This is the time of year to design the garden. Lasting design is all about form, foliage, four-season interest, and flowers!

To combine these elements in your garden plan, we begin by measuring your space and asking you to fill out an inventory, telling us what you like, how you want to use the space and how you will take care of it. Then we can draw you a sketch or prepare a detailed plan that considers these four elements.

Form considers the style of the house and the shape of the lot. Within that framework, everything in the garden should make a cohesive whole. What trees and where? How shall the beds be shaped to go beyond the concept of foundation plantings only?  What stone or other hardscape elements should be used and where? How will the trees and shrubs grow? This is the essence of form.

The right foliage adds variety and interest, making the garden three dimensional and vibrant. The first consideration here is sun and shade, and how much the plants will get in the location to be landscaped. Surprisingly, an "all green" landscape is not very interesting. These days we have purple-leaved or variegated shrubs and a wide variety of leaf types in both evergreens and deciduous plants.

Four-season interest means that the design holds up even in winter when the trees and shrubs are bare. In every season, in fact, there will be elements of the garden - often different ones - that will emerge as dominant and interesting.

The flowers you like will determine how color is used. A good design will combine colors effectively or use one color imaginatively. The flowers should appear on trees, shrubs, perennials and annual plants.

To use these elements well in a design that is cohesive and pleasing, our professional designers will use repetition of color, form and foliage throughout the garden. Let us help you with your design!

Garden designs always include canopy trees and foundation plantings. These are two of the most important structural elements. But what about the space in between "overhead" and "foundation"  -- roughly 6 to 20 feet high? It is in this middle space that shrubs and small trees delight the eye and give your design a more three-dimensional quality.

Including plants that mature in the middle also allows the use of lesser known shrubs and trees that make the landscape unique and interesting. Consider Paperbark Maples and the flowering Dogwood, Magnolia or Redbud tree.

Unique shrubs for the middle level include Seven Sons Flower, Viburnums of many varieties, Witch Hazel, Carolina Allspice, or the many varieties of purple-leaved Elderberry or Ninebark. 

For great flowering don't forget Wiegelias, Butterfly Bush and the beautiful blue of the Blue Mist Shrub, all of which attract butterflies.