Tag: Design

Chihuly Garden and Glass in Winter chihuly garden and glass

Chihuly Garden and Glass in Winter

Today I’m excited to share with you the beauty of the Chihuly Garden and Glass in winter. It’s been a whopper of a winter, and while I’m not complaining,  I must say, I’m feeling pretty starved for garden tours right now.   Name a gardener that isn’t feeling this way, right?  But finding a garden that’s glorious in the […]

Designing with Ball-Shaped Flowers ball-shaped flowers

Designing with Ball-Shaped Flowers

I love designing with ball-shaped flowers.  Don’t get me wrong, I also adore spire-shaped flowers (click here if you missed that post!) However, there’s something about spherical shapes that always makes me smile.   Maybe its because the lollipop shapes tend to be more playful?  Or maybe its because the symmetrical, round balls are such a […]

Replacing a Pool with a Garden turning a pool into a garden

Replacing a Pool with a Garden

Over the years, more and more people have asked me for help with replacing a pool with a garden.    Maybe it’s because of California’s ongoing drought?  Maybe it’s because of kids who have grown up and flown the coop?  Either way, removing a pool and replacing it with a garden is a hot topic […]

Freeland and Sabrina Tanner’s Garden freeland sabrina tanner

Freeland and Sabrina Tanner’s Garden

Welcome to Freeland and Sabrina Tanner’s garden!  I’m re-writing this post (originally written over 12 years ago!) to introduce newer readers to my favorite garden ever. After a several-year absence, I recently revisited this garden, and while I didn’t think it was possible to get any better than it was – boy was I wrong.  […]

Transforming a side yard from Blah to Beautiful Transforming a side yard

Transforming a side yard from Blah to Beautiful

I originally wrote this post about transforming a side yard eight years ago.  However, I’m re-writing this in honor of my friend who created this magical side yard, and who recently unexpectedly passed away. I often highlight this garden in various presentations, and it’s always a HUGE hit with the audience.   In fact, this garden […]

The Allied Box Factory in San Francisco The Allied Box Factory

The Allied Box Factory in San Francisco

My friend, Baylor Chapman, is one of those people who have chlorophyll running through their veins. She’s not only the founder of Lila B. Design, a San Francisco flower design studio, but one of my favorite authors ever (if you haven’t read Decorating with Plants, you’re missing out!) I was absolutely smitten with her (now […]

Succulent People of the San Diego Botanic Garden san diego botanic garden succulent people

Succulent People of the San Diego Botanic Garden

While spending the day at the San Diego Botanic Garden, my favorite moment was walking around the corner and discovering I was in the middle of a party with life-sized Succulent People. Pat Hammer (who was also the Botanic Garden’s Director of Operations,) is the genius behind these incredible works of art.  She even made […]

A Magnificent Monochromatic Garden

A Magnificent Monochromatic Garden

Welcome to Lani Freymiller’s magnificent monochromatic garden! What’s a monochromatic garden?  It’s one that uses a very limited color palette. I’ve noticed that gardeners are often reluctant to try their hand at creating a monochromatic garden for fear of it looking a tad uninspiring.  Which is understandable, as it can be a tad tricky to […]

Four Fab Faves for the Fall Garden (say that one fast three times!) designing pollinator garden

Four Fab Faves for the Fall Garden (say that one fast three times!)

Fall is taking its sweet time showing up where I live in Granite Bay. As I currently write this, it’s late October and a way-too-hot 87 degrees outside, but my garden is loving it. Insects and hummingbirds are everywhere, buzzing from plant to plant, storing up as much energy as they can before cold weather […]

Top 15 Favorite Orange Flowers

Top 15 Favorite Orange Flowers

It’s that time of year again when our homes and gardens are decked out in orange and black, and mine is no exception. And what better occasion than Halloween to talk about one of my favorite colors in the garden and share with you my top 15 favorite orange flowers! Awhile ago, I wrote about […]

Glaucous & Purple – a color combo that adds some ‘oomph’ to your garden glaucous foliage

Glaucous & Purple – a color combo that adds some ‘oomph’ to your garden

I bet many of you are thinking ‘what the heck is glaucous, anyway?’ Well, according to Webster, glaucous means:   1.  of a pale yellow-green color, or of a light bluish-gray or bluish-white color       2. having a powdery or waxy coating that gives a frosted appearance and tends to rub off And […]

Transforming awkward spaces in the garden

Transforming awkward spaces in the garden

I’ve spent the past two years working in my new garden.  And by working, I mean killing myself trying to fix one awkward space after another. I’ve finally got the upper hand on things (sort of) and just as soon as I can, I’ll share some pics with you. Above is a teaser of the […]