garden / home envy

oh hell yes! is what i shouted out (internally) when i saw these gorgeous photographs of architect pedro useche's home. i am so obsessed with the way he has seamlessly incorporated his landscape into his home, it's as if one could not be as beautiful without the other. the choices and placement of everything is so gorgeous and collected. i could imagine my self spending hours staring at every detail, taking it all in. i love when a home has the ability to be clean and fresh yet it hosts so much history and organic elements... and art! and plants! and books! and that vertical garden! the hammock! the windows! the pool! the view! oh hell yes!

via yatzer.

the hollyhock house

sorry for lagging on posts. erick's family is in town from chicago and we have been tour guides. to begin our tour of currently very rainy LA, we cruised the east side of town and visited one of my very favorite spots in all of los angeles... barndall art park and the hollyhock house designed by frank lloyd wright. i grew up visiting this lovely hilly park admiring the views, the architecture and took many an art class at the studios on location too. many dear friends and myself included have shown at the municipal art gallery and adjoining theater. and now visiting as a self proclaimed plant hoe, the landscape is looking even better. i was so excited when i encountered my first sighting of a native california ceanothus! there was quite a of bit native flora and some sweet surprises in the mix too, like a giant plumeria tree (i own two that i brought back from hawaii and they are still just one branch up).
luckily the sun came out so that we could see la in all her glory! the sky was so loud and blue with giant voluptuous bright clouds. mother nature never fails to blow me away. if you haven't been to this spot yet, i highly recommend that you do. bring a picnic, a lover, or a good friend or family, your dog, a book, a camera and take it ALL in.

(more garden photos to come. i just took some shots of amazing gardens in the hollywood hills).

planty plant inspiration

i am so thrilled to have found the tumblr page miss mary quite contrary. it is LOADED with gorgeous photos of architecture that hosts a delicious array of plants. i am posting a couple of my favorites of the moment. but trust me there is so much more where this came from!