About 15 years ago I accepted an amazing position at a local botanic garden. Being in a beautiful place, surrounded by talented staff and volunteers inspired the creation of my theme garden development process. We applied it to the botanic garden displays many times, then I eventually realized it would also be perfect for homeowners too. Awesome. I've been sharing this process with hundreds of people at conferences and garden club meetings with positive results. New designers gain insight into creating a special outdoor space, while experienced designers say they are filled with new insp ..read more

A garden can feel richer and more grounded when using a natural element such as stone. Some would even say it’s the “bones” of a garden (Spirit of Stone). Stone can be used in walls, paths, stairs, edging, plus as lovely focal points and sculptures.  Boulders are one type of stone that is often used as a decorative feature in the garden and the one I’m asked the most how to draw. Below are images of boulders in both plan (looking from above) and elevation (from the side) that I hope will inspire you.  To draw boulders I typically use a heavy line on the outside (.01-.05 pen) dependi ..read more

Over twenty years ago, while studying landscape architecture, I was asked to develop a concept for my first landscape design. I struggled with this idea for the next two years until the light bulb switched on and I finally understood that a concept was the magical tool that focused a design and helps you make meaningful choices. Following graduation, I strived to create an easy step-by-step method from idea to physical form. I used this method for eight years while I worked at a local botanic garden and currently I use this same process to teach undergraduate land ..read more

Style is defined as a particular way of doing something. We all have our own way of doing things….whether it’s choosing our clothes, doing laundry, designing our gardens...and even drawing. We tend to be okay with how we do most things, but overly critical about how we draw. Most of you draw because you’re designing gardens and need to communicate those ideas to clients. I understand that final drawings, in particular, need to be professional and easy to read, but they can still celebrate your unique style. It starts with being consistent, then adding your inconsistencies.  Let me explain ..read more

This is one of the most popular questions I'm asked...what software should I use to draw my landscape plans?  As a landscape design instructor, it's the thing I struggle with the most...not because digital programs are difficult, but because there are so many options. Which ones do I expose my students to in the short time I have with them?   What I tell my students is that I can only brush over a couple of programs and these may or may not be the ones your future employer will use.  Most importantly, they need to be open (and stay positive) to learning new programs...because th ..read more

Sometimes I forget to teach the basics about landscape graphics and assume everyone can wield a t-square and triangle to create perfect horizontal and vertical lines. This year I’m teaching my entry-level studio partly online, which meant I wouldn’t be in class to demonstrate this important drafting skill. The result, a simple illustration showing the magic of how to draw vertical, horizontal and angled lines with this cool tool combination. Below are some basic tools to get started. You’ll soon see you’re drawing at a much faster pace, while still being super precise. Enjoy ..read more

Most residential landscapes include a front yard, backyard and the side yards that connect the front and back. Each of these spaces have their purpose, with most of our attention typically going towards the first two, while the most neglected is the latter; the side yard. Often this is a narrow, awkward space, though sometimes functionally used, it is repeatedly ignored aesthetically. Side yards can come in all shapes and sizes (especially if you live on a corner lot), but this post will focus on the narrow spaces found in neighborhoods where the houses tend to be tucked in tighter. Photo: A ..read more

Though we can cover many complicated things in design, sometimes I like to step back and cover the basics. Two of those things include how to simply roll and fold a plan when storing or transporting them. ROLLING A PLAN The idea here is to roll your plan/image so it faces out, rather than in. We often want the image inside the roll because we want to protect it, but when you roll it this way the edges curl up when you lay it back out (super annoying). If you roll your plan with the image on the outside, it lays much flatter. If you’re concerned about your plan getting dirty, simply roll a prot ..read more

I received a lavender scented soap from a dear friend recently and was suddenly taken back to memories of my childhood. Oddly, I didn’t grow up among lavender fields and my parents didn’t have gardens overflowing with this sweetly-musky, spiky flower. I grew up in northeastern Illinois, where lavender often struggles to thrive year-round. To be honest, I don’t think I even saw lavender growing in the ground until I was an adult visiting a southern state, and yes, I was in awe. Why does lavender take me back to my childhood? It was something I only found in specialty gift shops, dried and neat ..read more

One of my favorite activities is exploring gardens. Private or public, all gardens inspire our own outdoor spaces in many ways. I encourage you to visit botanic gardens, parks, private garden tours, garden centers and even amusement parks. Rather than being frustrated looking at an empty yard or blank piece of paper, conduct some three dimensional research while walking through a variety of outdoor spaces. I recently visited two lovely gardens in eastern Pennsylvania: Longwood Gardens and Chanticleer Garden. Both have strong spaces, fabulous hardscape details, and striking plant com ..read more