Originally conceived of as just a 500-square-foot box, a modest Northern California pool house in Sonoma got bigger after architect and owner Neal Schwartz started thinking about how to block views of neighboring properties—to focus instead on surrounding vineyards.

The solution? Schwartz, founding principal of San Francisco firm Schwartz and Architecture, added a tiny courtyard to the pool house to make the structure longer. Let's take a look at what he did:

Photography by Matthew Millman. 

Above: In Architect Is In: Beyond Prefab in a Sonoma Weekend Retreat, we featured the main house on this site-sensitive property. "The main house was sited to focus on views of surrounding vineyards while the pool house blocks views of an adjacent property and adds to the feeling of privacy on the site," Schwartz says. 

Above: Schwartz first designed the 500-square-foot structure as a box with a main living space and an attached bedroom. "Because of the desire to maximize the length of the structure to block views of the neighboring property, we began to pull the bathroom away from the main space," Schwartz says. "This is how the outdoor courtyard space came to be."

Above: The floorplan of the pool house (with the pool on the left) shows how the courtyard was created by pulling the bathroom away from the main space to make the poo lhouse longer.

Above: The site plan shows the relationship of the pool house to the main house. 

Above: Because the courtyard is on axis with the site's largest oak tree, much of the courtyard is hidden from view from the main house, "a nice extra level of privacy for sun bathing," Schwartz says. The simple structure, which is wrapped in corrugated metal siding more commonly seen on rural structures, is conventional wood frame construction with a concrete slab on grade. "The one bit of luxury is the cedar lined courtyard—a contrast to the rougher exterior walls," Schwartz says. 

Above: Views from the courtyard face long vistas to the Sonoma mountains and the main house.  

Above: When the pool house was extended, it gained a courtyard and a long hallway to connect the main space to the bathroom. Schwartz has turned the hallway into a gallery space. "To fit with the pool house theme, I ordered photographic prints of aquatic creatures online from a Russian marine biologist and amateur photographer," Schwartz says. "When I contacted him about his images, he was on a dive in the Bering Straits."

For more clever Outbuildings, see Rehab Diary: From Garage to Tiny Cottage in LA, on a Budget. And on Remodelista, is this The Ultimate Indoor/Outdoor Room?

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• 10 Favorites: Scandi-Style Christmas Ornaments
• Hardscaping 101: Solar Paneling Primer
• Steal This Look: A Deer-Proof Garden in Hollywood Hills

"When it comes to making wreaths, it's pretty easy to make a gourmet-looking one with a humble pantry of ingredients," say Jill Rizzo and Alethea Harampolis, the creative team behind the San Francisco floral shop Studio Choo. They share their secrets in The Wreath Recipe Book, a comprehensive guide packed with step-by-step wreath and garland recipes arranged by season and accessible to even the DIY-averse whose idea of a making a wreath is to buy one at the grocer.

Looking for winter wreath inspiration? The duo offers up their recipe for a pussy willow wreath below. 

For a look inside their shop, see our earlier post Studio Choo Blooms in San Francisco.

Photography by Paige Green.

Above: From the winter recipe collection, the Juniper Wreath includes exotic (but easy to source) air plants and orchids.

The Wreath Recipe Book opens with a simple guide that includes wreathing tool basics, branch cutting and attachment techniques, hydration tips, and step-by-step building instructions.

Above: The fragrant tallow garland is made of just three ingredients: tallow sprigs, bay laurel, and Spanish moss brought together with twine and wire.

The recipes branch out from wreaths, cooking up garlands, centerpieces, place settings, swags, and focal arrangements.

Above: Pussy willow's woody shoots hold up well over time and dry nicely. In the pussy willow wreath recipe, they are complemented by bleached pine cones and blue-green spruce for a simple, woodsy variation.

Pussy Willow Wreath Recipe

(excerpted from The Wreath Recipe Book)

Ingredients:

• 4 spruce branches
• 5 pussy willow branches
• 10 bleached and wired pine cones 

Materials:

• Grapevine wreath frame
• Medium-gauge wire 

Step 1: Start with the grapevine wreath frame. Grapevine Wreaths are available at many florists, craft stores, and online (eGrapevine store offers many options). 

Step 2: Bend three spruce branches around the frame and secure them with wire. Allow the branches to hang over the wreath as desired.

Step 3: Bend the pussy willow branches around the wreath, tucking in the ends to secure.

Step 4: Attach the bleached pine cones (you can make your own by soaking pine cones in a solution of two parts bleach to one part water) around the wreath at pleasing locations. Finish by tucking in the last spruce branch on the upper left side.

Above: The Wreath Recipe Book is $18.60 through Amazon. 

For more wreath ideas, see:

• DIY on a Budget: A Silvery Holiday Wreath for $20
• A Scandi-Inspired Holiday Wreath
• A Succulent Wreath to Display All Year

More Stories from Gardenista

• DIY: Plant Your Christmas Tree in the Garden
• DIY: Burlap Christmas Tree Skirt
• DIY Wreaths: 11 Favorite Florists' Holiday Decor Workshops

Who: Three talented siblings—an interior designer, a woodworker, and a photographer—create modern, functional handmade wooden pieces for the home.

What: De Jong & Co. specialize in what they dub small goods: Think chopping boards, rolling pins, spice mills, and wooden cups. They sell their wares in their online shop and will be showing their latest designs at our LA Market (this Saturday, December 6) and SF Market (December 13).

Insider Scoop: De Jong & Co. will be presenting a prototype chair design at our markets and encouraging feedback. They're also offering free gift wrapping for all their table goods.

Above: White Oak Salt and Pepper Grinders; $150 each from Spartan Shop. Individually hand-turned, they can also be used to mill coffee beans and spices.

Above: The three-legged Dibbet Stool in white oak is $350 from De Jong & Co.

Above: Serving Board No. 2 of hand-carved black walnut is $220 from De Jong & Co.

Check out our Gift Guides for more holiday ideas, including:

• Gifts for the French Chef
• Cookbooks that Make Perfect Presents
• Gifts for the Holiday Host
• Surprises for the Beginner Gardener

More Stories from Gardenista

• Remodelista LA Market Spotlight: Edible Gardens LA
• Remodelista LA Market Spotlight: Wrk-Shp
• Required Reading: Vita Sackville-West's Sissinghurst

Our loved ones say we're the hardest people to shop for. Allow us to remove the guesswork. Dear Santa, Michelle wants a vintage hand fork. Cheryl wants a peony-arranging class. Christine wants a bell. And we've all been very good at Gardenista this year. See everyone's picks here:

Above: A combination LED light and miniature greenhouse by Polish designers Lightovo, a Milo Glass Lampshade is on Margot's list. For information and prices, see Lightovo.

"Its creators say it was inspired by a passage in The Little Prince. Go figure," says Margot. "I like its double-duty approach, and the fact that it's for plants that require a lot of light."

   

Above: Cheryl wants a two-part gift: a Waxed Amaryllis Bulb ($35) and an extra small Silver Footed Stand ($10), both from Terrain.

"The fit of a waxed bulb on a footed stand is just so perfect, it's something to admire," says Cheryl. "And the bloom isn't too sweet, thanks to the minimalist wire. The only question is do you buy one, or an entire row?"

Above: On Michelle's list is a Vintage Hand Fork, used by a farmer in Scotland, is part of a trove of one-of-a-kind tools on offer from Williams-Sonoma; $69.95. 

"Tools should be built to pass down. I like the idea of holding in my hand the same garden fork that turned the dirt 70 years ago in a faraway garden," says Michelle. "Forged iron tines and a worn wooden handle: who will get to use it 70 years from now?"

Above: Victorian Pots by Campo de' Fiori, $24 apiece from GRDN, also made Michelle's list because of their adorable drainage holes.

"Thank God, you can now find Campo de' Fiori pots easily online," she says. (The Berkshires-based makers of high-quality terra cotta and stone pots also offer a selection of 86 different aged terra cotta pots at Campodefiori.)

Above: Christine's pick is a Wide Stoneware Black Striped Bell. It is $185 from NY-based artist Michele Quan, who created the design after visiting a Shinto shrine in Japan.

"Why do I have to have one?" says Christine. "A gentle breeze is one of my favorite things in the world, and a bell like this in my garden would mean I could hear the breeze, as well as feel it!"

Above: Handmade Sussex Trugs, also on Christine's list, are £40 apiece from the Foodie Bugle. Made from coppiced wood, it's beautiful and versatile. "I'd use it in the garden for gathering and collecting, or inside for a centerpiece on the table," says Christine.

Above: Indigenous Plant Palettes, a new book by Marijke Honig, is "chief object of desire" for Marie Viljoen, who reports for us regularly on what is growing both on her terrace in Harlem and in her mother's garden in South Africa. For information and prices, see Quiver Tree Publications.

"The author, a friend of mine who is a landscape designer in South Africa, groups indigenous plants by chapter within 'palettes' for perfume, hedging, climbers, edible qualities, rooftop spaces, ponds, and more. Detailed cultivation guidelines are provided as well as design tips. There are over 1,000 photos. This is a seminal book," says Marie.

Above: Also on Cheryl's list, a Three-Day Floral Design Retreat hosted by one of our favorite farmer-florists, Erin Benzakein is $2,800. 

"The intensive workshop won't be held for a few months, but I can handle the delayed gratification when it entails a field of peonies, me in a flower crown of my own making, and insider tricks of the trade," says Cheryl. Benzakein will host the workshop on her Floret Farms in Washington, and registration starts today. 

Above: Kendra craves a collar and plaited lead for chic dog-walking. The Lurcher Collar is £29.50, and made by Nicola Watson, a master saddler.

"Suitable for hounds of all sizes and handmade by someone who does saddlery for Hermès, the plaited lead and collar, whether wide or narrow, is almost as smart as the dog. Lurchers and greyhounds being very big at the moment it seems," says Kendra.

Above: Slipper Socks, from Folk at Home, are also on Kendra's list ("they have a certain medieval appeal") and she will be happy to take them in either gray or brown; £42 per pair.

Still shopping? For more gift ideas for design aesthetes and gardeners, see more gift guides:

• Best Books for Garden Lovers
• Tiny Topiaries for Apartment Dwellers
• Gifts for Beginner Gardeners

More Stories from Gardenista

• Trending on Remodelista: LA Story
• Gift Guide: Best Books for Garden Lovers
• Table of Contents: California Dreaming

This week, Julie and the Remodelista editors are in LA, making house calls. They toured a Mediterranean revival, a Palladian pool house, and a cantilevered hillside bedroom with views of the Hollywood Hills. All while preparing for Saturday's Remodelista Holiday Market at Big Daddy's Antiques. (Come by and say hi.)  Besides a case of house envy, here's what you missed:

Above: World's Best Wedding Venue? After a tour of the Hollywood Boulevard estate's 1,700-square-foot event space, Julie wants to renew her vows.

Above:  Margot found a Spec House with a Soul in Hollywood. Photograph by Laure Joliet.

Above: Brooklyn audiophile Myles Tipley, ("DJ by night, DIYer by day"), finds the Holy Grail: 10 Easy Pieces of high-performance audio equipment that's also stylish enough to display like sculpture.

Above:The "design collective synonymous with edgy LA-style"? We are speaking of Commune Design. In this week's Steal This Look, Christine reveals how to recreate the look of founding partner Ramin Shamshiri's kitchen remodel.

Above: We paused to admire this bathroom, for its ocean-blue Moroccan tile and a skylight that lets in sunbeams, but every room in this home sparkles. Christine, with her architectural eye, takes us on a full tour of M+Project's Home in Silverlake. Photograph by Mimi Giboin.

For more of Remodelista's LA coverage, including Meredith's visit to a vegan raw food cafe and yoga studio, go here. 

More Stories from Gardenista

• Gift Guide: Gardenista Editors' Picks
• Gift Guide: Best Books for Garden Lovers
• Table of Contents: California Dreaming

Take a look at what's on our radar this week. And  if you're in Los Angeles, head to the Remodelista Market at Big Daddy's Antiques. We'll be here today from 10 am to 5 pm.

• Above: One sleek barn house in Sebastapol. Photograph courtesy of Anderson Anderson Architecture. 
• Learn to make a wreath with the Brooklyn Botanical Garden; tomorrow from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm. And check out our foundup of Favorite Florists' Wreath Workshops, in cities from London to Los Angeles.

• Above: A moody visit to Leva, a garden and bakery shop in Gotland. Photograph by Chelsea Fuss. 
• Handmade house. 

• Above: On our Wish List: Gardener's Hamper, bee homes included. 
• A simple guide to preserving Winter Vegetables. 

• Above: DIY Holiday Fire Starters. 
• Our friends at The Sill opened their first shop. Find them at 84 Hester in NYC. 

Instagram and Pinterest Pick of the Week

• Above: The ladies at Blockshop (@blockshoptextiles) prepare for today's Remodelista Holiday Market at Big Daddy's Antiques in LA. 
• We're gathering a lot of inspiration from Poppy Talk's Holiday board. 

Read more from this week on Gardenista in our California Dreaming issue and take a look at Remodelista's LA Story. 

More Stories from Gardenista

• Current Obsessions: The DIY Gift
• Current Obsessions: Giving and Gathering
• Current Obsessions: Family Time

You can make it snow indoors with pots of white cyclamen. 

There are quite a few kinds of cyclamen—nearly two dozen species—beyond the common, florists' cyclmen for sale in supermarkets. And yet. The large-flowered potted variety you see everywhere can be a care-free, ruffly petaled thing of beauty if you set pots of it on the mantel or beneath the Christmas tree.

After the holiday season ends, cyclamen will be happy to continue blooming year-round in its pot. (I set mine in a sheltered spot that gets a northern exposure and water once a week.)

Photography by Michelle Slatalla.

Above: Cyclamen persicum, native to Mediterranean climates, can do well in the garden too, if you live in a growing zone where temperatures don't drop below freezing. If you bought a plant or two for the holidays, paint the plastic nursery pots gold for now and decide later, after New Year's, if you want to commit.

Above: Cyclamen spreads from tubers. If you like the look of its velvety, upright petals—they remind me of the ears on a certain little dog I know—you also can experiment in the garden with more delicately shaped woodland varieties. Cyclamen cilicium, for instance, has pale purple flowers. It is 3 inches tall and native to Turkey and has mottled green and white leaves. In the garden, it will tolerate light shade; $13 per plant from Plant Delights.

Above: For instant holiday decor, head to the supermarket; potted cyclamens are inexpensive and will bloom through the season in well-drained soil. I paid $4.99 per pot for mine.

Softening on poinsettias? We witnessed a Christmas Miracle: 5 Poinsettias That Aren't Tacky. And see what happened when Justine decided to get a live Christmas tree and plant it in the garden after the holidays in DIY: Plant Your Christmas Tree.

More Stories from Gardenista

• Field Guide: Mistletoe
• Gift Guide: Tiny Topiaries for the Apartment Dweller
• How to Pick Your Perfect Christmas Tree

Just because something is useful doesn't mean it can't look luxurious. This week we explore the intersection between function and good looks in outdoor design—and offer a few suggestions about how to marry the two:  

Above: Photograph by Tom Kubik from Trend Alert: San Francisco's Favorite Flower Truck.

Monday

Above: A 17th-century farmhouse in Devon retains its historical character with a modern garden, thanks to garden designer Arne Maynard's expert siting of gates and walkways in this week's Designer Visit. 

Above: Would it surprise you to learn that Justine has figured out how to elevate the lowly supermarket poinsettia, to make it the star of a holiday Floral Arrangement?

Tuesday

Above: Defeat the drought. Some of the best news ideas for low-water, sustainable gardens are coming out of Los Angeles, a city that uses less water today than it did 45 years ago (even though the population has soared). Cheryl takes notes on the native plants movement—with help from Grow Outdoor Design in this week's Garden Visit.

Wednesday

Above: Forget overalls. Clothing designer (and expert seamstress) Sarah Waldo Jagger shows us how to make an apron sleeve, with perfectly sized pockets for carrying tools, in this week's DIY. 

Above: Nothing is more luxurious than a beautifully outfitted workspace. Meredith takes us on a tour of her favorite Garden Sheds. 

Thursday

Above: In 10 Easy Pieces, Janet selects her favorite wrought iron fences, and offers pros (they double as trellises) and options for every budget.

Friday 

Above: Proving she can stick to a budget, Cheryl sleuths lovely and thoughtful presents under $50 in this week's Holiday Gift Guide.

Above: For fruitcake haters, Lindsey calls a truce. In this week's Garden-to-Table Recipe, she brings a cranberry and apple holiday bundt cake. Bonus: there's a gluten-free version.

Craving more Utilitarian Glamour? Head over to Remodelista, where Julie and the team will be celebrating the practical and the pretty all week.

More Stories from Gardenista

• Trending on Remodelista: LA Story
• Gift Guide: Gardenista Editors' Picks
• Gift Guide: Best Books for Garden Lovers

UK garden designer Arne Maynard has never met a walled garden he didn't like. And with good reason. The structure and severity that stone imposes is just stern enough to cut the sweetness of his romantic, wild plantings.

Consider his Maynard's thoughtful overhaul of a 17th century stone farmhouse and its walled garden in Devon. Over the centuries, the garden's design had gone wrong as owners moved gates and entryways and paths—gradually, but insidiously—until the result was a sprawl that seemed to have little purpose.

Maynard fixed that, by restoring the main path that leads to the house and designing a new, custom oak gate (inspired by woodwork inside the house) that looks 300 years old.  Lift the latch, and let's visit the garden:

Photographs via Tuinenstruinen except where noted.

Above: To complement the centuries-old farmhouse, Maynard commissioned a new gate to give the entryway presence. He planted espaliered pear trees on the courtyard wall, in effect creating a second, "outer" courtyard.

Above: Photograph via Arne Maynard.

In the front courtyard, Maynard planted lavender, violas, geraniums, and mature yew topiaries.

Above: A courtyard fountain.

Above:  Allium and spiky purple lupine flourish in a garden that encourages herbaceous flowers to go a little wild (in reaction to the fussiness of the topiaries and espaliers).

Above: Lavender and yew edge a walkway.

Above: The kitchen garden has raised beds and oak fruit cages.

Above: Meadows of wildflowers surround the house.

Above: In the inner courtyard, Maynard planted espaliered pear trees.

Above: Photograph via Arne Maynard.

A climbing rose is trained against the stone wall.

Above: The formality of the architecture and stone walls is softened by drifts of wildflowers.

Above: The rolling hills provide a painterly backdrop for the garden.

For more of Arne Maynard's gardens, see:

• A Downton Abbey-Worthy Garden
• Designer Visit: Arne Maynard at Home in Wales

More Stories from Gardenista

• Architect Visit: Net-Zero Getaway Ranch in Northern California
• Architects' Roundup: 10 Contemporary Farmhouse Gardens
• Garden Visit: Bunny Mellon at Oak Spring Farms

Ubiquitous at this time of year, poinsettias are often dismissed as too common, or worse, too tacky. (The fact that their pots come swathed in garish foils doesn't help.) This holiday season, I set out to see if I could reimagine this tawdry Christmas plant—and turned it into a cut flower in an exotic holiday bouquet.

Read on for materials and step-by-step instructions:

Photography by Justine Hand for Gardenista.

Above: Already better: simply replanting the poinsettia from plastic into an earthy Italian pot makes it looks more warm and natural. And by removing some of the excess leaves, you can also see the more dramatic form of the plant. Each bloom looks like a firework.

Native to Mexico and Central America, poinsettia's (Euphorbia pulcherrima) commonly come in red, pink and white. For my bouquet, I chose a white poinsettia plant from my local grocery store.

Materials

• White poinsettia plant
• Branches of berries or rose hips
• Evergreen boughs (I used leucothoe)
• A footed vase or bowl
• Floral foam (available at most craft stores)
• Candle
• Sturdy scissors or shears

Above: To emphasize the newly discovered wild warmth of my cream colored poinsettia, I chose an unruly spray of persimmon rose hips. These are quite common. I have them in my yard.

Above: Found at Winston Flowers (my favorite local florist), the lush, variegated foliage and crimson buds of Leucothoe seemed the perfect complement for my Christmas arrangement. Note: if you can't find leucothoe (you know, that shrub with the clusters of small, white, bell flowers that bloom in spring), then any similarly expressive green will do.

Above: Besides flora, for this bouquet you will need: a pedestal bowl, wet floral foam (available at most craft stores), a candle, and sturdy scissors or shears.

Step 1:

Above: When working with foaming in a shallow bowl, you want to distribute the weight of your specimens evenly on all sides. Otherwise the foam may float and your bouquet will tip.

Cut your foam, if necessary, and place it in the bowl with water. Gently turn the foam over to make sure it's completely saturated.

Then begin layering your longer pieces (rose hips and leucothoe) on each side. First, measure the specimen to determine the right length. Then give the stem a fresh diagonal cut, leaving about 1.5 inches excess to stick into the foam. Note that you don't want too much stem in the foam as these will get in the way of the opposite branches and can cause the foam to break apart. Continue to add plants, alternating from one side to the other until your get the desired base. 

Above: My base, constructed.

Step 2:

Above: After the poinsettia is cut, a milky sap will bleed from the stem and cause the flower to die quickly. To prolong the life of a cut poinsettia flower, it is necessary to sear the stem before you place it in water. 

Above: After cutting the stem to the desired length, sear it by holding the end over a flame, turning it around to scorch all sides, for about five seconds. 

Above: A seared poinsettia stem will prevent the sap from bleeding, and still will allow the plant to draw water. Note that it is not necessary to sear where you removed leaves. Only the main stem needs to be cauterized.

Step 3:

Above: Place four or five seared poinsettia flowers toward the center of the arrangement in front and in back.

Above: An explosion of holiday cheer. In a silver pedestal bowl, my poinsettia bouquet is both wild and formal.

Above: A long lasting arrangement; after being seared, cut poinsettia flowers will last more than a week.

Above: My bouquet graces the corner of my dining room. Next year I may try pink poinsettias with purple privet berries. Or, if I'm feeling really adventurous, I might even attempt something with the red poinsettias (perhaps pairing them with  white gooseberries and black pearl amaryllis).

Explore more outside-the-box ways to arrange this common holiday flower in Christmas Miracle: 5 Poinsettias That Aren't Tacky. And then there's always the poinsettia cocktail, served during A Woodland Holiday Party.

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• 5 Easy Pieces: A Weeknight Holiday Party Menu
• Shopper's Diary: Canyon Culture—and Cacti—at Hollyflora in LA
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Mistletoe; Viscum album: The Endless Embrace

It hardly bears repeating that mistletoe reminds us of Christmas and kissing. But if we find ourselves under mistletoe at a party, certain companions are preferable to others—we definitely avoid that aunt who wraps us in her boa constrictor embrace, to plant a big wet one on our forehead. In the plant kingdom, mistletoe is just like that overenthusiastic family member. It's a parasite arborists hate for growing on the branches of trees and blocking their sunlight. That said, if we are careful growing it, mistletoe has its uses. (Perhaps if we’re extra polite to Auntie as we disentangle, she will send a present on our birthday?)

The Druids and Vikings had a more romantic idea of mistletoe. They saw it growing wild on trees in winter—mistletoe grows around branches in large green balls, like giant hairy bird nests—and used in pagan rituals as a symbol of hope and rebirth. The Celts also had practical uses for mistletoe, which they believed was a remedy for infertility among animals (hopefully this is not the reason for its role at parties) and an antidote to venom and poison. If only it would counteract the effects of too much fruitcake and mulled wine.

Above: Mistletoe, tamed. Photograph via Happily.

Cheat Sheet

• Produces berries that attract bugs and squirrels
• Green leaves and translucent milky white berries

• Mistletoe attaches easily to shrubs in the rose family as well as trees; its bright green leaves can spice up empty branches in the wintertime.

Above: Mistletoe in the wild. Photograph by Kendra Wilson.

Keep It Alive

• Full sun
• No extra water needed outdoors
• It gets nourishment from the host
• Plant in late winter

Mistletoe might have an easier time establishing itself if you notch the branch or scrape away a small piece of bark on the host tree. (Still, err on the side of caution, and take care not to harm the tree.) But be careful: it's an opportunistic evergreen that grows on the branches of apple, hawthorn, ash, and lime trees, to the point where the tree is unable to get enough sunlight and produce leaves. 

Above: Balls of mistletoe in ancient beech trees at Burghley House near Stamford, Lincolnshire, in the UK. Photograph by Kendra Wilson.

Above: DIY mistletoe swags: for step-by-step instructions, see Rustic Chic.

Though we are used to seeing mistletoe clippings hung indoors, it is perfectly easy to grow in your backyard. Conserve some mistletoe sprigs from your decorations in a jar of water until February. These should be well covered in berries. Then, mount the sprig on the side of a healthy tree and fasten it there with twine. Once mistletoe is established, be sure to trim it regularly to prevent harm to your tree. But you have plenty of time to plan as mistletoe can take four years to grow. If that’s too long to wait for a kiss, we’ll understand.

For more, see Holiday Aphrodisiac: Why Mistletoe is Welcome at Parties.

More Stories from Gardenista

• A White Christmas, with Potted Cyclamen
• Gift Guide: Tiny Topiaries for the Apartment Dweller
• How to Pick Your Perfect Christmas Tree

There's no lawn in this ranch home in Bel Air, and it's not missed. From the front lines of LA's drought-conscious, low-water garden movement, landscape designers Ryan Gates and Joel Lichtenwalter of Grow Outdoor Design give us a lesson in planting for native habitats, "without sacrificing design."

The result is a water-saving garden of succulents that seamlessly blends with the surrounding landscape. Translation: No views were blocked while planting. 

Photography via Grow Outdoor Design.

Above: A gate, made of ipe wood, found on fishing boats, and prized for its rot and fungus-resistant properties, encloses expansive walls of glass. It provides privacy from the street and with hardware kept to a minimum, it continues the clean lines of the mid-century home.

Above: Spiky, sculptural agaves and Palo Verde trees, both California native species, were planted in front of a white stucco wall for shadow play by sunlight and landscape lighting.

Above: "We wanted to limit our colors, and opted to create textural interest instead," says Gates. The result is a judicious set of grays and greens, save for pops of red, in the kangaroo paws.

Above: In contrast to the spiky, sculptural shapes in the front yard, Gates and Lichtenwalter chose "quieter and softer" plantings in the inner courtyard with low grasses and variegated succulents.  

Above: The backyard, a mix of ground covers, succulents, grasses, and native manzanitas, "harmonizes with the borrowed landscape of the canyon," says Gates. "All plantings were designed to be viewed both from inside the house, as well as from outside in the gardens looking into the house."

Above: Architecture firm Koffka-Phakos Design, a frequent collaborator on projects with Grow Outdoor Design, designed a newly built  addition to the home, a gym overlooking the Los Angeles basin,

Above: A space made for entertaining. Gates and Lichtenwalter chose decomposed granite, that's semi-permeable for less run-off, and reflects the natural surroundings. However, says Gates, "it does stick to the bottom of your feet when wet, but it hardly rains in California." 

Above: A view from the living room. The pool's corners were straightened to make the cover fit better. 

Do you admire the aesthetic of Grow Outdoor Design? See another project from the firm at Before and After: Transforming a Tangle into an Elegant Entry. 

For more ideas on indoor-outdoor California style, see:

• Architect Visit: Net-Zero Getaway Ranch in Northern California
• Outbuilding of the Week: A Bohemian Surf Shack in Topanga Canyon
• Garden Visit: Drought-Tolerant in Southern California

More Stories from Gardenista

• Garden Designer Visit: A 17th Century Farmhouse in Devon, by Arne Maynard
• Architect Visit: Net-Zero Getaway Ranch in Northern California
• Architects' Roundup: 10 Contemporary Farmhouse Gardens

It gets dark around here before 5 pm in December, so even if Christmas didn't exist I still would rig up some twinkly outdoor lights to welcome me home. But the holiday season gives me a good cover story.

I've experimented with a few different approaches over the years. Let's just say I grew up in the sort of Midwest town (shout out to Elmhurst, Illinois) that took holiday lights seriously. A main form of entertainment was to pile into the family car and drive around town "rating" the neighbors' lawn displays as critically as if we were Olympics judges comparing triple-axel jumps in the figure skating finals. At home, where we adhered to the More Is More theory of colored lights, it is a wonder we didn't kill the plum tree under the weight.

Now that I am grown up and live in California, I'm a student of the White Reminds Me of Snow School of holiday lighting. When I round the corner and come up the hill toward home, I like my house to look like a white line drawing against the night sky (see below).

Last year I got fancy with two sizes of bulbs to outline different architectural features of the facade. But you also can stay simple with a single string of lights draped around the doorway. Either way, it makes coming home feel like a winter holiday.

Here are ten of my favorite kinds of string lights to use:

Above: At my house last year, I used a mix of two sizes of bulbs. Strings of small bulbs outlined the casement windows and larger bulbs outlined the roof line. I used strings of 300-Bulb Clear Incandescent Light Sets ($8.98 apiece) and C7 25-Light Clear String Light Sets ($8.48 apiece); both from Home Depot. Photograph by John Merkl for Gardenista.

Above: The larger size bulb—visible along the roof line of my house—is the C7 size; another source is a 25-foot string of White Ceramic C7 Outdoor String Lights; $12.10 from Novelty Lighting.

Above: For a different look, a 20-foot string of Indoor/Outdoor Twinkle Lights would be nice around a a doorway; $32 from Terrain.

Above: For an old-fashioned canopy of lights, you can connect up to five strands of Edison String Lights, each with 20 incandescent bulbs, for a weather-safe outdoor display; $39.95 each from CB2.

Above: At a Healdsburg, CA house by Nick Noyes Architecture, the homeowner strung up large-bulb cafe lights to create a canopy that I personally would leave up year-round. For a similar look, consider Party Globe String Lights from Restoration Hardware; they're safe for outdoor use and available in two bulb sizes for $40 per string.

Above: Also from Restoration Hardware, Vintage String Lights have elongated teardrop bulbs with decorative filaments; $!75 for a 50-foot string.

Above: Energy-saving LEDs create snowball-sized glows in a 20-light string of Extendable Festoon Lights and will last for 50,000 hours; £40 for a starter string from Cox & Cox (an Extension Set string of lights is £30).

Above: A strand of 25 outdoor Globe String Lights has replaceable bulbs; $34.95 from Crate & Barrel.

Above: For a small space, battery-powered Firefly String Lights have long-lasting LED bulbs and are suitable for use in a covered outdoor space such as a porch. A 7.5-foot-long strand on copper wire requires two AAA batteries (not included); $20 from Urban Outfitters.

Above: For a larger space, a 98-foot-long LED string of Stargazer Lights (available with copper wire as shown or silver) is $98 from Terrain.

For more outdoor holiday light inspiration, see:

• 10 Easy Pieces: Cafe Style Outdoor String Lights
• DIY: A Starry Night Holiday Light Display

More Stories from Gardenista

• Steal This Look: A Stylish Stoop for a Nantucket Saltbox
• Outbuilding of the Week: Tiny Pool House, Big Views in Sonoma
• 10 Favorites: Scandi-Style Christmas Ornaments

When architects Eric Rosenberg and Michele Kolb of NY-based Rosenberg Kolb renovated their 1,700-square-foot 18th century Nantucket saltbox, the goal was to give the house low-maintenance finishes to stand up to harsh weather and salty air—without sacrificing any of the original charm. Here's how to recreate the look of their simple, but welcoming, back porch:

Above: Photograph via New England Home.

Influenced by Nantucket's Quaker culture in the 18th century, the design of the house emphasizes simple, utilitarian materials and finishes. Here, a stone slab serves as a step up to a new wooden stoop. Says owner Kolb, "The emphasis was on restraint, balance, and simple order."

Above: Two small black wharf lights flank the doorway. A 12-inch-high Small Nantucket Outdoor Light, available in matte black as shown, is $99 at Shades of Light.

See more of our favorite nautically inspired sconces at 10 Easy Pieces: Black Wharf Lights.

Above: A pair of flared terra cotta planters with a patina of moss flank the doorway, creating symmetry that echoes the repetition of the sconces. For a similar flared pot, a hand-turned Aged English Planter available in two sizes (15- and 18-inch) is available at prices ranging from $122.50 to $147.50 from Campo de' Fiori.

Above: Photograph via CG Trader.

For a hardy green plant that will stand up to salty sea air, we recommend planting perennial grasses in the pots. (Justine, who spends summers on Cape Cod, recommends these varieties: Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), spiky blue grass, switch grasses, fountain grass, and simple beach grass.) For a selection of perennial grasses and other salt-tolerant plants, visit Plant Delights Nursery.

For more plants that thrive at the shore, see Justine's top recommendations in 10 Easy Pieces: Perennials for the Seaside Garden.

Above: A simple coir doormat adds texture to the entryway. To add a pop of pattern, consider the Hex Doormat from Commune Design; the coir mat measures 20 by 30 inches and is $60 from Lulu and Georgia.

For more of our favorites, see 10 Easy Pieces: Durable Doormats.

Above:A screen door with a wide wooden frame has a classic look. An 81-inch-high Fir Screen Door is available in five widths and has a bottom rail width of 6.5 inches; prices start at $284 (plus a $25 crating fee) from Screen Doors.

Above: 

Above: We polled architects to find out their their favorite exterior green paint colors; see the whole list in Seeing Green: Architects Pick the Best Paints.

Paired with the natural color of unstained cedar shingle siding, a front door painted dark green will prompt associations with woodlands, the forest, and natural surroundings.

Above: Farrow & Ball's Studio Green is very dark and has a black undertone. In a high-gloss finish, it lends formality even to a casual kitchen porch.

For more seaside style, see 10 Favorites: Picket Fences That Remind Us Why We Love Summer Cottages and Landscape Architect Visit: A Very American Garden on Cape Cod.

More Stories from Gardenista

• 10 Easy Pieces: Outdoor Holiday String Lights
• Outbuilding of the Week: Tiny Pool House, Big Views in Sonoma
• 10 Favorites: Scandi-Style Christmas Ornaments

On the corner of Wells and Lincoln in Chicago, A New Leaf floral shop invites curious shoppers inside with a front stoop that spills over with decorative gourds and pumpkins, baskets of pinecones, boughs of evergreens, and pots of every shape and size. Inside shoppers are greeted with a dizzying array of beautifully arranged vignettes, eclectic vintage finds, and buckets of flowers. If you are planning to browse A New Leaf, you'd best plan on being there for at least an hour.

Photography by Christine Chitnis for Gardenista.

Above: The entrance to A New Leaf.

Above: A mix of greenery and antiques feels airy and eclectic. On the shelves of antique cabinets are ceramics and earthenware. 

Above: In the basement, a crafter's heaven: every wall is covered with DIY supplies, including ribbons, stones, tiles, candles, vases, and buttons.

Above: Through the courtyard in the back of the main shop is a carriage house filled with two-levels of antiques. Here a farmhouse table is surrounded by a mish-mash of vintage chairs.

Above: Potted plants and vintage doors from Mexico. 

Above: Rustic farmhouse doors rest in a stack.

Above: A fern potted in an old tin wash bin rests on a vintage rolling cart.

Above: In the courtyard, terra cotta pots of all shapes and sizes are stored in weathered cupboards and cabinets.

Above: For hours and more information, see A New Leaf.

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• Restaurant Visit: Roy Choi's Commissary, Inside a Greenhouse in LA
• Designer Visit: At Home with Miley Cyrus' Favorite Florist
• DIY: A Desktop Zen Garden

When it comes to winter potting sheds, we say dream big. Shelves, storage, and style: gardeners need shelter from the storm. Here are 10 sanctuaries for serious gardening: 

Above: Though this little shed is immaculate, we'd want it even if it was covered in dirt. Find the elements to recreate the look in Steal This Look: A Perfect Potting Shed. Photograph by Clive Tompsett for Sköna Hem. 

Above: A country garden shed from the portfolio of interiors stylist Victoria Fitchett. 

Above: The Oakland potting shed of Atomic Garden owner Jamie Kidson has room for her beekeeping gear, gardening boots, soil, seeds, and plenty more. See her whole garden in A Simple Garden in Oakland, Chickens and Bees Included. Photograph by Mimi Giboin for Remodelista. 

Above: In 10 Garden Ideas to Steal from Scandinavia, Michelle suggests gardening indoors through the winter, in a potting shed or indoor area that's pleasant to work in. Photograph via Julias Vita Drömmar. 

Above: A potting shed in northwestern Italy that once stored only firewood is now outfitted with a sink, shelving, and a sunny window. For the rehab story, see Outbuilding of the Week: A Woodshed Transformed, by StudioErrante in Italy. Photograph by StudioErrante Architetture. 

Above: Remodelista editor in chief Julie Carlson's potting shed is petite but well-organized; see this one and many more in Hardscaping 101: Garden Sheds. Photograph by Michelle Slatalla. 

Above: This white Swedish greenhouse is part potting shed, part plant nursery, and part living space. See more in Outbuilding of the Week: Glassy Greenhouse in Sweden. Photograph by Marie Delice Karlsson via Expressen. 

Above: The potting shed at Philo Apple Farm in California's Anderson Valley. For a full farm profile, see Down on the Farm in Philo on Remodelista. Photograph via Flickr. 

Above: This modern Scandinavian-inspired shed has ample storage for soil, pots, and garden bulbs. Photograph via Shelterness. 

Above: A well-appointed potting space at Snug Harbor Farm in Maine. Photograph by Charlie Scott.

Keep browsing through garden inspiration: 

• Gardenista Roundup: For Love of Boxwood
• Recipe Roundup: 5 Favorites to Bring to a Holiday Potluck Party
• Architects' Roundup: 10 Garden Stairways
• Beach Read Roundup: 7 Best New Gardening and Design Books

More Stories from Gardenista

• Steal This Look: A Stylish Stoop for a Nantucket Saltbox
• 10 Easy Pieces: Outdoor Holiday String Lights
• Outbuilding of the Week: Tiny Pool House, Big Views in Sonoma

After tracking cocktails from sticky sweet fruitinis to bitters, Michael Dietsch, blogger at A Dash of Bitters and contributing drinks editor at Serious Eats, felt the world is ready for a book on shrubs. The result, released in October, is the 70-plus recipes in Shrubs: An Old Fashioned Drink for Modern Times.

Shrubs are made of fruit, sugar, and yes, vinegar. But don't let the tang turn you off, says Dietsch. "Drinking vinegar is a hard sell," and yet "I want people who've never tried shrubs to learn what a delightful and versatile drink they are."  The book features several unexpected drinks, including a tomatillo shrub and non-alcoholic ice cream float. 

To endear us to the beverage, the monograph starts with tales of shrubs through history. Fun facts: they were  invented in Turkey, and introduced to Europeans in the 16th century. Both Benjamin Franklin and Martha Washington penned their own recipes. During the Prohibition Era, teetotalers sipped them in lieu of hooch. After World War II, they faded to obscurity, replaced by Coca-Cola and other soft drinks. 

Now, thanks to the Internet, Google Books' vast trove of colonial recipe books, and the public's interest in vintage mixology, shrubs are back as ingredients in cocktails.

Read on for a recipe for the Ultramodern (an interpretation of the Old Fashioned with Fig-Cinnamon Shrub)—and let us know if you try it this holiday season.
 

Above: For those who like a back story with their booze, Dietsch offers an extensive history of shrubs, (did you know they were used to fight scurvy in the 18th-century British Navy?) followed by recipe chapters organized by "Classic" (defined as shrubs with either rum or brandy), "Sweet," "Savory," and "Sour." 

Above: The Ultramodern is the shrub interpretation of an Old Fashioned, a blend of bourbon, Scotch (the smokier the better), Angostura bitters, and fig-cinnamon shrub. See recipe below. 

The fun starts when Dietsch takes you through the process of making shrubs. There is a school that swears by cold-pressing, and one by a hot process, and another by oleo saccharus, or oily sugar, that employs citrus zest. The good news for amateur mixologists is that no special equipment is necessary to make the book's more than 70 recipes. All you need is a bowl, a strainer, fruit, and vinegar. 

Above: In our attempt to eat more cranberries (a directive from Laura in Scarlet Jewels: Recipes for Cranberries), we noticed a canned cranberry shrub. It's in a drink called the Garland, the perfect sip of sloe gin, gin, and this concoction.

Above: A ginger shrub made of ginger juice, apple cider vinegar, and sugar.

Above: Fig cinnamon shrub, required for the Ultramodern: to make it, all you do is strain, shake, and let sit for a week.

Fig Cinnamon Shrub

Ingredients:

• 1 pint purple figs, puréed in a blender
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 to 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 cup turbinado sugar

Combine puréed figs, apple cider vinegar, and cinnamon in a container. Allow to steep on the countertop for 2 days. Taste. If you started with one stick of cinnamon and you want more cinnamon flavor, add a second stick and allow to steep another day. 

Strain off fig solids and cinnamon. Pour liquid into a bottle or jar, add turbinado sugar, and shake. Allow to sit for at least a week before using.

Ultramodern

Ingredients:

• 2 ounces bourbon
• 1/2 ounce Scotch, preferably something smoky, like Laphroaig
• 1/2 ounce Fig-Cinnamon Shrub
• 2 dashes Angostura bitters

Add all ingredients to an ice-filled mixing glass. Stir to combine.

Double-strain into a rocks glass filled with ice.

Do you have a blossoming love of shrubs? See 10 Shrub Recipes. For more books with garden-fresh recipes, peruse Required Reading here.

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• DIY Poinsettia: A Common Christmas Plant Goes Luxe
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Join Gardenista editor in chief Michelle Slatalla and our workshop sponsor, Terrain, at this week's San Francisco holiday market, where we'll make Scandi-style blooming bulbs for Christmas. 

We'll be wrapping amaryllis bulbs in moss to make a tabletop or hanging display of blooming bulbs for Christmas.

Sign up here to reserve a spot at the Gardenista-Terrain Holiday Workshop: 

Above: Photograph via Holmsunds Blommor.

• What: DIY Blooming Bulbs Workshop
• Where: Remodelista Holiday Market, Heath Ceramics, 2900 18th St., San Francisco
• When: Saturday, December 13
• Why: Make an adorable blooming gift (for yourself or a friend) with Gardenista editor in chief Michelle Slatalla
• Cost: $25
• How: Sign up at Terrain

Above: Photograph via Terrain.

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• DIY: Gilded Holiday Decor
• Required Reading: The Wreath Recipe Book
• DIY: Plant Your Christmas Tree in the Garden

Creating holiday greenery with foraged plants and a little gold paint is easy and fun. The true beauty of this project lies not only in the results, but in the fact that the outcome—depending on where you live and what's available to you—will always be uniquely your own.

My passion for working with foraged greens (and not-so-greens) is twofold. First, operating within the confines of what I can find in my own yard forces me get creative. Rather than simply copying a DIY project, I have to dispel preconceived notions about the desired results, and open my mind to new opportunities presented by the materials at hand. Second, in doing so, I learn to see the plants in my withered yard in a whole new light.

Photography by Justine Hand for Gardenista.

Above: Let the materials guide you. Find the intrinsic beauty of each specimen and seek to enhance it. Here, a humble weed in its desiccated state becomes a thing of rare beauty with a bit of gold paint.

Above: This project is about what you already have: paint brushes and whatever twigs and greens you can get your hands on. All you may need to buy is a little gold and silver paint. I used Martha Stewart's Multi-Surface Metallic Acrylic Craft Paint and Liquid Gilding, both available at Michaels.

Above: Remember to think outside the box. I happen to have holly in my yard, but eschewed it in favor of non-traditional greens such as thorns and dried oak leaves.

Above: Be extemporaneous. I didn't want this project to be fussy (OK, let's call it what it is: I didn't have time to painstakingly paint each leaf). But I actually found that quick brushstrokes often had a more desirous effect than more deliberate applications.

Above: Mix and Match. My little holiday "boutonniere" of beech, oak, and dried Black-Eyed-Susan is waiting for a package or a lapel to adorn.

Above: Use your gilded greens on packages, mantels, as a centerpiece for the holiday table, or to enhance wreaths and garlands. (Note that any leaves that are not already dried will wither indoors, unless you put them in a bit of water.)

Above: I have to admit that I've never really been a fan of the summer flowers and foliage of either azaleas or bar berry. But this holiday vignette has made a convert out of me.

Above: Another little boutonniere includes azalea leaves, rose hips, and dried red leaves of burning bush.

Above: So much fun, I got a little carried away. My bureau received a little holiday bouquet as well.

Above: Not holly berries. Withered rose hips complement the plum-tinted azalea leaves.

Above: I'm just going to leave this little guy right where he is next to the ink drawing by my aunt.

Above: One of my first attempts resulted in a more "obvious" holiday assemblage. But it's still very pretty.

Above: The ridges and tiny buds of this burning bush cried out for a little silver paint.

Above: Life beyond its dramatic scarlet leaves: the green stems and aubergine flowers of burning bush are lovely next to silver paint.

N.B. Looking for more ideas? See 94 more Holiday DIY projects in our Photo Gallery. And give that potted poinsettia a makeover with DIY Poinsettia: A Common Christmas Plant Goes Luxe.

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• Coming Saturday to SF: DIY Holiday Workshop
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People don't hire Jinny Blom just so they can have a "Jinny Blom garden." Besides being reliably lush and gorgeous, it is difficult to pinpoint a specific look, as each is approached in a completely individual way. Here is how Jinny made sense of an awkward garden in Primrose Hill:

Photography by Charlie Hopkinson, except where noted.

Above: In terms of Before and After, there was no Before. Just a mess left behind by builders, who had added a ground floor extension to a family house in north London's Primrose Hill. A problem which Jinny wanted to address was that neighboring houses dominated the garden. "This project required a firm hand as it is overlooked by houses farther up the hill and that made it feel very vulnerable," says Jinny. "Planting it as woodland solved many problems simultaneously."

JInny Blom has established a reputation since 2000 as a designer of integrity and thoughtfulness, as well as panache. She is a great advocate of craftsmanship and the Prince of Wales awarded her an award for the dry stone walling carried out at Temple Guiting in the Cotswolds. As she says about her team: "We build to last."

Above: Silver birch has been called in to add a light canopy. Trees that already existed were sycamore, robinia and an old hawthorn: "All of which added to the value," says Jinny. Photograph by Nicola Brown.

Above: Jinny's clients were non-gardeners but wanted to have a workable space outdoors which they could enjoy and where their children could kick a ball around. A lawned area fits the purpose (and is farther away from the glass extension). Photograph by Nicola Brown.

Above: "The whole garden is woodland, but it's not dark," says Jinny. "At the lower level I added huge Buxus bullata for depth and for birds to nest in."

Above: Oxeye daisies growing in the loose, wild-seeming planting. Jinny and her team will go in every few years to renovate planting if that seems necessary, and to open up the tree canopies. The garden does not need to be meticulously maintained: "It's pretty bulletproof."

Above: Jinny loves planting trees and has been known to restore forests (and re-direct waterways). "The fact that trees are protected now, makes it satisfying to know that one is adding—especially in cities—to the future urban forests."

Above: A bank was created on the side of the house when the extension was dug down into the hill. "I kept this area light and unwooded but used a grove of tree ferns at the terminal end," says Jinny. "They are distant from the birch so they make a little area with a different feel to the rest of the garden."

Above: A holding wall, between the area by the house and the enclosed parking space (for this is a multi-functioning garden), is planted with the 'pheasant's tail grass' Anemanthele lessoniana (formerly Stipa arundinacea), which hangs over the wall with clover Trifolium repens 'Rubrum'. Farther back, to lighten things up, is the magenta Persicaria Amplexicaulis 'Taurus' and palest lemon Cephalaria gigantea.

For Jinny Blom's indoor garden, see: Restaurant Visit: Skye Gyngell's Spring at Somerset House. For another urban garden with Brit style, see Architect Visit: The Vegetarian Cottage in East London.

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• Designer Visit: Grow Outdoor Design's Drought Tolerant Garden in Bel Air
• Garden Designer Visit: A 17th Century Farmhouse in Devon, by Arne Maynard
• Architect Visit: Net-Zero Getaway Ranch in Northern California