PLANTS +
PEOPLE
A study of the symbiotic relationship between
humans and the gardens they tend to.
Exploring Heather Sperling’s Mount Washington, CA garden, it’s easy to draw a parallel between the blend of textures, colors, and varietals in her backyard…and the same balance that can be found at Botanica, the much-loved Silverlake restaurant that Sperling co-owns (and whose farmer’s market-centric menu reflects a similar adoration of California’s seasonal bounty). Raised by a family of gardening enthusiasts, to hear Heather explain her own relationship with the practice is to dive deeply into the sensorial satisfaction and childlike wonder that can be found in tending to one’s environment. Read on to discover more about how she’s worked to transform the landscape surrounding her history-rich home (whose original name, Rose Moor, was a nod to the blooming florals that lined the property) into a lush reflection of the present season.
heather sperling
002 heather sperling
region: mt washington, los angeles
plant community: coastal sage scrub
landscape design: logan’s gardens | rolling greens
photography: justin chung
Describe how your garden: feels, smells, sounds, tastes.
Breezy, calm, peaceful. Butterflies dancing, hummingbirds zipping around, lizards sunning and scampering. Sagebrush and lavender in the sun. The bright, high-note green scent of tomato vines. The fruity sweetness of lantana wafting after someone brushes by it on the front steps. Leaves rustling, squirrels chattering, fountains trickling, birds calling. Bitter greens, potent herb flowers, crisp peas and sweet tomatoes, sun-warmed and nearly bursting.
What is your first or earliest memory of being in a garden?
My gardening lineage is long, spanning both sides of my family. My mother grows flowers wherever she can (she’s notorious for once planting an old toilet with trailing petunias), and my father packs as many fruits and vegetables as he can into his yard – a passion he inherited from his father, who created an Edenic edible garden in West Virginia. Asparagus and snap peas in spring; melons, tomatoes, corn and plums in summer; grapes and brussels sprouts in the fall – he grew it all. The multi-sensory experiences I had in his garden are some of the most powerful foundational memories of what has become a life-long love affair with produce and plants. When I think about the genesis of my relationship with food, a big part of it lies in my family’s gardens.
“The multi-sensory experiences I had in his garden are some of the most powerful foundational memories of what has become a life-long love affair with produce and plants.”
Heather Sperling
Can you share more about your relationship to planning and preparing your garden throughout the year? What are some seasonal steps you consider or take?
The seasonal element of the garden really manifests in the vegetable beds. A fall and winter garden in LA is still so lush and green, with lettuces and herbs thriving in the winter, and root vegetables with greens that are wonderful to cook. Many of the natives look their happiest during January and February, and the scent of citrus blossoms in the winter is heavenly! Coming from the East coast, the verdant nature of LA in January and February is an annual miracle, as far as I’m concerned.
Do you use plants medicinally? What is your plant routine?
I believe food is medicine for the body and the spirit, and that gardening, harvesting and cooking can be meditative salves for the mind… so in that regard, you could say that I use plants medicinally! My approach to food is to cook with the seasons, always with a focus on nourishment and beauty (which is its own form of nourishment.)
In addition to the vegetables that I grow, my garden is home to many nutritious greens and herbs that are both culinary and medicinal. Future goals include creating the time to really explore the healing properties of plants and making space for drying and blending herbal teas. For now, quick tisanes of fresh herbs (lemon verbena, lavender and flowering thyme) and the occasional handful of lavender and rosemary thrown in the bath will have to suffice.
Brassica oleracea
(Broccoli Spigariello)
This traditional southern Italian specialty green has broccoli-flavored leaves and tops with a tender and crunchy texture. It tastes like a cross between broccoli and Tuscan kale, hardy yet sweet in flavor. Spigariello has narrow, dark green leaves that grow curly and twist in form. A great addition to salads, sautées, soups, on pizza, and in pasta.
Achillea ‘Moonshine’
(Moonshine Yarrow)
A lovely plant for a perennial border and excellent in a fresh cut or dried bouquet. ‘Moonshine’ has bright yellow flower clusters and silver-gray foliage. It thrives best in full sun and well-draining soil.
What plants are currently in your garden? What’s thriving?
When we bought our property two years ago, the landscaping was mostly grasses (and largely vacant). In the past year, we’ve introduced softness, florals and diversity; the butterflies and bees have never been happier. We planted milkweed, yarrow, lavender, butterfly bush, acacia redolens, evolvulus, cranesbill geraniums, Santa Barbara daisies. We incorporated cypress trees and rose bushes in homage to the yard’s history – when the house was built around 1914, it was called Rose Moor and the yard was mainly cypress and roses. In the shady zones we added blue star ferns and ficus; we planted more jade and agave in the dry, sandy spots. The property is filled with very happy old-growth trees and bushes – eucalyptus, pepper trees, a magical Chinese elm, rosemary and pittosporum hedges, and a few giant blooming cacti that are just so magical.
What plants do you use for cooking or healing?
Cooking is my greatest creative outlet and the way that I care for my community…and cooking and entertaining are the actions through which I feel most fully myself. So I really cherish my garden for the way it enables that. I always grow copious herbs (tarragon, shiso, cilantro, parsley, dill, oregano, marjoram, bay, multiple varieties of thyme, basil and mint) and flavorful greens that can be used for salads or as flavoring elements – like mizuna, frilly mustard, red-veined sorrel and a few varieties of arugula. A salad of flavorful, textural greens and whole leafy herbs is my favorite addition to a dinner table – it’s so beautiful, goes with everything, and makes every meal better.
Right now, in addition to the greens and herbs, I’m harvesting eggplant, tomatoes, haricot vert, spigarello, cucumbers, kale, zucchini and blueberries multiple times per week. This is the first time I’ve grown spigarello, and now I’ll never have a garden without it! It’s a leafy green in the broccoli family that I absolutely adore sauteed with garlic/chile/olive oil, stirred into pasta, or braised in coconut milk curries.
Do you have any garden traditions that you’ve inherited or learned and plan to pass on?
This is the first garden where I’ve grown flowers that can be dried – so I’ve been making bouquets of yarrow interspersed with lavender and gifting them to friends to hang and dry. One small tradition I’ve created with my daughter is to sit outside most nights and “listen to the nighttime sounds,” which is a precious end-of-day moment in the garden where we just look, listen, breathe and appreciate. I also love to make cyanotypes (sun prints) using foliage from the property. Before my son was born, I had my dearest friends make a series of prints this way; they now hang in his room and are one of my most cherished possessions.
What are your plans for your garden in the next 5 years?
We need to rebuild our crumbling 1910s garage, and in doing so will create a true outdoor living/cooking/entertaining space… this will enable us to live in the garden even more than we already do! I’m also excited to teach my children more about our garden as they grow. By having them grow up in tune with the landscape that surrounds them, I hope to instill in them a love, respect and awe for the power and magic of plants.
Aloysia citriodora
(Lemon Verbena)
A woody shrub with fragrant, lemon-scented narrow leaves. This plant likes full sun and well-draining soil. It can grow up to eight feet tall and wide. Lemon verbena is used as a culinary herb, fresh or dried, in teas, dressings, and desserts.
In a small pot over medium heat, simmer the lemon verbena leaves with the water and honey (uncovered) until the liquid is deep golden-brown and reduced by half. Let cool fully, strain out the leaves, and refrigerate the syrup. To serve, fill glasses with ice, add 2-3 tablespoons of the lemon verbena syrup, and top with sparkling water. Thinly slice half of the Meyer lemon and tuck a slice into each glass. Squeeze the other half into each glass, stir, and serve!
“When we bought our property two years ago, the landscaping was mostly grasses…we’ve introduced softness, florals and diversity… When the house was built around 1914, it was called Rose Moor and the yard was mainly cypress and roses."
Above: original photo of the Rose Moor property, courtesy of Heather Sperling.
lavender Lavandula angustifolia
(English Lavender)
Native to the Mediterranean, this herbaceous perennial is great in a garden border. Aromatic and often used in sachets, potpourri, and in aromatherapy. Prefers full sun and well-draining soil.
“Cooking is my greatest creative outlet and the way that I care for my community…and cooking and entertaining are the actions through which I feel most fully myself. So I really cherish my garden for the way it enables that.”
Cupressus sempervirens
(Italian Cypress)
These narrow, columnar evergreen trees are great as an accent to the landscape or when planted in a row for screening. The conifer trees have upright branches covered with blue-green needles. Italian Cypress are architectural, long-lived, and low maintenance. Plant in full sun.
Perilla frutescens
(Green Shiso)
This bright green culinary herb is often used in Asian cuisines. Tender and refreshing, Green Shiso has a flavor profile with hints of citrus, mint, clove, and cumin. The versatile herb has leaves and flowers that are both edible. Add to sushi, salads, teas, and more.
“One small tradition I’ve created with my daughter is to sit outside most nights and “listen to the nighttime sounds,” which is a precious end-of-day moment in the garden where we just look, listen, breathe and appreciate.”
Ficus pumila
(Creeping Fig, Climbing Fig)
An evergreen, fast growing vine that is often used to cover walls, pillars, and fences. This vine is vigorous and dense, and can grow up to 15 feet. Mature leaves have a leathery, shiny texture. Plant in full sun to part shade, in well-draining soil.
Salvia clevelandii
(Cleveland Sage)
Fast growing and super aromatic, this rounded sage is native to the southern California coast as well as northern Baja California. The drought tolerant shrub has clusters of lavender hued flowers and a gray-green foliage. Cleveland Sage grows up to six feet high and wide. Prefers full sun to part shade, and well-draining soil.
Corymbia citriodora
(Lemon-scented Gum, Lemon eucalyptus)
A tall, evergreen tree with lemon-scented foliage and a smooth, powdery white bark. Long-lived, this slender tree can grow up to 100 feet tall. It has long, narrow yellow-green leaves and small white flowers. Prefers full sun.
Parkinsonia aculeata
(Jerusalem Thorn, Mexican Palo Verde, Jelly Bean Tree)
A deciduous, small tree with tiny green leaves and sprays of yellow flowers. It has a unique green bark and a long blooming season. The Mexican Palo Verde is drought tolerant and fast growing. Prefers full sun.
Lantana montevidensis
(Trailing Lantana)
A low, spreading ground cover with lots of colorful blooms that can appear year-round. Great on a sunny slope, cascading over a raised bed or wall. This plant is tough and low maintenance, and it attracts butterflies and bees.
