Today I’m sharing some inspiration using dead trees and branches. What do you do when a beloved tree gives up the ghost? Or when several trees need to be removed to make way for a new home or garden? Or when you come home from vacation to find a giant oak tree fell over, seemingly […]
Stachys (Lamb’s Ear’ and succulents When designing gardens, I never forget to focus on what I call the 4 C’s: corners, cracks, crannies, and crevices. When looking at a garden, my philosophy is this: any bare spot is a planting opportunity. And, I mean ANY bare spot. A little nook where two stones don’t quite […]
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 […]
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 […]
Gardening under oaks and learning to love dry-shade plants go hand-in-hand. Sensitive to summer irrigation, fertilizers, and root disturbance means creating a garden near an oak tree requires a delicate touch. Indeed, it can be tricky to accomplish. That’s why the careful selection and placement of dry-shade-loving plants is critical for the tree’s overall health. (Does anyone […]
Francoa ramosa is one of my favorite perennials for dry shade. I’ve had them grow equally happy in fairly deep shade to bright shade, requiring little water once established. In fact, in my zone 9 garden, they’re evergreen, dying back a bit to form a tidy green mound before starting the show all over again […]
I LOVE ornamental oxalis in the garden! Before you all think I’ve lost my mind, I’m not talking about the horribly invasive oxalis weed that threatens to take over lawns and gardens everywhere. I’m talking about the many varieties of colorful and well-behaved ornamental oxalis hybrids. The ornamental varieties often get overlooked in the nurseries, […]
I’d like to introduce you to my new obsession , which my husband lovingly calls my Foxtail Lily Frenzy (aka: eremurus ‘Oase’.) I’ve wanted to write about these for months, ever since I bought the tubers at the Northwest Flower & Garden Show this past February. But every time I sit down to write, I […]
Side yard makeovers are some of the most popular posts on my blog, and for good reason. (you can see why here and here)! First, though, for those who aren’t quite sure what a side yard is – they’re the long and narrow sections of your garden that flank one or both sides of your […]
I love a good Top 10 list, don’t you? Well, here’s one from me – my favorite Top 10 deer-resistant, spring-blooming plants for your garden! Limiting this post to only 10 of my favorite spring-blooming plants was certainly a challenge, especially considering they also needed to be deer resistant to survive the hungry hordes […]
Lavenders for all four season? Yes! (though the winter-blooming varieties are for milder climates, only.) After designing gardens for over 20 years now, I’d have to say lavenders in at least 90% of my gardens – and for good reason! Many varieties of lavender are really long-lived and they thrive on neglect (the most […]
It’s been pouring rain for days now, which is the perfect time to talk about creating a rain garden. Even though many plants are still deciduous, patiently waiting for warmer weather, there’s still plenty happening right now to talk about its late winter-early spring charms. Besides, if you’re like me, I love taking a peek […]
