A Passion for Plants: 500 Varieties in a Small Eugene Garden

Landscape designers Rebecca Sams and Buell Steelman transformed the yard of their newly purchased Eugene home into a contemporary urban garden showcasing 500 plant varieties — from vegetables to ornamental trees, many with dramatically colored foliage. Hard-packed gravel pathways sweep through a series of garden rooms, each with its own focal point.

The entry garden features dwarf conifers, perennials, and shrubs. A side yard holds a gleaming 7-foot-diameter steel stock tank filled with lotus and water lilies. A vegetable garden enclosed by corrugated steel panels grows herbs, artichokes, berries, and tomatoes. The final room is an orchard of six fruit trees centered around a dramatic 3½-foot spherical stacked-stone sculpture. "The focal points connect the garden," says Steelman. "You can always see another place to go."

INFO: Mosaic Gardens, Eugene, OR (541/434-6467)

Landscape Lessons

• Create outdoor rooms. Different moods and functions; focal points draw the eye forward.
• Mix materials. Contrast textures in hardscape as you would with plants — Ipé deck, metal table, stainless-steel-and-teak chairs, galvanized steel trough with bamboos.
• Contrast foliage textures and colors. Combine large leaves, fine textures, and variegation for dynamic beds.
• Repeat geometric forms. Circular shapes unify the entry garden, stock tank, and stone globe.
• Make paths wide enough. Main paths should be at least 3½ feet wide; permeable gravel keeps feet dry in wet winters.