How to Build an Exercise Habit That Sticks
I was sitting on a weathered cedar bench in a small courtyard in Florence last spring, sketching the way the sunlight hit a cluster of lavender I’d named Barnaby, when I realized how much our approach to fitness mirrors bad landscape design. Most people treat fitness like a high-maintenance, artificial fountain—expensive, loud, and prone to […]
How to Build Better Eating Habits That Last
I was sitting in my studio last Tuesday, sketching out a new courtyard design and chatting with Barnaby—my oversized, slightly dramatic Fiddle Leaf Fig—when I realized my own internal ecosystem was completely out of whack. I had spent the afternoon fueled by nothing but lukewarm espresso and stale granola bars, a frantic attempt to keep […]
A Simple Morning Routine for a Healthier Day
I was sitting on my terrace in Florence last spring, sketching a new courtyard layout, when I realized how much we’ve been lied to about productivity. We’re constantly bombarded with these rigid, high-performance checklists that demand we wake up at 4:00 AM, drink charcoal lattes, and meditate for an hour before the sun even thinks […]
Beyond the Solitude of Stone: How Social Connection Affects Mental Health in the Living Gardens of Our Lives
I was sitting on a weathered stone bench in a small courtyard in Florence last spring, sketching a new layout for a client, when I realized I hadn’t spoken a word to another human in three days. I was surrounded by the most exquisite jasmine—I’d nicknamed her ‘Luna’ because of how her scent drifts at […]
How to Build Mental Resilience for Hard Days
I was sitting on a weathered stone bench in a small, rain-slicked courtyard in Florence last autumn, sketching a new layout for a community garden, when I realized my hands were shaking. It wasn’t the chill; it was the weight of a dozen overlapping deadlines and the crushing pressure of trying to be “perfect” in […]
Sleep Hygiene Tips for Deeper, Better Rest
I was sitting in my studio last Tuesday, surrounded by half-finished sketches of a terrace in Milan, when I realized I was staring at the same blueprint for the third hour straight. My eyes felt like they were filled with grit, and my mind was a chaotic tangle of irrigation lines and stone textures. It’s […]
Why a Daily Walk Might Be the Best Thing for Your Health
I was sitting on a weathered stone bench in a small courtyard in Florence last spring, sketching a new layout for a community garden, when I realized how much we’ve overcomplicated the simplest act of human movement. Everyone wants to sell you a $2,000 smartwatch or a high-tech, bio-hacking fitness regimen to “optimize” your life, […]
Beyond the Solitary Garden: Uncovering How Social Connection Affects Mental Health as the Vital Soil for the Human Soul.
I was sitting on a weathered stone bench in a small courtyard in Florence last spring, sketching a new layout for a client, when I realized something profound. I was surrounded by the scent of damp earth and blooming jasmine—my little friend Barnaby, as I call my climbing jasmine—but I was completely alone in my […]
How to Recover From Burnout and Feel Like Yourself Again
I remember sitting on a weathered stone bench in a small courtyard in Florence, my sketchbook heavy in my lap, but my mind was a complete desert. I had spent months obsessing over irrigation layouts and soil pH levels, pushing myself until the very colors of the lavender seemed to fade into a dull, suffocating […]
Everyday Habits That Support a Healthy Immune System
I was sitting in my studio yesterday, sketching a new courtyard design for a client, when I realized I was doing exactly what I despise: obsessing over a tiny, expensive bottle of “miracle” wellness shots I saw on social media. It’s the same nonsense we see in the landscape industry—people thinking they can just throw […]