One of the challenges with new-build homes is that everything can feel abrupt at first.

Stark walls. Bare soil. Little shade. No sense of age or belonging yet.
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This Prescott landscape project began exactly there - with an empty high-desert lot exposed to strong sun, wind, difficult soil, and wide-open surroundings.

The goal was to create a layered meadow garden that felt welcoming, rooted, naturalistic, and deeply connected to both the architecture and the surrounding landscape.

In this week’s Design Dispatch over on Substack , I’m sharing a behind-the-scenes look at the design thinking behind the project -  from blank slate to final landscape plan to a garden slowly settling into itself over time.  Plus lots of Before & Afters.

Bonus:  The Curated Botanical Guide.  A gorgeous 47-page companion guide that breaks down all of the plantings, color palettes, design principles.

🌿 Read the full story here:  A Meandow Landscape.

At Letters from The Whiskey Porch, over on substack, The Spring Porch Invitation is now open.
April 15th - 24th, 2026.
​Become a member or upgrade now
Receive a handmade studio thank-you gift
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I just opened a small and very special invitation for readers who would like to step a little further onto the porch.

For a short time, readers who join Letters from The Whiskey Porch as annual Porch Companions or Studio Stewards receive a small handmade thank-you gift from my studio at Juniper Hill Cottage in Prescott, Arizona.

The Spring Porch Invitation is open through April 24.
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​You'll find all the details on membership benefits and access at the link below. 👇🏼
Join the conversation and be inspired.

A few years ago, I did a huge project on a property in the Sierra Foothills community of Granite Bay.  

It was a really neat property - 1.2 acres, full of large oak trees, a large spanish-style home with full access to a 10 acre riparian reserve with a seasonal creek, large cottonwood trees, and lots of wildlife. 

​Thing is, it was situated on a local neighborhood road that was a main route to the nearby elementary school.  And although the property offered so much nature and beauty, it didn't have any privacy at all from the street. 

Keep reading to find out about:

• The Ask
• Before
• And After

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