Pettifers: Lessons in Layering and Color

As much as we all love to visit world-renowned gardens such as Longwood, Sissinghurst and Great Dixter , it's frequently the private gardens that prove to be the highlight of my garden tours. Guests enjoy chatting with the passionate owners and caretakers, learning about a gardens history and hearing about the various challenges that are…

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Garden Shows: What to Look For & Ticket Giveaway!

It's snowing outside and skies are grey, which means I'm likely to do two things: Go swimming in Puget Sound (yes, seriously), and Plan a visit to a garden show (equally seriously). If you're reading this garden blog I'm going to make the assumption that you may be more interested in the latter so let's…

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Lawn-less in Seattle!

One project often leads to another. In this instance, the construction of a workshop meant re-grading and re-thinking the back garden of a lovely  home in Sammamish, WA, a popular residential neighborhoood in the Greater Seattle area. In its favor this garden was a good size, had some interesting elevation changes and several mature trees…

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Foliage First makeover for a Front Garden

When the homeowners of this beautiful Sammamish, WA home could no longer see out of their front windows, they knew it was time to call me. I had already re-designed their back garden (I'll share that another day) so I knew their tastes as well as the home itself. It's a common problem: a garden…

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The Power of Contrasts: a Cotswold Garden

Understanding the variety encompassed by the phase "English gardens" means fun adventures to explore formal gardens, cottage gardens, contemporary gardens and everything in between. It also means taking the road less traveled, visiting tiny suburban plots and wild hillside farms, historic estates and unassuming private gardens. As an English-born designer I'm always thrilled to share…

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