We are replacing our (now smashed due to last week’s tree removal) cheap metal rail garden fence with a much more attractive split rail fence. I have been considering the differences (both cost and aesthetic) between split rails versus snake rails versus vinyl fence materials, as well as even wood crate rail fences and chain link fences. I’ve eliminated some out of hand.   The idea of a vinyl split rail fence is so incongruous with the beauty of an actual wood split rail fence that I just can’t imagine. A wood fence quickly evolves a beautiful patina that lends a rustic look to any garden ..read more

Sight, Hearing, Smell, Taste and Touch. These are the five senses that most cultures consciously use to experience the world.  But in Zambian tradition, there are 14 senses. (And there are some who argue there are as many as 33 senses!!) I’m not sure where I read this tidbit about Zambian culture (if you have a reference, let me know – I’d love to cite it here). Still, I’m fascinated by the idea of so many other possibilities to consider when designing our landscapes in a way that is not only aesthetically pleasing but also physically and emotionally engaging, encouraging us to conne ..read more

Where the growing season is short (or shorter than you want), there are many tricks that gardeners can employ to make garden-time last a little longer.  Highly practical changes can physically alter the conditions of a site, creating what are known as microclimates, and allowing for plants to produce or grow longer. There are also design tricks that make for a garden that retains its beauty through the fall and into the winter.  Salvia Leucantha flanks a coldframe filled with heat loving basil. image by goodlife_permacultureWhat is garden microclimate? A microclimate is an area whose ..read more

Writing a book requires reaching out to many people you might not otherwise have cause to contact. Interviews and image research require countless cold calls. This part of the project required me to mentally psych myself up. And at the end, it is what truly exhausted me (I guess the result of being a borderline introvert).   A beautiful garden featuring a natural pond and Irish design-inspired garden folly. But occasionally, those conversations bloomed into something more, and new friendships and relationships were born. As was the case when I called up John Cullen of Celtic Gardens reque ..read more

This week’s Before & After is another “small yard, huge impact” deal, which is always something I love. Christopher and Rachel moved into their house in 2003 and knew they had to do something…anything…with the landscape encompassing their home– the problem was that they were low on cash and big on ideas, so the entire transformation ended up taking quite awhile. Like most projects, in the end it was totally worth the wait….definitely makes me feel better about my own eyesore of a front yard. Sorry, neighbors….this is the year, I promise. Anyway, back to their awesome transformation.   ..read more

Garland Farm in on Mt Desert Island near Bar Harbor, Maine, where Beatrix Farrand, a renowned landscape designer, lived and designed her last gardens. Maine is a huge summer destination for New Englanders and early 20th century designer, Beatrix Farrand’s design hand can be seen at many properties.  As the summer dwindles, I thought this would be perfect to share. This garden, at Garland Farm on Mt Desert Island,  was Beatrix’s last garden where she created (for herself) a sweet space that was in perfect scale to the house and through which I can easily image her ..read more

Wow, it is getting into the season, business is picking up and I am really enjoying being outside.  It is for all these reasons that I simply didn’t make it back to my computer for a couple more Friday afternoon posts.  My apologies. I am looking for a little help that I am wondering if one of you might be able to provide.  My husband and I are working towards converting our 6 acres into far more productive and beautiful land.  To this end we need to add some fencing and upgrade some others.  I have few questions…my first question is this….you may remember a month or s ..read more

It took one day in Tulum, Mexico, last summer to know that the design scene in Mexico was lit. I am still thinking about the AD100 Magazine (South and Central America) in our Airbnb and all the amazing work that was on display. Now, I am eager for an opportunity to travel there again – perhaps to Mexico City next and continue to explore the creativity that is blossoming in Central America. Four designs inspired by Mayan architecture, created in concrete relief and conceived to be placed together in multiple orientations. While in Mexico last summer, we made a trip to Chichen itza. I can see th ..read more

It’s January. Are you in planning mode?   Of course, you are! Me too. This year, I’m planning windbreaks and natural barriers, berry gardens, possibly some new trees, and the completion of the patio and arbor. Plus, every year, there is a new container garden scheme that is always a fun, creative challenge. You might remember this post about black slats from last summer (you know where I was all talk about getting the arbor over the patio done – but then it didn’t get done….well this time I mean it).   I mean it so much I am planning the containers that will sit at the base of all t ..read more

Painted satellite dishes are turned into sleek garden art. I love a bit of repurposed and recycled art. Do you see what these charming circles were in a former incarnation? What I would normally consider a blight on the landscape and a wrecker of perfectly nice architecture (I am thinking of European apartment buildings with antennas and dishes hanging off every balcony), has been recycled into something nice.   Yes, I guess it is possible.  I love this garden art made from old, disused satellite dishes. A bit of shiny paint in some complementary colors turns these former TV satellit ..read more