Are you longing for a garden that hums with life? My garden reading this winter has been highlighted by California Bees & Blooms: A Guide for Gardeners and Naturalists.  Drawing from years of research at the UC Berkeley Urban Bee Lab, the book outlines how to transform an urban or suburban garden into a bee-friendly...Read More

Oh winter holidays!  This is the time of year when my design work pauses long enough for me to reflect on larger environmental forces and artistic directions, and how best to refine my practice in light of them. A recent article in Garden Design spurred my thinking along this vein and reminded me of a...Read More

As a supplement to a new post I wrote for Houzz on espaliers, I would like to share a few local (Southern California) resources for these space-saving beauties — all ready for your Christmas list. Bountiful Gardens is a hidden gem in Lakeview Terrace. Now open to the public after years of selling exclusively to...Read More

Sometimes a designer needs to recharge her batteries.  I spent the afternoon of Saturday, October 26 soaking up inspiration as horticulture and design experts discussed regional landscape design in a program organized by the Association of Professional Landscape Designers and Pacific Horticulture Society. A program of the Association of Professional Landscape Designers, Greater Los Angeles...Read More

Our brief rainstorm last week was a welcome reminder that fall is almost here.  In Southern California’s Mediterranean climate, fall is sometimes called the “second spring.” After the heat of summer when many native and Mediterranean plants slip into dormancy, many plants will have a burst of spring-like blooms. If what you’re craving is traditional...Read More