3 Fun Facts About Our Garden June 29, 2011

With the Open Garden just ten days away (July 9, 9-2!), this seems like a great time to share some fun facts about our garden.  You may know the basics from our website and journal, but did you know that…

Our very young garden in 2004, photo courtesy of Robin Bachtler Cushman

– We put our first plants in the ground in 2003 and had our first photo shoot for Sunset in 2005.  That’s a pretty quick start for a garden!  The original plantings were boisterous and brimming with variety, partly because we were using the garden as a testing ground for unusual and new (to us) plants.  As the plantings have matured and the garden has grown shadier, we have edited the plantings to masses of our favorites, with room for more than a few highlights and oddballs, of course.  We wonder what you’ll think of the changes at the Open Garden….

– The galvanized fence was one of the  few elements that we knew would be a part of the garden from the start, and it was the first thing we installed.  We had a hunch that the brightness and subtle texture of the fence would be an asset in our narrow, urban lot.  While metal fences clearly aren’t for everyone (it’s still the only one we’ve built!), we love how it seems to pull the sky down into the space and sets off the dark foliaged plants in front of it.

Our galvanized metal fence.

– We built almost everything by hand.  From removing tons of concrete (be sure check out the “before” pictures in this post), to hauling each rock to its final location, we held true to our belief that people build better gardens than machines do.  The one major exception was the driveway, which Buell swore he was going to dig by hand….  About 10 minutes with a pick convinced him that using a bobcat would be a better idea.

We look forward to sharing our garden with you on July 9.  In the meantime, remember to follow us on Facebook for updates, photos and more!

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Mosaic Open Garden, July 9 June 21, 2011

Buell's stacked stone sphere sculpture

Mosaic Open Garden

Saturday, July 9, 9am – 2pm

Please join us on Saturday, July 9 for an Open Garden!  The plants are loving the long, cool spring, and the garden is gorgeous this year.  It’s a small, diverse space that has been featured in Sunset, Fine Gardening and Garden Design magazines.   There’s a little something for everyone – sun, shade, dry stack stone walls, seating areas, mature plantings, new additions and lots of design ideas.  Buell and Rebecca will be on hand to answer questions about the garden and Mosaic, but, introverts, never fear, we’re happy to let you wander on your own.

If you don’t know our garden, this photo history is a fun place to learn more, and our press page includes several articles about the garden.

We hope to see you on the 9th!  Drop by anytime between 9 and 2, and feel free to bring friends and family.  We’ll have limeade and shade if it’s warm (or even if it’s not), and space to explore or just sit and enjoy the day.

New Photos of Watershed – The Exception That Proves the Rule June 15, 2011

The Watershed is a mixed-use commercial/residential building and a rare exception to our  residential garden focus.  We can’t say enough good things about the structure (green materials, local artisans, just fantastic inside and out), and we couldn’t be more grateful for the trust that the owners had in allowing us to design and plant their garden.  The plantings at ground level and on each of the many terraces are diverse, super resilient, and require very little water from the rainwater catchment system.  We think that the courtyard and rusting metal water feature are a strong, grounding center to an unusual,  beautiful space.  Buell took a few new shots of the garden yesterday, and we’d love to know what you think!

(More info on the July 9 Open Garden coming soon!)

The basin of this rusting metal fountain is about 5 feet tall

Not your normal, commercial sidewalk plantings

One of the raised courtyard beds with a rainwater catchment cistern behind

A playful street entrance planting

Save the Date – Open Garden on July 9! June 3, 2011

Our stock tank pond in summer

Join us on Saturday, July 9 for an Open Garden!  Our garden is gorgeous this year, and we want to share it with you during its peak season.  Please join us to walk through the space, ask questions, say hello or just enjoy some limeade in a pretty spot.

If you’ve seen the garden before, you may be surprised at some of the changes.  As it has grown older and shadier, we’ve changed and simplified some of the plantings, to what we think is an elegant effect.  Of course, the maturing specimens and beautifully aging stonework don’t hurt, either.  Our little space offers a wealth of ideas for gardens of any size or age, and, of course, Buell and Rebecca will be on hand to chat and answer questions.

Please mark your calendar and spread the word!  More information coming soon….

Will you be our Facebook friend? June 1, 2011

Just for fun.... Kniphofia and black poppies in the evening light.

Hi there!

If you’d like more frequent photos and quick updates, you can now follow Mosaic on Facebook!  We’ll continue to update here when we have more to say or show (new portfolio photos coming soon!), but our Facebook friends will get links to new posts as soon as they’re published.

So, we hope you’ll jump over to Facebook, and add Mosaic as a friend!  We’ve already posted a few pictures that you can’t find here, and there are more to come.  See you there….