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While some of us are basking in unseasonable temperatures those who are longing for the warmth of spring, now is a good time to start to put your gardening ideas onto paper. If you are in a frost free area you can even begin to re-design your flower beds. In this picture posted here, I scalloped these beds to give a free-flowing informal appearance while at the same time it creates more depth for these colorful snapdragons and foxglove. And it makes it easier to pull weeds and add fertilizers. I planted these in early February of last year in California and got these terrific blooms all the way through July. They can be planted back east in early May after danger of frost. If you dead head them and keep the soil weed free and composted you should be able to have about 4 months or longer of blooming time. Watch for insects in the early part of spring….their populations can increase ten-fold over night. Keep alert of foliar and flower changes such as yellowing of leaves, holes in leaves, leaf or flower drop or die back of young seedlings. If you catch these changes early on you can save yourself bigger problems down the road. Happy planting and I’ll be seeing you around the garden! 
Photo credit: Mike Brown
If you find yourself needing some holiday boughs and trimmings take a stroll out into your landscape and see what you might be able to bring into the house for a table arrangement. In this case I found myself pruning out some young invasive eucalyptus trees along with some over grown berberis and pyrcantha. Then I clipped some magnolia limbs and holly to finish off this massive 5 foot arrangement. I filled the bottom of this fiberglass container with brick to weigh it down and set it in a window out of direct sunlight and away from indoor heating. Check the water level daily to ensure the flowers retain their freshness. If some clippings start to die off sooner than others, you can always take another trip outside and replace them with fresher cuttings. Enjoy your Holidays and I’ll be seeing you around the garden.
Design by Mike Brown of Projectgreenscaping.
 
Most of us have one or more of those neglected spaces at our home or office that with just a little imagination and a few bucks can transform a rather obscure space into a beautiful microclimate of color and texture! Here’s how this small botique on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles went from a bleak concrete patio to an inviting place to have afternoon tea. Before deciding on plant options take into consideration the amount of sunlight the area will be receiving (remember the sun is lower in the horizon in the winter so make sure your plant design will take the lower light or you may have to do a seasonal change out of plants). Most likely the soil will have to be amended or replaced. With small spaces this will not be expensive but most importantly – make sure there is drainage. If drainage is a problem, you will have to drill into the concrete or install a french drain to excavate excess water away from the patio or courtyard. This shaded patio was perfect for bromeliads and moss as a ground cover. With a faucet nearby, it was easy to access water. Once the plants were chosen this project was completed in one afternoon. Good luck with your small patios and courtyards and I’ll be seeing you around the garden.
Design and photo credit: Mike Brown
 
These firt time homeowners bought this beautiful ranch style house and had to invest in some interior re-design and a lot of exterior landscape work. First off, a cracked and stained concrete driveway was removed and replaced with chicago-brick style pavers. The dead bamboo to the right of the driveway was obviously removed and replaced with a Jacaranda tree that will eventually provide shade on this hot south facing property. The sod was a mixture of weeds, crab grass and St. Augustine grass which needed to be replaced. First though, the old sod had to be roto-tilled up and removed before any new sod could be installed. A triple Robelleni palm was added to the base of the giant Cuban Royal palm that dwarfs this one story home. Cuban Royals look great on properties with a commanding driveway leading up to a two story estate and not a single story home with a short circular driveway. Copper leaf shrubs were added in front of the house as an accent plant as well as sword ferns. All of these plant choices do great in the sweltering south Florida sun. As you can plainly see, a new landscape design makes this home inviting and increases the aesthetics of the neighborhood. That’s your landscape project for the day, I’m your host Mike Brown, please join us again as we set out to re-design a West Hollywood home on a very tight budget! Drop us a line at www.projectgreenscaping.com and I’ll be seeing you around the garden.
Photo credit: Mike Brown
  
These homeowners were looking for a way to cut back on their water bill and at the same time wanted a garden that would demand less maintenance. So I suggested that we do a climate appropriate garden that would save them money, benefit the local pollinators and provide seasonal color throughout the year. The lawn was ripped out and a new irrigation system was installed. Yes, even climate appropriate plants will need supplemental watering during peroids of drought. The design element called for pink rock rose, salvia leucantha, a non-fruiting olive tree, rosemary, blue fescue, pink pensetmon and a maleluca tree. I allowed for a small DG pathway from the drive to the front door so the client would not have to walk out to the sidewalk to enter the house. As a ground cover, a fine textured mulch was spread out to add a finishing touch and suppress weeds and keep the soil moisture from evaporating. These 3 pictures clearly show the beginning phase, the completion of the project and six months later after the plants benefited from the Southern California winter rains. If you have any questions about climate appropriate gardens don’t hesitate to drop me a line. Thats all we have time for today, I’m your host Mike Brown and I’ll be seeing you around the garden.
Photo credit: Mike Brown
  
Now that Thanksgiving is over the holiday rush is in full gear. If you find yourself having some friends and family over for some good food and cheer remember your yard may hold the key to a last minute table arrangement. Here in the cozy home of my friends in Taos, New Mexico I scoured their frozen withered vegetable and herb garden for textures, fragrances and colors to bring indoors. For this table palette I harvested rosemary, dried yarrow flowers, balsam cuttings, sage, artemesia, jalapeno peppers, juniper, dried echinacea and a few lemons and limes harvested from the refrigerator. The juniper, balsam, rosemary and sage created a nice blend of fragrances along with traditional holiday candles and boughs. Remember, no matter where you live or what time of year it is, you can harvest from the yard, without spending a dime on table arrangements. Happy Holidays and I’ll be seeing you around the garden!
Photo credit: Mike Brown
 If you’re planning a dinner party and need to create a table arrangement why not take a close look at what is growing in your own backyard. For this Thanksgiving backyard feast I decided to trim my apricot, bay and lemon trees and use their limbs and fruit as a center piece for the table. In additon, I found seasonal color such as; Eugenia berries (not edible but a great splash of color), Bird of Paradise, limes and Valencia oranges. Since this was a non-traditional casual dinner I added both votives and eclectic candleabras. Then all we needed was some good old fashioned stoneware, wine and of course good friends and food. So next time you decide to have a dinner party and need some last minute greens for the table or vase why not take a look outside….you might be pleasantly surprised with what nature is offering you! Happy entertaining and I’ll be seeing you around the garden.
Photo credit: Mike Brown
   
Begin by constructing a wire frame (I chose an circle of old metal wreath backings) and secured them together with bailing wire. Then begin cutting and harvesting your limbs and twigs. Green works better because they are flexible and bend without breaking ( most of the time). I used flowering plum limbs, bay leaf limbs, weeping willow, eucalyptus saplings and native California buckeye limbs. As a bonus, the eucalytus and bayleaf limbs really add fragrance to the ornaments. Once the framework is secured with bailing wire, you can begin to weave the limbs. I pruned my cuttings to about 4 feet in length so I would have enough to work with but that depends on the size of the frame you construct. I placed some limbs into the design that were not consistent with weaving for a whimiscal effect. I allowed the ornaments to dry for a couple of days before hanging them in the garden. You could fill them with rosemary, lavender or juniper or outdoor lights for that matter for a traditional holiday look if desired. So the next time you’re in the garden pruning and trimming, think twice about throwing away those limbs. You just may be able to use them in the garden as ornaments or art! Happy Holidays and I’ll be seeing you around the garden.
Photo credit: Mike Brown
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