Gardens & living

Good ideas take root.

Gardens through the seasons, places to gather, and practical ideas for making yourself at home outside.

Woven chairs and a glass table in front of a white privacy screen and potted evergreens.

The Considered Detail

Privacy begins where you sit

The right screen solves a particular sightline rather than enclosing everything.

From the notebook

A narrow brick passage with climbing plants opens toward pots in a courtyard.

Small Space Studies

The overlooked side of the house

A narrow passage can become a useful and pleasant part of the property.

From the notebook

Frost-covered branches and a bare tree over a winter garden path.

The Garden Notebook

The garden you see through the window

Design an outlook that matters even when you stay indoors.

From the notebook

An empty garden bench beside a mature tree with orange autumn foliage.

Before You Build

The backyard inventory: what is already working?

A simple observation exercise before the first sketch or contractor visit.

From the notebook

A dog resting on a patch of grass in a shaded yard.

The Considered Detail

Design around the dog you actually have

Observe routes, resting places, and daily routines before choosing finishes.

From the notebook

An outdoor shower mounted against a timber screen between tropical plants.

Before You Build

Before you add an outdoor shower

Define the purpose, privacy, and daily routine before choosing the fixture.

From the notebook

An open timber gate beneath a leafy garden arch.

The Considered Detail

A welcoming route from the gate to the gathering

Help visitors understand where to go without turning the garden into a corridor.

From the notebook

Repeated clumps of ornamental grasses beside a narrow garden path.

Small Space Studies

Give a narrow border one clear job

A slim planting strip works better with a focused purpose and a disciplined palette.

From the notebook

A timber fence with horizontal rails beside grasses and flowering plants.

Material Matters

Horizontal or vertical: the rhythm of a fence

Read the boundary beside the house before deciding how its boards should run.

From the notebook

A wooden chair beneath a stone arch beside cactus pots and shallow steps.

The Backyards Edit

What makes a courtyard feel like a room?

Use enclosure, proportion, and one strong focus to give a compact garden presence.

From the notebook

Hydrangeas and leafy planting beside the brick wall and window of a cottage.

The Garden Notebook

Give a cottage garden a clear framework

Loose planting can feel intentional when paths, edges, and focal points stay legible.

From the notebook

A pale wooden garden gate beneath dense shrubs.

The Considered Detail

Make the garden gate a proper threshold

The entrance can announce a change of pace with one well-resolved detail.

From the notebook