Telling Your Story: The Garden Entry Sequence

Designing a garden is rather like telling a story; there needs to be an introduction that draws you in, an understanding of the key characters as they weave through each chapter and a satisfying conclusion. The garden introduction begins when you get the first glimpse of the home and how it is settled into the…

Read More

Fisherman's Bay Garden – a treasure trove of ideas

Tucked away down a steep, winding lane near the charming French whaling village of Akaroa, South Island, New Zealand is Fishermans' Bay Garden, home to Jill and Richard Simpson. Accessing this gem is not for the faint of heart as the homeowners discovered in December 2021 after extreme rain caused the gravel access road to…

Read More

Unexpected Inspiration from 7000 miles away

What  design ideas can I possibly glean for soggy Seattle from a garden in the driest and coldest part of New Zealand? It turns out, many. Not only that but my visit to Jo Wakelin's garden  at the foot of the Mt. Pisa range in Central Otago is one that has stayed with me, almost…

Read More

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…

Read More

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…

Read More