Stretching the Budget: An Abundant Pennsylvania Farm Garden

Donald Pell bought a Pennsylvania farm in 2008 to house his office, create a sustainable working farm, and provide family living space. Then the economy crashed. Money tightened, and landscape designers were often first cut. Pell responded by creating an attention-grabbing front garden—milliseconds to impress drivers at 60 mph, but rich with lessons for all.

Designer: Donald Pell, Donald Pell Gardens
Size: ~10,000 sq ft (929 sq m)
Location: Chester County, Pennsylvania

Primary challenges: Sustainable, low-maintenance garden attracting passersby and wildlife; no supplemental irrigation; plants outcompeting weeds from neighboring farm; screening farm equipment from the road.

Plants shown (front to back): Moor grass (Molinia cv., zones 5–9), Russian sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia, zones 4–9), ornamental sage (Salvia nemorosa cv., zones 5–9), great coneflower (Rudbeckia maxima, zones 4–9), mountain mint (Pycnanthemum muticum, zones 4–8), giant maiden grass (Miscanthus giganteus, zones 5–9).

The Designer's Process

Pell's goals: create beauty, excitement, environmental connection, design integrity. Immerse the viewer in an experience, not window dressing. Allow serendipity; let plants do what they do best; site plants for tactile encounters.

Inspiration: childhood in creeks and fields, observing natural plant communities. A grassy wetland on the farm is his thinking spot. Public gardens, tours, and giants like Frederick Law Olmsted and Wolfgang Oehme (New American Garden creator) inform him.

Mission: stretch any budget as far as possible; stretch clients' comfort zones—that's the basis of memorable spaces; ask questions so the final product exceeds expectations.

Plants shown (front to back): Moor grass, ornamental sage, Russian sage, great coneflower, giant maiden grass.

Pell begins with a question: "What does this place want to become?" A dialogue with the land ensues. Good design realizes place, whether on a limestone or gravel budget. Example: wind shear snapped trees—he realized the site had too much pressure, wanted to be a sunny meadow.

Pell's aesthetic: "stylized wildness." Plants organize in colonies based on environmental needs—this is survival. Mimicking this with artistic abstraction lets the human brain process space meaningfully. Repetition and pattern create understanding. Few single specimens; he's fascinated by plant community interactions.

Plant shown: Russian sage foreground.

As a plantsman, Pell embraces aggressive ("successful") plants—often the most effective for landscapes and budget-stretching. They keep others in check. The problem arises when aggressive plants neighbor polite ones—the bullish always win. Study your plants deeply; think of them as physiological technology. Don't learn from garden centers (bred for small size, profuse blooms, trends). Go to public gardens where long-term performance matters. Be honest about your preferences and conditions.

Plant shown: Gooseneck loosestrife (Lysimachia clethroides, zones 3–8).

Solutions for a Sustainable, Attractive, Budget-Stretching Landscape

Create a Destination with a Focal Point

A cairn (artful stone mound) anchors Pell's garden. Historically, cairns mark destinations. His farm aims to be a destination for design-related horticulture—hence the cairn.

Plants shown (front to back): Mountain mint, coneflower (Echinacea sp.), ornamental sage, great coneflower, 'Gracillimus' maiden grass (Miscanthus sinensis 'Gracillimus', zones 5–9), giant maiden grass.

Pair Plants by Growth, Texture, Form

Stoloniferous plants (spreading by runners/rhizomes) make financial sense. Use plants based on spreading propensity—they hold their own, can be planted 5 ft apart to stretch the budget. No mulch, little irrigation; established plants stand alone, minimizing maintenance.

Juxtaposition creates interest. Pell "democratizes space"—each plant brings something vital. Mounding mountain mint contrasts vertical Russian sage and grasses, highlighting texture and form. All inexpensive, easily sourced. Mountain mint and Russian sage are pollinator magnets.

Design from All Vantage Points

A well-designed garden looks good from any angle. Taller plants mask farm equipment; seasonal color flashes (mountain fleece, Persicaria cv., zones 4–7) divert attention from utility lines.

Provide Year-Round Seasonal Interest

Ornamental grasses like 'Gracillimus' maiden grass offer four-season interest affordably. Pell advocates grasses for slope retention—budget-friendly alternative to often-overbearing walls.

Use Scrim for Depth & Illusion of Space

The garden near the house reads as a texture/form case study. Tall, loose plants (giant meadow-rue Thalictrum rochebrunianum, zones 4–8; Hungarian bear's breech Acanthus balcanicus, zones 6–8) positioned so viewers peer through them to see deeper beds. This scrim makes a narrow bed appear larger via added dimensionality. Immersion in landscape is Pell's trademark.

More: See more guides to landscape design | Why Aggressive Plants Might Actually Be Your Friends