Slideshow: Personal Touches Make All the Difference

Michelle Gervais, Associate Editor

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Rebecca Sweet’s garden in Los Altos, California, is dripping with personality and charm. In her article "Personal Touches Make All the Difference" in the November/December 2011 issue of Fine Gardening, she explains how it’s the details and memories of a gardener that make a garden come alive. We couldn’t fit nearly enough photos of Rebecca’s garden in the article to do it full justice, so enjoy a few more here.

Start the slideshow by clicking on the small triangle in the bottom left corner of the slide viewer.

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Comments (16)

sweetrebecca writes: I haven't checked these comments in awhile and wanted to thank you all for such kind words. My garden is truly a labor of love and I'm really glad so many of you have enjoyed seeing it!

Antigonumcajun - you bring up some good points, but they're mostly misguided in terms of my own garden. I have no idea how many 'man-hours' I spend in it, as it's not something I find important enough to keep track of. During different seasons it can be a dozen/month or a dozen/week - it all depends. It's not work for me, though, but pure pleasure. Even when I'm on my hands and knees weeding or doing some other menial task, I love every minute of it. I try and garden as much as I can, but it's never enough since I have my own landscape design business and between that and writing books and traveling the country speaking, free time is something I'm left with very little of. I try and never use pesticides if possible, choosing organic methods instead. If you think I have a staff of gardeners you'd be wrong. Unless you count my husband and kids, then yes, I have a staff. My garden isn't as large as it might look here - the entire property is under 1/3 acre, with a modest ranch-sized home taking up the bulk of it. I use my own compost (though I don't get as much as I'd like). Yes, I water my garden but try and be conscious, preferring drought tolerant plants when possible and closely moderating when and how much the water goes on throughout the year. Though I must admit I've snuck in a few hydrangeas that are thirsty little guys. I've never claimed to be a purist, but I make an effort. I'm not really as fit as I'd like, and in fact will be going in for one of three surgeries this year. But I'm not really sure what that has to do with my garden anyway. And I'm sorry to say I'm not someone with 'no other worries in life' (is there really anyone out there like that?) but luckily gardening, when I have the chance, helps those worries melt away. Posted: 10:47 pm on December 27th

antigonumcajan writes: Impressive high maintenance installation! Besides aesthetics, pragmatics in any garden is a topic worthy of discussion. How many man-hours a week, month year in maintenance? Gas/oil, herbicide, insecticide, fertilizer and irrigation...A bundle I bet, plus gardeners for hire, unless one is in really fit with no other worries in life.

http://www.guiaverde.com/blog/destacadas/jardin-tropical-en-puerto-rico
Posted: 7:37 pm on December 22nd

PatteA writes: What a wonderful garden. Loved every one. Got some really good ideas from these beautiful spaces. Posted: 7:06 am on November 15th

Sandestinboy writes: Rebecca's garden is, indeed, quite special. I know it evokes within me all the right elements. Great gardens don't have to surround royal estates, they can beautify a simple shed or any modest abode. We really have no idea from these pictures about the home this garden encircles, but the slideshow so captivated my interest that I had no desire to even see the house. The fencing and sheds are soothing in grays and blues and play second fiddle to the plants. The mixture of plantings and yard art are varied and interesting. Thanks for this garden show! Posted: 10:04 pm on October 2nd

bulbesha writes: Michelle,
Your garden is simply breathtaking. it looks like you lovingly placed each plant and ornament in the perfect spot, i enjoyed every snapshot. i'm sure it doesn't do it justice.
Posted: 10:24 pm on September 27th

gardeningmum writes: what a fabulous garden. Thanks so much for sharing.
Very inspiring and lots of ideas... love the brick pathways... Posted: 7:40 pm on September 27th

kiffiejean writes: Rebecca...what a truly beautiful space you have created.

Thanks for sharing.

I'm so sorry to hear of Daisys' passing. Posted: 12:43 am on September 27th

Happily_Gardening writes: Hi JimPond,
Regarding your comment, slide show too fast to enjoy the garden...
If you put your cursor, click, on the small four squares to the right of the arrows (above hide captions) you'll get a screen with all the garden photos that you can click through individually at your own pace. Additionally if you put your cursor,click, on the last little box with 4 arrows, it will give you full screen view. You can view pictures individually on full screen too, just click on the same button as described in my first sentence. Hope this explained adequately and helps you enjoy this beautiful garden.
Posted: 10:40 am on September 26th

JimPond writes: Wonder-full garden but the slide show was awkward to start and then too fast to enjoy the great garden. Posted: 9:19 am on September 26th

Vespasia writes: Wonderful garden Rebecca, thank you for sharing it with us. I love all your "rooms" truly a garden to live in. I just wish we had the weather up here in Canada to garden year round maybe we should move to California! Posted: 8:14 am on September 26th

gottagarden writes: just lovely! Posted: 7:31 am on September 26th

77355 writes: Such beautiful spaces, colors and plant combinations. Thank you for allowing FG to share your creativity to inspire the rest of us! Posted: 9:44 am on September 20th

CoolGreenGardens writes: I've had the privilege of visiting Rebecca's garden for a few social events, and it's truly a magical place. Rebecca's gift is the ability to create usable spaces that lend themselves to casual entertaining, while putting a personal, whimsical touch on every square inch, either with killer combos of color, or picking just the right garden ornament to make even tiny corners sparkle.

(And now that she doesn't have her silly little chickens running around, it's safe to walk on the bricks without fear of slipping!) Posted: 12:50 am on September 20th

Treewriter writes: Beautiful! It's nice to see the personal garden of a superb landscape designer. Posted: 9:31 pm on September 18th

DebraLee writes: Rebecca's garden is exquisite. She has a wonderful eye for design, and for creating outdoor spaces that are both inviting and functional. It's no wonder her book on vertical gardening, Gardening UP! (with Susan Morrison) is hugely popular. Posted: 3:15 pm on September 18th

sweetrebecca writes: Thank you so much, Michelle - you've done such an amazing job capturing my garden with your beautiful photos. And I can't tell you how happy it makes me to see my dearly departed Daisy again, too! My little dog loved that garden almost as much as I do! ;) Posted: 2:56 pm on September 18th

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