diff --git a/Gemfile b/Gemfile
index 37eab73..5aa0145 100644
--- a/Gemfile
+++ b/Gemfile
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ require 'rbconfig'
 
 if RbConfig::CONFIG['target_os'] =~ /darwin/i
   gem 'rb-fsevent', '>= 0.4.0', :require => false
-  gem 'growl_notify', :require => false
+  gem 'growl',      '~> 1.0.3', :require => false
 end
 if RbConfig::CONFIG['target_os'] =~ /linux/i
   gem 'rb-inotify', '>= 0.8.5', :require => false
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 06bd4a0..5b2b622 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -55,19 +55,24 @@ Install the rb-fsevent gem for [FSEvent](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FSEvents)
 $ gem install rb-fsevent
 ```
 
-Install the growl_notify gem if you want notification support:
+Install either the growl_notify or the Growl gem if you want notification support:
 
 ``` bash
 $ gem install growl_notify
+$ # or
+$ gem install growl
 ```
 
-And add it to your Gemfile:
+And add them to your Gemfile:
 
 ``` ruby
 gem 'rb-fsevent'
-gem 'growl_notify'
+gem 'growl'
 ```
 
+growl_notify uses AppleScript, the suggested method for interfacing with Growl,
+rather than the `growlnotify` command to display messages.
+
 ### On Linux
 
 Install the rb-inotify gem for [inotify](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inotify) support:
diff --git a/lib/guard/notifier.rb b/lib/guard/notifier.rb
index b3ae3b2..e960301 100644
--- a/lib/guard/notifier.rb
+++ b/lib/guard/notifier.rb
@@ -47,10 +47,18 @@ module Guard
     def self.notify_mac(title, message, image, options)
       require_growl # need for guard-rspec formatter that is called out of guard scope
 
-      options = { :description => message, :title => title, :icon => image_path(image), :application_name => APPLICATION_NAME }.merge(options)
-      options.delete(:name)
+      default_options = { :title => title, :icon => image_path(image), :name => APPLICATION_NAME }
+      default_options.merge!(options)
 
-      GrowlNotify.send_notification(options) if enabled?
+      if defined?(GrowlNotify)
+        default_options[:description] = message
+        default_options[:application_name] = APPLICATION_NAME
+        default_options.delete(:name)
+
+        GrowlNotify.send_notification(default_options) if enabled?
+      else
+        Growl.notify message, default_options.merge(options) if enabled?
+      end
     end
 
     def self.notify_linux(title, message, image, options)
@@ -94,17 +102,21 @@ module Guard
     end
 
     def self.require_growl
-      require 'growl_notify'
+      begin
+        require 'growl_notify'
 
-      if GrowlNotify.application_name != APPLICATION_NAME
-        GrowlNotify.config do |c|
-          c.notifications = c.default_notifications = [ APPLICATION_NAME ]
-          c.application_name = c.notifications.first
+        if GrowlNotify.application_name != APPLICATION_NAME
+          GrowlNotify.config do |c|
+            c.notifications = c.default_notifications = [ APPLICATION_NAME ]
+            c.application_name = c.notifications.first
+          end
         end
+      rescue LoadError
+        require 'growl'
       end
     rescue LoadError
       turn_off
-      UI.info "Please install growl_notify gem for Mac OS X notification support and add it to your Gemfile"
+      UI.info "Please install growl or growl_notify gem for Mac OS X notification support and add it to your Gemfile"
     end
 
     def self.require_libnotify
diff --git a/spec/guard/notifier_spec.rb b/spec/guard/notifier_spec.rb
index 2d4858f..fba4145 100644
--- a/spec/guard/notifier_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/guard/notifier_spec.rb
@@ -39,9 +39,19 @@ describe Guard::Notifier do
         end
       end
 
-      context "without the GrowlNofity library available" do
+      context "with the Growl library available" do
+        it "loads the library and enables the notifications" do
+          subject.should_receive(:require).with('growl_notify').and_raise LoadError
+          subject.should_receive(:require).with('growl').and_return true
+          subject.turn_on
+          subject.should be_enabled
+        end
+      end
+
+      context "without the Growl library available" do
         it "disables the notifications" do
           subject.should_receive(:require).with('growl_notify').and_raise LoadError
+          subject.should_receive(:require).with('growl').and_raise LoadError
           subject.turn_on
           subject.should_not be_enabled
         end
@@ -102,6 +112,51 @@ describe Guard::Notifier do
         subject.stub(:require_growl)
       end
 
+      context 'with growl gem' do
+        before do
+          Object.send(:remove_const, :Growl) if defined?(Growl)
+          Growl = Object.new
+        end
+
+        after do
+          Object.send(:remove_const, :Growl)
+        end
+
+        it "passes the notification to Growl" do
+          Growl.should_receive(:notify).with("great",
+            :title => "Guard",
+            :icon  => Pathname.new(File.dirname(__FILE__)).join('../../images/success.png').to_s,
+            :name  => "Guard"
+          )
+          subject.notify 'great', :title => 'Guard'
+        end
+
+        it "don't passes the notification to Growl if library is not available" do
+          Growl.should_not_receive(:notify)
+          subject.should_receive(:enabled?).and_return(true, false)
+          subject.notify 'great', :title => 'Guard'
+        end
+
+        it "allows additional notification options" do
+          Growl.should_receive(:notify).with("great",
+            :title => "Guard",
+            :icon  => Pathname.new(File.dirname(__FILE__)).join('../../images/success.png').to_s,
+            :name  => "Guard",
+            :priority => 1
+          )
+          subject.notify 'great', :title => 'Guard', :priority => 1
+        end
+
+        it "allows to overwrite a default notification option" do
+          Growl.should_receive(:notify).with("great",
+            :title => "Guard",
+            :icon  => Pathname.new(File.dirname(__FILE__)).join('../../images/success.png').to_s,
+            :name  => "Guard-Cucumber"
+          )
+          subject.notify 'great', :title => 'Guard', :name => "Guard-Cucumber"
+        end
+      end
+
       context 'with growl_notify gem' do
         before do
           Object.send(:remove_const, :GrowlNotify) if defined?(GrowlNotify)