The Art of Restraint: Why Simple, Bold Plantings Make Better Gardens

Classic English gardens demand constant management and large budgets. The New American garden takes a different cue: look to regional landscapes for inspiration. Large masses of plants in restrained, monocultural blocks keep compositions bold, simple, and solution-based—celebrating form and texture in naturalized drifts.

Embrace What Thrives

Find plants that love your conditions and multiply them. Sunny? Let grasses dominate the ground plane. Shady? Add trees and fern groundcovers. A garden of massed ferns and birch groves is simple, bold, and calming.

Keep Groundcovers Simple

Stick to one or two trouble-free groundcovers. Geranium macrorrhizum (shade, deer-resistant) paired with a sedge creates complementary textures that last decades with minimal care.

Divide and Multiply What You Love

Limited budget? Divide herbaceous plants in spring. More of the same plant yields surprisingly bold beauty. Irregular stepping stones softened by Mazus repans, with nandina, brunnera, and sedges keeping the palette graceful.

Select One Plant That Does It All

Instead of dozens of species, find one aggressive but non-invasive spreader. Solidago 'Fireworks' covers ground densely, eliminating weeding and mulching. A large space managed with a single species—simple, effective, and low-cost.

Aim for Naturalized Drifts

If mixing species, keep it casual. Drifts of needlegrass, reed grass, and Festuca maireii punctuated by flowering plants create a naturalized composition. Strong walk lines add a touch of order.

Focus on Scale and Repetition

Simple plant palettes repeated at different scales connect a grand home to the broader landscape. Nature is big and bold—don't be afraid to echo that in your garden.

Create an Experience in Every Space

Plant pool decks and patios. Consider the site first, then choose robust plants that thrive. Red-hot poker, yarrow, geranium, and thyme between pavers turn a stark hardscape into an elegant place.

Be Bold and Simple

Choose aggressive but non-invasive plants. Tour public gardens to see what excels in your climate. A summer palette of Miscanthus 'Giganteus', 'Gracillimus', Agastache 'Blue Fortune', and Pycnanthemum muticum outcompetes weeds, slashes costs, and needs almost no management. Right plants, right place.