2020 has been a year like no other and it's only June. Between shelter-in-place orders and now a collective call to address profound social injustices that exist, the approaching summer solstice invites an opportunity for reflection. As we open our doors and spend more precious time outside, I find both an appreciation and a respect for nature's capacity for growth and change. Watching the season unfold and seeing the plants and landscape blossom has been a comforting reminder of our own capacity to mature, adapt, and grow.
If you've followed me over the years, you might recognize this space, my home that has come to be endearingly known as Shangri-La. Over the decade my husband Eric and I have lived here, Shangri-La has seen its share of renovations and updates (planned and otherwise) as we've carved out our little slice of heaven in the foothills of Mill Valley. The house itself has been a design lab of sorts, and a place to explore and express our shared creative vision for our home. While my talents are largely relegated to space planning and design, Eric is the master gardener.
Our inspiration for the backyard was largely influenced by our travels over the years. The sail cloth and furnishings are Mid-Century nods to Palm Springs. They seek to reinvent the laid-back resort vibe of our favorite desert oasis. The curvature of the deck and more organic shapes were adapted from the work of the great landscape architect Burle Marx. We also drew on a shared love of St Bart's and the island's magical way of being effortlessly chic and relaxed. For the plantings, we scoured Sunset’s Guide to Northern California and carefully selected Bay Area natives as well as mix succulents and more drought tolerant plants from Australia. It was fun playing with color and textures – nature’s bounty! A lot of the garden has been trial by error figuring out what plants like what soil and sunlight. And of course, a lot of patience letting plants root, and grow. Shangri-La continues to be a labor of love.
With much more time spent at home this year, I am practicing a kind of gratitude for what I hold dear in life while also holding on to a sense of hope for continuing change in the world at large.
