Garden Design Ideas

Ivy covered walls decorate this Birmingham, Michigan Law firm

Clever Uses for Ivy in the Garden

Boston ivy is used to cover the side of this building and adds the perfect back drop for a sidewalk garden. This garden literally “stopped me in my tracks” when I first saw it. An ivy covered arbor leads to a secluded, private patio along the side of this house. This law firm in Birmingham, [...]

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Saihouji (Kyoto) Moss Garden

10 Elements of the Japanese Garden

Saihouji (Kyoto) Moss Garden photograph courtesy Wiki Commons (Author: Ivanoff) The first World’s Fair in the United States was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1876 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. This is where the first “Japanese garden” was constructed in North America 1/and soon began to influence [...]

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Faith Inspires

My 6 Garden Resolutions for 2013

Every year I write my list of New Year’s resolutions. I gave up including things like losing weight and making better dinners. I’m either going to do those things are not. Making resolutions won’t help. My resolutions now are more like a “To-Do” list. I think of the big projects I want to accomplish and [...]

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Shade garden of coleus and hosta

Old Rosedale Gardens in Livonia Michigan

I have lived in Michigan my entire life and just learned about a tiny historic neighborhood a few minutes from my house. Old Rosedale Gardens is a National Historic district encompassing eight streets.  The first home in the neighborhood was built in 1925.  During the Great Depression, construction of homes stopped.  Luckily, once things started [...]

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Container with a deep purple and green color scheme

How Window Shopping Can Inspire Your Next Container Garden

Design inspiration is everywhere.  Getting out to explore new places provides endless moments of inspiration.  I’ve learned to keep a camera in my purse to capture a beautiful garden or window box wherever I go. I was glad I had my camera when I was shopping last week.  The store fronts had some great container [...]

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Pom Pon Topiary

Topiary in the City

Birmingham is a swanky little suburb outside Detroit.  The city is known for its shopping and style.  On the weekends, you can find people jogging and chatting over expensive lattes.  It’s a fun place to visit on Saturday morning. I love the fact that the merchants take the time to decorate their shops with container [...]

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Beautiful Neighborhood Garden

I Spy a Beautiful Garden

I was driving through a neighborhood in Plymouth to meet a friend and stumbled upon a beautiful garden.  This garden demonstrates the kind of garden you can make with an average sized yard and lots of creativity. The garden sits on a lot no bigger than a typical Detroit area home. Look how creative the [...]

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Historical Courtyards and Gardens' former Berkley location

This Garden Turns Ordinary into Extraordinary

Some time ago, I was driving in Berkley, Michigan and drove past a street that caught my eye.  What I noticed was a beautiful garden.  Turns out a garden design firm had set up shop in the corner building. Historical Courtyards and Gardens has since moved from their Berkley location into Grosse Point Park, but [...]

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Barnsley House Potager

Potager (Fancy Schmancy Kitchen Garden)

A potager is a decorative kitchen garden.  It’s generally kept separate from the main flower garden.   The emphasis is on form and beauty.  The potager produces great food, but the garden is beautiful in its own right. One famous potager is the kitchen garden at Barnsley House created by the late Rosemary Verey.  The garden [...]

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