After: A formal garden – plants and ornamental trees mirrored from one side to the other. The wandering path slows you down to notice blooms, bees, and fireflies.

Before: The homeowner’s outdoor space was a small gravel patio approximately 130’ from the house in the side yard. Most of the yard is shaded, but that spot was sunny.

After: With a vision of a more formal but livable garden, the homeowners wanted a meditative place to enjoy the outdoors. Looking toward the house, the SW side of the garden is on the left, and the opposite side (the NE) is on the right.

After: This is the SW side of the garden. The trees on this side are heritage trees. Care was taken when planting along this side, navigating the tree roots while maintaining the integrity of the path. A line of arborvitae along the property line will grow to eventually provide more privacy from the neighbors.

Before: Here’s what the SW side looked like. There was little separation between the neighbor’s and our client’s properties.

Before: The NE side of the yard had weedy shrubs and failing trees to be removed; the bricks were reused as garden bed edging, and the heron bird bath was saved. However, there was one big problem…the back edge of this bed/property was falling down the hill.

Before: The old, stacked stone wall had crumbled. Plants, trees, and soil were moving down the hill toward the neighbor’s yard. Note the orange lot line marker.

In Prog: That is a 16’ drop to the neighbor’s sidewalk. Challenge: The old stone wall was 100 years old. A new retaining wall had to be installed on the downslope, just inside the property line. This created a more level space for the garden bed to come.

After: This garden bed, on the NE side of the property, runs along the new retaining wall. The old brick edging runs along the steel edging of the gravel path.

After: The profusion of plant material provides a little bit of privacy from the oh-so-very-close neighbors but also reduces the sound of a busy downtown. You can see the rooftops of the downtown buildings. Putting the flagstone patio closer to the home is more convenient…and more likely to be used.

After: On the west corner of the yard, from the front entry/street, an arbor covered in clematis beckons visitors to explore this secret garden. A peek over the railing makes you want to see more.

Before: A lonely Japanese-style garden sculpture sits in what was once a garden bed. The homeowners wanted to keep it. You can see the “patio” spot in the distance at the back of the yard.

After: The garden sculpture sits just inside to welcome visitors, now surrounded by hydrangea, coneflower, and Amsonia.

After: Once inside, when you can see the entire garden, you immediately slow your pace. What should you look at first? You almost miss the neighbor’s house. The flagstone patio closer to the home provides a more convenient space to relax outdoors.

After: There is no need to rush back to the house. With the masses of flowers and shrubs, it takes time to see everything, and that’s the point.

After: Sunset. Landscape lighting, including uplights and path lights, provides a more mellow ambiance. You wouldn’t know downtown is a block away. About 30 minutes after sunset, fireflies explode in the garden beds and trees. It is magical.