Reclaimed Brick in the Garden: History, Charm, and Sustainable Style

Reclaimed brick brings instant character—dings, pockmarks, faded stains, and rough edges tell a story new materials cant match. Beyond aesthetics, using salvaged brick diverts waste from landfills and reduces demand for

Creating an Enchanting Shade Garden: Design Secrets for Wooded Landscapes

Mature trees are often viewed as obstacles, but theyre actually the foundation of a magical garden style impossible in full sun. Shade gardens offer cooling benefits, seasonal drama, and a sense of mystery that sun-drenc

Designing a Stunning Garden on a Sloped Lot: Expert Strategies

Sloped lots often feel like a gardeners nightmare, but with the right approach, they can become your landscapes greatest asset. After years of wrestling with my own 30-foot drop from back to front, I discovered that terr

8 Ways to Design a Front Yard That Builds Community

Many of us live in communities defined by geography or economics, not shared history or culture. We may not know our neighbors at all. Creating a true community—where people care for and watch out for each other—requires

17th-Century Formal Garden Grandeur for Modern Landscapes

Our gardens may seem far from Italian villas and French palaces, but we can borrow their features for formal grandeur. Formal design roots trace to Italian Renaissance gardens, influencing 17th-century French masters lik

Building a Nature-Rich Garden from Scratch in the Netherlands

Nature isnt easy to find in the Netherlands—a country largely built up from the sea centuries ago, not carved from forest or meadow. How do you build an engaging, nature-integrated garden in one of the worlds most urban

Secrets to a Low-Maintenance, High-Reward Water Garden

The sound of flowing water is a perfect antidote to stress—unless the water garden creates headaches of its own. They have a reputation for high maintenance and countless failure points. Theres truth to that, but a few e

Touring a New American Garden in New Jersey: The Garden at Federal Twist

James Golden calls himself a New American gardener—mimicking nature with large plant swaths, following Wolfgang Oehme, James van Sweden, and Piet Oudolf. Hes brave, experimenting with unfamiliar plants and using stalwart

Beyond the Pond: New Ways to Design With Water in the Landscape

Traditional water features only scratch the surface of waters potential. Its the elixir of life for plants, sculpts rock and soil into patterns that inspire our designs, and shapes our moods. If water isnt scarce in your

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

Five Colorado Gardens Where Nature Leads the Design

The Rockies expansive vistas, forests, and peaks create landscapes of unmatched grandeur. These five Colorado gardens—part of the Cultural Landscape Foundations Garden Dialogues tour—dont impose on the environment; theyr

Problem Solved: Building a Lush Garden in a Dark Urban Canyon

Jeffrey Erb, a NYC landscape designer, thrives on logistical nightmares that would make others cringe. His goal: make a positive, stylish difference in clients lives. His process blends inspiration with nitty-gritty prob

Building Green: Sustainable Hardscapes That Define Your Landscape

In the previous Building Green story, we explored plant choices for environmental health. Now, the other half of your yard: hardscape—the walkways, decks, paths, planter borders, and retaining walls that architect your l

10 Ways to Transform Your Side Yard from Wasted Space to Favorite Place

The side yard is often a glorified alley—hemmed in by structures built as close as codes allow, housing unused tools and trash cans. But its odd proportions and tucked-away location hold immense potential. Here are ten w

Creating a Zen-Inspired Garden: Beyond Japanese Clichés

Clients often ask for Zen gardens, then reject designs loaded with stone lanterns and Buddha heads. What they truly want isnt a Japanese garden per se, but a space that evokes the feeling of one—tranquility, intentionali

Think in 3-D: Sculpt Your Garden Space Like an Artist

A great garden maximizes its volume with apparent ease—it doesnt strain to be something its not. It wears its space confidently, like a well-tailored garment. Most gardeners think in two dimensions, rarely looking up to

Design Solutions for Oddly Shaped Backyards: Embrace the Quirks

Oddly shaped backyards—long and narrow, curved, sloped, compact, or boxy—present challenges, but their imperfections make them far more interesting than cookie-cutter rectangles. The key: embrace the quirks and use creat

Rustic Minimalism: A Connecticut Retreat Built on Simplicity and Grace

On a 20-acre Connecticut tract, a homeowner built a house from 150-year-old barn wood for a weekend retreat. She tasked landscape architect Janice Parker with sculpting a 1½-acre garden that would connect meaningfully to

The Garden Gate: Setting the Stage for Your Landscape's Story

A great garden tells a story—of the land, its history, and the people who partnered with nature to shape it. Every story needs a beginning, and thats why the garden entrance deserves thoughtful design. Gates serve both p

How to Site and Size a Rain Garden for Maximum Impact

Rain gardens are surging in popularity as an eco-friendly way to infiltrate stormwater on-site, reducing pressure on municipal systems and managing runoff cost-effectively. Designing one begins with two critical decision