Pink flowers that bloom in fall aren’t usually the first flowers gardeners think of when planning an autumn garden. We tend to reach for the traditional colors of orange, yellow, red and gold, but pink can be surprisingly beautiful sprinkled among these warm fall hues. In fact, pink may be one of the most unexpected […]
Today I’m excited to share with you the beauty of the Chihuly Garden and Glass in winter. It’s been a whopper of a winter, and while I’m not complaining, I must say, I’m feeling pretty starved for garden tours right now. Name a gardener that isn’t feeling this way, right? But finding a garden that’s glorious in the […]
I love designing with ball-shaped flowers. Don’t get me wrong, I also adore spire-shaped flowers (click here if you missed that post!) However, there’s something about spherical shapes that always makes me smile. Maybe its because the lollipop shapes tend to be more playful? Or maybe its because the symmetrical, round balls are such a […]
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 […]
Welcome to Freeland and Sabrina Tanner’s garden! I’m re-writing this post (originally written almost 15 years ago!) to introduce newer readers to my favorite garden ever. After a several-year absence, I recently revisited this garden, and while I didn’t think it was possible to get any better than it was – boy was I wrong. […]
I originally wrote this post about transforming a side yard eight years ago. However, I’m re-writing this in honor of my friend who created this magical side yard, and who recently unexpectedly passed away. I often highlight this garden in various presentations, and it’s always a HUGE hit with the audience. In fact, this garden […]
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 […]
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 […]
Fall is taking its sweet time showing up where I live in Granite Bay. As I currently write this, it’s late October and a way-too-hot 87 degrees outside, but my garden is loving it. Insects and hummingbirds are everywhere, buzzing from plant to plant, storing up as much energy as they can before cold weather […]
I’m excited to share my Top 15 favorite orange flowers with you because: 1) I absolutely love orange in my garden, and 2) In all the years I’ve been designing gardens, orange is hands-down the color that gets the most hate. Time and again, new clients repeatedly ask me to avoid using orange in their […]
I bet many of you are thinking ‘what the heck is glaucous, anyway?’ Well, according to Webster, glaucous means: 1. of a pale yellow-green color, or of a light bluish-gray or bluish-white color 2. having a powdery or waxy coating that gives a frosted appearance and tends to rub off And here’s a fun-fact […]
