3 Principles of Garden Design I Learned as a Kid

October 15, 2020

The doll collection was special, but it was the pink jungle wallpaper that continues to influence my work to this day.

Read my guest blog post for Virens Studio here to learn how.

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⁣ I found myself writing a “made up” fairy s

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I found myself writing a “made up” fairy story to you to introduce this month’s featured plant, the kind I used to pull from the ether for my son when he was young.⁣
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Maybe it’s nostalgia for his youth (he’s just turned 17, the final year of childhood). Maybe it’s the spirit of this plant with its aura of innocent magic.⁣
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Read Buttercup Brave to take a journey to the wonder of childhood.⁣
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You’ll learn how to combine an under-gardened native wildflower with the classics of spring and why doing so brings the deeper joy of helping out the little guys.⁣
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Link in bio.⁣
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#plantthisplant #westernbuttercup #ranunculusoccidentalis #plantofthemonthapril #habitatgarden #gardenblog #childrensstory #adultinfo #butteryourbuns #buttercups and #tulips #buttercupbrave #gardenwriting #openyourdoors to #naturesbeauty

⁣ Ami and Jeff’s garden is intriguing enough t

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Ami and Jeff’s garden is intriguing enough to draw you outside even on a very cold and rainy morning.⁣
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I stopped by to check on updating the large pots yesterday and couldn’t pull myself away.⁣
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All the blooming moments and bright new growth were more compelling than the dry and warm predictability back in my office.⁣
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I absolutely love this garden, its fantastic owners, and the skilled stewardship of @maidenhair_landscapes .
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#openairlivingroomgarden #aprilblooms #prettyintherain #fritillariameleagris #acercircinatumpacificfire #akebiaquinata #tulips #libertiaperegrinans #epimediumamberqueen #arctostaphylosuvaursi #forhergillamtairy #openyourdoors to #naturesbeauty

⁣ Better 1 or 2?⁣ ⁣ In these preliminary con

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Better 1 or 2?⁣
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In these preliminary concepts, I played with layout options and hardscape materials.⁣
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The garden spaces are small for this home under construction now in the former backyard of an existing house.⁣
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Small gardens, especially, need a thoughtful layout. ⁣
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Would you prefer version 1 with the pavers defining a continuous outdoor dining and living room?⁣
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Or version 2 with two distinct “rooms” in flagstone for that social zone?⁣
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The garden along the sidewalk, adjacent to the existing house, becomes an opportunity for a more contemplative experience. Which version do you think fits that mood better?⁣
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Drop your vote in the comments!⁣
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#preliminaryplans⁣
#workinprogress #layoutoptions #smallgardendesign #urbangardendesign #better1or2 #landscapedesign #gardendesign made in #morpholiotrace @morpholio #openyourdoors to #naturesbeauty

⁣ They used to say that a front lawn was “demo

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They used to say that a front lawn was “democratic”, that it represented a generosity to your community.⁣
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What do you think is more generous: the old lawn or the new garden?⁣
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The Tropic of Oregon Garden is in the ground and ready to grow! ⁣
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I loved the opportunity to combine keystone native plants that will support the greatest number of insects and birds along with bold, colorful plants that remind Sarah of her tropical childhood.⁣
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Both / And! ⁣
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But, no lawn! ⁣
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That’s my kind of generosity.⁣
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Swipe to see the newly installed garden and the lawn from before.⁣
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#tropicoforegongarden #generosity #frontyardgarden #beforeandafter #landscapedesign made in #morpholiotrace @morpholio #oregonnativeplants #tropicalplants #colorfulgarden #keystoneplants #bothand #lawnfree #habitatgarden #droughttolerantlandscape #lifenotlawn #openyourdoors to #naturesbeauty

⁣ Recently, I heard the charmingly accented lect

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Recently, I heard the charmingly accented lecture of Swedish author, horticulturist, and tree researcher Henrik Sjöman. He quoted, of all people, Mike Tyson, who once said, “Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face.”⁣
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Read 𝗧𝗼 𝗬𝗼𝘂, 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝗧𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘀, new on the blog to learn what this means for the trees of your future in a changing climate.⁣
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Link in bio! ⁣
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#streettrees #urbantrees @henrik.sjoman.botaniska #essentialtreeselectionguide #thisbookismassive #gardenblog #fortheloveoftrees #toyoustreettrees #whattoplant #climatechange #plantsforclimatechange #plantsmarter #treescience #gardenwriter #gardendesigner #landscapedesigner #openyourdoors to #naturesbeauty

⁣ Sitting in the sun on my patio today, the firs

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Sitting in the sun on my patio today, the first day of spring, I felt like Cinderella. ⁣
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All the little creatures were out playing: tiny bees hovering and nectaring on the candy flower, Anna’s hummingbirds flirting with the fountain, lesser goldfinches singing from the persimmon branches, and a squirrel teasing my dog with its brushy tail.⁣
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But, what I really want to tell you about is this candy flower (𝘊𝘭𝘢𝘺𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘢 𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢). I absolutely love it! ⁣
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A few clumps persisted in my garden from last year, even though they’re typically annuals. And, a fantastic amount self-seeded. ⁣
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I call them our PNW native alternative to forget-me-nots for the way they pop up to fill empty nooks and, if you’re so lucky, come back every year.⁣
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Check out the pink pollen and the way the flowers change from white with pink stripes to all pink. ⁣
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Native bees love the flowers even more than I do. I’ll munch on a few for the joy of eating flowers on a newly spring day, but leave most for my hovering little friends.⁣
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Happy Spring!⁣
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#candyflower #claytoniasibirica #springequinox #pnwnativeplants #oregonnative #plantthisplant #nativebees #edibleflower #shadegarden #dynamicfillers #openyourdoors to #naturesbeauty

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