ANOTHER BIG (BUT LONG OVERDUE) CHANGE

Oh, how our lives evolve.  My current adventure is finally switching over to a full website.

The biggest reason I felt compelled to make this change was to have the ability to share my illustration portfolio (which is a little limiting on my blog). My double life of garden design and illustration needed to merge a tad bit more...and now I can successfully do that. I'm hoping you'll be able to use my garden design and graphic resources easier too.

For those on my email list, you don't need to do anything.  When I write my next post you'll automatically get that via email from my new site....so just sit back and enjoy.  For those reading my blog through other means, please take note of my address here:

WWW.LISAORGLER.COM

If you have any questions or suggestions, please let me know.  I'll continue to tweak it so we can both continue to learn about garden design in fresh ways.

PS. I'm working on a fun, crafty garden design post as we speak (you'll need scissors and color pencils).  I can't wait to share it with you on the new site soon!

If you're stopping by to check out THE LUNCH BOX PROJECT those illustrations begin way back in January 2009.  You can start here.

If you're interested in more articles like this one, plus would like to receive a free copy of my theme garden eBook, please sign up for email updates here.

SPRING TINTINNABULATION

Yes, I had to look up that word too.

TINTINNABULATION: The ringing or sound of bells (www.dictionary.com)

A few days ago I asked readers on my Facebook page to shout out their favorite (non-garden) words, so I could happily reconnect those words to the garden.  This is a great way to stretch your creativity (try it).

Many great words popped up, but this one intrigued me, plus made me think of my favorite bell-shaped spring flowers: Lily of the Valley, Virginia Bluebells and Daffodils.  It also made me realize how many bell-shaped flowers exist...crazy!  What are your favorites?  Big thanks to Foy from Foy Update for suggesting it.

While we're ringing in this lovely spring I wanted to give you a quick heads up on one of my big projects.  In the next couple of weeks I'll be revealing my new website.  It will be expanding this blog a bit and hopefully help you be able to sift through all my posts and tutorials a little easier (so they can be a resource for you). It will also fold in my illustrations a bit more.  I can't wait to show you!

I'm also working on a fun garden post to help you think (and create) your garden in three dimensions.  If all goes well, that will be my first post on the new site. My time is in competition with spring weed-pulling right now, but I'm attempting to stay on track! To those in the US, enjoy your Memorial Day weekend!

If you're interested in more articles like this one, plus would like to receive a free copy of my theme garden eBook, please sign up for email updates here.

SIZING AN OUTDOOR PATIO

Every year this question ultimately comes up in my landscape design studio: "How large should I make a patio for a certain number of people?" I found a handy document from Concrete Network with their suggestions, then put my own graphic spin on it below. If you also have suggestions, please leave them in the comments below.

UDPATE on 5.17.14: While discussing this on LinkedIn, John Welch of 3G Design brought up some additional important points related to this topic that I wanted to share:

John writes...The dimensions suggested...seem about right as far as accommodating tables and chairs is concerned. This is not necessarily the whole story, however. I always try to be generous and allow for a couple of extra places and I try to make sure there is clear access to and from the house (if the terrace adjoins it) unencumbered by furniture. Ideally you would be able to walk around the table too without stepping off the paved area or being crushed against a wall.

The other factor to consider is that of proportions. Tiny terraces look odd next to wide, high facades and conversely huge expanses of paving can look out of places against more modest dwellings. Clever design can only do so much to ameliorate this. So, there are aesthetic as well as practical considerations. I also like to place at least a narrow band of planting between house and terrace to soften this transition between horizontal and vertical surfaces. There may, of course, be budgetary restraints which can limit how big an area you can pave and what you use as a surface treatment.

Well said John.  Thanks!

If you're interested in more articles like this one, plus would like to receive a free copy of my theme garden eBook, please sign up for email updates here.