Reimagine the Rose Garden: Beyond Formal Rows

Long, formal rows of perfectly spaced bushes arent the only way to incorporate roses. Planted among other perennials or evergreens, or bunched together in no particular pattern, roses look perfect even in yards lacking a

Garden Design Essentials: Harnessing the Power of Color

Anyone who has walked into a room painted in a dull or garish palette knows the power of color. Color intuitively influences emotions—soothing spa or electrifying casino. In a garden landscape, color plays an equally pow

4 Fabulously Low-Maintenance Garden Focal Points

Fire and water make great focal points but are often high-maintenance. Plenty of other ways to draw eyes in a particular direction. Here are four focal points easy to integrate in any garden style or size. Sculpture Str

Garden Design Essentials: Balancing Unity and Variety

A work devoid of a unifying element is liable to seem haphazard and chaotic. A work totally unified with no variety can seem boring. These two principles are interlocked, writes Marjorie Elliott Bevlin in Design Through

Unsung Garden Hero: Fantastic Foliage

Plant color in the garden is never just about flowers. Stems, berries, seed pods give amazing diversity, but most of all its about foliage. Foliage is often overlooked—always in the chorus line, never the soloist. We use

6 Stunning Silver-Leaf Plants for Sun and Shade

I love all plants, but if I had to choose, no contest: silver plants have been my biggest obsession for years. You may know silver plants for sun—silver foliage often signals sun tolerance—but amazing silver plants have

Lay of the Landscape: Creating the Beauty of a Japanese Garden

A Japanese garden may seem bare and minimalist, but designing a true one is not simple. Every element is carefully chosen and placed to create seamless beauty reflecting the natural world outside. It takes time and effor

Garden Tour: Colorful Front Yard, Serene Woodland Backyard Near Boston

Six years ago this Massachusetts garden was neglected, overrun with invasives—poison ivy, bittersweet, euonymus. A couple with a 2-year-old son and dog saw past the tangled yard, drawn to the woodland setting and Belmont

Soften Modern Landscape Lines With Plants

Ever stepped into a stunning space that felt like something was missing? Walked into a room with too many boxy shapes, lines closing in from all sides? These spaces just need a little green. Even beautifully designed spa

Garden Design Gets Down to Details: Small Touches, Big Impact

Details often determine a purchase: stitching on a jacket, neat switches on a toaster, smooth metal trim on an iPhone. Gardens are the same—small touches of brilliance complete the picture. Look carefully at the best gar

Garden Design Essentials: Achieving Visual Balance

Balance is deeply ingrained in our DNA. We couldnt walk without it. We feel peace in visually balanced scenes; agitation when things appear off-balance. We instinctively know good balance but can we explain how and why a

Lay of the Landscape: Cottage Garden Style

Mention cottage garden and most imagine a colorful, fragrant garden with billowing perennials, picket fence, ornaments, trellises, arbors, benches, and a simple path to a charming entry. Thats todays typical cottage gard

Urns Hold Huge Potential for Garden Decorating

Odes have been written about them; theyve stored everything from wine to cremated ashes. Today, urns in a range of styles decorate homes and gardens. Large, simple, Mediterranean-style urns catch the eye in Houzz landsca

16 Stunners From an English Garden Center: Spring Favorites That Perform All Year

After a dry, benign winter in England, April brought the wettest April on record. Gardens suffered. May brought respite and a chance to repair and replant. Garden centers now burst with wonderful colors of flower and fol

Give Your Garden a Gate Mate: Style, Privacy, and Protection

Need to keep critters out? Or nosy neighbors? Or just want backyard privacy? A great gate is the answer. Materials are numerous—iron, wood, cement, more—and design options limitless. From modern steel sculptures to tradi

Strokes of Genius: 8 Stunning Lap Pool Designs

Long for a pool but have a skinny yard? Or an all-business swimmer who wants to get in, workout, and dry off without a winding-down soak? Lap pools—long, narrow pools for rhythmic strokes—are the answer. Need inspiration

Garden Design Essentials: Creating Emphasis and Focal Points

When viewing a beautiful room, where does your eye rest? Usually on something special that commands attention—artwork above a fireplace, a dramatic floral arrangement. Placing a strong visual element for impact is a clas

Flower Spikes That Pack a Visual Punch in Summer Gardens

Is your perennial garden lacking structure? Consider the spike. Not the most romantic name, but it delivers a visual punch. Spikes exist for every season, but spiky flowers seem particularly present in early summer. Here

Highlights of the 2012 Chelsea Flower Show: Topiary, New English Style, and Plant Communities

In spring 2012, landscape designer Cleve West—winner of Best Show Garden at Chelsea in 2011 and 2012—told the British Society of Garden Designers he doubted garden shows influence how we design our own gardens. Trends, h

Garden Tour: Formal French Design on Lake Minnetonka

When homeowners who love to entertain bought this Lake Minnetonka, Minnesota property, the house and grounds needed complete renovation. They wanted to enjoy the yard with family and guests and create better lake views.