Outside Is In: Molly Wood Garden Design

Molly Wood wants you to step outside.

“The fresh air, the breeze — this moment is all we have!” she says, with a twinkle in her eye that reflects a true love for the greenery surrounding her.

I’ve poked my head into Molly Wood Garden Design before. It’s hard to resist the cute, little, garden shop, just off Orange Avenue, that’s home to its namesake landscape designer and shopkeeper.

Everywhere I look there’s something beautiful or interesting: beach-themed prints hung next to ornate pieces of driftwood, tables scattered throughout, leafy-green plants, sculptures of all sizes… even letter-press stationary.

I wander out back, where the trickle of a water fountain is the welcome soundtrack to an abundance of potted succulents, unique ceramic planters, and whimsical outdoor signs tucked into corners.

Beautiful and beachy: Molly Wood Garden Design, Costa Mesa.

Molly and I take a seat in the shade, as she settles into the story of how this all came about.

She’s been designing gardens for 25+ years, and her shop has been open for eleven.

But before all that, Molly grew up in Ashland, Oregon, surrounded by natural beauty. She went on to become a working model, traveling all over Europe, where her fondness for outdoor spaces grew even stronger.

It may have been the public parks, specifically in Germany, that catapulted her fascination with the outdoors into a career trajectory. She noticed how those carefully-planned, beautiful spaces were being used — and the happiness they brought to their visitors.

She returned to the States with a newfound purpose, and began studying landscape design in earnest. Twenty-five years later, she’s still enamored.

“I’m just grateful for every day I get to do what I love to do,” she says.

Garden Design to Serve Your Lifestyle, At Molly Wood in Costa Mesa.

Her design aesthetic is clean, warm, inviting. It shines through her online portfolio, where it’s clear that beach bungalows, and Mediterranean-style estates alike, have benefitted from her vision.

Molly prides herself on making her work as personalized as possible. She’s quick to emphasize that she’s not about forcing her aesthetic on you. She wants the design she creates to serve your lifestyle.

“I want to know where you grew up, what your priorities are, and how you want to live your life,” says Molly. “When I get a text from someone saying they created beautiful memories in their new space… that is what brings me so much satisfaction.”

Offered services range from ground-up design and implementation, to DIY workshops and everything in between.

If your outdoor space needs a refresh, a planting installation may be perfect for you. Molly’s team will come in to replenish and restore your space in a matter of days, cleaning up what’s there and replacing what may need new life.

Her work has been featured in Sunset, Orange Coast, Better Homes & Gardens, and Luxe magazines, just to name a few. Molly and her team have completed projects all over Orange County, as well as in L.A., Santa Barbara, and San Diego.

But Costa Mesa is where her heart is. It’s where she’s worked, raised her family, and lived for 22 years. Locally, you might spot her hiking Laguna Canyon with girlfriends, shopping at The CAMP, or grabbing a bite at Eat Chow.

It’s the community vibe she loves most about Costa Mesa, and her shop is very much a part of it.

If you’re curious, just come in for inspiration, and a few pieces to give your outdoor space new life. The shop used to be a hair salon, and still carries that chill, laidback vibe.

“Everyone is welcome here,” says Molly. “Come by and hang out!”

Succulent and tabletop design workshops are usually on the schedule, if you want to learn how to get your hands in some soil or design your own spaces.

Any way you want to create your outdoor space, Molly Wood has a way to help.

As the light shifts in our shady spot, the conversation shifts to how lucky we are to live here.

Costa Mesa is an incredible town — with such beautiful weather — it’s easy to make the most of every moment outdoors. To be outside is to feel alive, we both agree, and oh, what a life it is.  ♥

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Visit the Molly Wood Garden Design studio and shop at 1660 Orange Avenue. To learn more about Molly’s design consultations, see her portfolio, or sign up for workshops, visit mollywoodgardendesign.com. Follow on Instagram at @mollywoodgarden

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