Punch Up the Color!

Looking for a new color twist this year? Try magenta on for size. Neither pink nor purple, magenta  leans towards fuchsia but is deeper. Designer Daniel Mount is one of the best colorists I know. Where I would settle for a pleasing color echo he achieves that but  then kicks it up a notch to become exceptional. In…

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Succulent Safari

  From Seattle to San Diego; three hours and a world of plants away. My husband Andy and I were working in southern California last week, basking in the warm sunshine. Whenever time allowed I would scurry off with my camera to take photos of the incredible landscapes that relied heavily on drought tolerant succulents. Everywhere I…

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When Less is More

The Northwest Flower and Garden Show is always a highlight of the gardening year for me. Whether you are new to gardening or an experienced designer you will leave inspired, encouraged and ready for spring. The display gardens take center stage, their styles ranging from whimsical to naturalistic but all find a way to connect to the annual theme…

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Scratch and Sniff

  Seattle is having an unprecedented mild spell which tempted me out  to visit the winter garden at the University of Washington arboretum this weekend. The birds were singing, the frogs were….doing what frogs do, the hummingbirds were dipping and diving and people were swooning. Really? Yes really. Pure olfactory overload – the witch hazels are…

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New Easy Care Shrubs for 2015

Gardening in deer-prone country is so frustrating. As a designer I envision grand plant and color combinations in my mind – only to struggle to then find deer resistant plants that fulfill those criteria of shape, color and form. As a result I feel as though I'm working with a very limited plant palette at…

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