Coming from a city as park poor as Los Angeles, to one with an abundance of open space such as London, is truly inspiring.  I recently spent an afternoon experiencing art and architecture in Kensington’s Gardens, which features 240 acres of parkland in the heart of London. I went expressly to see the Serpentine Sackler...Read More

By now you must know I am hooked on garden tours, believing that experiencing great garden spaces is an essential, ongoing part of the landscape designer or landscape architect’s education. Yesterday I toured six Los Angeles residential gardens as part of The Garden Conservancy’s Open Days program.  Below are images of my favorite garden that...Read More

With its mild climate and diverse plant life, California has a rich tradition of garden design.  From Spanish-influenced mission gardens, to estate gardens of the 1920s and modern residential landscapes by Thomas Church and Garrett Eckbo, there is a stunning variety to study and experience. I recently visited Rancho Los Alamitos Historic Ranch and Gardens...Read More

It seemed like a hopeful way to start the new year: Two years ago, my family and I planted a meadow in our front yard. No longer a play space for our children, the lawn had outgrown its usefulness.  After a debate between my husband and me about the merits of gravel and native shrubs...Read More

I recently had a chance to visit the newly opened northern parklands in London’s Olympic Park.  My dad was from East London where the park is located, so it was uplifting to hear how this once derelict, 400-acre site is aiming to ecologically and economically redevelop this part of London, which has historically been isolated...Read More