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iiiiii begin
above: You can fit a garden just about
anywhere. This small paver stone planted with succulents is less than one
square foot in size
below: my first project, a kitchen garden in San Francisco's Tenderloin.
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& dig in
first steps...
Fight urban sprawl, sponge up pollution, make a real live attitude
adjustment- right in your own backyard. Or balcony, or window sill. If you're
through daydreaming and ready to discover the joys of gardening, you’ve
come to the right place. Most of my beginner clients fall into one of these
two categories: heirs or scratchers.
The Heir is somebody who has inherited what used to be a garden, and
would like someone to get in there and get rid of the dead stuff, let some
light in, let the place breathe, plant some new stuff, bring it to life. You
might just need an extra pair of hands, or maybe you'd rather not get dirty
at all, no matter, I can help you bring out the best in your existing garden.
The Scratcher is starting from scratch. Scratchers have a desire to
put some nature into their lives but aren't sure where or even if that's
possible. I'm here to tell you it is possible and to get you started. Plants
are found in an amazing variety of environments, there are some that will do
nicely where you want them.
Successful gardening includes choosing
the correct plants for the environment you are willing to provide. If you
keep an open mind, you can have your dream garden.
But what is my 'dream garden'? Everyone has different ideas about what
would be their green paradise. My first home garden, in San Francisco's
Tenderloin, consisted of three window boxes overlooking the street, with
another outside my kitchen, facing a fire station (see photo at left). The
effect was instant and inspiring.
Cut it out: You may not be able to describe your dream garden, but I
bet you “know it when you see it”. Cut out photos of gardens you
like, or take pictures, and put them in a scrap book.
Write Stuff: Write down plants you like, colors,
smells, tastes, sounds. Write about your dream garden as if you were placing
a help wanted ad (I need a garden that
will provide privacy, grow herbs, and remind me of Tuscany).
While my flowers didn't cut down the noise or lower the crime rate, I couldn't
wait to come home each day and see what my boxes had waiting for me. One
morning I stepped into my kitchen and caught a hummingbird sipping out of my
flowers. So much joy out of such a small space.
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