When you’re renovating your home – whether inside or out, My Pantone iPhone App allows you to easily identify a colour – then assemble a colour palette for you to preview. With over 5,251 shades, it’s simple to pick the perfect hue for your paint or outside furniture cushions. It costs $10 to download from the iTunes’ App Store.



iTunes.com

Many of my clients are looking to extend the time spent in their outdoor living spaces – beyond the four months of summer. Regardless of what Mother Nature decides to do, Louvretec Opening Deck Roofs will make your outdoor space accessible all year round.

In addition to adding dramatic architectural effect to your living space, the system can also contribute significant value to your home.

The opening roof allows you to adjust the amount of sun that is filtered to your deck or you can close it completely to protect the space from rain or snow.

There are many design options and material choices available when considering the Opening Roof Structural Frame. Often an existing pergola structure can be easily modified to receive an Opening Roof.

For further information, visit the Louvretec site: http://www.louvretecusa.com/

To turn this space into an elegant, outdoor entertainment area, we created a multi-level design that flows between an upper and lower patio and incorporated hot tub, shower, sports bar and outdoor kitchen areas. Tobi Ishi stepping stones led past a garden of scarlet rhododendrons, ferns and other shade loving plants creating a colourful foreground to the woodland setting beyond.

Timber bamboo provides privacy from the neighbours, and a low boxwood hedge replaced an old cedar hedge. A custom-built stone bench above the hot tub now offers a secluded space to sit and savour the view.

Phoenix Perennials is one of my favourite garden centres for finding specialty perennials that really set my clients’ gardens apart from the rest.

Phoenix Perennials is located at 3380 No. 6 Road in Richmond, BC Check-out their website at www.phoenixperennials.com

I recently sourced some Kangaroo Paw at Phoenix to use as a unique seasonal hit of yellow! Although this plant is too tender for Vancouver's winters, I'll use it in containers to be enjoyed for the upcoming season!

German-made Lechuza planters are one of my favourite lines!  Not only are they stylish, but they feature a built-in sub-irrigation system that reduces watering requirements to once-a-week!

Your plants flourish naturally with the sub-irrigation system.

Lechuza has several families of planters that are suitable for either outdoor or indoor use!

A well-designed entryway landscape not only enhances a home’s public face, but also allows the owner an opportunity to make a first impression.

The paving pattern of this cozy courtyard garden fits comfortably around the mature Japanese Maple.  The pattern of 12″ x 12″ pavers is infilled with ground covers including Elfin thyme and Corsican mint.

The focal point of this small entry garden is a grouping of a statue, pot of bamboo and a basalt column, surrounded by polished pebbles.

The existing picket fence was updated to lattice, and framed with ornamental grasses which add to the Zen-like quality of this space.

Wildflower Farm is a source for nursery-grown native North American wildflowers and grasses.  Located in Ontario, they have a great online store so you can order them regardless of your location!

Wildflower Farm’s website (http://www.wildflowerfarm.com) is loaded with information on how to assess your soil type, which is essential for identifying which wildflowers and grasses you can grow!

I’m looking forward to trying their Moss Milkshake!  Because of its low profile growth habit, moss makes an excellent alternative groundcover for areas of your yard that are shaded, or pathways where it is difficult to grow grass. Moss thrives in shade! The neatly tailored look that moss provides is perfect for accentuating and showcasing other, smaller woodland shade gardening plants and ferns!

An outdoor kitchen is quickly becoming a requirement of our outdoor living!  I am calling this post Outdoor Kitchens 101, as it is a primer that covers the basics for clients who are interested in having an outdoor kitchen installed.

An outdoor kitchen is an outdoor cooking space with a built-in grill, refrigerator, sink, prep area and storage.

Homeowners who have completed an outdoor kitchen installation consider the ideal skill set to be a combination landscape design and kitchen designer.

So exactly why are outdoor kitchens so popular?  My clients tell me that it adds enjoyment, luxury and relaxation.  It’s a lifestyle thing!  Cooking in an outdoor kitchen creates a sense of occassion for each meal, and the outdoor kitchen area becomes a gathering point (just as all great parties end-up in the kitchen!).

Creating an outdoor kitchen requires an assessment of your individual needs as well as a site assessment to evaluate all your property’s options.

The way you cook will vary from that of your friends and neighbours. Today’s outdoor kitchens make it easy to grill, make pizzas, boil lobsters and incorporate a bar!  A designer will help you incorporate your preferred use of the space.

We will also evaluate the scale of outdoor living you anticipate:  some of my clients need to accommodate a large gathering of family each summer while others have maximum dinner parties of 4-6.  We’re all different!

There are two types of outdoor kitchens:

• Satellite kitchens – the bulk of the food preparation is done inside
• Fully-independent kitchens – the bulk of the food preparation is done outside, increasing the need for refrigeration and food storage, counter space and work surfaces, storage of dishes and linens, and a larger sink.

Obviously the proximity of the outdoor dining area to the outdoor kitchen is very important!  As part of the site assessment, we will explore all of these options and look at outdoor dining furniture.

The trend in outdoor dining is moving away from dining around a formal dining table (although many of my clients still prefer this). I'm seeing more and more options for cocktail table height firepits which provide a heat source in the center, and room for a dinner setting or glass on the perimeter of the fire pit! I recommend a fire pit that is a minimum 42" square; this will accommodate two people on each side (or eight people total).

Click here for my post on outdoor dining furniture options!

I recently saw this landscape in upscale La Jolla, California.  I really like the way this designer combined the plants!

The groundcover forms a tightly-woven carpet between the articulated succulents that are graphically arranged.

The landscape is terraced, with the upper level highlighted by Cordyline australis 'Red Sensation' underplanted with Senecio mandraliscae. An Equisetum hedge provides a backdrop while screening residences from the street.

The many layers of this landscape come together magically!

En route to Palm Springs, I had to stop and fill-up in Pasadena.  To my delight, we happened across an incredible garden centre before we found a gas station.  I suggested “I bet the garden centre can tell us where to find a gas station” (with an ‘oh please, oh please…  let’s stop just for a minute’ undertone to my voice).  Joey had had a piddle break in hours, so we decided to stop.  Check-out my visit in a separate post here.

Perhaps my best find was Tony Kienitz’s book The Year I Ate My Yard.  It’s a must-read for anyone interested in growing their own food!  Kienitz’s humor is warm and welcoming while his gardening tips are full of insight and common sense.

Look for it at your local garden centre or book store.  You’ll be glad you did!