You know what question I am asked the most? Here it is - "How do I become a Garden Designer?" Truthfully, I don't know how to become a garden designer; the way I did it was kind of a fluke.
See, I was an actress - I studied it in college, graduated, got an agent, got parts, worked steadily as a character actor... and then I realized I HATED IT. Five years of the film industry was enough for me - I quit and puttered around the garden of our newly purchased Spanish bungalow. Meanwhile, my friend, the entrepreneurial Judy Kameon, started a landscape design firm after working with a couple of designers on her garden and deciding she could do what they did better, for other people, and for alot of money. Simultaneously, my husband Jan was worried that I wasn't bringing any bacon into the household, so he begged Judy to take me on as her "Girl Friday" - and poof! I was a garden designer.
Now, between you and me (ssshhhhh... don't tell anybody), I didn't know much about gardening - and I was supposed to have all the answers (Jan had embellished on my horticultural knowledge) so Judy could concentrate on the bigger issues of designing and running the business. How did I become an expert? I got two huge books and read them cover to cover in two weeks - the first was Sunset's Western Garden Guide and the second was The American Horticultural Society's A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants. The knowledge I gleaned was enough to get me started, and while Judy and I worked making gardens, I continued my education by taking classes and attending lectures at local colleges, arboretums, and nurseries. It turned out I really had a knack...
Because of my experience, I don't think it is necessary to go the traditional educational route (unless you want to be a landscape architect, for that you need a degree) - but I do think you have to be motivated to the point of obsession. I don't think I talked about anything other than plants for around three years. My social life revolved around gardens, gardening, and garden people. I was always dirty, and I loved it. I was honored when referred to as a 'Plant Geek'. I wrote about gardens at night for fun after days of working in gardens for money. I drew cartoons about plants.
So that is how I became a Garden Designer.
Stay tuned for the Absurd but True Story of a Dysfunctional Garden Club - coming soon...

Okay, it wasn't just me - but I did the plant design! This is a garden that Elysian Landscapes just installed yesterday for a wonderful client of ours (I'll give you a hint who it is: an androgynous country/pop singer who eschews capital letters and whose name rhymes with "Lady Sang"). It is such a pleasure to do good work for great people! I actually think the plants looked extra perky because they were so appreciated.

The round patio is an extra special touch; the client wanted something that looked organic, and like it had been there forever. It's really hard to make something brand new look time-worn (without resorting to faux finish - EEeeeewwwww!), so we used old cobblestones from Pennsylvania. I think the result is beautiful.

The planting is lush and sub-tropical ... California with a dose of Bali. I used Cordyline 'Red Star' and Musa 'Zebrinus' to create a backdrop that didn't completely block out the distant view of the hills, and Cycas revoluta to bring some dramatic sculpture into the mix. I tossed in the majestic Doryanthus palmerei, Giant Spear Lily, to keep things dramatic. The eye-popping Coleonema 'Sunset Gold' will contrast beautifully with the grouncover, Rhoeo spathacea (otherwise known as Moses-in-a-Cradle ... what a name!) and with the sexiest plant of all - Colocasia 'Illustris'. The colocasia is a medium sized elephant ear with long, slender stems and what looks to be a painted mask balanced on top. I wish I could use this plant more often! If I lived in a place like Florida, this baby would be in my back pocket at all times.
Our client is really happy. So are we at Elysian. Even though it is a newborn, this garden already looks great ... it has focus, balance, interest - all it has to do now is grow.

I love ivy! There - I said it! And I know why I shouldn't love it - and I understand why others don't ... but I think it is beautiful and dramatic. At the same time...
It is a Monster
Check out these pics from Katef (who writes the yummiest blog around)- this ivy monster is working security at her apartment building in Boston.

And here is the front of my house - yes, I purposely planted ivy so it would grow and cover and drape and dominate - what can I say? I like the look. I've always liked monsters.

The ivy I use is Hedera helix - the English ivies with small leaves, so the chances of them thatching up and becoming a home for beasties is minimal, but still - maintenance is a must.
Ivy has many haters. Like I said - I get why; give her an inch - she takes your front yard. But in the right situation, she makes a quite a statement.

Ivy has some powerful mythology behind her - The god of wine, Dionysus, had his posse of wild women wear garlands of ivy (as did he); as a result the vine is associated with joy, revelry, and good luck. Wiccan tradition says if you grow ivy on the outer walls of your house it will act as a deterrent against misfortune. One misfortune it won't deter, however, is damage to your siding! Remember, a little bit of this lucky monster goes a long, long way.

Imagine my delight when I stumbled across this masterpiece in a quiet neighborhood in Los Osos. What a way to finish off a great trip!

Now, I know some of you will be thinking, "What? Germi ... this is a Kook Garden - you've written posts about staying away from garden sculpture and the like. What gives?"
You are right. I am squarely against the placing of statuary in one's garden. Garden sculpture just seems sad and hollow to me - but making a sculpture out of your garden is another thing entirely. That I can get behind!

Okay, this is not a yard to use as an example for planting a pretty garden, but it is a perfect example of throwing all caution to the wind and speaking through your landscape. Some people may not want to speak as loudly as this.. but I'll wager the woman who created this garden is not afraid of being heard.

As I was snapping pics, a few neighbors out for a late afternoon walk stopped and told me how much they loved this garden, and how wonderful the woman who created it is. She loves for people to invite themselves into her outdoor spaces and wander around, looking at her various 'installations' and enjoying the whimsical tea party atmosphere. Had she been there, I'm sure she and I would've hit it off.

A front yard garden is always a gift - some are more extraordinary than others, but they are there for the people who pass by as much as they are for the owners.

Back to Los Osos, friends! My pals and I stumbled across this amazing wildflower garden, growing in what seemed to be a vacant lot.

What beauty! These photos don't do the garden justice ... it was so incredibly colorful, textural, playful - butterflies were having traffic jams over certain patches of flowers. Somebody owns this land and pays a man to do occaisional watering and mulching. What a wonderful thing to do with your empty space! Think about all the lots that sit, languishing - collecting tires and trash. What if whoever owns these voids let them become wildflower meadows? I'll bet anything there would be volunteer wildflower armies popping up all over the country, wherever there was an empty lot with a benificent owner.

These gardens are like fireworks - they are brilliant and exciting - and short lived. Come the heat of the summer, these flowers will go to seed, and the meadow will need to be mowed down - usually native grasses take their place.
But while they are in bloom, nothing is more enchanting...

Faithful readers, visitors, and lifelong friends who never comment for whatever reason ... I want to introduce you (those of you who aren't already taken with her) to someone who has been a big inspiration to me. I first came across the amazing Gayla Trail when reviewing her book, You Grow Girl, for Domino. That's how I became addicted to her website, yougrowgirl.com, which is a mecca for those of us in the gardening 'tween' demographic (post-punk, pre-senior center). This girl seems to have boundless energy, is sharp as a bayonet, writes like a house on fire, and has a neon green thumb. She also makes me laugh, which makes me love her. Gayla has been writing about gardening online since before I using email, and has built a vast community around her who all chime in all all aspects of gardening and living in an organic way. Do yourselves a favor and check out yougrowgirl.com - after you read this interview she was lovely enough to do with me.

G- You say that you believe most people take the plants around them and the food they eat for granted - was this ever you, and if so, what radicalized you?

Yes and no. I am a visually oriented personal and my fascination with the natural world made me a pretty keen observer from as far back as I can remember yet I would say that there have been pockets of time in my life where I shut that part of myself off to varying degrees for one reason or another... closed my eyes so-to-speak. Gardening has really helped to both validate those interests and heighten my awareness. It truly amazes me how much I have learned, and yet how much is still new, unchartered terrain. I have lived in this region my whole life and yet it seems like I have exponentially "discovered" plants, insects, and all sorts of living things never seen by me before. And then to top it off there are all of the ways that these discoveries and observations come together to form connections about how stuff works. Gardening has lead me to "get" things about the environment, the natural world, food, my body and my health, to better understand where I fit in the world and has made me more protective and concerned about it in an active way. I figure if it can have such a profound effect on me, imagine what it can do for lots of other people.
(G-keep reading -just jump!)

When Jan and I were in Los Osos, we were lucky to be invited to spend time dining, relaxing, and cavorting with the wonderfully hospitable Denker family. Stephani and Stuart have a marvelous house right on the bay, and they have created garden spaces that invite you to sit and enjoy the natural beauty surrounding you.

Under the shade of mature Monterrey Cypress (Cupressus macrocarpa), there is a container garden that includes the one of the biggest staghorn ferns I've ever seen, orchids in various states of bloom, and leafy cast iron plants. Out of the cover of the canopy, a large collection of succulents cluster near the fence in an alter-like arrangement.

In back of the house, steps lead down to a gate that opens to the Denker's private pier. Suart has festooned the gate with dried branches from the trees that tower overhead, which gives it a folksy primordial quality that is totally in keeping with the foggy, prehistoric vibe of the estuary.

Paths wind around the property and end in cozy knooks where you can curl up with a book, or your favorite person, and while away the hours. I can't think of a better place to enjoy the enjoy the special beauty of the California Central Coast. Thank you, Denkers!

Avid reader Chanchow asks the following question:
"We have a neighbor, and we have two fences that separate us-- a chain link (our side) and a taller, cedar fence (their side). Our neighbor is planning to tear down his fence and replace it with a nicer one and has asked us to chip in. It seems sorta silly for us to be paying him to upgrade his fence, while we'll still have our dinky little chain link on our side. So my kneejerk reaction is to say that we decline to pay but certainly will not object to him replacing his fence. Is there some fence etiquette that I should know about before we tell him? Is he overstepping to be asking us in the first place?"
Chanchow is diving into the wonderful world of next-door-neighbor relations, everybody! It's strange, isn't it - to choose the fence you want; the materials, the style, find the contractor, get the 'nice' side of the fence to face the interior of your backyard - and then ask your neighbor to pay for it, too? What a great deal! Lots of people do this, and many neighbors comply... sometimes in the interest of neighborhood relations, sometimes because it appears to be a good deal for both. But is it really? Communication is incredibly important. What kind of fence? Will it be exactly on the property line? Will both neighbors have input in all aspects of design and take construction bids together? The biggest issue for me is that, in the case of a cedar fence, one of the neighbors has to get the 'bad' side of the fence - the side that has the hardware and bracing visible- and the other gets the pretty side. The only way around this is to pay almost double for a two-sided fence. If you aren't chomping at the bit to have a cedar fence, it isn't your responsibility to pay for half, or any part of it. Your neighbor might not like it, and get huffy because you'll be getting the benefit of his screen - but he should pay for his own fence.
I recently had a fence built, and not only did I not ask my neighbor to chip in, I made sure that the side that faced her wasn't ugly. I'm not trying to pat myself on the back (okay, well, maybe a little...), but isn't taking responsibility for your property and it's impact on your community the real neighborly thing to do?

Jan and I spent this past weekend basking in the cool temperatures of Los Osos, a bayside community located on the lovely Central Coast of California. While the rest of the state was sweltering, Los Osos ( which is Spanish for "The Bears" - grizzlies used to roam these parts) was a good 30-40 degrees cooler, thanks to a thick layer of fog which insulates the area from the unreasonable sunshine. It was heaven. And it seems as if everybody in this tiny hamlet does some measure of gardening.

The city sits on an estuary, a preserve for coastal birds and sealife - and the balcony off our hotel room had an amazing view of it. The hotel across the street planted the sides of the boardwalk and pier with what I thought was a very sophisticated mix of daisies and agaves, which looked perfect next to the sandy shore and overturned boats. These were the tallest, fullest, happiest daisies I have ever seen - even for a big variety like 'Becky'. It makes me want to plant some in my front yard. Blue agaves, white roses, and big cartoony daisies? Be still my foolish heart! I'm so glad I saw this combo before I finished off my front yard additions, because I think this is a must.
There was inspiration everywhere in Los Osos - I have several posts from there to share with you, so get ready, friends!

Okay, this is TOTALLY off topic, but forgive me - I just had to share my joy with you guys. Remember when Domino did the story on portraits of your pets? Well, for quite some time I have been jealous of a portrait my friends had an artist paint of their beloved cat, Dee Dee; the Domino story spurred me on to commission the same artist who painted that portrait to do a John Singer Sargent-esque painting of Dexter and Sadie. You are looking at an image of the result, which was just emailed to me. Isn't it GREAT?! My furry children, captured on canvas! The artist is Jonathan Kroll (some may remember him as the guitarist from the band Chokebore), who is based in Berlin. He had a show in Los Angeles this past winter and I approached him then about doing this for me. I sweetened the deal with a dinner (so he could be charmed by the pups), and that night he and artist Kevin Hanley snapped some wonderful shots of my two gargoyle dogs. The photo Jon chose was one Kevin took, so this portrait is really a Hanley/Kroll collaboration. I can't wait to get it! It'll be fedexed from Berlin as soon as it dries, and then we'll have to decide where to hang it! Expect a post with an image of the portrait in situ in the very near future!
Happy 4th! Who all is gardening today? I am!

My pal Carla (remember Plastica?) saw this example of jasmine run amok, and snapped a shot for me - thereby becoming the first 'Germinator-At-Large'. I want to encourage the intrepid amongst you to take pictures of the strange, uncanny, or even beautiful plants (yes, I can admire beauty - if the mood is right) you might come across during your daily adventures and send them to me at videos@dominomag.com. Join my Germinator army! (well, I don't really have one yet, but a girl can dream...) All you need is a handy digital camera and a dose of plant lust, or at least plant like - it isn't mandatory for you to get all hot and bothered. Yet.
Carla's picture of the palm tree devouring jasmine could be a still from a horror movie! I can't tell what variety it is, but I have a sneaking suspicion that we are looking at Trachelospermum jasminoides, otherwise known as Star Jasmine. Dave's Garden says it can grow to 40ft! Yikes! I've always known it was a bully, but this ... this is just plain mean. Poor palm tree. Just look at it's hair-do. One measly tuft of fronds at the top just makes it look like a pin-head, not a gracious feather palm! I see the hand of man in that silly clip job, and I wonder, why not tend to the jasmine and let the palm grow it's fronds back? Is he making Plant Art? Does that excuse him? Why am I assuming "he" is a man?
Thank you, Carla, for the frightening and yes, intriguing picture.