Quick Takes With: Molly Sedlacek - Gardenista
Photography courtesy of ORCA. We are big admirers of Molly Sedlacek, a self-described “second generation female landscape designer from the central coast of Oregon.” (You can find our coverage of her projects here, here, and here.) For our inaugural Quick Takes column, we asked Molly about plants, pavers, and her personal preferences about just everything. Molly has a background in organic textiles, where she “found a love for using materials that the earth provides us to create spaces that bring us tranquility.” Your first garden memory: Under the large maple tree in my parent’s front garden in Florence, OR. I am laying in the grass looking up, moving my head to allow the leaves to shade the sun as the light filters through. Book/show/movie/art that has influenced your work: Dwellings, a book from the ’70s my father gave me. A quote from the book: “The way in which you are and I am, the manner in which we humans are on the earth, is Bauen, dwelling. Garden-related book you return to time and again: Japanese Gardens Today is no longer in print, but you can find used versions online. Specifically, this book discusses the four human principles of design that ORCA uses in our work: economic unity, logical unity, aesthetic unity, and spiritual unity. Instagram account that inspires you: @for.the.wild It’s a podcast and Instagram account that is focused on land-based protection, co-liberation, and intersectional storytelling. They feature some really wonderful subjects, and I find myself awaiting their posts. California’s native buckwheat gives the garden year-round magic. Plant that makes you swoon: I’ve always had a hard time with this plant as it is very structured. Plant that makes you want to run the other way: A small packet of Desert Globemallow seeds is $3 at Native Seeds Search. I like using it at the edges or bases of hedges to brighten the garden. ORCA prioritizes the use of natural, sustainable materials. The one thing you wish gardeners would stop doing: Old wives’ tale gardening trick that actually works: Place pennies alongside your roses for good fortune and health. I drink a lot of coffee and am able to have a constant supply of fertilizer. Also, cover your perennials with their own dead leaves in the fall to add protection against excessive rainfall and cold weather. Stone and wood—a perfect pairing. The permanence of rock complemented by the impermanence of wood is a beautiful symbol of life and gardening. They wear so beautifully and offer endless pattern opportunities. Favorite hardscaping material: Tool you can’t live without: They are my co-pilot in the garden! ORCA collaborated with MATE, a sustainable clothing company, on the garden jacket that Molly now lives in. My canvas work coat from ORCA, garden clogs from Birkenstock, and usually a linen pant from Ozma as LA tends to be warm and I need to be able to move swiftly. Favorite nursery, plant shop, or seed company: Jo’s Australian natives in Casita Springs, or Flora Grub Gardens. Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin, TX. Not-to-be-missed public garden/park/botanical garden: I am processing life and my purpose through the garden. The REAL reason you garden: We are transforming two trailer parks in Oregon and Utah at the moment for the ultimate camping experience, working on a handful of adobe homes and mid-century moderns. This spring, our materials studio is also introducing a collection of outdoor hardware and clay cobbles to help offer alternatives to stone that is imported for hardscaping.