Garden Design Stories

06/07/2026

Do you know what was the best decision that I made as a new home & garden owner over 20 years ago?

Thinking about DIYing your garden, but not sure where to start?Wh...

06/04/2026

What a fun way to check the weather for the day!

Rothko stopped painting things in the late 1940s. What he kept was light, color, and a feeling the work was supposed to give the person standing in front of it — joy, ecstasy, doom, tragedy. He arranged two or three soft-edged rectangles on a field and worked the surface until the colors seemed to...

06/01/2026

Soil pH: tips for choosing plants that thrive in your garden.

In this video, I break down why soil pH matters for easy garden success. I’ll explain how knowing your soil’s pH helps you choose plants that naturally thriv...

05/25/2026

Understanding where true North, South, East, and West are in your garden is one of the simplest shortcuts to make more confident plant choices.

In this video, I’ll show you how to easily map your garden’s sun an...

04/24/2026

The latest Garden Blueprint is now live!

Subscribe and I’ll send the following issues directly to your inbox and you don’t miss any issues in the future.

https://www.gardendesignstories.com/newsletters/the-garden-blueprint

P.S. you can read all the previous issues full on that page.
If there are any topics you would like to know more of, please let me know.
Have a wonderful weekend🌸

04/23/2026

Just like a quiet garden is getting ready beneath the surface, the best garden designs often begin not with the dream itself, but with the problem that’s quietly in the way.

In practice I have noticed that: ”It’s Better to Start Designing with a Problem Than Just a Dream”.

When I work with clients, whether in person or online, we always end up talking about two things: their dreams and their problems.

Both matter.

I share more about this practical garden design idea that flips the usual advice on its head. You get to see real examples from my clients’ gardens… and also a small action you can take already this week to move closer to your dream garden.

🔗- you know where.

P.S. Also six previous issues full of thoughtful and practical ideas like the 4-season gardens ( # 6).🌱

04/23/2026

Issue 007 of The Garden Blueprint is live.
In this newsletter, I share a practical garden design idea that flips the usual advice on its head, with real examples from client gardens and one small action you can try this week.

Read the new issue and subscribe to get thoughtful, realistic garden design inspiration delivered to your inbox.
https://www.gardendesignstories.com/newsletters/the-garden-blueprint/posts/007-start-with-the-problem-not-just-the-dream

07/13/2025

Start with use, not materials.

And now it’s official — I was recently interviewed in one of my long-time favorite magazines, for a feature on modern decking ideas!🎉

Decks are often underused if not planned thoughtfully, but they can elevate your whole garden when designed with intention. (Like this one that I designed for one of my clients.)🌿

It’s easy to get caught up in decking boards and lighting, but good design starts with understanding how you want to live in the space.

In the expert guide, I shared this tip (check #9):

“When planning a deck, start by thinking how you want to use the space throughout the day and build zones around those moments.”✨
⠀
You can read the full piece online: www.livingetc.com/ideas/deck-ideas

Article by (Thank you, Sarah!)

07/05/2025

This purple Phalaenopsis orchid spent last summer among hardy geraniums in the shade in our backyard… and now it’s the star of our kitchen table.

Blooming beside a north-facing window, it’s been delighting us with elegant blooms for weeks now.

There’s something so rewarding about the slow rhythm of orchids—how they rest, reset, and return in full bloom in their own space.

Do you bring your orchids outside in summer? Or are you still working out the secret to repeat blooms? Let’s chat orchid care!

07/04/2025

Caught these beauties blooming in the southern side garden at Voipaala Manor! Paeonia ‘Voipaala’ is one of those plants that feels extra special—because it actually originated here.

The manor’s baroque garden dates back to the 1700s (sometimes called the “Versailles of Häme”), and it’s wild to think this peony has been growing here for generations.

The old orchard with symmetrically placed fruit trees looks lush and harmonious and that’s were you can find these peonies still thriving—quietly holding onto history.

Something about standing in that space, with the scent of peonies, shrub roses and mockoranges in the air and centuries underfoot, really hits you. The combination of these three fragrances was out of this world!