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 […]
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 […]
Gardening on steep slopes is problematic at best. Ever try and plant, prune, or deadhead on a steep hill? NOT fun. I should know. I’ve spent the past 2 years working in my new garden , trying to tame a pretty slope that has caused me to shed a tear or two in frustration. And […]
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, […]
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 […]
I first met Baylor Chapman almost a decade ago when researching gardens for my first book, Garden Up! (remember seeing these beautiful succulent shutters, below? They’re Baylor’s.) I’ve since written about her floral design studio, Lila B. Design, and the fantastic community courtyard where she lives (click on the links to read more.) Well, when […]
I’ll admit it – I’ve never given much thought to caladiums. But having trialed several this year (thanks to the generous folks at Classic Caladiums) I can proudly say I’m a Caladium Convert! Similar to coleus, they come in a psychedelic array of color combinations,. Caladiums, however, seem to have more of an air […]
I recently returned from a fantastic whirlwind week in Seattle, where my mother and I attended the Northwest Flower & Garden Festival. In between my presentations, including a riveting ‘Container Wars’ challenge (yes, that’s me showing off my blue ribbon!!) I had plenty of time to wander through this year’s display gardens, the theme being […]
Recently my good friend, Michelle Gervais (who was also the former garden editor of Fine Gardening magazine for many, many years) asked me to take a look at her new book ‘Design your Garden Toolkit.’ I jumped at the chance, knowing that her years of knowledge and down-to-earth approach would make for a fantastic […]
Where do I begin? It’s been so long since I’ve written but believe me, I’ve thought of you all so often and have so many things I want to share with you during the coming months. I needed to check out for a while so I could be with my family as we navigated the […]
One of the smartest things I’ve ever done is to give myself a long, long time to say goodbye to my garden. In just a few weeks I’ll be leaving it forever, and I can honestly say that my heart is at peace. I’ve given myself plenty of time to sit still and absorb as […]
Last year, Allen Bush (a Garden Rant contributor) wrote an article about growing weary in the garden; one which resonated deep within my heart: ‘I thought of an interview with the writer Reynolds Price. Price…was asked what his greatest gift as a child had been. He said his favorite gift had come from his grandmother. She […]
