Welcome to Andrea Testa-Vought’s garden, a textural paradise designed by the amazing Bernard Trainor. As you’ll see, this garden is truly a feast for the eyes. But more importantly, it’s also a lesson in the subtle but powerful effects texture can have in the garden. I first visited this garden in December, on what was […]
Festina Lente. Powerful words used since ancient times by the likes of emperors, military commanders, authors, artists and even Shakespeare himself. Translated, festina lente means ‘hurry slowly’. Personally, I think my neighbor’s bumper sticker says it best – ‘Hurry up and slow down‘. Out of the corner of my eye I discovered this plaque placed […]
Phew – I’ve been busy! As promised a few weeks ago, here’s the next phase of my front lawn-removal project. After deciding on the materials and final shape of the pathways, the next step was to remove the lawn. A physically grueling task to be sure. Enlisting help from those with strong backs, we removed […]
It’s a new year and with it comes the oh-so-familiar new year’s resolutions. And while I rarely keep the ones I make, this is a resolution that’s long overdue and one that I’m thrilled to undertake: getting rid of my unused front lawn. With California’s lowest recorded rainfall in its history (that’s over 160 years!), the timing is perfect to practice […]
A few days ago I spoke to my friend who lives in Boston, and when I complained that my garden was taking a beating during a recent week of unrelenting 28-degree temperatures, he was shocked – in California? Yes, even in the land of sunshine it often dips below freezing on a cold winter night, […]
As a designer, I’m often asked how I go about deciding how and where to begin when it comes to transforming a garden bed. While visualizing where to begin is relatively easy for me (it’s what I do for a living, after all!) I realize that’s not necessarily the case for others. In fact, I experienced […]
There’s something magical about fall colors in the garden, isn’t there? My favorite time of year is the moment I open my front door and see my Japanese maples and Crepe Myrtle trees have turned their fiery shades of yellow, red and orange. These colors signal the calm before the storm (the storms from both […]
I’m thrilled to announce that one of the gardens I designed for a client is featured in this month’s Sunset magazine. In today’s post, I thought I’d talk about another aspect of this garden – using the very-gray colored dymondia margaretae as a lawn substitute. And not just the ground cover itself, but the tricks […]
I’m over-the-moon with excitement to announce that my new book, Refresh Your Garden Design with Color, Texture and Form is officially finished and will be available in bookstores next month – Oct. 20th, to be exact! After seeing a review copy for the first time last week, I can honestly say that I’m immensely proud of this […]
When spotting the smooth and shiny foliage of a colorful coprosma, it’s only a matter of seconds before my client asks ‘What IS that plant?’ Commonly known as a ‘Mirror Plant’, coprosma’s foliage looks like someone meticulously shellacked each perfectly shaped oval leaf. Yes, they’re that shiny. Finding foliage with smooth and reflective surfaces isn’t always easy, which […]
There’s no doubt about it, Debra Lee Baldwin certainly knows her succulents. But while visiting her Escondido, CA garden again a few months ago, I was struck by something else – the flowers! Not succulent flowers, but perennials, annuals, and native flowers that are planted throughout the garden. Sure, she’s known as an expert and […]
You can always tell when people are sick and tired of winter when flashy accessories start popping up throughout the garden! This past week, while visiting Sunset Magazine’s test gardens and those of the San Francisco Garden Show, I was struck by the amount of vibrant colors everywhere. And also, interestingly enough, how the color […]
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