Why plant a rain garden? You might assume that something with the words rain and garden next to each other does not immediately sound feasible for drought-stricken Southern California.  But rain gardens are a form of water harvesting — a way to capture and filter water that would otherwise flow into storm drains and eventually,...Read More

Experiencing landscapes that have been consciously developed hones our senses and improves our capacity to appreciate good design. Last month I visited a beauty: The Moreland Garden is a hillside property perched high atop the Santa Monica mountains and designed by landscape architect Lisa Gimmy. This private garden was open as part of the Garden...Read More

With the event just a month away, I thought you might enjoy previewing the four beautiful properties on South Pasadena Beautiful’s annual Garden Tour. The gardens are wonderfully diverse, including a playful Mediterranean garden; an informal, primarily native garden; a traditional garden with lovely outdoor rooms; and a very large, meandering “secret” garden. This is...Read More