Lay of the Landscape: Traditional Garden Style

Traditional landscaping gets a bad rap in design circles — not daring, doesn't push envelopes, seen everywhere. But well-done traditional gardens have much going for them: instantly appealing, work with any house style, evoke graciousness and connection to the past.

Though traditional takes many turns — English country estate, French styling, classic cottage garden — one thing ties them together: greenery. Lawns anchor the space. Trees play a major role. Garden beds fill with shrubs and leafy plants. Bursts of color exist, but green dominates.

Hardscapes are equally classic — strong geometry underlying the space, everything having its place.

And it works. People are drawn to traditional spaces — peaceful, inviting, allowing relaxation while admiring the landscaping. Isn't that what you really want?

A clean, simple hardscape plus traditional lawn and harmonious planting bed lets house lines stand out. Lamppost fits the style, serves as accent. Patch of light marking path start at night isn't bad either.

Donna Lynn - Landscape Designer: Filling a garden border with trees, perennials, and annuals is a time-honored way of masking yard edges and making it seem larger.

Windsor Companies: Mass planting of a single plant — throwback to large estates — is highly effective, especially in traditional settings. Annual color plays off house color without competing with architectural lines.

Woodburn & Company Landscape Architecture, LLC: Landscape plantings from garden bed to lawn to overhead vine fit this shingle-style home perfectly. But the same landscape would work with a range of home styles.

WINN Design+Build: Simple geometric lines of shrubs and trees complement rather than compete with this home's architecture. Green palette is always soothing and restful.

Westover Landscape Design, Inc.: Colonial house — straightforward traditional might not set it off, cottage garden might be too much. Solution: combine both. Lawn, formal paving, shrub-filled beds reflect traditional; irregular pavers, picket fence, blowsy plants behind add cottage touch.

Milieu Design: Garden bed between sidewalk and house softens formal lines. Free-form plantings confined to smaller area don't overwhelm the space.

Richard Kramer: Paved brick sitting area provides perfect transition between house and yard — traditional look working in any landscape. Cutout planting beds soften patio-house edge.

McDugald-Steele: Large lawn is traditional, but breaking into tiered levels edged with brick gives same expansiveness with individuality.

Woodburn & Company Landscape Architecture, LLC: Large lawn may not be water-wise, but it's inviting — reminds of old movies filled with families and friends.

Southview Design: Clean lines, place to sit, patch of green, symmetrical garden beds. Simple but always draws you in. Don't need much space to achieve it.

Westover Landscape Design, Inc.: Stone and wicker — combination withstanding time. Beach, heartland, or mountains, this look serves well. Add green edging and flowering plants, good to go.

Cathy Carr, APLD: Creating a calm, restful, inviting space is what traditional landscape is about — this inviting patio hits those notes.

Paradise Restored Landscaping & Exterior Design: With kids, sometimes less is more. Swing set, playhouse, plenty of lawn for games — may not win daring design prizes, but serves family well for years.