The east side of a house is a beautiful place. It might be a narrow walkway between homes or a border at the front entry, or in my case, a patch of lawn where the dogs run. Regardless, an eastern exposure is a wonderful gardening thing. Why? Because plants get morning sun but are protected from afternoon blasts of heat. Also, the east side is often sheltered from harsh winds. It’s like the Goldilock’s bed of growing conditions. If you’re […]
Hi all, it’s spring again and I thought some folks might benefit from a shortened version of an article I wrote for The Washington Post last year. It’s about the biggest mistakes new gardeners make and how to avoid them. These are things I saw often when working with clients. If you have questions, ask me in the comments and I’ll respond. Cheers! 1 Not figuring out what kind of soil you have If you plant sun-loving perennials that like […]
A bouquet of roses is certainly a classic gift for Valentine’s Day. Unfortunately, roses take a toll on the environment. Most are commercially produced in remote areas and then flown to stores in refrigerated cargo planes, which burn a lot of fuel. Instead, consider a blooming houseplant instead. They can last for years and are often fragrant. I offered several choices in my new article for The Washington Post. Check it out here.
My favorite garden design book for mild weather gardens is, without a doubt, Garden Retreats: Creating An Outdoor Sanctuary. It’s not a giant compendium. It’s not a how-to design a garden book. And it’s not a plant encyclopedia. But it’s always been the one book I recommend to clients. In fact, it’s the one book I still turn to when I want to dream about a beautiful sanctuary. Why does this little overlooked book beat out other books on gardening? […]
Most homeowners at some point have faced the worrisome hassle of a messy overgrown yard. Maybe you were working a lot or on vacation or life just happened and now things are out of control. The dandelions are blooming, the grass is tall, and that old stack of leftover lumber is still around. What to do? Well, I’m familiar with this feeling of angsty despair. Not only because I have a garden that occasionally transforms into a tangle of weeds […]
