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landscaping

Phoenix, Christmas, Desert Botanical Garden

Phoenix, Christmas, Desert Botanical Garden

This time last year, we were visiting my family back in Arizona. Christmas tamales are obviously the very best thing about December in Phoenix, but a solid runner-up is the Desert Botanical Garden and its seasonal luminarias. The cacti and pretty lights make for a uniquely Southwestern holiday experience, one that I didn’t fully appreciate until being away.  Continue reading »

Crimson bottlebrushes

Bottlebrush borders

Welcome back to Not So Grand Designs Australia, where time and expense stand in the way of everything. Our front yard was in need of additional screening, so we carved out another garden bed and added a bottlebrush hedge in order to make that happen.  Continue reading »

Cinderblock, Improved

Cinderblock, improved

Every little job adds up to create an improved whole, but this particular fix went a long way to burnish curb appeal: refreshing the crummy cinderblock wall at the front of our property. It only took two afternoons and a tin of paint but the result is loads better, almost modern even.  Continue reading »