I am often asked for help because people don’t even know where to start with their yards. They see a plant they like in a magazine or at a nursery and want to use it, and maybe they have so many ideas from Pinterest that they’re just overwhelmed. In order to get a landscape done […]

With snow surrounding us in Iowa (and lots of other places), I’m dreaming of summer landscapes. To me, the most quintessential summertime style is a the prairie-inspired landscape. This style takes its cues from the vast grasslands that used to cover most of Iowa, blending grasses and flowering perennials into a graceful, ever-changing scene. A […]

Here’s the thing about neighbors: you love them, but you need a little space – a little separation sometimes. With some yards, that can be hard because there’s nothing defining your yard as separate from your neighbors’ – many new construction homes have yards that are just a big open blank slate. Mowing leaves these […]

Heating costs are expected to rise just about every year – it costs a lot to keep our houses cozy during winter. Growing up in North Carolina, winter didn’t seem like a big deal.  However, now that I’ve spent 7 winters in New Hampshire and 3 in Iowa, I know winter is game time. Cold weather […]

Adding an outdoor gathering area is a great way to bring your party outside and increase the living area of your home.  Choosing how big or small to make it can be intimidating.  The quick answer?  Well, you can always use more space.  Bigger is often better for outdoor seating areas, and it’s hard to […]

Sure, the planting beds around your house can look pretty.  But have you thought through how investing in plantings can reduce your home’s energy needs? So many benefits come from shade trees – Areas with trees have reduced crime, increased property values, less road rage and traffic accidents, and people even drive slower on tree-lined streets! PRO […]

While I’m certainly ready for my surroundings to turn green again, I’m also grateful for beautiful springtime days that highlight the outline and structure of the trees around me. Form is a powerful element of design.  The shapes we’re surrounded by can affect the mood and feel of a space.  Landscape trees come in a […]

People often ask what plants to combine in a garden – How does a person choose? Take this clematis as an example.  What blooms would work with this simple stunner? There are many factors that inform a decision about plant combinations.  One way to help the decision is to get to know the delicate intricacies […]

I am fascinated with the way our surroundings impact our movements.  We take cues from architecture, color, pattern, materials, etc… and move accordingly. Long, narrow spaces cause us to move quickly.  Repeated patterns and high contrast signal to our brains that it’s time to pick up the pace.  Less contrast and open spaces encourage gathering […]

At the Brenton Arboretum, outside Dallas Center, Iowa, there is a small path that leads around their visitor’s center.  It caught my eye and I’m so excited to talk about it – I love thinking through how we move through garden spaces. This walkway is awesome on so many levels.  While it’s at a public […]