Category Archives: MB Maher

pandemonium revisited

Posted on September 18, 2014 by Denise

The New York Times has a very nice article today on Pandemonium Aviaries (“362 Birds, and Unruffled“), which MB Maher visited and photographed in 2012. Since that time, bird rescuer Michelle Raffin has written a book “The Birds of Pandemonium; … Continue reading →

Posted in creatures, MB Maher | Tagged "362 Birds & Unruffled", aviaries, endangered birds, MB Maher, Michelle Raffin, Pandemonium Aviaries, Sandy Keenan, The Birds of Pandemonium; Life Among the Exotic and the Endangered.”, The New York Times 9/17/14 | 1 Comment

Friday clippings 8/22/14

Posted on August 22, 2014 by Denise

At first sight I became enthralled by artist James Griffith’s exquisite, painterly ripostes to the “drill, baby, drill” set — my words, not his. James is much more polite. By way of a secret alchemy, he utilizes that precious resource … Continue reading →

Posted in artists, clippings, MB Maher, photography, plant nurseries, succulents | Tagged Aloe capitata var. quartzicola., Begonia 'Paul Hernandez', California Greenhouses, Editor Emeritus Pacific Horticulture, Folly Bowl Summer Concert Series, Garden designer Sue Dadd, James Griffith's La Brea Tar Paintings, La Brea Tar Pits, Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden, Marion Brenner, Natural Discourse; Light & Image 10/18/14, Potted For Outdoor Living, Richard Turner, Sanseviera 'Black Gold', Shirley Watts, Ware Collection of Blaschka Glass Plants | 5 Comments

the French Laundry’s Culinary Garden

Posted on July 8, 2014 by Denise

“One score and seven minutes ago our partners brought forth on this town, a new restaurant, conceived in finesse, and dedicated to the proposition that all food is served soigné.” — Thomas Keller’s The French Laundry celebrating its 20th anniversary … Continue reading →

Posted in edibles, MB Maher, photography | Tagged California, kitchen gardens, MB Maher, Napa Valley, Thomas Keller's The French Laundry, vegetable gardens | 9 Comments

reprising a visit to the Huntington Desert Garden

Posted on March 1, 2014 by Denise

The recent storm surprisingly coaxed a bloom from my 6-inch Euphorbia atropurpurea, whose acquaintance I first made at the Huntington in 2011. That visit prompted a frustrating summer of scouring plant sales and nurseries for this rare, ruddy-bracted Canary Islander, … Continue reading →

Posted in garden visit, MB Maher, plant nurseries, Plant Portraits, succulents | Tagged Annie's Annuals & Perennials, Canary Islands, dyckias, Euphorbia atropurpurea, Golden Barrel Cactus Echinocactus grusonii, Huntington Botanical Gardens, Huntington Desert Garden, Nolina interrata | 5 Comments

Shirley Watts in “Curbed”

Posted on February 27, 2014 by Denise

The Garden Bloggers Fling hostess for the 2013 meetup, garden designer Shirley Watts, got a nice writeup in the Bay Area’s Curbed today. Very gratifying to see a primarily real estate magazine throw some love at landscapes and gardens too. … Continue reading →

Posted in artists, design, garden travel, MB Maher | Tagged Curbed, Garden Bloggers Fling 2013 San Francisco, MB Maher, San Francisco Flower & Garden Show, Shirley Watts | Leave a comment

What to do with your lawn when there’s a drought

Posted on February 26, 2014 by Denise

Just lose the lawn and don’t look back. And if and when rainfall in California ever gets back to normal levels, which isn’t much anyway, you just might realize you want your lawn back about as much as you want … Continue reading →

Posted in climate, design, MB Maher | Tagged Beth Mullins, drought-tolerant gardens, Garden Bloggers Fling, Julie Chai, lawn removal, MB Maher, Northern California, Rebecca Sweet, The San Francisco Chronicle | 1 Comment

Kalanchoe ‘Oak Leaf’

Posted on January 10, 2014 by Denise

Wonderful architectural bloom trusses on this 5-gallon kalanchoe at Lincoln Avenue Nursery in Pasadena. Was this a Kalanchoe beharensis in flower? The leaves at the base of the plant were difficult to see without disturbing the careful display. The San … Continue reading →

Posted in MB Maher, plant crushes, plant nurseries, Plant Portraits, succulents | Tagged Dwarf Velvet Plant, Euphorbia tirucalli, John Greenlee, Kalanchoe 'Oak Leaf', Kalanchoe beharensis x K. millot, Lincoln Avenue Nursery, San Marcos Growers | Leave a comment

flea market 101

Posted on December 20, 2013 by Denise

Getting to our first ever flea market as buyers sellers last Sunday was a journey of just five miles. Still, it was epic in scope and had all the hallmarks of a serious expedition: Not sleeping the night before, endless … Continue reading →

Posted in commerce, design, garden ornament, MB Maher, pots and containers | Tagged collecting, concrete objects, Dustin Gimbel, flea markets, Kris Peterson Late to the Garden Party, Long Beach Antique Market, MB Maher, non-secateur, Rancho Reubidoux, Reuben Munoz, ropework, salvage, VW bus | 9 Comments

Stanford’s New Guinea Sculpture Garden

Posted on October 20, 2013 by Denise

More updates from the Bay Area, this one from occasional AGO photographer and contributor MB Maher. I’ll let him tell this adventure in his own words: “Shirley Watts messaged me to keep my Wednesday evening open. And per her instructions, … Continue reading →

Posted in artists, garden visit, MB Maher, photography | Tagged MB Maher, Robert Pogue Harrison, Shirley Watts, Stanford University, The New Guinea Sculpture Garden at Stanford | 4 Comments

in the news

Posted on October 17, 2013 by Denise

Since the government shutdown, I’ve been checking in with The New York Times at an increasingly feverish pace, several times a day, (and doing little else, it seems), so it was in real time that the story on James Golden … Continue reading →

Posted in artists, clippings, design, garden travel, garden visit, MB Maher | Tagged Cindy McNatt, dirt du jour, Dustin Gimbel, James Golden, MB Maher, Michael Tortorello, non-secateur, Orange County Register, The Garden Conservancy Open Days, The New York Times, View From Federal Twist | 8 Comments