Late Summer Sizzle for the Garden
Who needs some late-summer sizzle in the garden right about now? August through September can be a tough time for the garden. Heck, it can be a tough time for gardeners, too! This image pretty much...
View ArticleDesigning with Ornamental Grasses
I’ve been designing with ornamental grasses for decades and consider them an indispensable staple not only in my own garden but in those I design. However, when meeting with new clients, I’m always...
View ArticleFrom Barren Berm to Pollinator Paradise
It’s been no easy feat to transform this barren berm into a pollinator paradise, but four years later I’m happy to say it’s been a huge success. Believe it or not, the depressing photo (above) is now...
View ArticleGeraniums and Pelargoniums in My Garden
Geranium ‘Johnson’s Blue’ Geraniums and pelargoniums may look fragile and delicate, but they’re actually some of the hardest working plants in my garden. Why? They’re ignored by browsing deer, they...
View ArticleRosemary in the Garden
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?...
View ArticleHarbingers of Spring – Flowering Quince & Pipevine Swallowtails
The first day of spring is finally here – HOORAY! There’s lots happening in the garden right now, but I have to say the #1 harbingers of spring are my giant Flowering Quince shrubs. There’s nothing...
View ArticleMy Top 30 Native Plants for the Garden
Eriogonum grande var. rubescens I’ve been designing gardens with native plants for decades, using both California native and those native to the different regions of the US. And, after all these...
View ArticleAdding Height with Flowering, Towering Plants
I can’t get enough of tall, flowering, towering plants, whether they’re perennials, grasses, or shrubs. In fact, when wandering through a nursery or reading a garden magazine, the words ‘oversized...
View ArticleRefrigerate Peony Buds for Months of Blooms
Before my mother moved last spring, we picked loads of her peonies to take with us. The photo, left, is just a small sampling of how many bouquets we picked! Knowing we were too busy to thoroughly...
View ArticleLupine Meadow at Lake Tahoe
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...
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