The University of Back Yard Arts and Sciences

The challenge to create a lush, verdant landscape in a sustainable fashion without sacrificing aesthetics has motivated me for many years. Trained in the fine arts,   I have learned to envision the potential that is hidden in a dry, compacted patch of dirt. Finding ways to create something out of nothing is one of the most exciting things a creative person can do, and when I can apply sustainable techniques to the process, whether they consist of high tech solutions or simply common sense conservation, the entire endeavor becomes its own reward.

 The garden is a place that gives; time and space to rejuvenate, color and texture to inspire, as well as aromas and flavors to delight; but perhaps the garden's most valuable gift is the tuition free lesson of nature's ways. She finds a use for everything. Nature contends with "waste" by breaking it down to its essential elements, re-purposing them once again to become the building blocks for her next project. As the stewards of planet Earth we can learn a lot about sustainability simply by drawing on our observations of the garden and how nature works. Sustainability is a hot-button topic primarily dominated by conversations of a politically correct lifestyle. This lifestyle is characterized by city ordinances and resource rationing that can discourage our humble home gardener from greening his environs, particularly when the threat of a citation or surcharge looms ominously should he decide to take his hose to the yard on the wrong day.


My objective is to share my acquired knowledge with other aspiring gardeners so that they may proceed with their green goals uninhibited by anxiety, and empowered by a sense of freedom and joy. It is possible for the novice to embark on this wonderful journey with just a little basic information; from there she can build on her experience, and little by little, inch by inch, and row by row, her own sense of expertise will flourish and grow.