Today, my friend Mary Gray who owns the garden accessory store Pot-ted in Los Feliz, and I went on a tour of some beautiful and historic Pasadena gardens. The tour was part of the Garden Conservancy Open Days program.
According to their brochure "The Garden Conservancy is the only national nonprofit organization founded to preserve exceptional American gardens for the education and enjoyment of the public."
Six Pasadena homeowners generously opened their private gardens to Garden Conservancy guests this year.
I love to look at local gardens. I always walk away with lots of curb appeal ideas for my Pasadena and Arcadia home staging clients. We saw many gorgeous gardens, but Mary and I both liked the last garden we toured, the Bixby garden, the best. It wasn't a formal garden, like some of the others, but it had the most personality and charm. It reflected the Spanish Revival style of the home. You had a sense that the homeowners used and enjoyed all of the garden all of the time, not just when they were entertaining. You also had a sense that they got in there and got dirt under their fingernails.
Bird of Paradise
Pond complete with bronze alligator fountain
This was the guest house
Kitchen garden with fresh lettuce & greens
Dining area with aviary. The homeowner chose birds with pleasant songs. They must be happy. The love birds had 2 eggs and the canaries had 5 eggs.
Entry gates
The cactus garden was breathtaking. It was planted years ago by a previous owner who was the curator of the cactus gardens at the Huntington Gardens.
If you have an interest in gardens or garden design, I highly recommend you take the opportunity to participate in the next the Garden Conservancy Garden tour.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2010 RESA Professional Stager of the Year
Michelle has staged hundreds of Los Angeles homes, many of which have sold with multiple offers, above listing price.
She works with home sellers, listing agents and asset managers to prepare homes for sale throughout Los Angeles.
Moving Mountains Design provides vacant home staging, occupied home staging, color consultations, corporate and executive relocations, move organization, redesign, and interior design. We also stage model homes, REOs,foreclosures and auction properties for real estate investors and asset managers.
For more information about our Los Angeles home staging services, contact Michelle at (626)385-8852 or by email.
Click here to see our Los Angeles home staging portfolio
Click here to go to our Los Angeles home staging blog
Click here for more information about home staging in Los Angeles and how we can help sell your home faster and for the best price
Michelle: what a fun outing! I love,love,love this garden...everything: the colors, the plants, the pond. It looks like a very relaxing retreat. Thank you for sharing the gorgeous photos!
Hi Cari: It was really a great way to spend the day. Gorgeous weather and lots of eye candy. The other gardens were more formal with wide swaths of green lawn that went on forever. Everywhere you looked in this garden, there was something interesting to see.
Nice photos Michelle! The Bird of Paradise was especially beautiful...even the lettuce garden looked delish! Gardens are so calming to walk through...thanks for sharing!
Thanks, Kathleen. This garden was a magical place.
Michelle, so glad you enjoyed the Pasadena Open Day. There is another chance to visit local private gardens in Los Angeles on May 8th. Details on our website at www.opendaysprogram.org.
Love it! That cactus garden is really unusual! I love the color of the house with the blue trim.