design Archives - Gardenerd

Residents hang out in the garden now that it is a destination.

Design: Condo Courtyard Abundant Garden

Back in January 2025, I met with a group of residents who wanted to transform their condo courtyard into a thriving vegetable garden. It had tired soil, no irrigation, and an old fountain that didn't work. We met to discuss what they'd like to grow and how they wanted to use the space for the community. Then we came up with a plan: Remove the old soil (probably contaminated with decades of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers), add new soil, plant…

Post author:Christy
Post published:June 4, 2025
Post category:Blog What's Growin' On
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YouTube: A Container Garden Glow Up with Vego Gardens – Part 2

Our container garden glow up continues in our latest YouTube video. This week: irrigation, filling the beds, and transplanting overgrown, sad container plants into the new planters.

Post author:Christy
Post published:March 11, 2025
Post category:Blog What's Growin' On
Post comments:3 Comments

Where should I put my garden? We answer that question.

YouTube: Where Should I Put My Garden? – How to Orient Your Plot From Scratch

The first question new gardeners ask is "Where should I put my garden?" This week's video shares what to look for when selecting a location for your new garden plot.

Post author:Christy
Post published:February 4, 2025
Post category:Blog What's Growin' On
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New small-space urban garden design in Santa Monica, CA.

Design: Orderly Small-Space Urban Garden

This past winter we installed a new small-space urban garden in place of a lawn in Santa Monica, CA. The homeowner wanted to grow some veggies, but had a certain look in mind.

Post author:Christy
Post published:April 10, 2024
Post category:Blog What's Growin' On
Post comments:2 Comments

6 raised beds, potted herbs, fruit trees and more.

Design: A Mother’s Garden

We recently completed installation of a mother's garden - a gift from a son to his mother. He wanted her to have fresh fruits and vegetables steps away from the door.

Post author:Christy
Post published:June 13, 2023
Post category:Blog What's Growin' On
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Podcast: Dry-Climate Gardens with Noelle Johnson

Noelle Johnson (the AZ Plant Lady) is our guest this week. She shares her tips for growing a beautiful, lush garden in dry climates, which can be found in her new book, Dry Climate Gardening.

Post author:Christy
Post published:March 9, 2023
Post category:Blog What's Growin' On
Post comments:1 Comment

A New garden comes to life.

Design: Culinary Teaching Garden for UCI

Last fall, a culinary teaching garden project that had been long in planning finally took root.

Post author:Christy
Post published:February 7, 2023
Post category:Blog What's Growin' On
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A new elevated garden will provide salad greens and more for a happy family.

Design: Elevated Garden Delight

We met with a client two weeks before lockdown in February, 2020 to convert a rose garden into a productive vegetable patch. Two years later, we revamped the whole concept and created something much better.