Green the Grounds, subtitled Bringing Nature into the Public Realm, sprouted from an inquiry by First Lady Michelle Obama’s office to author Susan Harris about ideas she had put about for a kitchen garden at the White House. Susan offered to pull together some suggestions. Thirty-four experts were consulted and the result is the illustrated 19 page Greening the White House Grounds (pdf). It summarizes ideas and discussion on all facets of the project. One conclusion it would be hard to argue with is, “… the prettier and the more people-friendly, the better.”

Susan provides number of resources on how to think about such projects here. Being a prolific writer, blogger, garden maven, and networker, the new blog is a further outcome, aimed at greening executive mansions at all levels, those being governor’s mansions and mayoral abodes. The  idea is that examples at the top will inspire many others.

The mansions of New York and Maryland’s governors are presently featured. How’s your local executive manse? If there’s something to crow about, let Susan know.