Lately I've been bringing my iPhone when I walk my dog so I can take pictures if I see anything interesting along the way. It does happen–a couple of weeks ago I saw a woman walking her cat on a leash and last week I saw a very large man get out of his car wearing nothing but black skirted bikini bottoms and a pink bikini top.

On yesterday's walk I decided to take pictures of the curb-side gardens I see every day. Some of them are quite lovely. Keep in mind that the photos were taken with my iPhone–not necessarily the best way to take garden photos!

Every time I walk by this house I am impressed by the landscaping in the yard. It's tiered and the variety of plants and textures created by the choices are just lovely together. It reminds me of women who are able to create wonderfully layered outfits with the perfect accessories. I do not possess this talent (in gardening or fashion), so I admire it!

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The house below is another one of my favorites, but in order to get the full effect you have to view it from a distance. This photo doesn't do it justice, but it does give you some idea of what the landscape designer intended. The plantings highlight the house perfectly.

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This apartment building's front is plainer than the first two photos, but it's more along the lines of what I could achieve if I put my mind to it (well, I think I could). I love all the colors, but I especially love the callalillies they've included.

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Finally, I love the color combinations they've used for this side-garden between apartment buildings. They compliment the architecture of the buildings and give a sort of Asian feel. I also took a photo of the front part of this garden but for some reason all I got was a photo of the wall in front. I'll save that one for next time!

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3 Replies to “Curb Appeal Santa Monica Style”

  1. Lea says: October 27, 2009 at 2:05 pm

    I dream of having a landscaped gardens, they are really attractive and adds beauty to the house. Thanks for sharing these pics!

  2. heather says: May 2, 2009 at 2:26 pm

    Love the kangaroo paw and blue fescue in the last picture. They’re all great, though. Walking the neighborhood and looking at everyone’s landscaping is so much fun. There’s one guy up the street here who has dirt all year, except for right now when he lets CA wildflowers take over – poppies, etc. It’s kind of a trip.

  3. Julie Carruth says: May 2, 2009 at 10:49 am

    I love all that color. That is one of the things I miss about living in Southern California – year-round color. I also miss all the jacaranda trees and wisteria. My garden is just coming into bloom up here. I think you could do an Asian-influenced garden for your balcony – it would be incredible and compliment both your view, and your decor inside.

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