Patio Paradise
(Condo Test Garden)
This garden is my personal sanctuary. The outside portion of my house is incredibly important to me as a landscape designer. A top priority when I was house hunting was the yard, so landing on a condo was an unexpected choice. When I found this place with a larger-than-average patio space I was intrigued. Located just off the Carpinteria Salt Marsh (an example of habitat restoration at its finest), the condo has an ocean view and a magical nature trail steps from my door. Always up for an opportunity to experiment with something a little different and new, I am seeking out ways to grow food and medicine, and invite nature into this unexpected space. I fill the space with vegetables, herbs, California native plants, succulents and the rare and unusual plant specimens I have collected over the years. After a long day of working on other people’s gardens I munch on garden produce while watching birds, bees and butterflies dance in my 500-square- foot paradise.