Garden History: Pittville Gardens, Cheltenham, England
What is it about water in the garden? Are we attracted by the sound, the sight, the reflections that dance across the surface? It is sure that water elements in Continue Reading
Garden History: “Willowmere,” Rear Admiral Aaron Ward house, 435 Bryant Avenue, Roslyn Harbor, New York (LOC)
One element I see in many older gardens is the concept of “massing” large numbers of a particular plant in one area. This is true of any garden, of course. Continue Reading
Garden History: “The Appletrees,” Henry Eugene Coe house, Southampton, New York
Many old gardens — even impressive ones like this — understood the need for a porch…and a great view from that porch. Here the homey back porch looks out on Continue Reading
Garden History: Thornewood, Tacoma, Washington
It seems a long understood principle that beautiful architecture benefits from being surrounded with a beautiful landscape and vice versa. This photo of the approach to the Thornewood in Tacoma, Continue Reading
Garden History: Mrs. Francis Lemoine Loring house, 700 South San Rafael Avenue, San Rafael Heights, Pasadena, California. (LOC)
I drive by this address in Pasadena on occasion when visiting a client who lives nearby. The note on the photo says the garden is no longer extant, but it Continue Reading
Garden History: Tatham Garden
I originally grabbed this photo because it showed a lovely formal garden, but as I examined it more closely, I could see a lot that was wild about this picture, Continue Reading
Garden History: Santa Barbara Mission, 2201 Laguna Street, Santa Barbara, California. (LOC)
Just 1.5 hours up the highway from us here in Los Angeles, the Santa Barbara Mission gardens are as welcoming today as they were back in 1917 when this photo Continue Reading
Garden History: Your victory garden counts more than ever!
It isn’t just during times of war that your Victory Garden counts. I wish that they had never gone out of style. Once food rationing finished and food was freely Continue Reading
Garden History: “Villa Sciarra,” George Wurts house, via Calandrelli, Rome, Italy. (LOC)
What is there so special about overarching trees, even relatively young one’s like these. There is a sense of protection, enclosure and peacefulness. It is almost like the trees are Continue Reading
Garden History: Whitworth Gardens, Darley Dale, Derbyshire, England
There is always something so special in a patch of water in the garden. Be it a large lake, small pond or even just awarer garden in a whiskey barrel, Continue Reading