Tag: Sustainability

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 […]

Repurposing trash into treasures for the garden

Repurposing trash into treasures for the garden

Annie Leonard, a proponent of sustainability, says ‘There is no such thing as ‘away.’  When we throw anything away it must go somewhere.’  This quote resonates deeply with me and is something I think about whenever it’s tempting to toss something that no longer has a purpose.  I love repurposed items in the garden. Things […]

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 […]

Taking ‘gardening is therapy’ to a whole new level

Taking ‘gardening is therapy’ to a whole new level

At one time or another, most of us have said ‘gardening is therapy,’ right?   But seeing an actual therapeutic garden work its magic right in front of me is a whole different experience. Recently, my mother and I visited my mom’s cousin, Carol, to see the incredible garden she helped create for her adult daughter, […]

The Sacramento Historic Cemetery’s Native, Perennial, & Rose Gardens

The Sacramento Historic Cemetery’s Native, Perennial, & Rose Gardens

I can’t believe it, but I’m coming up on the 2nd year anniversary since moving up north to Granite Bay from the Bay Area.  During the past two years, I’ve been having so much fun touring lots of public and private gardens in the area. It seems like a lot of my favorite gardens are […]

The Bold Dry Garden – a review and giveaway

The Bold Dry Garden – a review and giveaway

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure to attend a party celebrating Timber Press’s new release, The Bold Dry Garden, written by Johanna Silver (who is also the garden editor for Sunset magazine). The event was held at one of my favorite places, The Ruth Bancroft Garden (appropriate, as that’s the subject of the […]

The New York Botanical Native Garden

The New York Botanical Native Garden

I was so happy to finally have the chance to visit the New York Botanical Garden, during their 125th anniversary no less!   I blocked out the entire day to explore as much as I could of this massive, 250-acre garden in the Bronx, and while I wasn’t able to see everything, I did manage to […]

The Water-Saving Garden book party and giveaway

The Water-Saving Garden book party and giveaway

I’m thrilled to be invited to help celebrate the release of Pam Penick’s second book, The Water Saving Garden, with a party that you’re all invited to attend (awesome prizes included!) As a follow-up to her first book Lawn Gone (and one of my personal favorites), The Water Saving Garden delves even deeper into the practical […]

Pumice versus Perlite – Q & A pumice vs. perlite

Pumice versus Perlite – Q & A

Let me introduce you to the dynamic brother/sister team, Lexi and Austin Petelski, who own General Pumice Products. These young and dynamic gardeners own two California pumice mines and have offered to explain the differences between pumice and perlite. Those of you who love to plant succulents will especially appreciate pumice, as it not only helps absorb […]

A life changing journey for me and three gardens

A life changing journey for me and three gardens

It’s taken me several days to write this, as I just can’t seem to grasp that a year has already passed since I posted my glass pumpkin photo with the accompanying news of my cancer diagnosis. Some days it feels like it was a lifetime ago, while other days it feels like only moments have […]

The High Line Highlights High Line Garden

The High Line Highlights

I spent a few weeks in New York City this summer, and am thrilled to have finally visited the High Line public garden. Ever since its grand opening in 2009, I’ve been dying to see the transformation of this abandoned, defunct elevated railway into one of the city’s most inspiring and innovative public gardens. I’d like […]

Replacing a lawn with a garden – Part 3

Replacing a lawn with a garden – Part 3

Here we are at the end of May and I’m happy to share with you the final phase of my front garden re-do! As you may recall, in January I finally decided to remove my little-used front lawn and replace it with a low-water garden (you can read about it here and here). After moving around my new […]