Monthly Archives: March 2015

Preview the Weiss Garden

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FormLA2013_Newsletter04_S1WeissKTLA.  March 18, 2015.  Gale Anderson:  A perennial garden tour favorite, the Weiss garden in Santa Monica earned a Santa Monica Conservancy award for the historic authenticity and beauty of its outdoor spaces. If you can’t enjoy the garden in person during the 2015 Theodore Payne Foundation Native Garden Tour, Gayle Anderson with KTLA‘s video tour is the next best thing!  See vibrant native foliage, two distinctive IdealMow lawn alternatives, architecturally raised beds of edibles, as well as a biological pond, flowing permeable pathways and interlocking decks.

March 2015: Edible Gardens. Ingenue Blooms.

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Design Build Sustain

March 2015
FormLA Newsletter

VALUED CUSTOMERS & FRIENDS+

Spring is in full swing! Ceanothus scents our hillsides, and audacious blooms pop in native gardens from Sierra Madre to Long Beach. We are incredibly grateful to the Weiss and Rosen families who will welcome visitors into their gardens for Spring tours. We hope to see you there!

Sincerely,

Cassy and Kirk Aoyagi

LATEST NEWS+

Eat Well, by DesignShowcase Blueberries
Arroyo Monthly. By Martin Booe: Edible gardens are moving front (yard) and center in the San Gabriel Valley. See the latest edible garden design trends. Read More (Page 31)

 

Are Lawns a Yawn?
LA Weekly. By Paul Rogers: Drought and design shows reshape SoCal landscaping trends to increasingly embrace local flora and water wise practices. Read More (Page 10)

 

Catch LA’s New It Girl
Wet-to-Dry: Roses, Camilas, Birds of Paradise, all carved a place in the hearts and gardens of Angelenos. As we look conserve water, a new ingenue is emerging as the “it” bloom for our times. Read More

WHAT TO EXPECT+

In March we’ve optimized water delivery systems in advance of heavy rains. We will continue to do so while also monitoring foliage growth, understanding that despite recent rains, we can expect a very dry year.

Conserving Water and Soil Moisture:

  • Identifying and fixing irrigation leaks
  • Replenishing mulch to conserve water and increase organic matter Increasing mower heights to reduce evaporation from lawns
  • Changing batteries on irrigation timers
  • Pushing the clocks forward on irrigation and lighting timers
  • Pruning Mediterranean foliage

Prepping for a Beautiful Year:

  • Identifying cut flowers to brighten indoor spaces
  • Planning spring edible planting to meet your meal interests
  • Exchanging wet for dry loving plants

LATEST NEWS+

Edible Gardens
The Look of LA
LA’s New It Girl

UPCOMING EVENTS+

Sierra Madre Water Days
Reimagining Van Nuys
Theodore Payne Tour
Brentwood Garden Tour
Descanso Gardens Opening
Dwell on Design

WHAT TO EXPECT+

Conserve water and moisture
Prep for a beautiful spring

TEAM UPDATE+

Building at Descanso Gardens
Exquisite Gardens Tour

UPCOMING EVENTS+

March 21: Sierra Madre World Water Day

March 21: Theodore Payne Foundation Native Garden Tour

March 26: Reimagining Van Nuys

April 12: Brentwood Garden Tour

More: Save the Dates

TEAM UPDATE+

FormLA teams began construction of the new Lush and Low Water Center Circle Garden at Descanso Gardens. We can’t wait to share the finished garden with you!

Cassy and Kirk Aoyagi participated in the Theodore Payne Foundation’s Exceptional Gardens Tour. The tour’s speakers were every bit as exceptional as the gardens, leading a compelling discussion of Los Angeles’ water future.

CONTACT FORMLA+

Cassy and Kirk Aoyagi, Principals: Cassy@formlainc.com

Mark Britten, Production Manager: Mark@formlainc.com

John Avakian, Bookkeeping: John@formlainc.com

Ed Woodbury, Maintenance and Horticultural Team Leaders: Ed@formlainc.com

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LA’s “It” Girl Update

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Viva Hummingbird Sage! Maximal, Magenta Blooms and Bold Fragrance

 
Updated December 2022. By Cassy Aoyagi: Years ago, it felt like Hummingbird Sage could supplant roses, camellias, and birds of paradise as the preferred bloom of Angelenos. She now has a leg-up in securing this role: the Pantone Institute has named her signature magenta its Color of the Year!

The Institute notes that its Viva Magenta “vibrates with vim and vigor.” We agree! (…and we forgive The New York Times for referring to a color so authentic to LA as “the color no one asked for coming to a world where no one lives.” Clearly jealous!)
 

 

Beyond its distinctive Viva Magenta, Hummingbird Sage exemplifies other emerging trends. For those moving toward maximalism, I cannot think of a better bloom. Everything about her is maximal – except the water, time and attention it takes to keep her happy, of course.

Hummingbird Sage’s bold, dense scent emanates from her leaves as well as her blooms. If you touch her, it will be with you all day. Her blooms are magic wands covered in round bloom-filled seed heads. They appear substantial next to those of other native sages, and they can grow tall enough to give you a kiss! Like her blooms, each of Hummingbird Sage’s leathery leaves feels expansive when compared to sister sages. As if those charms don’t max-out your love for her, Hummingbird Sage will slowly spread to fill sunny or shady space, filling your garden with maximal green.

To see Hummingbird Sage in context, tour the Forbes Mountain Retreat, Garden of the Setting Sun, and the Taylor’s Lush La Canada Meadow.
 
 

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