Author Archives: Denise

Sybarites Unite!

Posted on July 16, 2010 by Denise

The cats have completely taken over the biv, as they do all the choice sitting spots. Work schedule causes summer to hurtle along into fall. I know, I’m grateful in such perilous times to have the work. But amidst this … Continue reading →

Posted in Ephemera | 3 Comments

July 2010 Bloom Day

Posted on July 15, 2010 by Denise

I’m late, I’m late… for a very important date…(yeah, right. It’s called a job.) No time to say hello/goodbye, I’m late, I’m late, I’m late! Now scurry over to our host’s site “May Dreams Gardens, for a perusal of Carol’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Bloom Day, Plant Portraits | Tagged | 4 Comments

Plants, Get Thee Behind Me

Posted on July 11, 2010 by Denise

Just wanted a quick outing, a bit of plant gawking after a week of far too much sitting. But the flesh, as usual, was weak. Too many mid-summer temptations at the nursery. The eggplant-colored beauty is Pseuderanthemum ‘Black Varnish.’ I … Continue reading →

Posted in The Hortorialist | Tagged , | 9 Comments

Cutting Back the Agave Walk

Posted on July 6, 2010 by Denise

As I’ve written before, this little walkway is often under siege by sprawlers (or gloriously festooned with plant life, depending on your point of view). When half the path disappears under plants, even I know it’s time to do some … Continue reading →

Posted in agaves, woody lilies | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments

Bivouaced With Gardens Illustrated

Posted on July 4, 2010 by Denise

Or up in the “biv,” as we call it. I’ve never outgrown a desire for spending time in out-of-the-way spots, preferably off the ground. I spent considerable time in trees and on the roof as a kid. This particular bivouac … Continue reading →

Posted in Ephemera | Tagged | 8 Comments

4th of July Manifesto/A Garden Needs Legs

Posted on July 4, 2010 by Denise

In a long growing season, a garden needs legs. A firm belief of mine is that it must not be allowed to flag or pause or become excessively disheveled. (Would that I was imbued with a similar belief system for … Continue reading →

Posted in essay | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

Ruth Bancroft Garden

Posted on June 27, 2010 by Denise

If you have an Internet connection and a love of plants, you probably also have many unmet friends with those same two attributes. Finally meeting up with them is thrilling. When they arrange to take you to marvelous gardens you’ve … Continue reading →

Posted in agaves, woody lilies, garden visit | Tagged | 10 Comments

Free is Worth Your Time

Posted on June 23, 2010 by Denise

Bloggers need no convincing on this point. And I’m not opening up a can of worms regarding, for example, whether or not to pay for online music or journalism. Obviously, we have to. I’m probably one of the few people … Continue reading →

Posted in MB Maher | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Second Nature Garden Design

Posted on June 21, 2010 by Denise

MB Maher paid a visit to the home of Southern California landscape designer Dustin Gimbel of Second Nature Garden Design, as part of an ongoing series of photographic house calls to landscape designers. Dustin has an amazingly stellar background in … Continue reading →

Posted in MB Maher, The Hortorialist | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Dahlias, Dahling

Posted on June 21, 2010 by Denise

I have this one dahlia that came back this spring. Bought at a spring 2009 garden show. I’ve pored over the skimpy 2009 garden notebook but apparently didn’t write down the name, if it was even labeled. A font of … Continue reading →

Posted in Plant Portraits | Tagged , | 2 Comments