Gallery
We all want the wow,
but great gardens don’t happen overnight.
Designing a new garden or renovating an existing landscape involves defining a goal, designing with respect for the site and choosing appropriate plants.
You can see the process below in some of my work. Each project illustrates site, design and plant problems and shows how they were resolved.
Before and after: When I visited this property again and saw its progression, I was so pleased that I wanted to share it. A house renovation accompanied by an existing landscape that wasn’t in great shape provided many challenges. The site sat on top of a steep hillside and was very exposed to the elements. We needed a retaining wall but when it was built, it obviously needed more planting to soften it up. Many of the original plants had died or were in bad shape. There was no coherent design and plants scattered about in a motley fashion.
Before: This steep hillside was difficult to navigate and the bottom part of the property was inhospitable and unnattractive.. Building stone retaining walls and installing stairs was the first step toward improving it.
After: The goal was to create plantings that would look attractive from the house and pool year round. To keep maintenance at a minimum, groupings of low maintenance perennials were massed together with a variety of structural shrubs and trees.
After: Behind the pool, we needed plantings that could be enjoyed from above and below. For maximum impact we planted masses of ornamental grasses with cutleaf sumac 'Tiger Eyes'
Before: Tall, leggy trees, junky shrubs and weeds were the only things inhabiting this bed.
The goal was to connect this bed to the woodlands next to the house, and to create privacy from the road.
After: Fast growing deciduous shrubs were added to cover up the bottoms of the leggy trees. Masses of evergreen and deciduous shrubs we're used to increase textural interest and color.
Masses of attractive, easy care perennials were layered into the plantings to reduce maintenance.
The new bed acts as a buffer from the road, but also enhances the house and front walkway.
Before: Disjointed plantings of perennials and shrubs that were not doing well. Not enough structural plants and hard to maintain.
After: A backbone of evergreens was added to create more structure. Groups of perennials and variety of flowering deciduous shrubs provided additional flowers without increasing maintenance.
After: A more beautiful and interesting front entrance.
Before: The goal was to create privacy, a more attractive view from the windows of the house and a garden to enjoy from the patio. The backyard was shady, with lots of root competition. All of the back windows faced the neighboring property - no privacy or anything pretty to look at.
After: An evergreen hedge provides privacy and a backdrop for the trees, shrubs and perennials layered into the bed.
After: An improved view from the window and a garden that can be enjoyed from the back patio.