Category Archives: agaves, woody lilies

small taste of summer

For summer, valerian and nicotiana light up what’s mainly a planting of shrubs and succulents the remaining seasons. As much as I love intoxicating displays of summer abundance, this little garden has to remain sober and on duty all 12 … Continue reading

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Dustin Gimbel’s garden in May

I’ve talked about Dustin’s ceramics a lot lately, but how’s his garden growing this very grey-skied May? Last week Shirley Watts was in town for talks on the next installment of Natural Discourse’s installation at the LA Arboretum in spring … Continue reading

Posted in agaves, woody lilies, artists, design, garden visit, MB Maher, pots and containers | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

multifaceted Mirador house, Austin TX

Heroic in scale, the agaves and Cor-Ten steel undulating walls wet with rain, topped by a grove of Yucca rostrata at the rear entrance to the property. I was so intrigued by this garden I visited in Austin earlier this … Continue reading

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wrap-up; Garden Bloggers Fling Austin 2018

the last night’s post-tour dinner in a field of larkspur Austin opened its friendly arms wide, Texas-style, in a full-circle welcome to garden bloggers from all over the world. These annual soirees and orgies of garden touring and plant talk … Continue reading

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wednesday vignettes 5/2/18

More Palm Springs-style landscape architecture from the recent Pasadena Garden Conservancy Open Days, in this case overlooking a deep arroyo, with some of the foothills’ iconic bridges in the distance. The landscape design zealously protects views and is as much … Continue reading

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monday clippings 4/30/18

Have you checked on your dudleyas lately? (“Stolen succulents: California hipster plants at center of smuggling crisis; Demand in China and Korea has led to thousands of dudleya being stolen from California as officials lament ‘plant poaching.”) Lots of pruning … Continue reading

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Garden Conservancy Open Days season (Pasadena)

The Garden Conservancy Open Days season is upon us, and I want to go to every single open garden, from here to Maine. Be sure to check the schedule for when gardens reasonably close to you will be included on … Continue reading

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rainy thursday 4/19/18

Would you look at that — wet pavement! The corrugated roof on the pergola starting lightly pinging about 7 a.m., and I froze stock still and listened. Could it be? The clouds seemed indecisive for a few minutes, like they’d … Continue reading

Posted in agaves, woody lilies, climate, clippings, journal, Occasional Daily Weather Report, pots and containers, succulents | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

scenes from the popup (big thank you!)

photos by MB Maher Here’s a look at the tables as they were first set up, before the sale. Dustin Gimbel’s footed “log” pots were a big hit and sold out. (Luckily, you can find the “Gimbel Marbelized Trunk Planter” … Continue reading

Posted in agaves, woody lilies, artists, commerce, design, garden ornament, MB Maher, photography, plant nurseries, plant sales, pop-up, pots and containers, shop talk, succulents | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Monday clippings 3/19/18 (upcoming pop-up!)

On the heels of these most welcome, intermittent March rains, the poppies have exploded into growth and tumbled quickly into bloom. Papaver setigerum, a friend of the garden since at least 2010, like all annual poppies, ultimately transforms itself into … Continue reading

Posted in agaves, woody lilies, commerce, plant sales, pots and containers, succulents | Tagged , , , , , | 9 Comments