Blog
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THE BEAUTY OF SPRING
Robin feeding her babies in our backyard. Read more
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A Budget Friendly Front Yard Design
I designed this garden for a couple in Oak Park, Illinois. The wife is recently retired, and the husband has a few more years before joining her. They enjoy gardening, but not to an obsession (like yours truly). This is an older home that has been lovingly taken care of and completely remodeled over the years. The interior… Read more
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The Pretty Pansy is no Shrinking Violet
I planted my pansies in the beginning of April. They’ve powered through 3 freezes, a nasty weird freaky hail storm and all around general neglect. They’ve got super model looks and Captain America strength. While your Tulips and Daffodils are making their retreat, the Pansies are bringing up the rear. Plant them in the Spring,… Read more
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Here Comes the Sun
The colors of spring have burst through the grey skies. Over the past week the Daffodils, Tulips, Hyacinth and all the spring perennials have woken up and beat back the grey skies. This is the entrance to my backyard. The buds are blooming on the Redbud tree, which is a native in Illinois, and there… Read more
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APRIL SHOWERS BRING MAY FLOWERS
At least that’s what I was told when I was little. As a consolation for a rainy day in April, we would have bright blooms in May. This week in Chicagoland we had warm sun one day and an ice storm the next. I did not pay as close attention as I usually do to… Read more
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Ladies and Gentlemen, start your seedlings.
Source: Ladies and Gentlemen, start your seedlings. Read more
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Ladies and Gentlemen, start your seedlings.
Well I’ve been off the blog this last month because I caught a nasty virus that kept me in bed for a week and really boogery for two more weeks after that. But, with some help from my mom, actually a lot of help, I did manage to get my seedlings started. If you… Read more
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Small Garden Design Inspiration
Who says you can’t garden surrounded by cement? Check out this small garden design for inspiration. Read more
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Who Ordered Spring?
Wide temperature changes cause problems for garden. Nature walks inspire garden design Read more
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Rosemary’s Sweet Side
Hello Everyone I’m delivering on my promise for a recipe with Rosemary that doesn’t include chicken, LEMON ROSEMARY SHORTBREAD. But before dessert, a few quick notes on Rosemary Rosemary is an herb that resembles pine needles and is actually an evergreen shrub in warm climates. My Aunt in California has 3 huge rosemary bushes… Read more
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Winter Gardens in France
I have missed the last two week’s design post because my family had a little reunion in France. My sister works outside the states more often than not. We can go many months without seeing her. This year she shared her frequent flier miles with us so we could spend a week in France with her. Yep, she… Read more
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More Winter Garden Planning
Continuing on the theme of winter walks as a place to find your vision for planning your garden, today I took a walk with my dog through Lake Katherine in Palos Heights, Illinois. Amazingly it’s just 15 minutes from my house. The path around the lake, not the falls, is just one mile. At the… Read more