The appreciation of color, light and form is a fundamental aspect of enjoying plants in the garden. It happens to also be the basis of enjoying the glass art of Dale Chihuly, so his current exhibit at the New York Botanical Garden is the perfect reason to visit this world-class destination to explore and enjoy […]
Right about now is when many of us think of books. (ok, many of us think of books all the time…but…let me continue…) We think of books to gift to others. We think of books to suggest that others gift to us. We think of books to simply gift to ourselves. For me, the best books […]
You could say that America’s National Parks changed the course of my life. So I want to add to the chorus, in celebration of 100 years of the U.S. National Park system. I don’t have the most beautiful pictures of our National Parks. In fact, none of my old personal photos, with their poor composition and […]
This is the time of year where we traditionally reflect on the past as well as look forward to the future. There have been a number of important anniversaries to celebrate this past year; 800 years since the Magna Carta, 250 years since the first French restaurant – and yes, 30 years since Saturday […]
I just returned from Japan and saw so many beautiful gardens and landscapes that it’s difficult to contain myself. Visiting after the legendary cherry blossom season is over drives home the concept that a skillfully designed garden doesn’t need to rely on flowering plants to create a thing of beauty. Although it certainly doesn’t hurt. […]
I’ve been eager for a double-dose of fall this season. It’s probably because I feel like I’ve missed out somewhat by traveling to the southern hemisphere during October or November in recent years. I’m not complaining, but it has made me extra appreciative of changing leaves and seasonal hues as the days get shorter. […]
The best landscapes enable us to see something new or to see something familiar from a new perspective. That is certainly the case with New York City’s High Line. Famously created from an elevated rail line and opened to the public in 2009. The story of how this unusual garden went from an […]
Even if we don’t all have the means to take advantage of succulents on a grand scale, like some of the West’s famous estate gardens, most of us can find a pocket of space to enjoy a bit of nature’s drought-tolerant botanical-sculpture. The lack of rain in California makes this a good year to have fun with water-wise plantings but even […]
This is the year to highlight some of my favorite gardens in the beautiful city of Cape Town, South Africa. The New York Times has named Cape Town as the #1 travel destination for 2014, for it’s rich heritage and the “renaissance of it’s creative class”. The city is also the 2014 World Design Capital […]
There is a picture of me in the gardens of the Alhambra, in southern Spain, many years ago. There are multiple elements of classic design in the photo, although my permed hair and leashed sunglasses certainly don’t qualify. The view of this iconic hilltop palace and garden contains, among other things, an arched hedge to […]
per joy 