Garden Structures - Pathways

Garden Pathways - My first in a series talking about garden elements. This post is about those features that guide us through the garden. This is what I saw in England. Next up will be garden: Furniture, Plant Supports, Walls, Doors.



Gravel circle stepping stones at Chelsea Garden Show 2012.

Point Reyes National Seashore & Tomales Bay State Park, California

Point Reyes, Drakes Bay & Drakes Estero along the thin horizon.

Color Scheme

Here a few of my color schemes for 2013. Most are inspirations from the many plantings I saw in England.

Rosa 'Burgundy Iceburb' with oregano.

William Robinson, The Father of Natural Gardens

    William Robinson was an Irishman born into the Victorian garden age of colorful exotic bedding and mock Italianate gardens. In his early 20's, he was appointed head of the Natives Plants section at Regent's Park. Here his exposure to the native and 'wild' plants of the English countryside heavily influenced his opposition to the current Victorian garden aesthetics. He spent many years traveling around England and visiting the continent, inspiring him to advocate for a change in English garden style. He was a prolific writer, starting the magazine, The Garden, and writing the book, The Wild Garden. His writing promoted the ideas that natural gardening was less costly to maintain with less replanting of tender annuals. He also advocated more closely planted beds, less showy beauty, and the naturalization of exotic perennials and annuals planted in a manner in which they will thrive. He believed in the natural succession of plants to provide year round interest and beauty in the garden. He was more an advocate for the natural garden style than an actual garden designer. His work was not a restoration effort of native ecosystems, but rather the creation of something more than that, something picturesque which looked natural.

Dearborn Community Garden - An Urban Vegetable Plot

I have shared this 12' x 8' plot with my friend and colleague for a couple of seasons now. We sowed a few interesting new plants from our trip to England. We mostly grow edibles but have a few purely ornamental plants we are testing for our other gardens.

Vicksburg Terraced Dry Garden

Gertrude Jekyll and her garden at Hestercombe was my inspiration for this garden design. I picked mostly Mediterranean plants and laid them out in drifts. Silver plants, seed heads, yellow & purple, I wanted lots of hot colors along with the cool lavenders and blues. 

Bernal Heights Map of City Lots

This densely populated neighborhood of San Francisco is unique.  The lots are tiny.  It was a working class neighborhood up until the 80's.  It also is on a hill.  Most real estate in San Francisco increase in value directly to altitude or view.   My garden is just north of Holly Park, the circle lower left.

Vicksburg Woodland Garden

If I can pack anymore flowers in here, my client would love me even more.

Potrero Hill Entry Garden

The goal of this garden is to have an ever constant flora display, twelve months a year. It is a challenge at times but the lady of the house loves it.  October is our most flexible month. So much works at this time of year.

Hayes Valley Roof Garden

Newly sow greens and vegetables on the roof of the Zen Center with views of City Hall, Nob Hill and Russian Hill.

Momiji Maple Nursery

The entrance to Momiji Nursery is marked by this large Hollywood Juniper.

Octavia Boulevard

In Hayes Valley along the old Caltrans right of way, the city allows urban farming until the parcel of land is sold to developers. This little community garden makes the otherwise bleak walk from the Mission to Hayes Street a lot more interesting.



Look at those really short sunflowers!

Heron's Head Park

Recently restored wetlands where the PG&E power plant used to be. It's gone. That's Hunter's point on the horizon.

Glen Park Entry Garden

I ran across this perfect succulent garden on my way to a birthday party in Glen Park. The colors are amazing and the textures are flawless. Not to mention each plant was a true specimen. Kudos to the owner, design and installer, whomever they may be.

Great combination of Yucca, Aloe with 3 types of Agave. 

London, England heading back home

 Back in London after circumnavigating the sphere of London.