Ann Nichol’s home and garden in Oakland, CA, is impossible to miss. Fortunately, there is ample street parking on her block to pull over and gawk and be inspired by the colorful waves of plants on her property.
When Ann and her husband moved into their home in 1983, the property was filled with agapanthus, a few camellia bushes and “tons and tons of crabgrass,” she says. After two years of clearing and amending the tired soil, Ann was ready to make the garden her own. The only plant that survived the purge: a stately Canary date palm that has since quadrupled in height. “I hemmed and hawed over it for quite a while, as I wasn’t keen on having a tropical garden. However, having decided to let it stay, I felt obliged to keep it company with other tropical plants.” Ann eventually brought in landscape architect Bob Clark, who suggested she divide the garden into different levels and rooms. Unfortunately, Bob left the Bay Area before he was able to add any plants. No worries, Ann was more than up for the challenge and, in the beginning, did the planting herself.
Ann’s entry into gardening started when she was in her early thirties and living in a different house. Her neighbor across the street was a gardener and had a tiny plot filled with plants. Ann spent time with her friend in her garden and according to Ann, this turned into “a pastime, which became an addiction.” Still pruning, curating, and appreciating, Ann, at 81 years old, knows a thing or two about the power of gardening.
Here are her lessons learned from decades of working the soil.
Photography by Kier Holmes.
It’s about the journey, not the destination.
What gardener doesn’t get impatient and want immediate gratification from time to time, but deep down we know that we need to slow down, pause, and not rush ourselves so terribly. Ann knows this mantra well as some of her chosen plants don’t bloom overnight or fill in the nooks and crannies with a blink. “Being patient positively affects both plants and well-being,” she shares. “Once you and your plants get to know each other, the plants will tell you what they need if you listen.” Do they need more water or a shadier spot, perhaps?
Trust your gut.
