A coastal cottage garden, edited with a city girl’s eye
Gardening, design, and the stories that grow alongside them.
I grew up in coastal New England and spent years in the fashion closets of New York working in visual storytelling, learning how proportion, restraint, and seasonal rhythm shape everything we love.
Parsley & Petal is a publication of essays, observations, and practical gardening from one botanical corner lot.
A new story blooms every week.
What Ten Years Taught Me About Life, Chihuahuas, Moms, and Gardening a Corner Lot
The story of how a coastal Rhode Island corner lot became a garden, a publication, and an ongoing experiment in how to Just Observe.
Read More —> The Seasonal Edit
a garden checklist
The Seasonal Edit is a recurring garden checklist of what’s emerging, what can wait, and what deserves attention now.
Practical tasks. Clear structure.
Timed to the season as it unfolds.
Plant Spotlight
Closely observed plant profiles, growing notes, and seasonal favorites.
Tools I Reach For
These aren’t pristine. They’re the ones I reach for.
A short list of what I actually use, with notes.
Some links may be affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Editor’s Picks
From the Garden
Practical guidance, garden lessons and seasonal decisions from life in the garden.
From the Journal
Observations, stories, and rituals that make the garden a home. A collection of family traditions, unexpected connections, and the stories that grow alongside the garden.
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Explore the Garden
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A Summer Visit to Lavender Waves Farm
A visit to Rhode Island's only lavender farm became a lesson in observation, landscape design, and the ways gardens continue to teach us.
From the Test Garden: July Propagation Experiments
Every July, I stop looking at garden centers and start looking at my own garden differently. This year, I'm testing six summer perennials to see which are easiest to propagate and documenting what happens along the way.
Garden Design Lesson: Borrowed Views
A borrowed view is one of the simplest ways to make a garden feel larger without adding a single plant. Discover how framing distant trees, neighboring gardens, and natural scenery can transform the way you experience your own landscape.
Lavender (Lavandula)
Growing lavender in coastal New England isn't easy. After years of experimenting with different varieties, here's what I've learned about choosing the right ones and creating a fragrant, pollinator-friendly garden.
The Places We Return To
I went to the Museum of Fine Arts to see an exhibit about gardens. Instead, I found myself returning to a painting I'd loved since childhood and reflecting on why certain places continue to shape us long after we've left them.
Test Garden — June Update: The Garden Has Opinions
The first Test Garden harvests are in, but not everything followed the plan. From peas and broccoli raab to mystery pests, patient flowers, and lessons learned along the way, here's what this season has been teaching me.
How the Rose Garden Room Was Born
What began as a way to protect roses from deer slowly evolved into one of our favorite garden spaces. A story about English roses, dogs, neighbors, and the garden room I never planned to create.
My Botanical Corner Lot
I remember someone visiting shortly after we purchased the property and remarking, rather dismissively, “This yard isn't that great.” Perhaps they were right.
The Shower Coleus
I thought my mom wanted me to babysit a plant. It turned out to be a story.
The Test Garden: The Great Untangling
Every gardener eventually runs out of room. Then comes the harder task: deciding what stays, what goes, and who gets the extras.
Peonies and Roses: A Love Story
My love affair with peonies isn't over. It's just on hold while I get this growing devotion to roses under control.
The Seasonal Edit: June/July — High Summer Garden Checklist
Spring is about possibility. Summer is about paying attention.
Salvia (Salvia nemorosa)
Salvia is an all-star perennial I rely on most for structure, movement, and repeat color heading into early summer.
The Test Garden — One Month In: What Grew (and What Didn’t)
The trays have finally stopped looking like scattered seedlings and started revealing their personalities.
What Rabbits Eat First in Spring (and Why)
Early spring is when you learn that “rabbit-resistant” does not mean immune.
Keukenhof Gardens: The Second Time
I know that color. I had been once before, years ago, with my younger sister, long before I ever thought of myself as a gardener.
The Easter Egg Bed: A Mother’s Day Reflection on Where a Garden Begins
Some gardens begin with a planting plan. This one began with my mother.
Test Garden — Week 2: What’s Coming Up (and What Isn’t Yet)
There’s a point, about a week in, when the trays stop making sense. Some seedlings are already reaching for the light. Others look the same as the day you planted them.
Test Garden — Week 1: Starting from Seed (Late March Notes)
A first look at the Test Garden — what I’m growing from seed, the setup, and what’s starting to take shape.
Do Deer Eat Hydrangeas? What to Expect (and What I’ve Learned)
Yes, deer will eat hydrangeas, especially certain types, but the damage isn’t always obvious at first glance.