Just part of my mom’s previous 1-1/2 acre garden. I’m especially excited about today’s topic: “Designing an HOA Garden You Love.” Over the years, I’ve heard from many clients who are downsizing and moving into communities governed by homeowners’ associations (HOA’s) – a transition that can cause a LOT of anxiety. Their primary concern […]
The holidays are here, so as a follow-up to my previous Favorite New Plants post, today I’m sharing my Top Garden Gifts for 2025: What Gardeners REALLY Want! If you’ve ever struggled to find the perfect gardening gift, you know how tricky it can be, especially for gardeners who seem to already “have it all.” […]
Welcome to my end-of-year wrap-up: My Favorite New Plants of 2025—Beauty, Resilience, and a Few Surprises! While some of the plants below are, indeed, new introductions, many are simply new to me. But after watching them thrive in both my blistering-hot Granite Bay garden (zone 9) and our cold, snowy Lake Tahoe garden (zone 6), […]
Every spring, I look forward to new and exciting garden ideas from upcoming garden tours. Regardless of the garden’s size or style, I undoubtedly return buzzing with ideas. It’s not just the big, show-stopping moments that stick with me—sometimes it’s the smallest details that are most memorable: a tucked-away seating nook, a clever use of […]
I’ve wanted to write about the power of pink in garden design for a long time, as it seems to be a fairly polarizing color among gardeners. Sounds crazy, doesn’t it? But as a designer and public speaker, I talk to literally hundreds of gardeners a year, and very often, gardeners will tell me they’re […]
Today, I want to share my favorite creative container ideas for gardens of all sizes. I’ve yet to encounter a garden that doesn’t include at least a few planted containers in its design. Whether artfully placed near the front door, grouped artistically on the back patio, or incorporated into a garden bed, containers are cherished […]
Today, I want to share with you how to transform a tiny patio with creative tips that add both charm and functionality to any size garden.
With the crispness of fall in the air, it’s the ideal time to engage in a mindful clean-up for the wildlife in our garden. Even the smallest changes can make a world of difference for insects, birds, and the overall health of our garden’s soil. And the good news is, these tiny changes translate […]
When speaking with a garden club recently, we spent quite a bit of time discussing how to use blue in the garden. Whether using blue flowers, foliage, or accents, the topic was lively, as blue seems to be a favorite color among gardeners (right up there with purple and pink!). So today, I thought I’d […]
In early spring, it’s safe to say I’m in a state of ‘euphorbia euphoria.’ Clusters of otherworldly chartreuse flowers hover above many other perennials just emerging from winter, bringing much-needed color and nectar for hungry pollinators. But their flowers are just one of the many reasons they’re a staple in my zone-9 garden. They’re also […]
Today I’m sharing something I tried for the first time ever – how to refrigerate peony buds for months of blooms. And, as a bonus, at the end of this post I’ll share some amazing varieties with you that you may or may not have heard of before! What prompted me to try refrigerating peony […]
With spring upon us, I wanted to share my Top 3 Favorite Garden Tools with you. As a garden designer (and a garden fanatic!), you’d think I’d have every latest and greatest garden tool in my arsenal. But I don’t. I’m actually pretty low maintenance in this department, preferring to use just a few of my […]
