Garden Designer Archives

Vita Sackville-West: Sissinghurst’s Poet and Garden Muse

This botanical history post was featured on The Daily Gardener podcast: Click here to see the complete show notes for this episode. June 2, 1962 Dearest garden reader, On this day, we remember the passing of Vita Sackville-West, a woman of deep complexities and extraordinary talents—English author, poet, and one of the most influential garden…

A garden that whispers grandeur: Jean-Baptiste Alexandre Le Blond and the art of making spaces appear larger

Bust portrait of Alexandre Le Blond, circa 1710, National Archives,(colorized and enhanced).

This botanical history post was featured on The Daily Gardener podcast: Click here to see the complete show notes for this episode. March 10, 1719 Dearest reader, On this day, we turn the velvet pages of history to honor the passing of Jean-Baptiste Alexandre Le Blond, a luminary whose art shaped not only grand facades…

Karl Foerster: The Father of Modern Perennial Gardening and Garden Design

The image is a photograph of Karl Foerster, a German perennial breeder and garden designer, 1967.

This botanical history post was featured on The Daily Gardener podcast: Click here to see the complete show notes for this episode. March 9, 1874 Dearest reader, On this day, we celebrate the birth of Karl Foerster, a remarkable German plant breeder, writer, and garden designer whose influence on modern gardening remains as enduring as…

Cecil Ross Pinsent: Mastermind of Tuscany’s Iconic Gardens

The Italian gardens of Villa I Tatti, located in the hills outside Florence, Italy.

The Tuscany Garden Designer May 5, 1884 Today is the birthday of the British garden designer and architect known for his innovative gardens in Tuscany, Cecil Ross Pinsent. Cecil worked with the American art historian Bernard Berenson on his iconic estate known as the Villa I Tatti. This relationship opened doors for Cecil, and soon he…

John Claudius Loudon: Prolific Scottish Botanist, Garden Designer, and Author

John Claudius Loudon, a prominent Scottish botanist, landscape architect, and author who significantly influenced horticulture and garden design in the 19th century.

The Suburban Gardener April 8, 1783 Today is the birthday of the Scottish author, garden designer, and botanist John Claudius Loudon. A massively popular and breathtakingly prolific writer on horticulture, John focused on serving the expanding middle class’s needs who wanted to have smaller gardens. 1838, Loudon wrote a book called The Suburban Gardener and…

Karl Foerster: The Perennial Pioneer Who Gave Us Feather Reed Grass

The Potsdam Plant Breeder March 9, 1874 Today is the birthday of the revered German plant breeder, writer, and garden designer Karl Foerster. Now Karl was born into an intellectual and accomplished family. His father was an astronomer, and his mother was a famous painter. Many gardeners are surprised to learn that Karl began gardening…

Australians Create a Play to Honor Charismatic Garden Designer Edna Walling called “Edna for the Garden”

“For my part, I love all the things most gardeners abhor – moss in lawns, lichen on trees, more greenery than color – as if green isn’t a color…” February 25, 1989 On this day, The Age out of Melbourne, Australia, reviewed a new play called “Edna for the Garden.” The charismatic Australian gardener, designer,…

Celebrity Garden Designer Greg Fisk Shares His Top Tips for Creating Dried Flower Arrangements and Flower Drying Pro Tips

Assorted dried flowers and grasses arranged in a row on a light speckled surface, including delicate stalks of wheat, textured plumes, and faded blossoms in muted tones of beige, lavender, pink, and orange.

“The unique advantage of microwave flower drying is that the delicate natural color of the bloom is preserved because the drying time is a fraction of traditional methods.” February 23, 1991 On this day, the Hartford Courant shared an article written by Anne Farrow called Garden of Everlasting Delights. This fantastic article features Gregg Fisk of Gregg Fisk…

Elite English Garden Designer David Stevens’ Advice to American Gardeners: Break the Garden into Rooms

Shaded outdoor garden patio with a wooden table and two black chairs, surrounded by lush green plants and trees. A black-and-white cat is lying relaxed on the tabletop, and potted plants and foliage enhance the tranquil, leafy atmosphere.

“It is important, especially for North Americans with large, open backyards, to break down the garden space into a series of smaller rooms. If you see everything at once, it becomes uninteresting.” February 15, 1992 On this day, The Vancouver Sun shared a story by Steve Whysall called “Break Outdoor Spaces into Series of Small…

Garden Designer Deborah Zimmerman Creates Elizabethan Herb Gardens for Busy Clients

Top-down view of a garden mosaic featuring a plastic grid with various squares and organic shapes filled with soil and patches of green and yellow moss or grass, creating a textured, patterned effect in the garden ground cover.

“When designing a garden, my canvas is the ground. My picture is of the finished garden. My song is the finished garden.” January 28, 1983 On this day, The Charlotte News shared an article by Edie Lowe called “Herb Garden Just Like Artwork.” Here’s an excerpt: To Deborah Zimmerman designing an herb garden is like painting…

Top Vancouver Garden Designer Nenagh McCutcheon Shares the Three R’s of Garden Renovation – Restore, Renovate, Revitalize

“It’s a sign things are wrong when trees and shrubs are too big for their location. Or paths are overgrown. Or arbors and arches are lost under mounds of foliage. All these are symptoms that a garden has lost its identity.” January 25, 2002 On this day, the Vancouver Sun shared an article by Steve…

John Claudius Loudon: Arboretum Pioneer and Victorian Garden Visionary

John Claudius Loudon, a prominent Scottish botanist, landscape architect, cemetery designer, and author.

Waterloo Breeches December 14, 1843 Today is the anniversary of the death of the Scottish botanist, garden designer, and author John Claudius Loudon. A prolific garden writer and publisher, John coined the term arboretum. There are two stories I love to tell about John. One is his love story with his wife Jane, and the…

Karl Foerster: The Guardian of Perennials and New German Garden Style

Karl Foerster Grass November 27, 1970 Today is the 50th anniversary of the death of the revered German plant breeder, writer, and garden designer Karl Foerster. Karl was born into an intellectual and accomplished family. His father was an astronomer, and his mother was a famous painter. Many gardeners are surprised to learn that Karl…

Seeds Beneath a Waxing Moon: Vita Sackville-West’s Poetry of Foresight and Bloom

Flaxseeds, which are the seeds of the flax plant. They are a versatile food known for their nutritional benefits and can be consumed in various forms.

by Vita Sackville-West When skies are gentle, breezes bland. When loam that’s warm within the hand Falls friable between the tines. Sow hollyhocks and columbines. The tufted pansy, and the tall Snapdragon in the broken wall. Not for this summer, but for next. Since foresight is the gardener’s text. And though his eyes may never…