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Social Media Success - Never Take No For An Answer

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Shawna

Author, speaker, consultant, and green lifestyle wild woman. Teaching community building and simple living tips.

Yes, I am known as the inspirational "green" chick that talks about sustainability, building community, doing good, and of course, gardening. How do I reach my goals? How do I get up every morning and do it?

Easy-Peasy - - I never take no for an answer and I keep charging forward even when things look the darkest. Watch the video below and you will see a few amazing things that have happened because of this mindset.

If I can do this - you can too. Keep your head down and your heart full - do the right thing and start making a difference with your life today.

  • http://www.thecasualgardener.com,
  • The Green Blog - http://www.gardeningnude.com, or
  • The Garden Blog - http://thecasualgardener.blogspot.com
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    Tie-Dye Car - A Great Green Eco-Chic Choice In A Down Economy

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    Shawna

    Author, speaker, consultant, and green lifestyle wild woman. Teaching community building and simple living tips.

    Tie Dye Car.jpg

    With an energetic "K-BONG" I smack my head against the front door as I open it. How I managed to do this is still a mystery, but it is the telling beginning of a long and arduous business day.

    Two business meetings with sponsors before noon, followed by a late luncheon meeting, and a hurried drive back to take my youngest to gymnastics lessons. Mental speed - approximately 100 miles per hour - non-stop with full-on stress mode turned to high.

    Then I spotted the above car parked in a Chicagoland suburban parking lot when I stopped for almond milk at Whole Foods. SCREECHHHHH TO A HALT!!!! First, I smiled. Next, I got out of my car and circled this lovely tie-dye celebration of the '70s wearing my business suit and grinning like I had just discovered gold.

    This was a salute to reclaiming a real piece-of-junk and giving it purpose. I mean, face it, this hunk o'rust was duct taped together. Literally. But it is a down economy and Americans are learning to reuse what they own to make it last longer. While some might think this car is an embarrassment to car-kind, I tend to think it is a triumph of green eco-chic awareness.

    Better yet, it made me stop my super-energizer-bunny day and really think about how life is meant to be lived - it is not always fast, sometimes it should be about being slower and more thoughtful. 

    Creatively building your lifestyle to reuse what you have instead of wasting and throwing it away in the landfill before it's time; just good common sense people. Do it!!

  • http://www.thecasualgardener.com,
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  • Chicago Skyline Photo Shows That Nature Always Finds A Way

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    Shawna

    Author, speaker, consultant, and green lifestyle wild woman. Teaching community building and simple living tips.

     

    Green Life on Navy Pier in Chicago IL.jpg

    Life finds a way to survive in a concrete jungle like Chicago. Here you see a bird landing on the roof of Navy Pier with the Chicago skyline behind it.

    One of my favorite quotes of all time is from the book, Jurassic Park, it is Malcolm speaking to Gennaro, "Life breaks free. Life expands to new territories. Painfully, perhaps even dangerously. But life finds a way" (p. 160).

    Recently I was at a convention on Navy Pier in Chicago. Entertainment was offered on the roof of the pier, so we all went up to see the action. Seeing the view from this perspective is magnificent, and while my eyes were taking a long drink of Chicago skyline, I was able to capture this photo.

    See the bird?

    It occurred to me that although I was surrounded by a concrete jungle, life and nature was still there, just like the Jurassic Park quote.

    Seeing the bird was a clear reminder that nature is always there and we are responsible for it. Of course, nature does find a way, but it often has to fight against humanity's efforts to poison the earth. We use lawn chemicals which are harming our water aquifers (and our water source) and insecticides which are harming our bee population (and our food source). We do our best to produce retail products made of chemicals, then simply throw them out when we are done with them instead of reusing and recycling earth's precious resources.

    Next time you see a bit of nature hanging on in middle of a concrete jungle, let it remind you not to waste, not to poison, and best yet - to educate your family and friends on the idea that doing good for the earth is actually doing good for humanity.

  • http://www.thecasualgardener.com,
  • The Green Blog - http://www.gardeningnude.com, or
  • The Garden Blog - http://thecasualgardener.blogspot.com
  • Visiting the President of Ireland's Gardens - Soon To Be Organic Certified

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    Shawna

    Author, speaker, consultant, and green lifestyle wild woman. Teaching community building and simple living tips.

    Rose Garden with Lavender.jpg

    Shawna Coronado standing at the rose and lavender garden at Áras an Uachtaráin, the President of Ireland's residence.

    Traveling to Ireland this summer to keynote at the very green and sustainable Bloom 2010 event was a tremendous experience because of the warmth and beauty of Ireland's people. What made the trip completely over-the-top was receiving an invitation to tour the gardens of Áras an Uachtaráin, President Mary McAleese's official residence gardens in Dublin, Ireland.

    President McAleese is known for a quote which I think strongly reflects the garden which has been built surrounding the Presidential Residence, "That past is still within our living memory, a time when neighbour helped neighbour, sharing what little they had out of necessity, as well as decency." Áras an Uachtaráin's grounds are built to be shared with the people of Ireland and the world; encouraging others to building community and garden organically.

    Robert Norris, Head Gardener at the Áras an Uachtaráin gardens, walked with me in a very special private tour of the Presidential property. While there, a smile rarely left my lips. Our first stop was to walk around the Presidential residence and view the formal gardens which were originally built in the Victorian era. Every notable head of state is invited to plant a tree on the grounds, the largest being Queen Victoria's tree. Aptly, on one of her three visits, Queen Victoria planted a Redwood - a Giant Sequoia - at this front garden. It is so absolutely magnificent and huge that it transforms the view of the garden from the stately home sometimes referred to as the "Irish White House".


    Closer to the residence, the Victorian theme is duplicated with a rose garden and gorgeous rows of lavender which form unique frames to the walking paths in the rose garden, as well as scenting the air with their delightful aroma. It is a wonderful spot to host visitors from all over the world.

    After the more formal gardens immediately surrounding the home, I was lead through majestic, tree-lined allee's filled with specialty bulb gardens and sweeping views of the property. This part of the tour was quiet and calming with its sprawling trees, green grass, and grand views of nature - it was a place for thought and reflection.

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    How To Make Good Green and Eco-Friendly Patio Furniture Choices

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    Shawna

    Author, speaker, consultant, and green lifestyle wild woman. Teaching community building and simple living tips.

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    Shawna Coronado's floating patio made of recycled/reclaimed materials with crafted/painted reclaimed shovels and mirrors on the back wall and an aluminum Jaclyn Smith Today Dining Set in front. Photo credit Brenda Haas of BG Garden - http://www.bggarden.com.

    In my search for eco-friendly patio furniture I discovered there are very few satisfactory products that will hold up to weather well, thereby lasting longer without replacement. There are only a few rare products made from 100% recycled material. There are very few who are "reusing" old materials and making them into new furniture. Therefore, part of what makes a product "green and eco-friendly" in the choices we are offered in today's modern retail world, is it's longevity as well as what the product offers related to human chemical exposure, damage to the environment, and long term reuse and recyclability of the furniture.


    Several products are out which are greener in nature than others, for example, the 100% recycled plastic lawn furniture which is made from a wood-look injection molded plastic that is available in a rainbow of colors, never needs painting or staining, is waterproof, and arsenic, copper sulfate, and creosote toxin-free (unlike traditional treated wood furniture). Purchasing a product made from aluminum is another positive choice, particularly if it is made from recycled aluminum. Over 31% of all aluminum is recycled (with that number going up regularly) and the ability to recycle the furniture when you want to purchase a new style or get new allows you to turn the product in at a metal recycling center.

    Traditional products such as treated wood furniture do not last as long as the newer plastic products if it is not carefully maintained. Teak furniture should not be purchased as an earth-friendly product because teak is being deforested in mass quantities. Unmanaged cutting has been the primary cause of clearance or degradation of most natural teak forests in Thailand, the Lao People's Democratic Republic, and India.

    This season I was asked to review two products from Sears-Kmart. I feel both are smart choices. My favorite of the two is the very sturdy aluminum Jaclyn Smith today Kensington 7 Piece Dining Set. Comfortable to sit in, long lasting, and attractive, the set is also easily recyclable. I like it as a positive green choice that is also affordable. In the photo at the top you see the product featured on the floating patio I made of recycled/reclaimed materials.

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    Front porch seating area of Shawna Coronado featuring a Sears Kmart Country Living Concord Set.

    On the back wall are crafted/painted reclaimed shovels and mirrors, be sure to keep garden mirror displays low hung to avoid harming birds. Incorporating reclaimed materials in your outdoor displays is an easy way to keep the reclaimed materials out of the landfills.

    On my front porch (right) I have a sitting area with the Sears-Kmart Country Living Concord Deep Seat Patio Set - I sit on this four piece reversible cushion set nearly every morning and drink coffee with my family. It's location represents a marvelous view of the 500 gallon rain water cistern fountain and front lawn vegetable garden in my front lawn. Less green than aluminum because it is not made from a recycled material, I still feel this is a smarter choice because it lasts much longer than standard wood or wicker and it does not use teak or other exotic woods which represent a higher cost both personally and environmentally. While it is not as "recyclable" as an aluminum set, the all-weather resin wicker is suitable for indoor and outdoor use, making it perfect for the porch or patio. It also holds a tremendous amount of weight, more than most plastic chairs in my experience, so it will last longer with an active family. This set, with its sturdiness and longevity capability means less drives to the store to buy more sets over the years and less product thrown in the landfill. In this case, less equals more.

    How do you make good green and eco-friendly patio furniture choices? When you think about what "green" means to you - the best choices are always to buy products which are recyclable or made of recycled material. Next - consider products which are longer lasting, sturdy, and will not be thrown into the landfill when you are done using it, but could be used for something other than its original purpose. Also, maintaining the products well over the years means they will last longer, spending time to make this happen is important.

    Being green means spending less money, but taking care of the things you have so you do not waste as much. Both of the products featured above represent long lasting choices for the garden if taken care of well. Make a green difference with your lawn furniture by making smarter, well-planned choices which are better for your family and the environment.

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    Shawna Coronado's relaxing summer front porch view.

  • http://www.thecasualgardener.com,
  • The Green Blog - http://www.gardeningnude.com, or
  • The Garden Blog - http://thecasualgardener.blogspot.com
  • *Patio furniture products were sponsored by Sears-Kmart. Learn more about the products by clicking through the above links. My opinion on the products have not been swayed because they were given to me to review. My opinions are honest, forthright and represent my honest feelings on everything I review.


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    "Growing A Greener World" PBS TV Shoot In My Front Lawn - A Modern Green Victory Garden

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    Shawna

    Author, speaker, consultant, and green lifestyle wild woman. Teaching community building and simple living tips.

    Blog Filming on site Blog.jpg

    Joe Lamp'l from "Growing A Greener World" PBS Television show interviewing Shawna Coronado in front of the television cameras.

    Today was the big day; Joe Lamp'l and his hardworking Growing A Greener World TV  television crew came to my yard to feature my front lawn vegetable garden. Joe wanted his feature to be about educating people on "Victory Gardening" in a more modern way. Joe and

    Blog - Friends in gardens.jpg

    the whole crew were on site at my front lawn vegetable garden and we had a fantastic time working together. Joe, working as producer and host, puts everyone at ease, and his staff is kind and professional.

    Here's how the shoot went - first, I invited some garden blogger friends over to give me a hand with the day. Here they are in the photo to the right (left to right) Brenda Haas of BG Garden blog, Louise Hartwig, (supportive Mom of Kylee Hartwig Baumle), Shawna Coronado (that's me) and Kylee Hartwig Baumle of Our Little Acre blog came the evening before. We celebrated with dinner, margaritas, and wonderful conversation. We all had a great time!

    Blog - Discussing the garden layout.jpg

    Brenda was the photographer for the day, taking over 800 photos - wow! Kylee had her camera out snapping away as well, and Kylee and Louise helped with organizing lunch for the television crew. Each were invaluable and offered incredibly appreciated assistance for the day - and all of them drove from Ohio just to help out! Thank you ladies!

    Joe called me later the day before the shoot letting me know that their episode on the rooftop of the Daley Center had simply been a delight (yes I AM being sarcastic) with torrential downpours and sticky-humid Chicago heat - it delayed the shooting time tremendously, so he and his crew would be several hours late in the morning. I began sweating profusely worried about timing, but crossed my fingers.

    By the next day, the time for his visit had been extended beyond 10 AM. Lots of people had arrived to watch the show being taped. We all waited patiently with fingers crossed hoping for the best. At 11:00 AM Joe and his team pulled in my driveway and a small cheer escaped the crowd. With no further delay I ran out the door and gave Joe and his cameramen a five-minute tour of my sustainable garden so they would be able to build the best shots in a short time -- turns out they all had to be at Midway Airport by 2:00 PM. This meant we had to be done in less than two hours for them to make it on time.

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    Let me explain my garden; essentially it is the garden that ate Warrenville, Illinois. It is on a cul-de-sac in a very common suburban neighborhood in the suburbs of Chicago. However, with my intense gardening addiction, it has now taken over my life and my neighbors properties. No kidding. It is a LOT of garden to cover with a television show taping in less than two hours. Therefore, the executive decision was made to focus only on the front vegetable garden which I am using to help people understand more about how to feed the hungry.

    We surveyed the area discussing what would work best, then jumped in taping the show. Above you see Joe and I discussing how to address the vegetable garden details on film. At the right you see his crew filming us sitting on the front porch in front of the rain water cistern system. His crew is trying to push light onto our faces with a portable shiny mirror so the camera can see us better while we are having our conversation.

    My neighborhood is relatively quiet, but of course today during our shoot several extremely loud trains went by on the local train line, a dozen airplanes went over head, loud trucks drove by, the mailman drove by, the UPS man drove by, and cars drove by. Surprisingly there were no marching bands going by. Below you see Joe and I cracking up while we are waiting for one of the trains to go by.

    Blog Laughing while waiting for trains to go past.jpg

    And guess what? We finished in under two hours with smiles on our faces. We all had a fantastic time during the shoot. My helpers were absolutely fabulous. Thank you Brenda for all the amazingly well-taken photos and to Kylee and Louise for helping with lunch. Most of all thank you to all the wonderful team from Growing A Greener World TV, both on site and off, for helping make my debut on your television show such a terrific experience. It was fun - can I do it again please? ::wink::

    **All photos on this page credited to Brenda Haas of BG Garden Photography.

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    PBS Television Shoot In My Front Lawn - "Growing A Greener World" Arrives Tomorrow

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    Shawna

    Author, speaker, consultant, and green lifestyle wild woman. Teaching community building and simple living tips.

    Shawna and Joe Lamp'l 03-09-2.jpg

    What an exciting day today. I am preparing the last of the garden for a television shoot with the Growing A Greener World crew. GGW is a PBS television series addressing the latest trends in eco-friendly living mixed with traditional gardening know-how. Joe Lamp'l is the producer and host - here he is with me at the Chicago Flower and Garden Show in 2009 (photo right).

    Apparently my front lawn vegetable garden with 500 gallon rain water cistern system has enticed the team to come out and do a sustainable feature on my garden. How wonderful - yay!

    Stay tuned for the next couple of days and I will keep you updated on all the fun and activities. Right now I am focused on cleaning up the garden and making sure it looks great for the cameras. We had a severe thunderstorm move through the area this morning and I am hoping that is the last we see of the storms so we can move forward with no problem with filming. Cross your fingers for good luck!

    Tonight my own team - an amazing group of garden and blogger friends - Brenda Haas of BG Garden blog, Kylee Hartwig Baumle of Our Little Acre blog and her incredible and amazing mother, Louise Hartwig, will be arriving. Brenda will be the photographer for the day and Kylee and Louise have volunteered to help with the organizing and lunch. Of course, I would be lost without them, so am very grateful they all will be here to help.

    Remember to help me out and do the "ANTI-RAIN DANCE" - - this would be encouraging the rain to finally stop for tomorrow's shoot! If you want to send me pictures of you doing the anti-rain dance today, I will post it tomorrow on the blog.

    Litter Free Lunch - Making Kids A Greener Lunch

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    Shawna

    Author, speaker, consultant, and green lifestyle wild woman. Teaching community building and simple living tips.

    Litter Free Lunch.jpg

    School days are almost upon us. This year, I challenge you to think of creative ways to reduce your footprint when it comes to school-time lunches. 

    Felice Farran dreamed of doing the same thing for her family - she was a woman on a mission. Her challenge; how do you make your child's school lunch greener and less wasteful? According to the Litter Free Lunch website, "A household of four that replaces paper napkins with reusable cloth ones could save $70 per year or more on napkin costs, and reduce their waste by up to 40 pounds per year. If every household made this shift, we could prevent 1.5 million tons of paper napkin waste from entering the landfill each year."

    A dedicated recycler and "greenee", Felice had been utilizing reusable containers for her children's lunch box. Then she discovered fabric as a solution instead of the very wasteful paper and plastic that fills most children's lunch boxes. She created, with her partner Megan

    Litter Free Lunch Felice and Megan.jpg

    Felice Farran (left) and Megan Wojtyla (right), founders of Litter Free Lunch, with their awesome lunch bag products.

    Wojtyla, reusable cloth sandwich bags and napkins made of cotton. This was the first step to opening a green-minded solution for the resource-wasteful containers most Americans use for their lunch. 

    Armed with determination, Felice and Megan have been changing kids lunches for the better across the United States with their enterprising and creative business, Litter Free Lunch, where they sell online their unique solutions to help green your and your children's lunches.

    In the above photo you see how I assembled a lunch for my kiddo utilizing the products Litter Free Lunch sent me to review. Both my nine-year-old and I love the idea and feel it is an effective way to reduce all that waste we used before. Better yet - it was easy to do.

    Below is a common sense list from the Litter Free Lunch website (http://litterfreelunch.com) which describes tips to keep your lunches litter free:

    Tips for a Litter Free Lunch

    • Replace brown paper bags with a reusable lunch box or bag;
    • Swear off plastic bags and use stainless steel food containers;
    • Switch from disposable paper napkins to reusable cloth napkins;
    • Give up the habit of disposable water bottles and replace it with a reusable stainless steel water bottle;
    • Skip disposable plastic cutlery and pack a reusable spoons or forks;
    • Save money by avoiding individually wrapped or packaged items like yogurt, cheese, cookies or crackers.  Buy larger sizes and pack portions in reusable containers. It's green and saves green!

    Litter Free Lunch has become an amazing way to bring awareness to parents across the nation on how to prevent waste. Felice and Megan participate as a sponsor in the national Green My Lunchbox campaign.

    Be sure to follow Litter Free Lunch on Twitter - http://twitter.com/litterfreelunch and Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Litter-Free-Lunch-Cloth-Napkins/93653218197.

    The Litter Free Go Green Trio retails for $19.99 and I think it would make a wonderful green gift for your favorite parent. Felice and Megan gave me a set of napkins and stainless container when I met them, so I used it in exchange for for my review. However, you should know that I really do like the products and think its a fantastic idea for reducing lunch waste. I would have purchased it myself had they not given it to me, I think it is a great product!

    How You Can Make A Green Difference For The World With A Garden

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    Shawna

    Author, speaker, consultant, and green lifestyle wild woman. Teaching community building and simple living tips.

    2010 community Garden.jpg

    Shawna Coronado digging in the garden she built for the community in Warrenville, IL, a suburb of Chicago.

    A garden is more than a garden. This realization came in 2006 when I began removing grass from the shared easement property behind my fence on Batavia Road in Warrenville where I decided to plant a new garden. Since my back fence faces a very public street, bike route, and biking path, I thought I might cheer a few people up if I put a garden around the back entry gate. Little did I know that this garden installation would inspire a transformation in my life of such magnitude that it would touch people around the globe.

    When I contacted the City of Warrenville to ask if I could plant on city easement property, the individuals I spoke to had never heard the question before. They were surprised, but the answer was "yes," as long as I did not plant a tree or a large bush that the city would have to maintain.

    One day while removing the sod in the easement area, I was surprised when I looked up to see a little man standing in front of the garden staring at the progress. Without even a hello, he said, "Hey! You can't plant anything here!"

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    A view of Shawna Coronado's garden from the shady side where a park bench and creative planters sit.

    Raising an eyebrow and putting my hands on my hips, I smiled and said, "Why not?"

    "Well, it's just crazy to do it -- 'cause no one has done it before and the city won't let ya! Besides, you can't see this from your house, so why build it?"

    With that statement, I realized why this exercise in sweat equity was really important to me, and replied, "This is not for me; it is for the community." Returning to my task, I put my back into it, and so began my journey.

    That first year, by the time I had finished planting the small area around my back gate, I began to experience something amazing. Neighbors I had never met before came out to speak with me whenever I was laboring in the garden. They smiled, hugged me, asked about my life and my family - complete strangers. Soon, the garden-behind-the-fence became a personal refuge of sorts. When I needed it, I knew I could always go behind-the-fence and get hugs and acceptance. Although I had been living a greener lifestyle and gardening for my health for years, the discovery of touching community was one of the most powerful things that ever happened to me. With the garden's community inspiration pushing me, I began writing a book.

    That winter, away from the garden, I struggled with my health. A stressful sales/marketing job had me gone before dawn and back after dark every day. When my boss asked me to work more hours, I walked off the job, fearing that if I stayed, it would kill me. That spring, I down-sized into a new career making far less money, began to expand the behind-the-fence garden, and continued writing the book.

    The public response to the garden was more than amazing. Sweet neighbors left me gifts and "love letters" telling me stories of their lives and thanking me. I fell in love with these people and became addicted to my behind-the-fence passion. I had little money, so asked every friend I knew if they could donate plants from their gardens to enable me to expand.

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    Late summer view of the community garden - filled with native and drought tolerant perennial plants as well as vegetable plants to help feed the hungry.

    In the process of building this particular garden, I learned about proven studies which show that landscaping and beautifying your community reduces crime, increases health, and builds community. Without a doubt, this garden had turned into a "community garden" which gave joy to others and improved my neighborhood.

    By 2008, I had expanded the garden to over 200 feet and stretched it behind my next door neighbors' fence line. It was, for me, a herculean accomplishment; a triumph over all the naysayers. I knew all the dogs in the neighborhood personally, waved at every car that passed, met hundreds of people - who hugged me sloppily whenever we saw each other - and that year I also published my first book, Gardening Nude. My health had improved 100 percent, my outlook on life had changed, and I had never been happier.

    Writing a newspaper column on gardening and greening began several years before I ever envisioned this behind-the-fence community garden. Because of my garden, however, I was inspired to do amazing things I never ever imagined - which went far beyond a newspaper column. Right now I make a living by touring and keynote speaking on green living, and just returned from spending two weeks in Ireland where I spoke on how doing good for others by gardening can change a community for the positive.

    This year I also traveled to the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico with a television crew to discuss the world's sustainable practices. My message is that green living is healthier, and that a garden is more than a garden; it is about improving health or building community or feeding the hungry - not simply about plants.

    My websites and blogs receive thousands of views every week, and I have followers in more than twenty countries. Currently, with over 12,000 followers on Twitter, over 1,800 followers on Facebook, and over 28,400 uploaded views on YouTube, my little Warrenville garden is being seen by the world in ways I never could have imagined just a few years ago.

    Because I built this garden for my community, I learned that it is possible for one person to make a difference both in an immediate community and globally.

    Reduce crime, feed the hungry, improve health, and build community: all possible for you to do in your neighborhood like I did. Get out today and build your own garden for your neighborhood. Put on your old shoes, start drafting a landscape plan and begin to make a difference for your neighbors and for your life today.

    Remember that building a garden for your community is not about the plants; it is about making a difference for the world.

    **This post was originally published in the Village Chronicles Newspaper, but is being published simultaneously on The Casual Gardener Blog and Gardening Nude blog to show readers how one person can and has made a difference. 

    Vegetable Garden In Your Front Lawn - Save Money While Living Sustainably

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    Shawna

    Author, speaker, consultant, and green lifestyle wild woman. Teaching community building and simple living tips.

    June Front Garden.jpg

    Shawna Coronado's front lawn organic vegetable and herb garden.

    When I first began the journey of removing the grass from my front lawn and installing 5,000 pounds of rotted buffalo manure in 2009, I had no idea where it would lead. In the first year I learned a lot of hard lessons and soon realized that a vegetable garden requires more water than all the rest of my garden combined. Building a sustainable vegetable garden became a

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    Robin bathing in the front lawn Aquascape rain water cistern fountain.

    priority more than ever.

    With the help of Aquascape, Inc. I had a rain water cistern and water fountain installed in the front lawn to help me supply fresh water to the vegetables. This season I began composting kitchen and yard waste heavily, added more composted manure, and mulched the vegetable garden; all things to do for your

    garden which will help conserve water. Thanks to Organic Mechanics Soil, I was also able to add worm castings in the vegetable garden zones where I did not rotate crops in the hopes the added nutrients will help the plants build positive microbial root activity.

    This season I christened the garden with a name; "Jardin de Vegetal" and have worked to make it easier to plant and more ornamental to boost the front lawn attractiveness factor. In the rough hand-drawn design below you can see how I laid out a "sun ray" design around the front patio and walk way in my plan.

    Sun Ray Garden Design.jpg

    A simple sun ray design laid out on paper before project implementation.

    It was very simple to create. First, I drew out a rough design for the garden (see above plan), then I dug in soil amendments. Next, I strung rope in straight lines to mark out where the plants should go, planted the plants, mulching well. That was easy!

    2010 Sun Ray Planting.jpg

    Below is the list of incredible Burpee Home Gardens plants I used to make this vision come true. The numbers coordinate with the numbers on the above plan. The alphabet letters are perennials I laid out in the full-shade section of the front garden since it would not adequately support vegetable plants:

    1. 30 Gourmet Blend Mixed Lettuces Plants
    2. 30 Red Rubin Basil Plants
    3. 16 Cabbage Plants
    4. 40 Onion Plants - White Sweet Spanish
    5. 20 Bush Bean Plants and 5 Burpee's Bush Table Queen Squash Plants
    6. 5 Burpee Golden Zucchini Plants
    7. 3 SuperTasty Tomato Plants
    8. 5 Sweet Burpless Cucumber Plants
    9. 10 Flavorburst Pepper Plants
    10. 5 Big Beef Tomato Plants
    11. 2 SuperTasty Tomato Plants
    12. 2 SunGold Cherry Tomato Plants

    In the top photo you can see how the garden looks mid-summer. Pretty good - plants are growing strong and I am very happy. To see even more of how the design and planting worked, please watch the below video.


    -- Burpee Home Gardens supplied the vegetables grown in the garden this season. I  write many instructional stories and videos with their incredible vegetable products and donate a large portion of the vegetables to the local food pantry when harvested.

    -- Corona Clipper supplied the really awesome planting tools I planted with.

    -- Organic Mechanics Soil supplied the worm castings for the garden areas which were not crop-rotated this season.

    -- Aquascape, Inc. supplied the rain water cistern for easier watering of the vegetable garden.

    This story was originally published on my gardening blog, "The Casual Gardener."


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