Over the past several years, I’ve written a lot about creating a lawn-free garden. I’ve talked about everything from the nitty -gritty details of removing a lawn, to loads of before-and-after lawn-free transformations, to must-have books and resources that will guide you through every step of the process. With so many new subscribers this past […]
Every few years, when the conditions are just right, this meadow is filled with thousands and thousands of lupines. I just so happened to be visiting Lake Tahoe during this magical time and wanted to share these photos with you. This naturally occurring meadow is located just a few miles from Tahoe City, and […]
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 […]
When talking with a new client, landscaping for privacy is at the top of most people’s wish list. Whether the need is to screen neighbors who are a tad too close, obscure an offending garden eyesore or create a secluded courtyard in the front garden, like in the photo (left.) When it comes to gardens, […]
The concept of ‘proportion and scale’ in the garden can be tricky to get right, but when you do, you just know it. Well, that WASN’T the case when I moved into my new home a few years ago. In fact, it was quite the opposite. But as I’ve lived with the space, I’ve realized that […]
The surest way to create a wow-factor moment in your garden is to add height with flowering, towering plants. Not just a little height either – I’m talking about a lot of height! When I wander through a nursery or read a garden magazine, the words ‘oversized variety’ is my kryptonite. I just can’t resist […]
Having designed gardens throughout California for decades, I want to share with you my favorite top 30 native plants for the garden. These are native plants to both California and other regions of the US and are those that thrive in a garden setting (not all do!) What makes these plants a favorite? Most importantly, […]
I had both the world’s worst and the world’s best manicure yesterday. For my birthday, my husband gave me an indulgent day at the spa gift certificate, complete with a facial, massage, lunch, and a mani-pedi. I didn’t really want the manicure because, let’s face it, for us gardeners, a manicure lasts about as long as a daylily’s bloom. […]
It’s almost spring and there’s lots happening in the garden right now, but I have to say the flowering quince and pipevine swallowtails are stealing the show! There’s nothing subtle about these flowers, ushering in spring loud and clear, shouting to the world that spring is here! Bright orangey-red blooms cover the bare, gray tangle […]
A designer once told me she never plants rosemary in her garden because it’s too common. Huh?
Of course, everyone has a right to their own opinion, but not planting something just because it’s common?
Personally, I happen to LOVE rosemary in the garden and incorporate it into as many designs as I can.
Whether it’s the upright ‘Tuscan Blue,’ mid-size ‘Mozart’ (in the photo, left) or the groundcover ‘Prostratus’ (and everything in between,) I can’t get enough of this plant.
It’s an especially treasured plant for those of us who share our gardens with marauding deer, rabbits, and gophers, as the highly aromatic leaves tend to repel them.
At the same time, because of its long bloom time, it’s a bee magnet (mason bees, honey bees, and bumblebees) as well as hummingbirds, and butterflies.
Late winter is the perfect time to talk about adding four-season structure with trellises, tuteurs, and obelisks. Take a look outside, and you’re likely to see bare branches beginning to swell and bulbs pushing their way through the soil. So before your garden wakes up in full force, take a look to see if there’s […]
While waiting for my sleeping garden to wake, there’s still plenty of flowers that shine this time of year, thanks to some of my favorite late-winter flowers. Little mountains of soil are popping up everywhere as bulbs push their way towards the light, and when I peer down into the crowns of my perennials, I […]
