Happy Friday!

Happy Friday, everyone! I hope you all have some time this weekend to relax and enjoy the sunshine. Picture this: you and your friends, a few frosty beer steins, a loaf of crusty bread, a sharp earthy cheese and a balmy summer evening..... wouldn't it be even more perfect with this fun vintage picnic table? This is the Biergarten Picnic set from Napa Style- you can get it here.

Modern fountain

 

 So, you know that the economy is doing really strange things my doctor's office can afford to take over a really lovely modern building on a brand new corporate campus, but that's what led me to stumble upon this lovely fountain, so this article is a little thanks to the weird economy having a silver lining. 

What got me to stop and take a photo is the amazing amount of texture in this fountain. The basic premise is simple enough: water spills from the upper wall onto the secondary wall, and also spills out of the top of the secondary wall. The water from both runs over a textured stone to create a whitewater effect (that I hope you can see in the photos). This texture means that the fountain has a dancing sound, that, sadly, you can't hear. But you'll just have to trust me- it is very peaceful.

 This is a close-up of the top of the secondary wall. See how they have created a well so that the water is forced to spill over the wall in a very uniform way? If you want a fountain that creates this whitewater effect, that's the way to get it. Otherwise, the water may spill out unevenly.

This photo probably shows the whitewater effect a little better. The other thing I like about this fountain is that the stones are carefully placed in the pond so that people can hop onto them and get close enough to the fountain to touch the whitewater. I love this! Too often, with large public fountain like this one, people have no way to interact with the water, and isn't that half the fun? The little kid in all of us still wants to play in the water, and I for one vote that we let her/him!

The scale of this feature is obviously too big for a residential garden, but I do think the takeaway lessons here are good ones: 1) texture is an amazing thing, 2) if you want water to spill evenly, you have to make a trough for it to come out of, and 3) let people play in the fountain 'cause life is so much more fun that way.

Classical garden at Ponte Vineyards in Temecula

On a recent visit to Ponte Vineyards in Temecula, California, I was impressed by the restraint used in designing the garden spaces. The palette is minimalist: white flowers, emerald green foliage and a plant list with very little variety. The effect is graceful and elegant, probably very easy to maintain, and a joy to walk through.

Here are the plants I spotted in their minimalist palette: box hedges, white iceberg roses and white flower carpet roses, privet hedges, Italian Cypress, variegated and solid colored Pittosporum tobira, Chinese Elm, Sycamore, White Birch, and (of course) grape vines.

While you are there, make sure to stay for lunch. They have a large outdoor restaurant that is sure to satisfy your foodie leanings.  The fresh chive dip that comes with focaccia bread for dipping is heavenly!

'Tis the season for garden tours

Late spring in San Diego is the season for garden tours. If you have never participated in any of the numerous local events, this might be a great time to start. Satisfy your voyeurism, get inspired! They are a great way to connect with the local gardening community, and, of course, to spy on what your neighbors are doing.

One tour in particular reached out to me, the Loma Portal Home and Garden Tour on May 14. It benefits Loma Portal Elementary School’s Music Program and will include eight to ten homes and gardens in the Loma Portal neighborhood. Tickets are online at www.lomaportalelementary.com

Here is list of a few more garden tours in and around San Diego this spring, care of Sunset Magazine:

April 23, Point Loma, Annual Point Loma Garden Walk
April 23, Balboa Park, San Diego.  Annual Rare Fruit Plant Sale sponsored by the San Diego Chapter of the California Rare Fruit Growers.  More info on their website.
April 30, Encinitas, Encinitas Garden Festival & Tour
May 7, San Diego, Annual Garden Walk of the Mission Hills Garden Club.
June 18, Old House Fair in South Park (thank you Ben for the reminder)

Gorgeous xeriscaping at Liberty Station

It is definitely spring in Liberty Station this week! If you haven't spent any time there, it is worth a visit. The converted Naval Training Center is now a lovely little shopping district, medium density housing, and plenty of park land and walking trails.  This is one of the trails burgeoning with iceplant blossoms. After your walk, make sure to stop in to Tender Greens for an amazing meal and a glass of wine on their patio. It'll make for a very relaxing Sunday afternoon, or at least, it did for me.

An outdoor bathroom...?

Today's garden is one that I'm just not too certain how I feel about. It is the Inovo/Ecosmart Garden featured in the Auckland Flower show by landscape designer Caroline Wesseling.

There are a lot of things I like about it, mainly the clean meditative aesthetic. I love the fire features (These are by Ecosmart and if you haven't been to their website you are missing out!) It is by far the most creative garden show entry I have come across recently. I think the use of metal grating as the walkways is very interesting, and permeable. And, I like the contrast between the riotous plant material and the minimalist shapes of the hardscape.

And then of course it makes me wonder- would I want a bathroom outdoors? As someone who does quite a lot of camping, I have to say I might have enough of that in my life already. But that bathtub does look awfully comfortable...

Modern xeriscape garden design

I have noticed a funny trend amongst my clients: people have basic shapes that they are very attracted to, even when it comes to plants. The top winner? Definitely the circle.

Plants with an almost mathematical geometry look amazing in masses or rows, and have a very contemporary aesthetic. I think these barrel cacti (Echincactus grusonii) are a perfect example. They are also stunning as an individual statement alone or in a pot.

Here are a few more circles worth looking at: