Small Space Gardeners Retreat
Back, Side and Front Yards
This installation is a Gardener’s paradise. Starting as a blank slate after a house remodel in 2016, this phased installation started in the backyard, making the most out of a tiny space. It incorporates sweeping lines, using plant material buffers to make each functional space cozy yet connected, utilizing existing materials and fountain to bring instant character and focal points to the space, a new fence section with an arbor which make entering the backyard and experience of its own, and a plant assortment that uses leaf color and texture paired with seasonal bloom times to make seasonal transitions interesting and exciting.
The side and front yard installation was installed later that year with the goal of tying the aesthetics of the backyard to the front, installing key structural plant materials, and allowing the homeowner to add her personal touch to the plant palette and tinker to her hearts content.
The Blueprint
The Before Photo
Landscape Key Elements - What's Unique in this Design
Contrast & Composition
Flow and balance! Even in a small space you can get a sense of enclosure AND openness. Getting things in the right place is key.
Side Flairs
The paver flairs here expand and broaden the front entrance — create a very welcoming energy!
Grass Walkway
As long as you aren’t shoveling it in the winter, a “grass walkway” can be a calming way to decrease hardscape.
Small Trees
Small trees break up the vertical lines of the fence and are the anchor planting that give the smaller plants something to relate to.
Small Space Functional Things
Arbor
Nothing gives a sense of entrance like an arbor – you enter the quiet of the garden from the noisy outside world.
Water Feature
Should a water feature be trickle or a gush, tall or short, natural or formal? This classic water feature is in the perfect spot to provide a pleasant burble for the patio area, and great for birds too.
Clay Pavers
While concrete can look worn with age, clay pavers get better and better with age. This curving “running bond” pattern guides your eye through the space.