14: How I Unlock Garden Design Inspiration from Unexpected Places to Design Personalized Gardens

I've been thinking a lot about where inspiration actually comes from. Not just where I find it, but where anyone finds it. And here's what I keep coming back to: garden design inspiration doesn't have to come from other gardens or even from plants. Some of my favorite inspiration comes from totally unexpected places. A dress. A meal. A painting hanging in someone's living room. Because at the end of the day, gardens are personal, intimate spaces where life happens and memories are built. So today, I'm walking you through my actual process for finding design inspiration anywhere and translating it into gardens that feel unique to the people who live there. In this episode, I cover: How to filter through the flood of New Year’s inspiration without wiping the slate clean or throwing out what you already love Why looking beyond plants and gardens for inspiration and paying attention to what lights you up might be the key to designing spaces that feel personal How the things you've curated in your home are clues to what you love, and why I start every design project by walking through my clients' homes How to train your eye to see design elements everywhere by breaking things down into color, texture, shape, and line to distill patterns Silly but intentional thought exercises (like designing a garden based on a Crunchwrap Supreme) that help unlock creativity and find inspiration in very unexpected places Resources: The Know Maintenance Perennial Garden by Roy Diblik Shop our full list of favorite books at https://bookshop.org/lists/favorite-books-relish-gardens. Every purchase supports independent bookstores. Some of the links are affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you. We only share things we genuinely love, use, and trust in our day-to-day garden work. Connect with Us: Free Winter Gardening Guide Relish Gardens Website Follow us on Instagram Follow us on YouTube If you loved this episode, make sure to subscribe. We've got new episodes every week. And if you know gardening friends who would love this, send it their way. Sharing the show helps grow our little garden-loving community. Until next time, I hope you find something in your garden to truly relish.