Last week in the Name Our New Pet post we asked for help naming the stone lion. Thank you to everyone for the terrific suggestions — they were so thoughtful and amazing. After consulting with my pal Tracy, who helped me drag this big guy from the car to his current perch in the hedge, [...]

He has no name yet and he’s only been with us for a week. He’s also ferociously heavy and he doesn’t like me very much.
While my friend Tracy and I were putting him in place last Sunday morning, we didn’t coordinate  very well. As a result, the tip of my left index finger got caught [...]

In honor of the 4th of July, some patriotic abodes for our bird loving friends.

via The Bird-Friendly Garden Shop

Round Island Lighthouse Bird House

Door County Woodworks

My mother’s birthday is this week, but we are celebrating today with a party in her honor.  It’s one of those milestone birthdays — you know the kind, where she is turning 29 again.
Let’s start the preparations….a nice waterfront location [above] will provide a perfect backdrop for the festivities don’t you think?

Now for a pretty [...]

The days are longer and the weather is superb here in California. I’ve been sprucing up the yard, pruning, raking and planting summer annuals because outdoor entertaining is on the agenda. If you’ve been browsing the latest catalogs or online shopping sites, then you know how popular outdoor decorating has become.
Rugs made of recycled [...]

To celebrate Earth Day, here are some European gardens that we find inspirational. We feel these speak eloquently about the spirit and meaning of a day that commemorates all that is clean, green and good for our planet!

A favorite garden in Provence

French designer Jean-Loup Daraux’s formal garden in the Camargue (Source: Veranda 1/08)

Backyard patio with [...]