in the final properties of the finished ceramic.
The next step is to form the ceramic particles into a desired shape. This is accomplished by the addition of water and/or additives such as binders, followed by a shape forming process. Some of the most common forming methods for our ceramic containers include slip casting, press molds and coiling. Slip casts and press molds are fabricated from plaster. Once the molds begin to show wear, they are recycled into new molds. After the particles are formed, these "green” (meaning un-fired) ceramics undergo a heat-treatment (called firing or sintering) to produce a rigid, finished product. Many of our ceramic products then undergo a glazing process. Some materials used to glaze these containers are Iron, Copper, Cobalt and Magnesium, all of which are made inert, due to the high temperature firing. Any volatile organic or potentially hazardous metallic components are either vaporized during firing or stabilized and made inert during firing.
Our kilns are fired with naturally occurring combustion materials; wood (primarily pine and bamboo) or natural gas. These are the traditional materials used in Asia and the USA for the last 2,000 years. The primary pollutant produced is CO2, ash and soot. Ash is cleaned from kilns and amended into soil (most kilns have an adjoining farm.) Our rustic kilns have been producing ceramics in the same valley for the last 800 years.
Domestic Environmental Impact
Domestically we do our best to minimize pollution. We run electric lift trucks and utilize 'vegan' diesel delivery trucks when available. We recycle approximately ½ to 1½ tons of cardboard per month and heat our warehouse with natural gas. At Dragon Gardens Northwest we take the condition of our environment seriously. As a father of four, I think this Native American proverb says it best...
“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children…”
Thank you for your concern,
Eric Paulson, President
Dragon Gardens Northwest
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