Asplenium scolopendrium is an interesting fern. It is native to England and the US. If you are growing Hart’s tongue fern in your garden, it is likely the British native, prized for its hardiness and reliability and common in European gardens. The true American version (asplenium scolopendrium var. americanum) is, however, quite rare. The distinguishing … Read more
I recently discovered a unique garden feature of the desert southwest – the ocotillo fence. The Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens) is native to the desert southwest. It is a unique shrubby cactus-like plant (though it isn’t technically a cactus) that can be harvested for construction materials. Ocotillo is a striking deciduous shrub that can grow up … Read more
Designed for grandparents who have regularly visiting grandchildren this garden seems the perfect balance between adult sophistication and room to play. The tiny pool is so restrained and I think, with its lush green backdrop, a perfect, but not overwhelming, family hideaway. So, I am not so hot on the impatiens myself; it seems in … Read more
Learn my 7-step system to design and build a stunning garden anywhere in the world. Understand the 5 mistakes everyone makes when creating a garden. (Save yourself time, money, & headaches and get much better results!) See how to work directly with me (but at a DIY price!) todesign and create your own gorgeous garden. … Read more
One of my favorite garden stories to share when I talk to groups or teach garden design is a re-telling of John Little’s story of his own garden. When you write a garden design book with over a thousand images and featuring (among many other things) – 23 very special gardens – you have to talk to … Read more
I first discovered Viburnum bodnantense in the same place I discovered many of my favorite plants – Kew Gardens. I’ve told this story before (apologies if you’ve heard it!), but when I was in design school at The English Gardening School in London, we had to do an intensive study of a huge number … Read more
How on earth did those small arborvitae I planted in front of the house get so huge? It happens all the time. Either a previous owner, or maybe it was you, planted something that was tiny when it was new, but over the years, it has slowly turned into a hulking monster. It can be … Read more
Whenever anyone asks what is my favorite plant, of course, I can never answer. I usually have at least 3 or 4 plants that are my favorite on any given day. This could include the first plant I come across in the garden and the ones I read about at night. Muhlenbergia capillaris – Pink … Read more
Examples like this would make Pollinator Partnership’s training more translatable to home gardens. Just over a year ago I wrote that “I’m getting pollinator steward-certified” and my quest for a science-based, effective pollinator nonprofit. I’d paid the $150 to take the Pollinator Stewardship Training program offered by the Pollinator Partnership. Source: https://www.pollinator.org/psc What I was … Read more
Are you getting ready for spring? I took a walk around the garden today and was so pleased to see all the little nubs of plants poking through the ground and leaf buds ready to pop on the trees and shrubs. My seed orders arrived last week, and I realized that I had gone all-in on things … Read more