b'We may think we are nurturing our garden, but of course, it\'s our garden that is really nurturing us. - Jenny Uglow, author, and historianIhave always been a great lover of nature. I was often by my father\'s side in our garden, where he taught me about plant and flower care. We loved getting our hands dirty. When Nick and I moved from my parents home, where we lived for six months, it was our first opportunity to create a garden of our own. The darling cottage we moved intoit was one in a row of manyon the west side of Los Angeles had a small area in front and off the back door to plant and grow more greenery. Our 1940s-constructed unit came with wonderful built-in features and gorgeous hardwood floors, which we would discover later after doing some redecorating.I began my experimentation with solo gardening in the front yard, but because we were squished between two buildings, finding some natural light was a challenge. Regardless, with ferns, azaleas, and impatiens, the lack of sunlight couldn\'t keep the hummingbirds away from this garden. It was a sight to be seen. The two abandoned spaces in the backyard, with their cement-like earth, cried out for the nurturing of a green thumb. So, I decided to give it an "English" garden, with jasmine vines winding through a small arbor. I also added a bench for quiet contemplation, and an arrangement of potted plants, shrubbery, and flowers.Down the row, by the last unit, I found a concrete statue of a beautifully graceful woman who served as the mesmerizing focal point among a small pond, overgrown moss, and various grasses. It was the perfect spot to unwind at the end of the day. When all was said and done, I reaped the rewards of my labor and fully enjoyed the magic of this garden. In 2001, we purchased our current home, which provided us with a nearly blank canvas on which we could create a new and much larger garden. This one also had natural lighting issues, but it didn\'t stop us from creating something spectacular.16'