David Mudge Gardens

09/09/2025

Buttercup Turns 7 !

Delivered September 6th 2018

I’m Grateful for the privilege of having such a resource and the Clients that have afforded me opportunity to use it.

And THANK YOU BUTTERCUP for 7 years of Creativity and Fun.

08/25/2025

Calling You Into Your Garden - Part Two
The Practical Aspects.

A Seat To Sit On or Seating As Art?

An important question might be will the seat actually be used to sit on or will it be Garden Art, a muse or invitation?

If its going to be used, here is a short list of design considerations:

Will the base be stable, level and suitable for wet weather.

What will be seen and not seen.

Screening for privacy, if that matters. Will you feel safe in that location.

Will there be comfort in protection from wind or intense sun.

Is the seat mobile and seasonal.

Will it be naturally comfortable for long stays or will cushions be required.

Is it intended for one person in solitude or conversations.

Will vegetation continually be growing into the space and bothering those seated; especially from behind.

If it’s to be art how does it fit with the surrounding landscape and plants.

Can it be seen year round.

There’s a Japanese design style where a bench is positioned in the distance, perhaps at an angle, to invoke a curiosity and desire to imagine what might be seen from that vantage point.

I suggest placing a folding chair in your chosen spot first to ‘feel’ into the ‘rightness’ of the location.

Still on my mission to Design, Create and Care For Beautiful Gardens!

If I can help you create changes in the beauty that surrounds you please reach out.

David Mudge Gardens
Lic. 760717
(925) 286 7225

08/19/2025

Calling You Into Your Garden.

A Seat ?

Is there somewhere you might enjoy a seat in your garden?

A place to land.
To have tea.
To meditate, read a book or watch the sunset.

An invitation to participate in the garden.

To watch the drama of the birds.
Marvel at the focus of the bees.
Check in on the prehistoric world of the lizards.
And be touched by the impossible beauty of the passing dragonflies.

It may not be a comfortable perch for a lingering stay.
You may never actually sit there.
It can hold the space for imagination.
Romantic “What ifs”
Through the seasons, day and night, calling You into the garden.

Calling You into your garden.

End of part one.

More to follow….

08/10/2025

Creating Movement In The Garden

07/20/2025

Creating Movement In Your Garden

This is an invitation to consider adding interest with movement in your garden space.

Birds.

Wind chimes.

Grasses.

Wind driven ornaments.

All design items that bring your garden to life.

You don’t need me to install these components but if you want help with ideas for your particular garden please reach out and I’ll be happy to help.

David Mudge Gardens
Lic. 760717
(925) 286 7225

03/18/2025

What gets bigger the more you take away from it?

A hole!

These holes can be from 9” to 24” in diameter and up to 11’ deep.

I’ve helped speed up the process of fence and retaining wall construction. Even drilled for bridgehead piers.

Large tree roots and rocks can be challenging but I’ve always found a solution.

11/20/2024

Since the arrival of Freyapilla I have hardly used Sunflower and decided to sell.
Purchased in 2017 for just over $60k this wonderful friend has served me well.
A few dings but lightly used with less than 1500 hrs (8,000 hrs is about the expected life) new rubber tracks, plus the financing option, should make this a good deal.

Ritchie List offers a large selection of hydraulic excavators for sale by owners near you. Our hydraulic digger are verified listings so call with confidence today!

11/20/2024

“Unexpected Item In The Digging Area”

A very rare occurrence but a well fitting rock got wedged in Freyapilla’s 12” bucket last week.
Usually banging the bucket on another rock or hard surface will dislodge the stuck item.
This one was perfectly flush with the front of the bucket so no opportunity to rub it against another rock to dislodge it in a fulcrum movement.
I tried a pry bar.
I tried leveraging between bucket and rock with Buttercup’s pallet forks.
The final solution was the electric breaker and that took longer than I would ever have guessed.
Part of me must enjoy the drama and unexpected twists and turns of digging in the dirt as much as the creativity and soul connection. Lol.

11/01/2024

Leaking Opportunity.

As we welcome the first rains of the season this is a great opportunity to check for leakage . The soil is still dry and any expression of moisture will have been delivered by our irrigation systems, either intentionally or by a leak.
Recently a friend commented that their water bill was unexpectedly high.
Checking the water meter the blue (sometimes red) triangle was ever so slowly spinning. With no water running in the house the first place I look is to the irrigation system.
There was a very small leak at one of the automatic valves. Easy to identify with the dirt around it being dry. It would have been much more difficult to spot visually if the ground was saturated all around.
Another indicator of a leak is greening in a particular area. It could be grass or weeds that have thrived when all else around is brown. Or one shrub/perennial that has outgrown its neighbors.
Conversely it could be a drought tolerant plant that has died due to overwatering from the leak.

It’s also a good time to check the effectiveness of drip irrigation on individual plants both in the volume and placement. Is it time to reduce the volume of water being delivered to an established plant or to move emitters outward to match the expanding circumference of the tree or shrub.

This 12” spacing seems about right to start off a 5 gallon Persimmon tree with 2 gallon per hour emitters.

10/20/2023