-
Find the Perfect Tomato
-
Backyard Makeover Game
-
Enchanting Japanese Maples
-
The Only Shrubs You Need to Grow
-
15 Deer-Resistant Plants
-
Spectacular Spring Bloomers
-
Lilacs: Time for a Fresh Look
-
Variegated Plants Create Drama
-
Celebrate Spring with Cool-Season Containers
-
Friendly Ways to Battle Garden Pests
-
How to Grow Raspberries
-
Soil Testing is Worth the Effort
-
Garden Catalog Collector
-
Design an Engaging Entryway
-
Video: Make a Straw-Bale Garden
-
Perfect Edges for Your Beds and Borders
-
A Gardener's Checklist for Early Spring
-
How to Start a Vegetable Garden
-
All About Starting Seeds
-
10 Perennials Easily Grown from Seed
-
Make Your Own Hypertufa Container
-
Building a Compost Bin
-
Cool-Season Annuals
-
Sweetly Scented Tulips
-
Viburnums are Versatile Shrubs
Subscribe to RSS feed
David Fishman's Otherworldly Plant Portraits Will Amaze You
I was cerebrally unprepared to absorb his jawdroppingly rich and exotic images. Where do I begin?...
view details
What Are You Doing on National Public Gardens Day, Friday, May 11?
National Public Gardens Day is a great excuse to take a walk in a park, arboretum, or public garden and stop and smell the ___ (fill in the blank).
view details
Announcing the No-Mow Lawns Book Winners!
More than 300 readers were hoping they would win a copy of Beautiful No-Mow Lawns. Here are the lucky FIVE who did and a peek at some of their gardens.
view details
Garden Design Lessons from Nature, In a Concrete Box
Imagine designing gardens that come to life almost overnight, then just as quickly disappear. Months of planning, locating beautiful plants and tons of soil and rock, followed by a mad dash to bring...
view details
The New Sunset Western Garden Book - A Must for Western Gardeners
The newest Sunset Western Garden Book is an indispensable reference for every gardener from the Rockies to the Pacific and from San Diego to Alaska. The new edition has some sweet bonuses you can't be without.
view details
The Bloedel Reserve Whispers Wow
The first "take my breath away" moment hit me at the Bird Marsh at the Bloedel Reserve. Nothing disturbed the mirrored surface and no bird songs interrupted the muffled drops of rain on the duff.
view details
Book Give-Away: Beautiful No-Mow Yards, by Evelyn J. Hadden
303 commentsIt’s hard to read Beautiful No-Mow Yards and not want to run outside and Kevorkianize that patch of green that sucks the life out of precious weekends and strains checkbooks.
view details
Shop 'Til You Sag at the NWFGS
2 commentsMy week at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show was wonderful, but some folks think there's something wrong with a guy who doesn't buy any plants or gizmos.
view details
Winter Wealth: A Gold Standard for Gardens
1 commentGold is a precious commodity in a winter garden, bringing visual warmth and cheer when skies are gray. It's just the effect I need in the new garden I'm designing.
view details
Boost Your Garden Design Skills and Save Money at a Flower and Garden Show
5 commentsAttending a major flower and garden show can be a lot like grocery shopping while hungry. Here's how you can "purchase with purpose" while getting the most out of your visit.
view details
America In Bloom: Rebuilding Communities a Shovelful at a Time
1 commentOn its surface, America In Bloom's national competition appears to be simply a horticulture program aimed at beautifying towns and cities around the country. But the deeper benefits for those who embrace the challenge can lead to an economic boost and heightened community pride.
view details
Groovy Zoo Gardens
I was always grateful my former neighbor Janie, the elephant tender at the Santa Barbara Zoo, didn't bring her work home with her. But visiting her at her job gave me some great landscaping ideas.
view details
|
|
About this column
Enter the world of sustainable gardening with Billy Goodnick's "Cool Green Gardens" blog. Billy lives in Santa Barbara, CA, and delivers a West Coast perspective on landscape design that will translate into your own backyard. Check out CGG for great ideas on reducing your impact on the environment and creating a landscape that is an extension of your home.Billy Goodnick, a landscape architect, educator and writer, shares the wisdom he has gathered from thirty-five years of retail nursery sales, landscaping, designing and teaching. He'll challenge your assumptions while putting a smile on your face with his off-the-wall humor.
Whether you're seeking to fine-tune your existing garden or are starting with a clean slate, Cool Green Gardens is your go-to resource for sustainable ideas, innovation and inspiration.
