Essays

Barnraising a Garden

m.simon — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 20:25:10 -0400

It was 6:30 am on a Saturday morning, and I was headed down to Lawndale to begin the garden installation. The sun was just glowing over the horizon and there was no one on the freeway. The air smelled fresh and cool, my spirit bubbling like champagne. It was a perfect day to break ground.

Scented Gardens

m.simon — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 15:54:20 -0400

It is the blue hour, and you are walking down the street, when suddenly your nostrils flare as some exotic scent drifts in on a breeze. In that moment, you are captivated and begin the search for the elusive scent. You walk down one street and then another, the scent growing stronger, until you turn the corner, and there it is: an orange tree in full bloom. You take a deep breath, drawing the smell deep into your lungs, and for a few minutes it is just you, the darkening sky, and the sweet smell of the blossoms.

Inviting Birds Into Your Garden

m.simon — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 15:10:13 -0400

I was standing at my sink the other morning, when I saw it: this beautiful little bird, with black and white markings and a stunning yellow throat. It flitted about the garden for a few minutes before it disappeared into my grapefruit tree. Now, I don’t know what kind of bird it was, but I do know that seeing that bird absolutely delighted me. And so, I wanted to share with you some things you can do to invite birds into your own garden.

Garden Design and Landscape Architecture- Where the Twain Shall Meet

Poelzig — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 12:08:22 -0400

I remember being 6 years old and eating dirt. It had just rained, and the smell of the wet soil, the sound of the moisture dripping off the leaves was so intoxicating I just wanted to be a part of it. One way I could think of to feel that connectedness was to eat the dirt. As I crunched away on a small handful, I realized it wasn’t quite what I’d hoped for, but the longing I felt left its mark, and today I am here at UCLA studying landscape architecture.

Journey to the Mountain King

Poelzig — Sun, 10 May 2009 01:31:08 -0400

March in Yosemite, cold but still. Late at night, flat on my back. Looking up at the sky with my best friend Mary Mccaughan. I feel the small pebbles against my back, feel the cold creeping up thru my parka and pants, but I do not move – do not dare to move – the vision is too intoxicating.

A Child's Garden

Poelzig — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 15:00:18 -0400

It wasn’t so long ago that I lay on a blanket in the grass, under the filtered shade of our Acacia trees, my daughter curled up beside me on a pillow. And there I made up a story for her, “Beatrice’s Britches’. It was a silly story about a brave young girl who was not allowed to wear britches just because she was a girl, and all the trouble she got into when she didn’t listen.