Michelle Margaret - Home & Garden

This time it’s personal.

Well, for personal use anyway.

Have I been sourcing out more part-shade to shade plants?

Yes. Yes I have.

I’ve got a shady little nook in my east-facing garden, and I’m thrilled to welcome the chartreuse punch from Sun King Aralia to brighten things up.

Obviously I HAD to pair that up with the tall dark and handsome foliage of Brunette Bugbane, and create some harmony by repeating that colour with Grape Expectations heuchera throughout the space.

And for a little extra sparkle and magic? Jack Frost Brunnera’s silver brushed foliage does the trick.

I may never design a sunny garden again!

Just kidding.

Shade gardens are my obsession this year.

So I was SO excited to sit down with some clients a few weeks ago to discuss plans for their shade covered oasis.

It’s all about texture in a shade garden, with occasional appearances by some subtle blooms. And I’m loving this combo…not just because I designed it.

I’m really excited to see this plan take shape. ❤️

Loving this classic colour combo, against moody skies earlier today.

Before, and during.

After photos coming soon!

If you’re anything like me, life can get pretty overwhelming.

Add in the constant barrage of world shenanigans in the old feed, and it can feel extra heavy.

So, I’ve been spending a lot more time over on Pinterest lately.

Here’s a little inspo I pinned this morning, that I wanted to share here as well.

Garden inspiration can be found ANYWHERE, but one of the easiest places is the grocery store flower shop.

Not sure how to create a palette for your garden?

Check out some of the bouquets!

Check out my blog for more info, and if you’re as into Pinterest as I am, give me a follow over there! ()

https://www.michellemargaret.com/blog

The start of 2026!

Psst...native plants are perfect for anyone looking for a lower maintenance garden.

But, if you're anything like a LOT of the people I speak with every day, you probably conjure up images of a wild, overgrown yard whenever you hear the words 'Native Plant Garden.'

That doesn't have to be true, however.

So, I've written a little blog post on designing with native species, and how you can use The Garden PATHWAY to help you tame your dreams into reality...

https://www.michellemargaret.com/blog/design-with-native-plants

I had a pie-pumpkin-sized mass removed from my abdomen a couple of weeks ago.

I know. That’s a lot. But stay with me — because this is actually a garden story.

I’d been living with that thing growing inside me for who knows how long. Going about my days, doing my work, showing up for the people I love.

From the outside, everything looked completely normal. Well, normal-ish.

But I was surviving. Not thriving. There’s a difference, and somewhere underneath everything, my body knew it.

In these weeks after surgery, as the fog started to lift and I began to feel genuinely, measurably better — that’s when it hit me.

Plants do this all the time.

They survive in the wrong soil, in the wrong light, in the wrong spot. They show up. They put out a few leaves. They don’t die — but they don’t exactly live either. You look at them and think: it’s fine. It’s doing okay.

But put that same plant in the right conditions — the right sun, the right soil, the right amount of space — and it doesn’t just survive. It transforms. It becomes the plant it was always meant to be.

The difference between a struggling garden and a thriving one usually isn’t the plants. It’s the conditions they’re growing in.

That’s the whole Align step of The Garden PATHWAY Method — figuring out what your garden actually needs to thrive, not just survive. If you haven’t grabbed the free guide yet, it’s linked in my bio.

Surviving and thriving look different. In recovery, in life, and in your garden. Make sure your plants are in conditions where they can truly thrive.

Here’s the thing: colour in the garden is an emotional choice, not just an aesthetic one. A chaotic palette makes your eye dart around looking for somewhere to rest. An intentional one makes you exhale.

You don’t need more flowers.
You don’t need fewer flowers.
You just need them to be in conversation with each other.

Pick three or four colours that belong together and let everything follow from there.

That one decision will make every garden choice after it easier.

Promise.