Athyrium Design

Our meadow may still be 75% weeds, but that didn't stop us from having a little fun with it this weekend! We mowed a couple of winding paths and the kids literally spent 3 hours running, exploring, and creating.

Back to reality after eight dreamy days in Morocco! The architecture, landscapes, and details throughout daily life were truly inspiring, both personally and professionally.

From Bahia Palace and Le Jardin Secret in Marrakesh through Medjool date farms and the mars-like landscapes of the southern Atlas Mountains to Mhamid and the start of the Sahara desert, we saw wildly different sides of north Africa.

After settling into our riad within the Medina of Marrakesh and visiting the colorful Le Jardin Marjorelle, we wrapped up our stay with a day trip through the verdant hillsides and poppy fields of the northern Atlas Mountains to Ouzoud Waterfalls, showing yet another side of this beautiful country.

The incredibly fresh food and intoxicating scents of spices and incense added to the whole dreamy experience.

Just a happy little plant combination for the spring garden!

Pictured here: Penstemon 'Onyx and Pearls', Erigeron, Alchemilla, and Nepeta 'Walker's Low.

These aren't all natives but they are certainly workhorse plants that provide color close to the living quarters and longevity in a perennial garden.

Obligatory *not my design* but kudos to for their spectacular project featured during "Secret Gardens" tour yesterday. I could have spent hours exploring this project alone! 👏👏👏

Good morning!

Loving this "borrowed view" from an upcoming project! Here, golden groundsel and ostrich fern play together beautifully in full sun along a streambank.

It's been a minute, but only because designs and consultations are in full swing and all spare seconds go to tinkering at home!

This is my tiny blueberry patch which is on a gentle hill, but has enough pitch to wash out mulch and soil during heavy rain. My solution? To slow runoff through the patch, I've interplanted Pacera aurea to colonize and hold the soil around my shrubs. Having two plants blooming simultaneously should also attract more pollinators and increase fruit production, while the evergreen foliage will keep the soil covered even in the dormant season. Plus, it's really pretty!

A meadow is in the works uphill to further slow runoff, but I'm feeling good about this new plant combo for the time being.

Enjoying this beautiful day with my little guy! We took a walk in a nearby meadow and found tons of milkweed pods along the path. He (and I honestly) had a great time spreading the seeds as we walked along the trail.

A week late but what counts is that we're here! Kicking off Landsxape Design Workshop season today!

Happy New Year! Over here, we're kicking off 2024 with a mom-and-daughter read. Nature's Best Hope by Doug Tallamy offers a "Young Reader's Edition" that's perfect for translating complex environmental concepts for kids. It's sparking great conversation at home, and together, we're planning garden projects to reduce lawn.

When the right plant is in the right place, it just works! This mature winterberry is thriving at the base of an old spring house, providing food and habitat for the birds and so. much. beauty for the homeowners ❤️