Vision in Garden Design

This front yard garden looks simple, but it took a lot of work and probably a large initial expense. The driveway is behind the house, so the gardener could play all she wanted with the front and side yards. Both are on a considerable slope and could have posed a problem. The last thing you want to do on a steep slope is have to mow. But it is also hard to keep your step when gardening at that angle. The solution is often to cut terraces into the land. This gardener used stone retaining walls to create planting areas. Because the gardens are free standing and not bordering anything, the plants can mound up in the center. The large size and volume of the plants makes the small gardens appear larger. She has also tied them into the house with the balance of the two large urns and the repetition of the terra cotta material in the pots on the front steps. The plants on the steps continue to provide the color, when the shrubs in the borders cease blooming.