Cathleen Quinn

Hausle Design (Scotts Valley, CA)

Dymondia – The wonder cover

This wonderful groundcover is used here as a lawn substitute. It is a very tiny (maybe 1″ tall) spreading groundcover that is green on the top and silver underneath and so gives off a look of morning frost on grass. It has tiny yellow daisy like flowers mostly in spring, can handle not so greatContinue reading “Dymondia – The wonder cover”

The Lovely Leucadendrons

Leucadendrons are becoming ever more available at nurseries and in all different colors ranging from reds to yellows to greens and greys and in any combination of those colors! I am using them in many of my designs for a number of reasons. First, they are adapted to our type of climate coming from theContinue reading “The Lovely Leucadendrons”

500 Seabright Ave. (Santa Cruz, CA)

LaMar Front and Side Yard (Scotts Valley, CA)

Smith/Bridges Front and Side Yard (Scotts Valley, CA)

Why not Forsythia in Santa Cruz!

I am surprised to not see more Forsythia planted in Santa Cruz. This plant is absolutely stunning in the springtime with branches completely full of yellow flowers from top to bottom! It is drought tolerant and with a number of varieties in various heights and widths it can be a splash of color March-April toContinue reading “Why not Forsythia in Santa Cruz!”

Wooden Deck Flower Planter

Below is a photo taken of a wooden deck planter I filled with colorful annuals and perennials for the Burtons in Scotts Valley, CA. I used Snapdragons, Marigolds, Linaria, Petunias, and a purple leafed Potato vine in the middle.

The Dreaded Drought

It has finally happened! In 2013 we had the lowest amount of rainfall here in California in recorded history according to statistics from the National Weather Service. But Alas! This situation can be viewed as a wake up call for all of us who have gotten lackadaisical about our conservation efforts (admittedly, myself included!). AsContinue reading “The Dreaded Drought”

Dennis’s front yard (Capitola, CA)

Dennis lives in Capitola in a pocket of clay so we amended the clay with gypsum and compost before we planted to help break up the clay. He wanted a drought tolerant yard with no automated irrigation, he prefered to hand water infrequently. This was fine because the clay was very nutrient rich and wouldContinue reading “Dennis’s front yard (Capitola, CA)”