Garden Envy

Descanso Gardens Built For Rest And Relaxation--And, oh yes, Camellias

2012-02-20T10:19:00.000-08:00

Descanso Gardens, in La Cañada Flintridge near Los Angeles is, indeed, a restful place. With its blend of shade, water features and benches all generously placed throughout this Southern California retreat, rest--or "descanso" in Spanish--comes easy.

The shade is provided by a canopy of mighty Coastal Live Oak trees, whose large branches streak across the sky like lightning bolts and altogether they present as an abstract piece of art.

Under this forest of trees is a woodland garden. There is respite from the California sun and it is the perfect setting for thousands of camellia shrubs. Many were blooming in February when I visited.

This garden reportedly has the largest collection of camellias

in North America.

The original owner of the property, E. Manchester Boddy, was the publisher of the Los Angeles Daily News and in 1937, he commissioned a 12,000 square foot home built on a hill and also began planting thousands of camellias.

Thousands more were added to his collection since then and a sign in the garden states there are some 35,000 camellia shrubs planted here!

The property was sold to Los Angeles county in 1953 and Boddy's private "Rancho del Descanso" became a public house and garden that is available for private events and has even been used

in Hollywood films.

The small but tranquil Japanese garden on the property is one of at least three California gardens used to film Memoirs of a Geisha (one of my favorite books, too).

Scenes of Japanese gardens with cherry and plum trees in full bloom and geisha in traditional dress made beautiful and memorable cinematographic contributions to this film.

Water is a prominent feature at Descanso, whether in the Japanese garden or any of the other garden rooms. Most of my photographs here always seemed to include water even if it wasn't the focus of the shot.

The soft sound of water cascading over small waterfalls and underneath

beautiful blooming trees is just too alluring to pass up,

and scenes like this just seem to beckon. This area was my personal favorite. Another opportunity in the garden to rest, relax and listen to the sounds of birds in the trees,

study reflections in the water, watch the ducks

and admire the azaleas starting to bloom so the camellias can rest.

If you love camellias, you can't miss the Descanso Gardens in winter, a garden built for relaxation.

The benches are waiting for you here, but the rest is up to you.

My Heart Belongs to Filoli Gardens

2012-02-15T17:45:00.000-08:00

It was Valentine's Day and I absolutely fell in love at first sight. The first thing I saw were cherubs, but I never saw Cupid's arrow aiming for me--not just yet.

Then, as soon as I saw the brick walled gate, draped gently in ivy and the lush, immaculate garden peeking through, I could tell this was going to be special. Butterflies were in my stomach and I think I even gasped slightly as I stepped inside.

I didn't know what to look at first: the camellia shrubs in bloom, the finely pruned dwarf boxwood, the ancient tree trunk artfully covered in emerald green moss

or the delicate, lacy, light green lichen that seductively covers branches everywhere.

I was hooked.

"OMG," I texted my husband, "I died and went to heaven."

(I know--cliche--but I couldn't help myself.)

"Paradise?" he texted back. "Yes."

And what about this small garden room filled with colorful spring bulbs, potted olive trees and a beautiful white dove preening itself inside the little wooden bird house in a large wire domed cage, surrounded by ferns?

The gardens at Filoli in Woodside, California (30 miles south of San Francisco) might be THE ONE--the most beautiful garden I have seen to date, especially in the States. We met online. One day I googled 'best California gardens' and Filoli popped up.

I made a date to visit, but didn't quite know what to expect. Anticipation was great. I read that the 43-room mansion on the grounds was privately built and owned since 1915 and eventually it became a site for the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The gardens were built between 1917 and 1929. Now I know that Filoli is included in the book, Great Gardens of America by Tim Richardson and Andrea Jones, and also duly noted in Penelope Hobhouse's In Search of Paradise: Great Gardens of the World.

It is hard to choose my favorite room in these gardens in the undeveloped countryside with a backdrop of stunning vistas. These are the kind of gardens that are sonnet inspiring. "How do I love thee?" writes Elizabeth Barrett Browning. "Let me count the ways." The walled garden, the Chartres garden, the sunken garden, the rose garden, the knot garden, the olive orchard, the finely pruned (or should I say cleanly shaved) walls of trimmed yews, the magnolias...

blooming against the gorgeous blue California sky.

There is actually a long list of fascinating trees to love at Filoli.

What about all the black iron garden gates that lead you from one room to the next

and the charming garden vignettes

that are mixed in to soften some of the hard edges?

That is a lot to love. And, it isn't even quite spring (the numerous wisteria vines aren't in bloom yet). An employee there noted, the garden "is just starting to wake up now." I can only imagine what summer looks like here and it occurs to me that I have to come back, again and again.

This will be a long term, commuter relationship because moving to the Bay area out of mad love is not an option. Fortunately, I can make this a day trip by plane.

As for now, it is time to get back on that plane and go home. And there is no doubt that on this Valentine's Day, to quote Tony Bennett, "I left my heart in San Francisco."

This is Garden Envy. All rights reserved. 2012.

A Small Garden Treasure in York, England

2012-01-26T11:25:00.000-08:00

The Treasurer's House, on the grounds behind the famous York Minster Cathedral in York, England

has a small and simple, yet charming garden at its front entrance

with a view of the cathedral.

It is a quiet space behind the historic York Minster where

old statuary still delights

old pots still have purpose

and a stone bench hints to an ancient past.

The Romans and the Vikings populated these grounds 2000 years ago. The city itself is still surrounded by medieval walls. This house (traditionally occupied by the treasurers of the York Minster, hence the name) is now a mostly 17th century building that has been restructured a few times. The position of the treasurer was abolished by Henry VIII and, eventually, the house became part of National Trust in 1930.

The garden is free and visitors can tour the house for a small fee, stop in for tea and scones, and perhaps run into a few Roman ghosts down in the cellar that still has a portion of an old road built by them. The house is said to be haunted.

So if you take a long weekend or even a day trip from London to marvel at this amazing and complex cathedral that was completed in 1472 and took 250 years to complete,

make sure to hunt down this simple little garden nearby.

Because it is often the simple things we treasure the most.

Getty Villa: A Slice of Italian Garden Heaven

2012-01-12T12:53:00.000-08:00

The Getty Villa--located on a hilltop of the Santa Monica mountains in Pacific Palisades, California, and with a glimpse of the Pacific ocean--is a long way from Italy.

But the Getty is inspired by the Villa dei Papiri (Villa of the Papyri) that was located near the ancient city of Pompeii, Italy, and was covered by the volcanic eruption of Vesuvius in 79 A.D. Oil tycoon J. Paul Getty built his version in Southern California in 1974. The villa itself serves as a beautiful museum for fine art and Greek, Roman and Etruscan antiquities, but I love it for the Italian style gardens. You probably guessed that already.

The main garden is striking with its commanding pool in the center complete with statues on both ends. This formal garden is surrounded on either side with precisely trimmed boxwood and topiary shrubs, the acanthus plant, ivy, palm and pomegranate trees, oleander and damask roses. Roman control over nature. Order. Symmetry, with a focus on evergreen plants, not necessarily flowering plants.

The herb garden (below) features the fruit trees and herbs that would typically grow at a self-sustaining villa of a wealthy Italian, whose father-in-law just happened to be Julius Caesar.

At least one of several fruit trees was beginning to bloom the day I visited in January but even without a leaf, the bare bones and shape of this pomegranate tree is a beautiful feature in a winter garden.

It is a given that an Italian villa wouldn't be complete without grape vines and numerous olive trees and so you find those here, as well as lots of thick, shrubby--and one of favorites--rosemary (in bloom to boot).

In contrast, the wispy papyrus plant flanks a wall fountain in the herb garden.

Water, of course, whether in the form of fountains or pools, is featured in all four gardens on site.

My favorite garden at the Getty Villa is the center courtyard (above and below), classically quartered with four beautifully shaped bay laurel trees in each corner and hedged with boxwood. It is also divided down the middle of the courtyard by a smaller version of the main pool. Ten stately columns on all four sides provide architectural eye candy and a beautiful segue to the rooms of the villa. I can imagine a great location for my yoga practice in this lovely space. The setting alone makes me feel calm and centered immediately.

Finally, I couldn't resist photographing just a peek at the smallest, most intimate East garden through this paned window. Viewing my garden through the windows of my own home is one of my favorite ways to do nothing, especially if it involves relaxing on a sofa.

As I look into the East garden at the Getty, I know for sure that I could be completely happy with this little slice of Italian style garden heaven outside my window in San Diego. This, signore e signori, is garden envy.

Whimsical Gardening On A Slope In San Diego

2012-01-07T00:07:00.000-08:00

This front yard slope in the Mission Hills neighborhood of San Diego is (I'm going to risk saying it) the most unusual in the city.

On close inspection a visitor becomes aware that these are a series of random animal and geometrical shapes--topiary just carved into the honeysuckle growing on a steep slope at the corner of Union and Vine in San Diego.

The home sits above at the right.

I came across this garden quite by accident on the internet. I Googled the words "topiary San Diego" because I was looking for a nursery in North County that I visited years ago and I was hoping to find it on the web. Instead, this garden popped up and immediately I was intrigued. What? I grabbed my little camera and headed for the car. Of course I had to see it.

Visitors liken it to cloud gazing and 'Edward Scissorhands,' to both of which I concur.

I read that the owners maintain this with the help of a gardener and that some of the shapes are based on their travels. The garden includes pyramids, bunnies, elephants, a whale and what appears to be a person in a Mexican sombrero!

I haven't seen this much whimsy in a garden since the last time I was in a Disney park. As far as I could tell these are not on wire forms but appear to be cut free form, some shapes that I could make out and--well, honestly, some that I couldn't. I probably just needed more time to gaze into the shrubs. The pictures of green on green don't do justice to this creative slope.

Unlike my photographs however, I think that the message from this garden is very clear: Don't take gardening so serious. Lighten up, people!

Digging Up Great 2011 Garden Moments

2011-12-31T15:04:00.000-08:00

          2011 was a great year for my garden obsession. I started this blog and I had great opportunities to see gardens not only in the States but also abroad.  Some of these moments never made a mention in Garden Envy, but nevertheless I came away with great memories.



          Last winter we visited Parque Retiro in Madrid (above) and on a chilly walk to a nearby restaurant for bocadillos we walked past this museum, accidentally turned around and saw this amazing vertical garden. My mouth dropped open!



          It was the first time I had seen a garden literally growing on a wall and since then I have seen three others, all in London.

I particularly liked this one over a pub.

In England, I enjoyed both spring and fall seasons this year. It was beautiful to see lots of large, old trees blooming profusely in white and pink, different from the So Cal springtime I normally enjoy. And a bucket list of gardens to see here in England, of course, is reason enough to bring me back again.

          On my way to the Kew Gardens in London I fell in love with some of the neighborhood houses and took these photos of the same home with its wisteria blooming in spring and,



then its foliage in the fall. I could easily see myself living in this charming borough of Richmond upon Thames within walking distance of this royal botanical garden.

I would love to recreate this container of variegated tulips and violets from the Kew on my own patio this coming spring.

          I stayed at two hotels with small courtyard gardens. This small but peaceful formal garden (below) was an unexpected bonus in Bath, England at the Kennard Hotel.

And, I chose the Aster House in London because I read that it features a small garden that serves as the home of a few beautiful ducks and can be accessed by one (quite popular) room. I didn't get the room but I was still able to enjoy it from a window above, overlooking the garden.

In Dublin, where I also checked off seeing the Book of Kells from my bucket list, we sought respite from shopping for Irish linen and wool sweaters and walked through St. Stephen's Green.

Stateside, another jaw dropping moment was seeing the enormous oak trees dripping with Spanish moss in Charleston, South Carolina (below).

But even with the travel opportunities I had this year and all the new gardens I visited, one of my favorite garden moments of the year occurred when my recently planted stephanotis bloomed for the first time. This small white flower has one the loveliest scents the world over and is one of my favorite flowers. I remember using a ribbon of stephanotis to braid through my daughter's hair on her communion day.

And now, finally, it grows in my own back yard!

I hope 2012 brings you great garden moments! Happy New Year from Garden Envy!

Merry Christmas From Balboa Park

2011-12-17T00:08:00.000-08:00

The Botanical Building and lily pond in Balboa Park, San Diego is iconic and reportedly it is the most photographed building in the park. The wood lath structure was built in 1915 and holds more than 2100 plants.

Today is just about one week before Christmas. The Angel's Trumpet is blooming like crazy

and the usual display of green palms, ferns, cycads and orchids inside the building is decked with red poinsettias. Today is also a relatively chilly day and our typically blue sky has given way to clouds. There was even a slight mist on my windshield.

This might be about the closest we get to winter weather in the world's finest city. True, the high temperature this afternoon was 62 degrees, but with the wind it felt more like 52 degrees. The low today was 43 degrees.

But that's a good thing when you live in a city where it mostly feels like perpetual Spring. Walking through the park with a chill in the air, the aroma of coffee from the cart smells better than usual and the spicy chai tea latte tastes better.

          So it's okay with me if the gray skies stay for a while, the temperature dips and the palm trees sway. It is finally starting to feel a little bit like Christmas!

                             Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Dogs Rule At Chiswick House

2011-11-20T11:41:00.000-08:00

Chiswick House and Gardens in London, England is a great place for a walk in the park. Although the house, an example of 18th century British architecture, is closed for the season, the sprawling grounds are open all year. This 65-acre garden, which reportedly influenced the design of New York's Central Park, is located in the west London burough of Hounslow.

It includes great open space as well as a large woodland garden,

an Italian garden and a greenhouse

a play area for the kids, a large enclosed field for sports,

even a cafe to enjoy a cup of tea and a scone.

There are beautiful walkways, tons of camellias that were covered with buds

and roses still in bloom on this November day.

But, in the end my two favorite things about this park,

er--garden--was this man-made river

that was studded with trees, shrubs

and ducks.

The swans were a stand out, of course, against the dark background.

But my absolute favorite thing about these gardens didn't have much to do with

the plants, the statuary, the trees or the blooms. You heard me right.

It was all about the dog watching here.

It seems to be a popular spot for residents to walk their dogs and let them run unleashed. This young pup was having so much fun trying to chase the ducks.

I was bitten by dog love all over again while strolling through here. It has been a few years now since my cocker spaniel and my llasa apso/shih tzu died and I haven't been ready to get another.

I don't think any dog could replace the bond that I had with my

beloved cocker spaniel.

Then I saw this King Charles spaniel and my heart melted.

My take away after visiting England a few times now:

I love a country where houses frequently have proper names and, even more, where spaniels are King.

Falling For The Kew Gardens--Again

2011-11-16T09:40:00.000-08:00

It's a gray November day at the Royal Botanic Kew Gardens on the outskirts of London. Gone are the spring bulbs I photographed earlier this year that bloomed in neat borders and flourished in front of the Victorian greenhouse. Gone are the long summer days, most of the flowers and the blue skies. Colorful flowers are replaced by changing leaves on trees.

Glowing yellow, orange, and red leaves are everywhere. Holly shrubs and even holly the size of trees are blooming bright red berries everywhere. Everywhere? Yes, everywhere.

Fall color is a great reason to see this botanical garden. But this fall there is a new reason to visit the Kew--the Xstrata treetop walkway.

Visitors can climb 118 steps up to the walk around the tops of the trees for a sweeping bird's eye view of the botanical gardens. This beautiful iron and glass greenhouse structure above, the Temperate House, is stunning against the landscape.

The Pagoda peeks through the trees.

Back on the ground, inviting trails are covered with leaves fallen from those treetops

and there is one pretty vignette after another

to make me want to keep snapping up photographs as I walk through here.

Not to mention the pretty birds

who seem quite comfortable posing for my camera.

Growing up in the Midwest I have always been fond of autumn--the chill in the air, the colors of the trees, apple picking, caramel apples and pumpkin pie. These are great memories but the season is just not the same now that I live in Southern California. So this chance to enjoy an autumn visit unexpectedly in London made me fall in love with the Kew all over again.

My Day In Court--Hampton Court

2011-11-13T14:25:00.000-08:00

          Walking through Hampton Court gardens just outside of London, England last week was, for me, like literally stepping into the pages of one of my favorite nightstand books, Royal Gardens of Europe by George Plumptre. Before falling asleep at night, I love leafing through the beautiful pictures of perfectly clipped yews, pruned trees, graceful statuary and large swaths of colorful plants. It fuels my dreams about having such a view in my own backyard. Ah, but I don't live in a palace. So the unplanned and unexpected opportunity to go visit one of the historical gardens featured in this book was exciting.



         The royal castle itself is fascinating, being a house architecturally divided between a Tudor castle on the right for Henry VIII and a baroque fantasy home on the left for William III and Mary. The Tudor castle dates back to the 1500's.



          The 60 acres surrounding the castle are palatial, of course, and there are several different gardens to enjoy, including a walled rose garden, parkland currently with trees glowing in autumn color, a maze made of one thousand yews and a medieval herb garden near the large kitchen compound of Henry VIII.


          Kids love this maze. I went through it and, honestly, I was just a tad anxious after a while to find my way out. Nearby, the autumn glow from a grove of trees was brilliant, as the English would say, especially for a California resident who rarely gets to enjoy autumn weather and crunch fallen leaves by walking on them. The castle sits next to the River Thames and on the short walk from the train station this is the first impression from the bridge.

But I confess, I am really here for one thing: formal royal palace gardens. And after 12 hours of flight, a five hour layover, public transit and a train to the outskirts of London, I am--finally--walking the perimeter of the castle and its grounds and I found it.

                 I am here to swoon over the topiary and the formal Privy Garden,



                                  marvel at  the sunken pond gardens and



                                                       and envy the knot gardens.

And, though it is not spring or summer when the garden would be filled with colorful bulbs and annual flowers, this garden is still beautiful in its bare-boned structure and design. Autumn offers not only the changing colors of the trees but berries that are blooming like crazy on the pyracantha, holly and even the yew in the fountain garden.

One of my favorite and unexpected features are the cut out windows in the hedges that offer just a glimpse of the view in the garden beyond.

This gateway below serves as the entrance and exit to and from the formal garden on the baroque side of the castle. I was exhausted by the time I walked through here but exhilarated when I left. Garden hopping in the autumn in London? Are you sure? Absolutely. Quite right.

Now that I am back home I am, again, thumbing through this gorgeous book, Royal Gardens of Europe. I'm thinking I just might set my future sights on some dream gardens in Italy. Now I know--it could happen.

Alcazar Gardens: A Stand Out In Orange

2011-10-25T16:19:00.000-07:00

The gardens at the Royal Alcazar Palace in Sevilla are lush with trees and hedges. When I visited this palace and garden in the southern part of Spain last January, I don't think I saw even a single flower in bloom. Yet that didn't disappoint me in the least. The color orange takes center stage against the green backdrop in this beautiful, Moorish influenced palace and garden. And it seems to be all this garden needs to stand out.

Orange dominates in the structures

that separate garden rooms and cover palace walls.

And the garden, like the rest of this beautiful Spanish town, is studded with orange trees loaded with fruit.

Lots and lots of orange trees.

These oranges are too bitter to eat but, in addition to providing bright color in the garden, they make a delicious marmalade.

I love a gateway to a garden. This orange doorway with its iron gate intrigues visitors to wander in and discover yet another garden room. There are lots of brick pathways, manicured hedges, trees and tall palms that fan out against the sky.

And it seems like a never ending path.

In fact, I didn't even finish walking the entire estate. But I was able to walk through an upper level covered walkway (seen in the photo below) that had great vistas of the gardens and a grove of more orange trees on the other side of this building.

The beautiful courtyard below, like the palace, features mudejar architectural detail. It is an amazing place.

The row of monogrammed pots lining the exit is a nice royal touch at the end of the garden.

But, of course, there is really only one way to end a great day spent walking through a garden in Andalusia, Spain: with sangria, tapas and flamenco. And that is exactly what I did. Ole!

Kew Royal Gardens, aka My Happy Place

2011-09-11T10:44:00.000-07:00

I loved my time at the Kew Royal Gardens in Richmond, England.

This is the Palm House, a beautiful Victorian glass and iron structure built in 1844-1848. It is the first sight I saw here and remained my favorite throughout the day.

I couldn't get enough photographs of it and I had to come back and see it again before I left for the day.

This visit was in April, 2011, in early spring and blooms were bursting everywhere.

I was lucky enough to be here early in the day to take pictures when the garden just opened and before it was busy with visitors.

At least of the human species, that is.

It was just as beautiful inside the Palm House with lots of plants; this jade vine striking me as one of the more unusual ones that I saw.

After walking through the Palm House, I rode through the hop on, hop off tram that will take you through the 326 acre garden with a guided tour of the most significant sights.

Such as the Temperate House and the Pagoda (above).

Trees and shrubs were blooming too in this neatly manicured, and pedicured, garden.

Nearby the rhododendrons were blooming early this year, I felt so lucky to be there to see them!

Of course, in any great garden there are a couple of water features to be enjoyed.

I love white structures in a garden, and this covered sitting area is just begging for someone to sit, perhaps be photographed or meditate to just take in the beauty of the park.

Although it may seem from my photos there were not many visitors out enjoying this beautiful garden, while I was there I was actually quite impressed with how busy the park had become that day, loaded with moms, children and strollers enjoying the large children's play area and displays set up for the upcoming Easter season.

Quiet gardens are certainly lovely to look at but they are so much more alive and inspiring when people are enjoying them and children are running and playing outside as they should be, planting the seed that a garden, above all, is a happy place to be!

Mission San Diego Garden Cultivates Spirit And Soul

2011-09-11T00:31:00.000-07:00

               The Mission San Diego De Alcala is the first of 21 missions that were built in California by the Spaniards.  I recall when my daughter had to do a grade school project to recreate a model of a mission and she chose this. I loved the mini terra cotta pots we found to flank the entrance with plants, just as the church is today.  We enjoyed attending church services there and afterwards we always spent time in this small garden. Recently I visited the Mission after being away for a while and, just as I remember, it is still charming and always seems to lift my spirit.



          The church is a Basilica because of its historical significance.  The Mission was built in 1769 and like the church, the garden is quaint, simple and small. But it is definitely a San Diego garden, planted with bougainvillea, palms, roses, aloe, orange and even pomegranate trees.

Outside the church entrance, the garden has several pomegranate trees ripening for the fall season. I immediately wondered why I never planted this gem in my own small garden.

Just think of the possibilities: pomegranate seeds for yogurt and salad, pomegranate margaritas and Thanksgiving tablescapes with red pomegranates from the garden. And they are healthy for the heart so they must be good for the soul, especially if you cultivate your own. Alleluia!

And, of course, there are always bells at the Missions. I understand they were used as clocks back in the day, ringing when it was time to eat or pray. This is the bell tower from the inside of the garden, flanked by trees and bougainvillea. On the left is a narrow and roughly made stairway.

The small courtyard garden is divided into four, paved with red tiles that echo the roof and embellish the white structure of the buildings.

This huge palm is quite stunning inside the small yard.

Several benches in the courtyard provide a shady spot to linger, enjoy the view or perhaps meditate.

The fountain on the plaza east of the church is surrounded by the ubiquitous pepper trees.

This hibiscus was one of the prettiest blooms in sight.

And finally, the view of the garden gate from the inside of the garden is one of my favorite vignettes here.

Simple, and unrefined--yet this small garden will help soothe my soul on any day of the week. Can I get an Amen?

Garden Sculpture Reigns King At The Hearst Castle

2011-08-04T14:18:00.000-07:00

          The Hearst Castle  looms up into the sky, high on a hill in San Simeon, California, about 250 miles north of Los Angeles. It requires a bus ride



to get there. Even then, you continue to climb stairs to get to the entrance of this European influenced castle on the spot that the late William Randolph Hearst named "La Cuesta Encantada," the enchanted hill.

It was land his father owned and after William Hearst died it was donated to the state of California as a public park. The view from the castle is stunning and includes the Pacific ocean on a clear day. There are several fountains, like this one below, in the gardens.

His house, oops--I mean, castle--is filled with priceless pieces of ancient European art: paintings, tapestry, Italian wood carved ceilings, and choir chairs from old churches. There are Persian rugs and beautiful tiled floors that can no longer be restored and can no longer be stepped on. The Grand tour of the Hearst Castle (this is only one of 38 homes he owned, by the way) in fact is limited to only a few main rooms where he entertained his famous guests.

But visitors are invited to walk through all of the gardens, where the beauty of this enchanted hill comes alive.

Antique furniture and art is fascinating, of course, but it's the here and now of a garden that I love. It's the combination of the oaks that are perhaps a hundred years old with the blooms that just opened up in the past few weeks.

It's the combination of the blue sky, green trees and shrubs, and white sculpture--lots of white sculpture--that delivers a punch of living art in the here and now.

It is grace surrounded by tall cypress and palm trees.

Masculinity works here too, with the blooming hydrangeas and the striking brick and tiled patios.

And whimsy, popping up in between the boxwood and roses. This was my favorite scene in the garden, in part because of the adorable interaction going on in this sculpture and the slightest element of surprise when I came upon it.

Sculpture is everywhere, covered under shady nooks and crannies of the garden.

The Neptune Pool is jaw dropping. Grecian is the theme and one can only imagine feeling like a goddess lounging here, soaking up the sun and the beauty of the sculpture that adorns the pool as well.

Hearst grew up to be king not of a country, but of a media empire in America. He built himself a castle on land his family owned and that he cherished as a child. Every castle requires a great garden. And this garden, indeed, is befitting a castle and a king.

Restore Your Senses In The Huntington Library Gardens

2011-07-30T00:57:00.000-07:00

I ran away recently. Seriously, you know--that "fight or flight" response to stress. When life and relationships can be a bit too much? Unexpectedly, I packed a small bag, got in my car and drove. A little road trip, all by myself, from San Diego to one of my favorite gardens-- the Huntington Library in San Marino, California, just a few miles from Los Angeles.

"If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need."

--Marcus Tullius Cicero (Ancient Roman lawyer, statesman, 106 BC - 43 BC)

Last time I visited the Huntington, the immense collection of camellias were in bloom and the Japanese garden was stunning. This time I was able to enjoy the rose and herb gardens.

Take a little stroll with me.

Surrounded by roses, I could feel my shoulders soften and drop down a notch away from my neck.


I arrived at the end of the day and although I only had about one hour to spend here it didn't take long before I began feeling calm and peaceful. Walking under the rose covered arbors, I could feel the angst I was experiencing from the previous days slip away.

Just breathe.

"The greatest gift of the garden is the restoration of the five senses."

--Hanna Rion

Meet the "George Burns" rose.

This is "Apricot Candy." Eye candy for sure, and the petals--so soft to the touch.

The herb garden certainly appeals to taste and smell.

The statuary here is abundant, temporarily transporting our imaginations to another time and place,

and an invitation to sit in a cool shady spot--a chance to hear the birds in the trees and perhaps meditate and clear the mind.

A wise person told me it was okay to run away sometimes. The Huntington Gardens is a beautiful spot to retreat for a while. Of course, I didn't solve any problems while I was there but I did feel restored.

It was everything I needed.

Calhoun Mansion Garden Is A Gem

2011-07-18T23:02:00.000-07:00

The garden at The Calhoun Mansion was a happy discovery for me on my recent trip to Charleston. A gem. I felt like a kid stumbling into a secret garden I never expected to find that day in June. For me, that's always the best kind of garden to visit.

My photograph hardly does justice to this Victorian mansion, which was built between 1870 and 1876 and named after Vice President John Calhoun. This is an artist's rendering:

I was touring The Battery, as it is known in Charleston, and admiring all the Southern style mansions with fabulous piazzas (aka, balconies). So, I was awestruck when I wandered into this gated property at 16 Meeting Street and to the right of the entrance I see this calling me over:

Wow. What's this? Where am I? My heart started to beat faster and I felt a sudden bolt of energy despite the long walk in the neighborhood in heat of the day. I was instantly intrigued.

I'm a pushover for clipped boxwood, topiary and statuary. The green boxwoods and trees against the clean, white piazzas is striking. From here the garden beckons toward the piazzas on the side of the mansion, and into another garden room.

Here, the water features take over. First, the small water lily pond then a small pool, which does have a cooling effect on this warm Charleston day.

More clipped hedges, lots of trees including cypress and palms, a bench to sit down and to soak it all in and then, at the end of the yard, another room with a fountain surrounded by wisteria covered columns.

This is definitely the spot for photographs, with the columns and vine-covered arbors as perfect picture frames.

This garden is packed with plants, shrubs, trees, statuary, water features, brick pathways and somehow everything fits beautifully. The design is quite formal and it feels like a garden I might find at a European palace, perhaps in Italy or France.

Though not a royal palace this 35-room mansion was used as a luxury hotel after the first World War. Today it is a 'house museum' and I must confess, I actually didn't visit inside the mansion. This Southern gem of a garden, however, is a must see.

My Southern Garden Of Love

2011-07-08T21:37:00.000-07:00

I was recently in Charleston, South Carolina to shop wedding venues for my niece. It was a steamy afternoon in June and we wandered into this understated entry

of The Gardens at Middleton Place. We found a sprawling garden with large expanse of lawn, grand vistas and magnificent trees. Just thinking about it and looking at the photographs of the Gardens now, about three weeks later, stirs up the same feeling of serenity that I experienced while I was there.

Just beyond this pond the garden opens up

and we watch as the party planners are arranging chairs for a wedding taking place here later in the day. And what June bride wouldn't want wedding photos with this stunning backdrop? It turns out Charleston is a popular destination wedding site. Since we are already in the planning stages of my niece's wedding in 2012, we imagined beautiful photos the bride could pose for in this garden. But, however gorgeous this garden is--we also noted the temperature: upper 90's. We wondered what dress the bride might wear in this heat. Then we decided it would be a great party favor--and a necessity--to hand beautiful Spanish fans to wedding guests as they arrived.

But back to the quiet and open expanse of land here--all 65 acres. This is a National Historic Landmark and believed to be the oldest landscaped gardens in the United States.

The live oak trees here are remarkable and seem to be everywhere, along with the stately and large magnolia trees. The massive branches of these magnificent trees spread out horizontally and drip with Spanish moss. Again, we found ourselves dreaming of the photo opportunities for the bride and groom.

The garden does have some secluded areas with just a touch of statuary, minimal yet elegant touches nonetheless.

This small cove provides shady relief from the sun, and this lovely lady amidst the blue hydrangeas set off another flurry of camera shots from our little group.

Our garden respite over, we climb into the steamy car, blast the AC, and pop in the special CD playlist designed to keep us in the mood because, after all, we're "going to the chapel and we're gonna get married, going to the chapel of love."

I think I found my chapel of love in this grand Southern garden.

A Stroll Through The Kensington Flower Walk Keeps You Grounded

2011-05-19T12:23:00.000-07:00

Kensington Gardens in London is a huge expanse of open park space with plenty of large flowering trees the day I arrived in April, at 7:30 in the morning, from Paddington Station. I was walking through the Gardens, pulling luggage and finding my way through to the other side where I would find my hotel and check in after my overnight journey from California. There were bikers, joggers running and lots of dog walkers. There was work being done in the area near the Kensington Palace itself, some construction going on, dirt dug up and areas roped off. It was fairly busy.

Then, nearly across and out the other side I came across this bench, by the Kensington Flower Walk.

An invitation to sit, where you could catch your breath, stroll and admire the color, or just rest from pulling luggage and take in the lovely blooms instead.

I remember finding the gardeners trimming, cultivating and tidying up early that morning so the garden would look its best.

Other people were sitting and reading on the benches that were scattered throughout. Nobody jogging about over here.

The pace was different here, compared to the rest of the park. But that's what flowers do, they make you want to slow down, even stop to notice them. Rest just a while, meditate and then when you are ready, you pick up that luggage and get on with the day--feeling just a little more grounded, hopefully.

Dream Gardens On Tour: San Diego

2011-05-15T15:31:00.000-07:00

Twenty one. That's the number of gardens I saw in the San Diego area in the last two weeks! May is a bonanza for garden lovers across the country because it is usually the month that garden clubs host walks and tours of local homeowners' gardens. Not only do I get ideas, I get to dream, and a big fix of plants, flowers and garden design. But unlike a public garden, these have the element of 'secret gardens,' tucked behind tall fences and gates. You get a rare peek into how people live. It's one of my favorite things to do.

In Coronado on May 14, I saw seven gardens and there was a lot to envy. These large homes are way out of my price range but a woman can dream. My favorites here involve a lot of clipped boxwood. This doesn't surprise me.

It is time to add more boxwood to my own garden so I can see it all the time. I love it. I saw several ways to incorporate it.

This treatment around the fountain (below) I especially envied and the flagstone echoing the shape on the ground is a lovely part of the design, with small ground covers filling in between the stones. I want it!

This garden (below) at a mansion near the ocean is said to be inspired by the Alcazar palace garden in Sevilla, Spain and I could definitely see the elements here, including a mosaic tiled fountain, the palms and the colors incorporated into the setting. But, my favorite feature--the small secret garden (in the center of photo) hiding just beyond an open entryway in the back of the

main garden.

Last week, I walked about two miles and saw 14 gardens on the Mission Hills Garden Walk. This garden walk is always worth the effort. Many of these homes featured yards with dought tolerant plants and no grass lawns.

My two favorites in this walk were the smallest. The one pictured above was tiny, packed with plants and a small patio and table as the main focus. The owners featured found objects such as coins, keys and a fork and knife displayed in the concrete of the brick patio. I could easily see myself dining alfresco in this garden often.

I was also in love with this outdoor-room style of garden (above) and it has all the features I love: fireplace, a fountain, a dining area under a pergola covered with grape vines and a beautiful gate. The pruned peach tree (below) offers a great structural feature in addition to fruit.

I confess that I am surprised I loved the garden that seemingly had the least amount of plants! On the other hand, it's a week later and I still have the urge to go there and surround those two sofas with large pots of flowers and lots of lavender! After all, it is a garden room... Dream on.

Claude Monet's Garden Leaves A Surreal Impression

2011-05-06T13:25:00.000-07:00

Walking through the garden and house of Claude Monet (1840-1926), is a surreal moment. The famous French founder of impressionist painting is likely just as famous for his flower gardens and water lily pond. As a gardener myself and only having had the chance to see this garden in photos in my old-school paper address book that I kept until it fell apart, it was like a dream to step inside this spacious property. In Giverny, France the garden is sprawling and packed with visitors in July 2009 when I first got the chance to tour. It is also packed with flowers, shrubs, vines and trees. There is so much to take in. Monet's gardening style is informal and rambling. No clipped boxwoods, no formal hedges and though I do love a formal Italian or French garden, this is the garden that you can relate to when you don't live in a royal palace.

"More than anything I must have flowers, always, always," Claude Monet.

I'm pretty sure his motto would be that you can never have too many flowers in a garden. And, with so many visitors to this garden it was virtually impossible to snap a photo with the famous footbridge empty in the background as Monet would have painted it. But then, a garden should be enjoyed.

"I perhaps owe becoming a painter to flowers," Claude Monet

Monet loved painting the water lilies later in his life and painted a whole series. If you can't visit the garden one day, do visit an art museum to view his paintings.

This painting, Water Lilies, was painted in 1906 and currently hangs in the Chicago Art Institute.

I have to agree with the painter, however. His best work of art really is his garden.