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Parkway Planting in Los Angeles

I love plants and trees on parkways – it is kind of an obsession for me. Here a few photos of interesting, low fuss parkways in Los Angeles.

It is hard to see (look at bottom of image) but this parkway in Santa Monica does have drip irrigation. It used 1/4″ drip line with built-in emitters.

I would kill for a wide parkway this wide. Alas, my parkway is only 31″ wide.

The path is made of decomposed granite, with plastic edging. It is important to create pathways for people if you are using plants on a parkway that are not pedestrian friendly.

This path on parkway uses recycled concrete and wood edging. I think it would also look nice if they filled it in with some gravel.

Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Prostratus’ along edge of parkway. It looks nice now, but will probably be over grown in a season or two.

This parkway in Echo Park is covered entirely Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Prostratus’. The planting is probably 2-4 years old. It is simple, drought tolerant and has a nice canyon feel. The edges of the planting, where it starts growing over concrete will have to be pruned back several times a year.

Also as an aside – I grew up calling parkways “tree lawns”.  In the mid-west where I grew up “parkways” were a term for scenic highways. I say tomato you say tomahto.

 

July 16, 2012 0
See more: BREAKurban, in California, landscape & garden, Los Angeles, plant stars

My Dragon Fruit is booming (but not blooming)

Our neighbors down the street on Douglas Avenue of crazy looking cacti climbing their palm trees. I was fascinated by how crazy they looked, and snagged a piece of it when they pruned the cacti back last summer. I stuck a piece of the cacti in a pot (the bottom 1/2 in the soil) in my back yard and watered it occasionally.

To my surprise, when I researched it, I realized that it is Dragon Fruit. It is a fruit I totally love when ever I go to Asia. I think of it as kind of a white kiwi.

Here is my starter Dragon Fruit (below). This photo was taken a couple months after I planted it. You can see that it is starting to new segments.

This spring I transplanted it into a bigger pot and put it on drip irrigation. I’m careful not too give it too much water. But it has grown a lot.

 

 

May 16, 2012 0
See more: back kitchen, BREAKurban, in California, landscape & garden, Los Angeles, plant stars

A Rare Luis Barragán Fountain at an L.A. Home?

See full post at apartmenttherapy.com.

Luis Barragán is one of my favorite architects and the possibility that he may have designed this residential fountain in Los Angeles is really exciting. I came across this article in the LA Times Home and Garden section last year. I’d love to see it in person…

More on Luis Barragán: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luis_Barrag%C3%A1n

Posted via web from Patty’s posterous

January 19, 2010 0
See more: buildings & places, fountains, in California, Los Angeles


Weekend Getaway: Ace in Palm Springs

Another assignment from my travel writing class  —

Grab a few friends, pack your swimsuit and head out to Palm Springs this weekend. The Ace Hotel is the place. The sprawling, 200-room renovated Howard Johnson’s has an eccentric hipster/mid-century/cowboy vibe. Two large pools, a cozy bar and arguably one of the best restaurants in Palm Springs play host to an eclectic crowd of the young, the cool, the cool with kids and gay 30-somethings. It is a laid back, glamorous place to play and relax. Score a room on the first floor with a record player and a private patio with a fireplace (+/- $250 a night). Details abound: free magazines, a photo booth, mid-century furniture, poolside DJ’s, free Schwin bikes to borrow, spa treatments in poolside yurts, a great gym, macrame art, a dog park.

You probably won’t want to leave the Ace all weekend. But, if you can be tempted away from your chaise for a few hours, excellent vintage shopping is five minutes away. For accessories and jewelry head first to Dazzles, a retro emporium that fills an old motel downtown. The owner is wonderful and will guide you through a huge maze of Bakelite and rhinestone jewelry. This place is filled to the ceiling with purses, barware, lamps, glass, patio furniture, owls, clocks, etc. From here, walk several blocks in either direction on North Palm Canyon Drive for more vintage furnishing and fashion. Retrospect and Digs Palm Springs are particularly good for unique mid-century furniture.

Tip: You might want to make this weekend get-away an annual event.

Ace Hotel
701 E. Palm Canyon Dr
760.325.9900
http://www.acehotel.com/palmsprings

Dazzles
1035 N Palm Canyon Dr
760.327.1446

Retrospect
666 N Palm Canyon Dr
760.413.1766

Digs Palm Springs
515 N Palm Canyon Dr
760.325.6601

October 14, 2009 0
See more: in California, on the road