Choosing a Water Feature For Your Garden

If your garden is situated on a flat surface and if you want to add some magic to your private space, then you should search on the Internet what garden water features can perfectly fit your space. There are many water features for garden and you can absolutely find a solution for your wishes.

Let's see what objects of this type we can find on the Internet. First I'm going to tell you about the bestseller product on the Amazon site. It costs £59.95 and it looks like a small fountain. You will only have to fill its tank with water and then connect it to a power source. If you like art objects, then I'm sure that this garden water feature will perfectly fit in your garden.

But there are also cheaper solutions. If you have a swimming pool you can place on its boarders some garden water features that are spitting water. You can find this object in any form you like: frog or duck. A product like this one costs £7.99. Be sure that your family and your friends will be pleased when they'll see what a good purchase you've made. Before you place the order take in consideration the distance between your pool and an energy source and in this way you will be sure if you can use it without any problems or not.

If you really want to change the appearance of your garden then you should buy the most expensive garden water feature that you will find on the Amazon site. You will be amazed by its functions and you will be very proud to have a waterfall in miniature in your house's garden. If you have £569 you should definitely buy it. It has an old aspect and in the night you can turn on its lights and so you will able to watch the water show all night long. The installing process it won't take you long which is also an advantage. You just have to be sure that on the exterior walls of your house you have an energy source. If you are not, then you can solve this problem using an extension cord that you connect to a power supply. Things aren't as difficult as they seem, right?

After buying any type of garden water feature you will just have to match the elements which you are having on its surface. That means you should think where to place each object to get a nice and pleasant aspect.

Garden Water Features - Streams

Most of us want our water features to look 'natural', but ponds often need to go against walls, or next to (or indeed on) patios: hardly 'natural' settings. But a garden stream can look really natural. Even though it is merely a stretch of water going from one place to another, this is exactly the sort of phenomenon that is found in the wild.

In all cases, of course, a man-made stream will contain water that is circulated by a pump. Pumps obviously vary hugely in their performance, and it is crucial that you choose one that will provide the desired effect. For example, a small pump in a very wide or deep stream would produce an imperceptible and completely ineffective flow.

The stream should be made dead level, so that it remains full once the pump is switched off. And, when the pump is off, your 'stream' will become a shallow, elongated pond. One of the trickiest decisions when creating a stream is how to make it suddenly 'appear' in the garden, and then 'disappear' further along. A gurgling stream usually ends up emanating from large pipes or from beneath a stone slab; it will almost certainly disappear in the same way. Most of the gullies the water will travel along are made from concrete, stone or brick, and are either straight or gently curving. Flexible liner can be used, but use gravel, sand, stones, bricks or boulders to give the water a rippling texture and help conceal the shiny PVC or plastic.

If an abrupt change of direction is required some way along the stream, it is best to cover the stream at that point with some sort of chamber, so that water can enter it from one direction and leave in another. Such a chamber could also be used to hide the beginning or end of the stream.

Streams look beautiful in gardens but a decorated garden wall attracts the attention of visitors. You should know how to build a double wall in garden and for you kids; you can learn how to use a butterfly garden to entertain your kids.

Garden Water Features - Discover How to Choose an Ideal Water Feature For Your Garden

There are two types of water features available for your garden: Raised Formal Fountains and the in-ground formal fountains. Both of these types are marvelous in their looks. Here is a quick guide on how to choose a water feature for your garden.

Raised formal fountains are somewhat distinctive and standout as compared to the in-ground water features. They are significantly different in their design as well. The main difference is that they are more expensive to build, and difficult to maintain. Having made that clear, it is important to note that they are really elegant and look gorgeous for a right kind of setting.

If your garden is symmetrical in shape and has perfectly defined spaces, then a formally raised fountain would make a great addition to your garden. A formally raised fountain is usually located centrally and makes a bold statement. Sometimes, a raised wall fountain may be suitable if the wall is clearly visible from all over the garden.

An in-ground fountain is simple to build and easy to maintain. It must be constructed as per the exact dimensions or it might need a non-permeable material as base for the water retention. They often need exact dimensions to achieve the desired effect of water-flow and sound. Fountain experts are not necessarily needed to construct and in-ground water feature, water garden suppliers would be able to construct the in-ground water features.

The in-ground fountains are usually subtle in appearance and provide calm serene atmosphere without overpowering the background. Beautiful water plants like water lilies or lotuses may be displayed on top of these aesthetic in-ground water features. If you wish to display aquatic plants and flowers in your garden, in-ground water fountain would make great addition to your garden.

Raised water fountain are prefect for shopping centers or apartment complexes, however, when used in a backyard garden, they may overpower the surroundings. Unless you have a huge garden and plan on using several architectural elements in your garden, a raised water feature may not be the right choice for you.

Regardless of which water fountain you choose, your garden is bound to refresh and rejuvenate your senses with sounds of water when you add a beautiful water feature to it. Ancient Greek and Roman cultures used fountains as royal architectural elements, however, these days, with easily affordable costs, everyone can create a relaxing garden with a beautiful water fountain.

Water Pumps Explained - Discover How to Choose a Water Pump For Your Garden Water Features

Choosing the right kind of pump for your garden fountain or pond is critically important for its proper functioning. If a wrong pump is chosen, it may damage the entire system and render it useless.

Pumps are measured in terms of gallons per hour (GPH) they circulate. This GPH capacity of a pump ranges anywhere between fifty GPH to several thousand GPH. The amount of GPH you need for you pump depends on the size of equipment that is using it. Bigger equipments need higher GPH ratings.

Most garden fountains uses pump that produce anywhere between 300 to 1200 gallons per hour. Small ponds uses pump that produce about 500 to 700 GPH.

Here's a simple way to decide the GPH ratings of your pump.

First measure the amount of water that is being held by the fountain or pond. This can be done by measuring the width, depth, and length of the water basin of your fountain or pond. If your water feature is a pond, measure the average depth, average width, and average length of your pond. Measure these numbers in feet. Now multiply these three numbers to determine its volume. Multiple the volume with 7.5 and you would get the average amount of gallons of water your pond holds. The reason we multiply the volume by 7.5 is because an average cubic foot of space holds about 7.5 gallons of water. If you final gallon amount of water is about 700, then a water pump with 500 GPH rating is adequate.

The reason we choose 500 gallons per hour pump for a 700 gallon pond is because we want to make sure that the entire volume of water is re-circulated every two hours. This one trick of making sure that the entire volume gets re-circulated ever two hours is the most important criteria when it comes to choosing a water pump. Since the pump that we chose has 500 gph rating, it would re-circulate 1000 gallons of water every two hours. This makes it perfectly suitable for a pond that has got 700 gallons of water. We could have chosen a 350 GPH pump to be accurate for this example; however, it is generally best to purchase a slightly larger pump to account for the loss of pressure and hose friction.

Another important aspect of choosing a pump is its energy efficiency. A garden fountain that has direct exposure to sun may be a perfect choice for a solar pump that has zero operational costs. Water-filtration is another important factor when choosing the pumps. A large pond has lot of debris and it is critically important to pick the pump that can filter solid debris.

Garden Water Features and Waterfalls Add Drama and Impact

Adding Niagara Falls to ones garden is usually not a possibility. However, thanks to modern convenience and a trip to your local home center, one can bring home the beauty and peace of water. The peace and quiet of water falling into a pool or tumbling over rocks can now be brought to your backyard very easily. The dream of installing Outdoor Water Features into your garden or lawn can be a reality in a matter of hours or days. So why not take that step and bring the desire for a watery retreat to life!

There are many options in adding water to your property, from small garden fountains to huge stone fountain masterpieces From Stone to Fiberglass, there are quite a few different materials you can choose from. Stone tends to be pricy, heavy, but very long lasting. Fiberglass is a great option, especially for a small fountain that you perhaps will be moving someday.

Ponds are a very popular feature for a garden. Combining a pond and fountain that tumbles like a water fall into the pond, can make for a breathtaking pieces of paradise right in your own backyard. Fish are added to many ponds to give it that wild look as are lily pads; these enhance the pond's beauty. Goldfish and even freshwater game fish are added to many ponds. Adding fish can also prevent insects from making a home for your garden. Be sure you take time and research your options before deciding on fish and plants for your pond.

There are some who love to use their pool or add a pool to their idea of a watery paradise. Some pools have fountains in the middle that shoot beautiful geysers of water in the air. There are some pools that have fountains that tumble over rocks waterfall style into the pool. Some people build a garden around the pool, add a fountain and have a miniature tropical paradise just a few feet from their backdoor. You don't have to be a CEO or celebrity to enjoy this option; there are several affordable designs out there.

Garden Water Features - A Tranquil Outdoor Experience!

In the modern times, everyone has a shortage of time, even for the most important thing - relaxation. Everyone needs a break to fight out the stress being piled up on oneself even if it is just your own garden outing. This garden outing with family and friends will mean you do not waste time going to the woods hence offering the best solution to the time pressed person.

The best way to deck up the regular garden and make it look like an oasis of tranquility and peace, one needs modern and artistic water features like a rain chain, fish pond, fountain or even a waterfall, to be added to the regular colorful flowers and scenic foliage. This will give the garden a new feel and also maintain proper balance between too much and too less.

Water among all the five natural elements is proved to be the relaxing and tranquil and an eliminator of stress. Thus the sound of flowing water will bring with itself a calmness of the body, mind and the soul, converting the regular garden into a soothing outdoor haven where you can distress yourself and recharge your spirits.

If there is already a pond in the garden, then the most sensible thing to do is to build waterfalls and give the holistic feel and look to the garden. The waterfall will add a dramatic look to the garden and give the garden a photo perfect feel. The flavor of the waterfall doing rounds is the Cascading Waterfall.

A Cascading waterfall will add more beauty to the garden and also allow you to enjoy the outdoors in your own backyard. The most basic design is when the water falls from one stone to another at different places before finally resting into the catchment pond. The only problem with this design is to create an artificial slope for the water to flow smoothly. But the modern landscaping experts have found out newer answers. You can use artificial fiberglass, which have the feel of natural stone and are light and easy to setup and also is cheaper.

But whatever you decide, there are many factors you should consider before the final decision comes and you select the most ideal water feature for your garden.

Garden Water Feature - Your Personal Wildlife Sanctuary

Gardens are the personal retreat's best option. This saves you on a lot of time and money, as the woods are made available in your own backyard. And what better if there are live animals coming to your gardens? The animals like us also need food and water and if they are made available to them, they would come to your gardens for sure and you can have a small wildlife sanctuary in your own garden.

The easiest way to attract them is using a pond - the best garden water feature for the purpose. In the wild, the animals all flock to the pond to quench their thirst and so if you have one in your own garden, then this garden water feature will give them the same feel and birds, amphibians and other animals will be naturally attracted. This will be the start of your personal ecosystem, which will be self-sustained. And if a birdbath is added, then the birds will come in large numbers are they love to splash and play in water. But one must take care that the water is either changed every 3 days or a fountain is added so that the water does not stagnate and keeps the animals interested.

Building stream, which flow into the pond, will mean that the water is always in motion and hence it will cleanse itself in the normal course and the cleaning costs are minimized. The other important advantage is that the stream will be a rich source of insects and attract more birds and reptiles.

In addition to the primary pond, if a secondary pond is add, then a wetland habitat is created significantly improving the quality of the water and also will amaze you at the various species of wildlife, which will make your garden their home. But make sure not to add any waterfall or fountains in the pond as it will act as a deterrent to the wildlife.

Hence, one needs to be creative with the garden water feature and make sure that a balanced ecosystem is created. This will make wildlife very easy to attract, as one needs to provide them the basic needs that of food, water and shelter.

Garden Water Feature - 6 Steps to Easily Clean Out Your Pond!

A garden water feature like a backyard pond can be an enchanting feature in any garden, big or small. There can be nothing better than sipping a cool drink on a summer's day whilst relaxing next to your own piece of heaven - the tranquility and beauty of your pond and its aquatic life.

A successful pond requires regular maintenance and upkeep to help ensure that fish are happy and healthy and to ensure plants continue to flourish. In winter for example, you need to do safety checks like cutting back folliage, removing fallen leaves, moving smaller fish to aquariums and covering the surface of the pond to protect it from cruel weather conditions. Furthermore, in spring time, it is important to check for fish infections, as a result of coming out of winter dormancy. As temperatures begin to rise towards summer, fish get hungry, which is a great sign, but this increase in appetite can mean increased waste matter in the water, which in turn results in too much ammonia which can be damaging to plants and fish.

Early Springtime is often the most appropriate time to clean out your garden water feature. This way, the pond will have time to revitalize itself in time for the warmer, summer months when the fish are going to be their most active. Ignoring the fact that your pond needs a good clearout can be damaging. After all, during the year sediment will have built up considerably and your pond plants will most likely have grown substantially, leaving less and less room in the water (not to mention oxygen) for other aquatic life.

There may have also been fish infections in the pond that should be completely disinfected before the vibrant summer months. Clearly if you have a preformed unit it may be easier to clean as generally you can take it out of the ground. Even if you don't have aquatic life, giving your garden water feature a spring clean will make it neater and more attractive!

The following 6 steps will help you clean out your backyard pond sufficiently:

1. For those with fish, catch them carefully and transfer to an indoor aquarium or protective environment.
2. Pump out the pond water or bail out the water with a bucket. You should also look to remove any snails or dragonfly larvae as these should not be left behind.
3. Make sure you divide and re-pot marginal plants and waterlilies - these will have overgrown their current pots during the year and their roots will need room to grow further.
4. Remove any silt with a spade - don't waste it, instead try sprinkling it on your flower beds. Also hose out the bottom of the garden water feature.
5. Start to refill the pond with a suitable amount of water conditioner (see product for the required amount).
6. Make sure you let the water temperature rise before adding your fish back to the pond as they may become stressed by the sudden change in temperature (as any human would too!).

Garden Water Feature - 5 Monthly Must-Do's For Healthy Pond & Fish!

Building a garden water feature such as a pond or fountain in your own garden can be a very rewarding experience, especially once you can sit back on a Summer's day and relax to the sound of the running water. Before you know it the hustle and bustle of the working week becomes a distant memory.

The type and style of water feature will depend on your space, budget and personal style. If you are looking for a garden water feature with a contemporary feel, you might envisage a pond with a waterfall, neat edges and decking. Those wanting something more traditional and naturalistic might be looking for a garden water feature with native plants and blurred perimeters.

Whatever the style you choose, there are steps to take to ensure your pond is healthy and well maintained throughout the year. With frequent monitoring and an awareness of the seasons, you can ensure a safe environment for your plants and fish.

These 5 monthly checks are crucial:

1. Ensure that nitrate levels in the water do not exceed 50mg/l.

2. Remove blanketweed (a type of filamentous algae) on the surface of the water before it chokes plants and fish. It has a tendency to grow quickly and starve other pond life of oxygen. You can use a stick to remove it safely.

3. Scrub away any green algae on bridges, decking and fountains within your garden water feature as this will cause slippery conditions and a potential accident situation. You can use a clean brush for this. You can also remove any dead leaves from plants around the pond as this will limit the spread of algae.

4. Keep your eye on a build up of moss - despite softening the look of your pond, similar to algae moss can pose a significant risk to your pond life by taking all the oxygen. If you have a heavy moss issue, you can use potassium permanganate or an aquatic herbicide (the amount you use will depend on the size of your pond - consult the dosage in the instructions).

5. If you want fish in your pond, it is best to keep adding fish on a more regular basis rather than stocking the water fully at the outset. The best time to buy pond fish is in the spring and summer as these fish tend to be hardier and have an opportunity to get used to the pond environment before the cold winter.

In terms of keeping your fish healthy, it is highly recommended to do regular water level checks. In the summer, increased evaporation of the water is likely. This leads to more concentrated levels of dissolved nitrogenous waste and lower oxygen levels which can be fatal to the fish, particularly larger breeds. There during the summer months in particular, make sure you top up water levels to break down this waste and promote more oxygen for a healthier environment.

A garden water feature like a pond can be a wonderful asset to your home. Be sure to treat it with the love and care it needs and it will love you back!

Garden Water Features - Important Considerations

There are a number of popular areas of gardening, and having a garden water feature is one that attracts a lot of attention. An attractive feature of this kind, can take the form of a garden waterfall, pond, or fountain, and can also be as simple as a small patio fountain.

Whichever form you choose, it can be enhanced by the strategic placing of rocks, adding flowering plants, keeping fish including koi carp and introducing some form of lighting; solar-powered lighting being one of the up and coming ways to provide light in a garden, whether for practical purposes or to be purely decorative.

This type of gardening doesn't need to be expensive or time consuming. You can have a tiny pond on a patio made from something as simple as a plastic container or an old stone sink.

By far the most important thing to think about in water gardening is picking the right spot for your aquatic feature. Because plants and fish need to have plenty of sunlight, anywhere in direct light away from overhanging trees and bushes would be a suitable place. Positioning a feature in this way, especially a pond, will also help prevent leaves falling onto the water, sinking and clogging the bottom. If you like to spend time relaxing in the garden, you don't want to be forever, skimming the surface of your pond to keep it clear of leaves and debris.

You also need to consider how close to the house you want the feature to be. If it is too far away you won't be able to see any wildlife activity around it during inclement weather.

Other things to consider when planning a water feature for your garden are:

* what size do you want it to be

* will you create it yourself, buy something pre-formed, or pay someone else to install it

* how much money are you willing to spend

* if you decide on a pond, will it be safe for very young children

* what sort of plants would you like to have in and around the feature

* are you going to include fish in which case you will need some type of pond pump

* how much time do you have available to maintain your water feature

Most garden water features will need some maintenance though if you only have a small wall fountain, for instance, maintenance efforts are very unlikely to be strenuous.

Adding a display of water to a garden will most likely give you a great deal of pleasure, gentle water displays being particularly restful and therapeutic. It's unlikely you will regret including one in your garden and any visitors you have, including birds and insects, will appreciate it too.

Garden Water Features - The Zen Way

Gardens are the ornament of any household and the value is increased manifold if the garden is big and well maintained. But the garden not only offers economic life, but also ensures a balance of the energies and helps to ward off evil spirits.
Zen garden water features offer the perfect balance of yin-yang energies, colors and shape of flora. And because of this the Zen gardens even though centuries old have become a rage these days.
Zen garden uses as much natural articles, like bamboos, pebbles, woods, etc as possible. This helps in attracting the natural and good vibrations and also to keep the negativities away. Every garden water feature under the Zen style has a striking feature and that is that it a perfect balance of yin i.e. water and yang i.e. earth, thus every family member is accounted for.

Zen garden extensively uses trees, large shrubs of different colors, shapes and sizes among other things.
The basic Zen garden water features are pools, fountains, ponds, waterfalls and the associated bridges and round about pathways. Water is a basic element of the Zen garden offering yin energy, which is most essential for growth and gives a boost in positive chi. This translates into better family relations and also helps in the flow of money and the overall environment is made more calm and serene.
Pools either natural or man-made offer a very pleasing sight. Pools as a Zen garden water feature offers the household stability and also lifts the mood of the entire family. If lights are added to the pools to highlight specific areas, then it balances by providing the necessary yang energy.
Ponds also offer stability but the added advantage is that it also offers depth of understanding and thus is very beneficial in those households with students. Adding plants will give the yang energy and also stimulate the growth and allow better flow of money into the family.
Similarly waterfalls and fountains are rich sources of yin energy and need to balance by adding sand and pebbles. If these Zen garden water features are used properly they will make your lives better.
Last but not the least no Zen garden is complete without a Buddha Statue and the best position to keep it in is the middle of any of the garden water feature for the perfect balance.

Garden Water Features - Why Adding Them to You Garden is a Good Idea

A garden is the place where the entire family can sit together and relax and watch the sun set. But it also has other various uses. You can use the garden as a display canvas and show to the world your creativity and just as a canvas looks great when it is sprayed with different colors likewise a garden looks artistic when you use more that one water feature.

In the beginning one needs to decide on a theme for the garden water feature. The most favorites themes are English Garden Fountains, Mediterranean Water Gardens, Japanese Koi Ponds, among others. Say, if your garden has a theme other than the above mentioned then you should blend any new theme into the existing one. This will give the garden a new look, completely unique to your garden and hence offer a fresh picture to the bored eyes.

Another important fact to consider before diversifying is the dimensions of the garden and the garden water feature already there or what we are planning to add. If the feature is not appropriate in size for the garden then we need to look for alternative which would fit the garden properly because an ill fitting feature is the last thing you need in your garden.

Garden water feature like fountains, waterfalls and ponds should be used together to give the garden a complete feel. They come in all sizes and shapes and you can combine either two or all three of the above. Say if you have bigger space in the garden them you should opt for a pond and a fountain, and the waterfall can be combined with the pond. But if the size does not permit then one can merge the fountain and waterfall and leave out the pond.

Other alternatives are the time tested plant shelf along the pond's circumference giving the pond a holistic view. To diversify one can go for either a gradual sloping surface or the step sided surface, both giving a dash of innovation to the regular flat surface. This also ensures that the aquatic life can grow and blossom offering a boost to the environment.

The more you innovate the more creative it becomes and offers great diversity, which will be the signature of your garden. But do keep changing otherwise the garden water features will lose there uniqueness.

Garden Water Feature - Size Does Matter!

Today, the houses come in all sizes and shapes and most of them come without a garden. Those lucky ones who have gardens also have to be content with the small sizes of the gardens available these days. So the best way to combat this situation is have a small balcony garden and give up the extensive garden water features for the smaller and more compact water features.

Container gardening is also catching on as it can be done in the restricted space of the modern homes. These are the perfect option for the house having small children because of the safety issues it brings along with. But before you buy one make sure to do your research and select the most appropriate garden water feature for you and your garden.

You can also build your own containers and use your creativity to get the most out of the place available to you. You can either arrange them in a waterfall formation or the fountain formation. This will make sure that you do not miss a big garden.

Also in a compact space, you can create a miniature fountain using various pumps. This can be placed anywhere in the house but is best placed near the window or in the balcony. The fountain is also the most common water garden feature, which can be used in all sizes and shapes of gardens. The size of the garden has little impact on the size of the fountain. One though just has to make sure that all the fountain parts are all in sync with the size and are installed by a professional.

The other great garden water feature, which can be used in any garden, is birdbath. This will not only add tranquility to the entire atmosphere but also bring with it a host of birds. The birds will come to the birdbath and splash the water and so the birdbaths are best placed in the balcony. They also give a complete look to the house.

Hence, you need to be creative and mach sure to start a garden using these water features, as they will keep you occupied and also brighten up your day. These garden water features make up in the beauty quotient, which is lacking in them in size.

Marin hillside solar pergola, deck and pool

Engineering plans done - check
Submit for Building permits - check
Pool remodel done - check
Intensive Concrete footings done - check.
Ipe deck and copper rails installed - check
Midway inspections - done
Landscaping done - check
Furnishings ordered - check
Pergola installation done - check.

Solar panels installation - next week
Swimming pool Pebble Sheen install - Monday and Tuesday next week
Fill Pool on Wednesday and Thursday.

Final sign off on permit and inspection - next week
Furnishings placed out - next week

First dip in warm pool with liberal rounds of margaritas - within 10 days.

Whooooo Hoooooo !

From Smith Project

From Smith Project

From Smith Project

From Smith Project

And check out that view !
After the solar panels are installed the post tops will be cut down to size.

From Smith Project

Stone Steps deep in the heart of a Redwood Canyon.

A couple years ago we designed and installed a set of stone steps in a deep dense redwood canyon in Marin County.

These redwoods, not too far from Muir Woods , are very dense in this steep front yard and there is always a fair amount of redwood debris falling on the steps, stone side walls and the understory plantings of ferns, rhododendrons and japanese maples.

It would be almost impossible to get a clean looking photo. So this is what you normally see when approaching the steps.

The stone is from the mid west. It was extremely dense and hard to cut but the color was right in regards to the continual staining from the redwood tannins.

We installed a raised overhead sprinkler system due to the steep slope. It is hidden inside that 4x4 just above the copper lighting fixture. When the automatic valve opens, the head pops up out of 4x4 and waters the woodland landscape.

From Hillside development

East Bay Garden Tour 2010 - Part Deux

My apologies with being so remiss in posting part II of the East Bay Garden Tour.
It's been a busy week ( and that is a good thing ! )

The third garden that totally rocked our horticultural socks was the garden of Bob Clark and Raul Zumba.

How's this for an entry door bell ?

From 2010 East Bay Garden Tour

Lots of wonderful sculpture and inspiring vignettes in amongst the fabulous foliage.

From 2010 East Bay Garden Tour

From 2010 East Bay Garden Tour

From 2010 East Bay Garden Tour

A rare restio - Cannomois - I've killed it with kindness + can't bear to part with another $ 50 to kill another. Sigh !

From 2010 East Bay Garden Tour

If you get tired, there is always a bench somewhere along the path to take a load off.

From 2010 East Bay Garden Tour

This one is by one of my favorite sculptors, William Wareham

From 2010 East Bay Garden Tour

From 2010 East Bay Garden Tour

Entering into the Paradise of Flora, also known as Marcia Donahue's "Just our stuff Gallery" in Oakland CA
Bowling anyone ?

From 2010 East Bay Garden Tour

Blue Bamboo

From 2010 East Bay Garden Tour

Orange spires

From 2010 East Bay Garden Tour

Ceramic bulbs and acorns for sale - the garden gallery is open every Saturday !

From 2010 East Bay Garden Tour

From 2010 East Bay Garden Tour

The side yard gate

From 2010 East Bay Garden Tour

One of my all time favorite pieces in Marcia's garden is crafted by her very talented daughter
This sculpture is BIG - It stands at least 12 to 14 tall

From 2010 East Bay Garden Tour

I had not seen this series of sculpture before. I call them her forest and woodland nymphs.

From 2010 East Bay Garden Tour

From 2010 East Bay Garden Tour

From 2010 East Bay Garden Tour

The last garden that I toured was by Keelya Meadows in Albany CA .
If you like a chaotic mix of bright colors and disparate textures all thrown into the blender and poured out across the ground , then this garden is for you.

From 2010 East Bay Garden Tour

From 2010 East Bay Garden Tour

From 2010 East Bay Garden Tour

I found the gate to be extremely visually exciting and loved the detail.

From 2010 East Bay Garden Tour