Today we’re visiting Tonya Keck’s garden in Davis, California.

We bought our house eight years ago. It was a foreclosure and had been vacant for over a year. The kitchen windows all look out to the backyard. It was a jungle with many fruit trees and big holes where plants had been removed, but I loved it! Over the years I’ve had success with many types of geraniums, Japanese maples (Acer palmatum, Zones 5–9), roses (Rosa hybrids), lemon grass (Cymbopogon citratus, Zones 9–10), giant bird of paradise (Strelitzia nicolai, Zones 9–10), and lantana (Lantana camara, Zones 8–10 or as annual). We invite the neighbors over for outdoor movie nights all summer long!

A rosebud just beginning to unfurl, promising bright color and fragrance to come.

A couple of ladybugs taking a break from gobbling up aphids have found a beautiful, romantic spot to, um, get up close and personal with each other. That is good news for the garden. Ladybug larvae are even more voracious than the adult beetles, and since they can’t fly when immature, they stay in your garden gobbling up all sorts of problem-causing insects.

A sun-soaked patio dotted with lush containers. Those of us not lucky enough to be living in California can note jealously the ripe lemons hanging from a tree in the top of the photo.

A garden sculpture nestled down in the lush plantings.

Between a Japanese maple and a bird of paradise plant is a simple bench inviting you to stop, rest, and enjoy.

Nemesia is a beautiful annual, best suited to climates where you have cool nights or during the cooler temperatures of fall and spring. New breeding has greatly expanded the color range and temperature tolerance of this group, and it is easy to see why their vivid colors make such an impact in the garden.

Have a garden you’d like to share?

Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!

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