Tehachapi offers such beautiful borrowed scenery! When I sit outside and view the surrounding hillsides, I see them as old friends who are part of what make life here so unique. The Oak trees and native plant life contribute to the sense of ‘place’ that we call home. Then, as my gaze shifts closer to my house my mind becomes preoccupied with all that needs to done in the garden! Peace can turn into anxiety quickly when I contemplate the number of garden chores still left to do. What is a plant lover to do? I decided a few years back that simplifying the garden would be a long term goal of mine. I asked myself if simplicity and the word gardening can even be spoken in the same sentence. Is a simplified garden possible, practical or realistic? And I decided that it was a quest I had to pursue. After all, there is more to life than yard work! Even if you love it like I do.

Being a garden designer I have design principles firmly in hand when helping others with their gardens. When it comes to my own, however, I have often been a plant collector instead of practicing the principle that gardens are for people first and plants second. It is wise to remember that providing places to leisurely stroll through the landscape, share a meal with friends and family, read, nap and generally relax is the goal of a well designed garden.

Form follows function

Following the idea that form follows function by planning inviting patios, decks, paths and garden rooms we insure that our gardens are well used spaces that are worth the effort we put into them. Keeping the design simple with geometric shapes like circles, squares, rectangles and curves you create a space that is timeless as well as contemporary.

If you have lived in your house for at least a year you can think through what will serve your needs and satisfy your desires based on how you have interacted with your outdoor space so far. For example, if the east side offers you a place that is protected from the hot afternoon sun and you find that you and your family migrate to a spot there during summer that may well be the best place for a patio.

Ask yourself how you have used your space in the past and what areas would you like to develop now, based on patterns of use? Which way does the wind blow? A wind corridor is not the best location for outdoor dining. Trust that as you take the time to ask yourself the right questions you will find the best solutions.