MUG | Mike's Urban Garden

May 13, 2014

Noe Valley Entry Garden

An Arts & Crafts inspired front entry-way planted in October 2013, ravished by gopher for 3 months, replanted in March. Here's what it looks like eight months after planting.

Achillea millefolium 'Moonshine', Senecio mandraliscae, Pittosporum 'Golf Ball' spheres, Geranium 'Rozanne', Lavandula (English), Erigeron karvinskianus and Verbena bonariensis

Inner Sunset Collector's Garden

Frank has put together another tour of San Francisco gardens. This one is exclusive to professional gardeners, horticulturists, arborists and the likes.

First up: Eric & Jason. A collectors garden focusing on the subtropical and water-wise plants from other Mediterranean climates. Below a creeping Oxalis.

Dino's Personal Garden

Frank has put together another tour of San Francisco gardens. This one is exclusive to professional gardeners, horticulturists, arborists and the likes.

Dearborn Community Garden

Frank has put together another tour of San Francisco gardens. This one is exclusive to professional gardeners, horticulturists, arborists and the likes.

Dearborn Community Garden. Showcase the 45 gardeners micro allotments and Lotta's Rose border along Bird Street.

Sloppy Arborist Garden

Frank has put together another tour of San Francisco gardens. This one is exclusive to professional gardeners, horticulturists, arborists and the likes.

Next up, Christopher's sloppy arborist garden. His words, not mine.

Mike's Glen Park Showcase

Frank has put together another tour of San Francisco gardens. This one is exclusive to professional gardeners, horticulturists, arborists and the likes.

Finally cocktails, I mean the last garden, mine. This is my Glen Park garden on Chenery. I've been working this garden for almost 9 years now. All these photos were taken by Dino. Much appreciation to see my work through another's lense. Thank you Dino!

Orlaya grandiflora 'Minoan Lace'

My path

Garden Fluffer, Personal Gardener, Fine Gardening, Market Gardener these are some of the names I have toyed with as my official title or job description. Most would classify me as a maintenance gardener. But i do things much different than your basic gardening crew. It is all about the process or procedures that I use to make my green spaces.

Simple things, done well. A gardener’s influence on a space is through control. Pruning, thinning, dividing and moving plants around to create an authentic natural look. But this is far from Nature. Step lightly and preen like a large herbivore. Leave all clippings around its source to replenish and shade the soil, creating a good environment for seeds to germinate. Only remove weed seed heads, diseased material and anything sharp like rose thorns, all other green material is made into compost either in a formal pile or as a light mulch. Nothing looks more authentic than a plant mulched with it’s own leaves and twigs. That is my gardening process. Simply well.

This is on top of picking the right plant in the right place. When I am looking to fill a void, no matter if it’s an annual or perennial, tree or shrub, evergreen or deciduous; I start with California and Western US native plants. If nothing fits my requirements (exposure, water, form and floral timing, client preferences) then I look at plants from the other Mediterranean regions of the world.

This blog is my chance to show my work and those things that inspire and influence.

MUG | Mike's Urban Garden | MUG

May 13, 2014

Noe Valley Entry Garden

May 10, 2014

Inner Sunset Collector's Garden

Dino's Personal Garden

Dearborn Community Garden

Sloppy Arborist Garden

Mike's Glen Park Showcase

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