Bringing Joy to the Garden with Artful Garden Consulting

Customized and Handpainted Garden Art

Transforming ordinary every day items into spectacular visual pieces of garden art.

Succulent Dish Gardens

Succulents pair well with almost any style and size container. Their forms when placed next to one another enhance their individual colors and textures all while complimenting the shape, style, color and texture of the vessel.

Themed Container Plantings

Holidays, special occasions, and life events allow for a broad range of styles to be incorporated in container plantings from whimsy to elegance.

Floral Design

"...We really wanted something that would last past the day-of and loved the idea of sharing a piece of our big day with our closest friends and family."

Signage

Hand-crafted signage.

Garden Vignettes

Garden vignettes are small areas of a larger garden that provide a single use or multiple functions.

Murals and More

A blank wall or a mundane concrete walking surface is easily transformed to become aesthetically pleasing and beautiful with paint.

LANDSCAPE DESIGN

The Power of the Pencil

Concept drawings

This planting bed was such a small space that multiple drawings from different vantage points were unnecessary.

Not every project receives a colored concept drawing but the terra cotta pot was to remain in the composition dictating the need to have the color of the pot repeated throughout the design with the foliage or bloom color of the selected plants.

Low water-use plant & succulent planting

The homeowner for this small planting bed asked for the design to be approached in the same manner that container gardens are approached using the design elements of thriller (tall accent plant), filler (mid-level plants), spiller (plants that are low-growing or spill over the edge).

A Beagle resides on this property who has free reign in the backyard running through the planting beds and frequently takes naps in them. This required the selection of plants that were not prone to snapping when brushed against, or that contained spines or toxic sap.

Traditional landscape design services offer a landscape plan to the homeowner, which shows a birds-eye view of the property identifying structures and hardscape in outline form and plants in varying sizes of circles. I approach the process by supplying the client with a plant list and then take photos of the areas needing new plantings. Next, I print the photos in black and white on 8 1/2" x 11" paper, place tracing paper over the printed photos and draw in the existing elements such as fencing or mature trees that will remain on site. Then I execute drawings from different vantage points, if necessary, showing the new plants in their mature sizes in the suggested placement. This allows the homeowner the ability to see what the plants will look like a few years after installation, as if they were standing there in the future.

This Walnut Creek townhouse with a north-facing sloped front yard was planted with turf and had two issues contributing to the failing health of the lawn. The area did not receive enough hours of direct sunlight to keep the lawn lush and the slope caused irregular irrigation. The spotty remnants of turf were removed and aggregate stepping stones, matching the existing hard surfaces, were installed to form a walkway from the front porch to the street. This new walkway would be used often to access a car that the residents frequently parked at curbside.

The homeowner desired a new landscape to flank the driveway that would be low maintenance and thrive in the mostly shaded environment. The newly installed stepping stones were bordered with Liriope spicata 'Silver Dragon' to highlight the path. Taller shrubs were installed in front of the wood fence that when mature will provide some fragrance such as Sarcococca ruscifolia and Daphne odora 'Aureo-marginata'. Both of these shrubs are slow growing and stay at 3'-5' in height preventing the need to prune any time in the near future. A third shrub, Mahonia eurybracteata 'Soft Caress',  was planted throughout to provide a different texture that does not exceed a mature height of 3-3 1/2 feet tall.

Linnea is exactly what I was looking for in a landscape designer! She considered all of the site requirements and my desire for a low-maintenance landscape design, gave me lots of options, and based on my preferences came up with a dynamic design including plants with varying height, color, and foliage. I appreciate Linnea's artful approach to landscape design. Her plans are presented like pieces of art while being easy to understand and follow.

Succulent Mini Berms

An added design feature to an existing landscape

Ever heard of or seen a succulent mini berm? I had not but came up with the idea as a solution to an unhappy succulent planting at the home of one of my clients. They had installed succulents at the edge of a couple of planting beds. The succulents were languishing and “pouting” for a number of years. It dawned on me that they were at grade sitting in the native clay soil located where the rain runoff flowed away from the house out to the center of the yard, across or through the beds. The succulents were battling against a condition that was preventing them from thriving and developing to their full potential – planted in soil that was not fast draining and sitting with wet feet for too long. The homeowners were agreeable to experimenting with my suggestion of creating a mini berm built with the proper planting mix for succulents, thereby elevating the plants up above grade. The first step was to remove the existing succulents and dig a trench six inches deep by twelve inches wide. Bancroft Bedding Blend was purchased from Contra Costa Topsoil in Martinez to fill the trench and to mound it to six inches above grade. This now gave the succulents a depth of at least six inches of fast-draining soil depending on where they were installed on the berm – at the top or at the edge.  The bottom two photos show the new mini berm in place prior to the return of the existing succulents mixed in with some new pals to play with. The berms follow the very edge of the planting beds while wending around a select number of more mature plants following a bit of a gently winding and playful path.

The bottom left photo shows the existing succulents back in place and the bottom right photo shows the addition of blue ceramic fish and glass balls scattered about to add color and sparkle to the new garden feature.

It is difficult to see the berm in the next photo prior to the rock top dressing in place, which will make it stand out from the rest of the planting bed. But the photo well illustrates the gently winding path the berm takes by starting behind the Heucheras, moving in front of the Astelia and then back again behind the Carex oshmensis.

The next four photos were taken immediately after the new succulents and the rock top dressing were added to the berms. And more garden art - driftwood, a metal Echinocactus grusonii (Golden Barrel Cactus), mosaic tiled frog and a pot of succulents at the far end!

The first two succulent mini berms were such a success that the homeowners decided to incorporate a third one next to the front walkway. The photo below left is a detail of one of the first berms and the photo on the right is the berm added to the front walkway.

Un-used and non-circulating Rock Waterfall and Pond Transformed into Jewel Box Planting Bed

The property owners for this home in the Rockridge area of Oakland were no longer operating or maintaining the rock waterfall and pond they had installed years ago in the far reaches of the back yard. They decided to dismantle the rock waterfall, empty the pond of the still water and fill it with soil. Once that was done the leftover rocks from the waterfall were used to create the border for a raised planting bed. Six cubic yards of American Soil and Stone Ultra Bedding Mix was hauled in to create a healthy and thriving planting bed. Low water use plants were installed with a variety of foliage color and texture to create a jewel box vision to enjoy year round.

the following is a mini ruth bancroft garden story

The photos in this next series show the progression of the development of one planting bed amongst a collection of four large planting beds. These beds are in a backyard with a southern exposure. The homeowner had been collecting succulents over the years without installing them in the ground. She also had several 800-1,000 pound boulders being stored in her garage and on her driveway. She needed assistance in positioning them inside her planting beds prior to installing plants. Once those were in place she had several cubic yards of the Bancroft Bedding Blend delivered from Contra Costa Topsoil in Martinez to berm up for increased drainage. Smaller boulders and rocks were added to the beds for interest and to create a more natural setting.

This is a view to a portion of the backyard out the kitchen window. The planting bed on the far right in the shade is the planting bed illustrated in the next series of photos.

boulder placement

Smaller Rock placement

Once all the smaller rocks are arranged and plant placement is determined, more Bancroft Bedding Blend is added to the bed to build up the berm and to cover a portion of the rocks. For rocks to appear as if they have been in the ground for a period of time, the general rule is to cover the bottom one third. If fresh soil is not being added to the planting area then the rocks should be buried into the ground approximately one third their height.

The next step is to place the plants by testing different arrangements

Now the fun part, installing plants!

Garden Vignettes

The above two photos show the gradual transformation of the entrance to a hillside garden from July to November. This area was the first sight upon cresting the stairs to a wood deck at the base of several terraces. Prior to the month of July it was a catch-all or a dumping ground for scrap wood, tools, disorganized toys, numerous objects and refuse. By simply removing the jumbled items and slowly relocating metal signs lying in a pile on the ground, metal garden art, and other miscellaneous elements with story-telling potential, garden visitors are now greeted with a scene that puts smiles on their faces.

Condominium Exterior Entryway Redo 

The former planting of azaleas in this small space underneath the open riser concrete staircase, shown on the right in the first photo above, were removed. The azaleas were unable to produce abundant blooms in the low light conditions. The homeowners decided to dress up the area using giant clam shells and succulents that would survive in low light conditions such as Gasteria, Sansevieria, Haworthia, and Aloe hybrids. The above photos were taken on a rainy day. On a sunny day the area will receive brighter light due to the open riser staircase but never any direct sunlight.

The first photo shows the clam shells oriented on the diagonal with the hinged side forward-facing. The second photo shows the clam shells still oriented on the diagonal but turned to highlight the fluted edges. Positioning them in this manner will allow the Senecio rowleyanus, commonly known as String of Pearls, to cascade to the ground. The third and fourth photos were taken after the rock top dressing and existing clay soil were removed. The area was filled with fast draining soil with a high mineral content, crucial for the health of succulents.

The first photo above shows the start of the new fast draining soil being delivered. The second photo shows the space filled with the new soil, the clam shells in their final position and the first in-ground plant installed in the back corner, Sansevieria trifasciata 'Singer's Silver'. The third photo shows a fallen tree limb set in place to add height and interest to the installation. The fourth photo shows all in-ground plants installed and the clam shells planted.

The photo on the left above shows the final plant installation with Spanish Moss added to the cut ends on the smaller branches of the tree limb. The photo on the right above shows the finished installation with the rock top dressing back in place and the entire space lighted for nighttime drama.

Thank you so much for our lovely new garden. We truly are enjoying our new outlook when leaving the house. The light at night adds a lot too. Getting lots of compliments on the garden.

Back Deck Spruce Up

This project originated from the desire of the homeowner to enliven and refresh her back deck. She wanted an inviting and pleasing view when looking out the sliding glass door from the dining room. This was created by placing an outdoor area rug over the deck to bring color, texture, and softness to the space and to conceal the worn wood in need of refinishing. A happy surprise was revealed when the rug was in place. The colors echoed the colors in a stained glass window in the dining room visually pulling the two spaces together.

The next step in providing a welcoming view and destination was to rearrange the existing, mostly empty, pots in relationship to scale, style, shape, and color to know which plants to put in which pots to best feature the plant heights, growth habits, textures, and colors.

POT DETAILS

After the completion of the project the homeowner expressed the following,

“I had no idea how glum things looked at the start. You are truly a marvel! You are amazing.”

1.     Glum: [ɡləm]

ADJECTIVE

glummer (comparative adjective) · glummest (superlative adjective)

1.     looking or feeling dejected; morose.

ORIGIN

mid 16th century: related to dialect glum ‘to frown’, variant of gloom.

Powered by Oxford Dictionaries · Bing Translator

Succulent Planted Retaining Wall

The following photos show progressive images of the transformation of a retaining wall planting that took place over a ten month period. The existing succulents had been set behind the landscape blocks and left in their original nursery pots for ten years. They never received any supplemental watering beyond winter rainfall. The backfill behind the landscape blocks was the existing native clay – not fast draining soil preferred by succulents. To create a habitat more conducive to the conditions that most succulents prefer, a fast-draining, mineral-based mix was added immediately behind the blocks to a depth of at least six inches. Next the succulents were removed from their pots and laid out in an alternating pattern highlighting their species growth habits – echeverias, aloes, and aeoniums. A few new succulents were purchased to add interest and were interspersed into the planting layout.

The above first two photos from top left, moving right, show the succulent wall prior to the start of the project. The next three photos were taken during the first work day. The following three photos were taken a number of months after the completion of the project. A decorative rock top dressing was applied to the surface of the soil to give the installation a finished look and to protect the succulent plant tissues from absorbing excessive amounts of moisture during winter rains. The bottom two photos are BEFORE and AFTER images.

L-Shaped Patio Spruce Up Project

DESIGN INTENT: to create a cohesive entertaining area blending the narrow side patio with the larger main patio by:

• adding outdoor area rugs;

• succulent planted window boxes hung from iron fencing above stucco walls;

• large potted containers in three corners with patio trees or large shrubs pruned to small tree size;

• and four mobile planter boxes with casters and vines on trellises to conceal both the two air conditioner units and the trash bins.

Before Photos

The area rugs needed to be ordered prior to moving forward with the remaining steps involved in sprucing up the L-shaped patio. The colors and pattern on the rug would dictate the color palette of the plant containers and plants in addition to any new furniture items and how to use the existing garden sculpture and art.

Photos with New Area Rugs in Place

AH! So much better! More inviting. The rugs also help to reduce the radiating heat from the concrete during the hot summer months. Now we can move on to ordering pots and making plant selections. Charcoal gray pots were purchased to repeat the charcoal gray in the rugs. Three large 55” long black metal frame window boxes with coco liners were ordered for the purpose of installing succulents. The coco liners were spray painted black to stay within the color palette and not create a diversion from the scheme. The succulents that were chosen for the two main patio window boxes were made to echo the colors in the rugs - Aeonium ‘Zwartkop’, a black aeonium with burgundy accents; Aeonium ‘Sunburst’, a mostly yellow aeonium with pink and green accents; Cotyledon orbiculata, a silvery green succulent to pick up the icy blue in the rugs; Echeveria ‘Afterglow’, a dusty rose pink echeveria to pick up the pink in the area rugs; and a Sedum with pink accents. The homeowners made the decision to divert from the area rug color scheme with the succulents selected to be installed in the smaller patio window box, using a mostly green color palette.

Plants at Last!

More plants!!!

Container Plant Choices: Acca sellowiana/Pineapple Guava was installed in the largest charcoal gray container to serve as a small patio tree. The undersides of the leaves are silver and will repeat the icy blue in the area rugs. During the May-June bloom-time the flowers sport pale and deep pink hues that are in keeping with the magenta hue in the area rugs. The leaves of the Cordyline baueri will also repeat those same colors. The rectangular boxes were filled with a combination of plants that also repeat the colors in the area rugs: a dwarf form of Loropetalum chinense/Chinese Fringe Flower with burgundy foliage and magenta flowers; Centaurea gymnocarpa with silver foliage and magenta pink flowers spring to mid-summer; and a variegated form of a pale pink flowering vine called Pandorea jasminoides 'Rosea'/Pink Bower Vine.

Finished project photos

Client appreciation:

“You have gone above and beyond and so very much appreciated.  I think I keep repeating myself BUT can’t help it.”

Succulent Dish Gardens

Succulents in silver

Garden Thresholds

Same arched entrance

Several years later!

same arched entrance Even several more years later!

Before and After Succulent Dish Gardens

This 1947-1954 Chevy Grill was turned upside down and backed with plastic board to create soil reservoirs for the installation of succulents. Wait for it...

1947-1954 Chevy Grill with a new life!

Da da! Here it is, in all its succulent glory.

This poolside planted pot went from sad to spectacular in its full sun exposure. This was achieved by replacing the tired Chrysanthemum with a variety of sun-loving succulents pulled from multiple containers scattered around the property that had no visual appeal on their own. Now the pot shouts with glee to “Look at Me!”.

Water Fountain turned Succulent Fountain

California’s 5-Year drought fueled the inspiration for transforming the below water fountain into a stunning succulent container feature - a large container at over six feet in height. The fountain is located at the end of a long walkway that makes a sharp right turn to the homeowners front entry. It was originally planted by The Ruth Bancroft Garden Nursery staff in May 2016. A truckload of mature plants was brought in to source from throughout the planting process. The homeowners were not interested in having juvenile plants installed, which would force them to wait for the plants to grow into the space. They wished to have instant impact. This technique produces a shorter life to the planting. Succulents do not mind being over crowded but depending on the species, they can eventually overpower a container and produce an unbalanced or lopsided effect causing the need to replace them sooner. More frequent pinching or pruning is required to maintain the compact, bushy appearance. Overgrown succulents can become lanky and unsightly. Succulents with more aggressive growth habits can crowd out succulents with more delicate foliage and/or slower growth rates.

The photo on the right above shows the first tier planted with Lomandra ‘Lime Tuff’, Yucca gloriosa ‘Tiny Star’, Cotyledon orbiculata, and Euphorbia ‘Dean’s Hybrid’. Sedum rupestre ‘Angelina’ and Oscularia deltoides are added later.

Voila! Finished fountain…the first planting.

A year later in April 2017 a few plants had failed and needed to be replaced as illustrated by the flagged areas in the below photos.

The next two photos were taken the same month following the installation of the replacement plants.

Two years passed after the replacement plants were installed and it was time to empty the entire fountain of all plants and soil and start anew. Succulents that were still healthy and robust were reused. Both basins were filled with newly purchased soil.  The bottom left photo shows the fountain completely emptied and the right photo shows the pile of salvaged succulents for reuse.

The next two photos show the fountain in its new found glory in April of 2019.

The Approach

Subsequent Three Months - May through July

Re-vamped Hose Holder Succulent Dish Garden

The following two images show the before and after arrangements of the exact same succulents in the same container. The container was a repurposed ceramic hose holder, which means the only drainage hole was the original hole off to the side of the container that the hose would be fed through from the spigot. This provided an inch or so of space at the bottom of the container where water would accumulate - not ideal for succulents. A drainage hole was drilled into the bottom center of the container after the soil and succulents were removed. The container was then filled with fresh succulent and cacti container mix and the original succulents were replaced in a new arrangement that best complimented their sizes, growth habits, colors and textures.

Blue Bicycle Planter Before and After

The former terra cotta clay pots with several varieties of succulents created a hodge podge and visually busy arrangement. They were replaced with cobalt blue ceramic pots containing just two types of succulents - the same two in each pot - to create a more cohesive and visually pleasing arrangement and to color coordinate with the blue of the bicycle planter. The Mangave ‘Bloodspot’ in the center of each pot will eventually mature to a width of one to two feet extending out to the edges of the bicycle planter holders. They will reach a height of one foot when mature. The spiller succulent, Senecio rowleyanus, commonly known as String of Pearls is a favorite of the homeowner’s.

Themed Container Plantings

Circus Theme - Clown Shoe and Popcorn

The Clown Shoe was a solid gray concrete planter. Nothing special to look at. The owner asked to have it painted to look like a clown shoe. The popcorn bucket was added to the arrangement to complete a circus theme and planted with a sedum suggesting the bucket was filled and overflowing with buttered popcorn.

You've Got Mail!

This repurposed metal mailbox was replaced with a solid copper vintage mailbox. The owner chose to not send the old mailbox to the landfill and asked to have it planted. It now resides on the ground near the base of the mailbox post, creating a playful nod to its new use in its retirement.

RE-PURPOSED WEBER GRILL

This Weber Grill was replaced with a newer model by the griller extraordinaire. He gifted the retired grill to be transformed into a planter filled with succulents suggesting that something edible was actually being grilled. This was represented by five Echeveria ‘Black Night’ reminiscent of beef patties, Crassula ‘Campfire’ mimicking flames, the orange-red flowering Delosperma suggesting flying embers and red lava rock giving the impression of burning hot charcoal briquettes.

Rub-a-Dub-Dub Shade Perennials in a Clawfoot Tub

This clawfoot tub had been a catch-all for storage and odd items for more than fifteen years - on occasion being used as a beverage caddy during social events. It was in view on the back patio through the kitchen window creating an eyesore. Granted, the ornamental kale plants are annuals but once they serve their purpose they will be replaced with perennials. NO MORE EYESORE! It is a joy to see in the landscape with a Japanese Maple as a backdrop lighted for night time drama. AHA! The bottom photo shows the ornamental kale replaced with the perennials, Ligularia tussilaginea 'Argentea' a.k.a. Farfugium japonicum 'Argentum' or commonly known as White Edged Leopard Plant - the large glossy green leaves to 8" round are bordered with a wide, but variable creamy white edge that often streaks into the middle of the leaf. Clumps of Farfugium 'Argentum' are topped with yellow daisy-like flowers on 30" stalks in October and November.

Floral Design

Fall Decorated Squash

The following images are of store bought wood birdhouses that were hand-painted and then decorated with succulent cuttings. They are placed in the Floral Design section because their decorative purpose is shorter lived than succulent dish gardens. The succulent cuttings are glued in place and can be removed at the time when they show signs of desiccation and/or etiolation.

Faux floral

Customized and Hand-painted Garden Art

Handpainted Concrete STEPPING STONES

The final five in all their glory! They rest on top of the gravel to the left of the front entry for all guests to enjoy.

Signage

Logo and Booth Design

Griller extraordinaire with award-winning chicken recipe, placing first three times at the Martinez King of the County BBQ Challenge, needed a logo for his competition booth. The rampant lion with the title of the barbeque team was painted using acrylics onto a stretched 20" x 24" canvas. That design was hand-painted onto three T-shirts and three aprons for each of the BBQ team members. Next, the logo was deconstructed into two separate components. The title of the team was hand-painted onto two 12"H x 10'L canvas banners and the rampant lion was hand-painted onto four canvas panels that were attached to the ends of the banners.