-
Rockin’ It: Innovative Use of Stone at the San Francisco Garden Show (2012 Edition)
As I pointed out last year, garden shows are a place for designers to do all the crazy shiznit that’s over-the-top stunning, but also completely impractical, hard to maintain or otherwise unsuitable for life in the real world. But the wonderful thing about the hardscape and stonework at garden shows is that it’s full of…
-
Contemplative Spaces: Key Elements To Include
When creating a space for calm contemplation, what you leave out is much more important than what you put in. It’s as true in the garden as it is elsewhere; clutter isn’t soothing. Whether you’re creating a small nook for restful solace or overhauling an entire garden, these essential elements will keep you on track…
-
Faux Bois: False Wood
I admit it: I love Martha Stewart. She drives me crazy, but her involved-yet-ever-so-elegant craft projects? Her table centerpieces? And her recipes which cause me to swoon (when reading) and curse (when preparing – I mean, who wants to spend six hours on a cupcake recipe?). She’s the queen of aspirational living. So when Martha…
-
Don’t Do This: Horrible Landscaping Blunders
This post might get a little ugly. Scratch that. It’s definitely getting ugly. Today, I’ve got a quick round up of some of the worst offenders I’ve seen in professionally installed landscapes. Roving bamboo, landscape fabric stifling tree trunks, unhappy plants suffering a variety of maladies. . . and all of it easily preventable. Want…
-
Drumroll Please: 2011’s Garden Trend Award Goes To. . .
Succulents! Forget the “Year of the Protestor“, 2011 was the Year of the Succulent. From green roofs to succulent spheres, these low-maintenance, year-round plants have been everywhere. With Debra Lee Baldwin’s classy instruction in her books, we’ve been using succulents in rose gardens, container plantings, and some creative people have even used them as Christmas…
-
Selling Your Home? Score Some Curb Appeal Fast
When selling your home, it really stinks to spend money on improvements that you may not recoup. However, it stinks worse to have your perfectly lovely home sit for ages, unsold, because that first impression isn’t all it could be. Recently, I wrote about a few weird tricks that are inexpensive but generate some serious…
-
Dark Designs: Black Foliage in the Garden
With Halloween around the corner, what more appropriate topic to tackle than darkness? Specifically, dark and black foliage. Black is dramatic. Unexpected. It’s all about contrast – between dark and light, living and dead. Like a glittered Day of the Dead skeleton, there’s a playfulness there, along with a somber dignity. Darkness in the garden…
-
Mediterranean Plants to Rock Your Waterwise Landscape
Recently I wrote about how to design a Mediterranean garden, but I left out one major component – which plants to choose! I just did a follow-up article over at the Christian Science Monitor which discusses just that. And yes, there are more photos of that lovely, lovely garden. Head on over to read more.
-
Mediterranean Garden Design: How to Create a Tuscan Garden
Recently, I was lucky enough to visit the Mediterranean garden of Lynda and Jack Pozel in Eureka, CA. Lynda’s a writer and artist, and until five years ago, owned a gorgeous cottage-style garden that was on our local garden tour multiple times. So when they moved and Lynda had a whole new garden to create,…
-
New Garden Inspiration: Google Image Search by Image
I’m guessing most of you are familiar with the simple Google image search. You type in what you want, you get to look at lots of pretty pictures. It’s great for figuring out what might look good next to that sleek orange grass you just bought, or narrowing down which variety of Alstroemeria you have.…
-
Plant Natives in the Side Yard
If you’ve been wanting to incorporate more native plants into your garden, either for the wildlife benefit or simply for that touchpoint with your natural surroundings, it can feel like a challenge when you already have an existing garden. But the side yard, an often neglected area with tough conditions, can be an ideal place…