Landscape Ideas
These stock tanks are called into action to contain sometimes-too-vigorous upright bamboo, which is being used to conceal a neighboring apartment building. Keep in mind that container-grown bamboo tends to reach only half to three-quarters of its maximum height. When planting it in a trough, use an old carpet or other lining to act as a barrier and an insulator for the roots.
"Haiman and his team added a French drain to the backyard to assist in irrigation and flood control. The team dug a ditch down the center of the yard and laid a pipe that is perforated with small holes. The pipe is wrapped in a canvas “sock” that allows rainwater to slowly disperse throughout the backyard, preventing pools of water and also irrigating the flowers and plants along the way."
Clumping bamboo. Clumping bamboo is a noninvasive grower with clumps of compact, nonspreading culms (stems). It is well suited to smaller spaces because of its manageable mature size (most varieties top out at 8 to 16 feet in temperate climates) and compact growth habit. These plants tend to have slimmer culms and take on the appearance of a bamboo hedge. Clumping bamboo does not require containment and flourishes in a wide variety of situations in a small garden. Tip: Fargesia bamboo is one of the best clumping bamboo species for the small garden and fares well in a variety of light conditions. My favorite variety is the low-maintenance Fargesia robusta, which grows to a maximum height of 14 feet in a temperate climate.
Including plants with loose forms, like billowing grasses and vines, in built-in planters creates a more carefree feel. This roof deck in Notting Hill, West London, has a laid-back, almost Mediterranean mood thanks to built-in planters filled with swaying ‘Karl Foerster’ feather reed grass (Calamagrostis x acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’), rosemary and echeveria, and ivy and fragrant confederate jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) covering the back wall.
Creating privacy using a series of free-standing wooden screens, staggered to allow passage between them. The advantage of using freestanding panels, rather than a traditional fence, is that you can adjust the height and placement of each section to selectively screen unattractive views or adjacent buildings.
Contemporary-traditional blend. The path to the front door of this house in Atherton, California, uses a subtle zigzag. Just as the architecture of the home marries traditional farmhouse style on the left with a boxy, contemporary shape on the right, the garden path also balances traditional and modern. The low rock walls have a more traditional feel, but the poured concrete slab pathway updates the look.
One way to hide an ugly wall and create a nice view: Put a trellis in front. Instead of planting directly on the wall, grow vines on a sturdy trellis in front of the wall to screen it. This method is especially useful if you do not own the wall — it’s on a neighboring property — or you can not grow vines directly onto the wall. A trellis is typically made of either wood or metal and is firmly secured in the ground with footings. Any vine that twines — attaches itself by wrapping around a structure — is a great pick for trellis.
Garden: You can create a private space within a larger space, as is the case with this garden.
Brooding and beautiful, yet playful. No grass.
Interesting and fetching use of a small space, creating an intimate place that draws one in.
The interesting use of a long, narrow, generally difficult space. I find this delightful.
Red of the gravel with the green of the plants. Intimate atmosphere created by the positioning and type of plants chosen.
Use of a planting to soften the edges of a metal staircase.
Use of ivy to disguise a fence. For ours: Ivy that turns red in the Fall?
I love the use of rock chips to create a dry sculptural "creek bed" for water runoff.
I like the sunken aspect.
Sitting spot in the garden.
Beautiful, natural and best of all, no grass!
Raingarden
"A serpentine line creates a feeling of tranquillity because it’s natural and organic. It pulls your eye forward to create curiosity about what’s just around the bend, which is intentionally out of sight. Consider this shape if you enjoy creating garden vignettes or have several pieces of garden art that aren’t meant to be viewed all at once."
""The zigzag pattern is historically seen in the yatsuhashi or, “eight bridges,” paths of Japan. The cultural theory was that evil spirits could not navigate 90-degree angles, so paths laid out in this manner provided safety. This shape lends a Zen, meditative feeling to a path. Additionally, it slows the visitor down, allowing him or her to enjoy the garden. Zigzag paths are also quite appropriate in contemporary spaces, and the lines can be simplified to make them appropriate choices for more traditional spaces as well.
"Side garden paths, as shown here, can be much narrower, perhaps only 2 to 3 feet wide. The narrower width causes visitors to walk single file through the space and slows them down long enough to notice focal points or garden vignettes. The narrower path is also philosophical: We all experience life individually and our journey is, in reality, our own."
"Mulch. There are few things as peaceful as walking on a mulched path through a woodland garden. Mulch is inexpensive, easily sourced and installed, and is available in a variety of types and hues. It may be contained within a framework of timber or metal edging, or, as seen here, spread freely to give the suggestion of a path without rigid formality. Generally, more finely textured mulch requires replenishing more regularly than does a larger grade of mulch."
I love this space with the vines and covered area!
Low stone wall and general pleasant vibe.
Low stone wall leading to entrance.
Low dry stone wall
Stone bench set into the stone wall.
Standalone fieldstone fence, to divide a long open space.
Native sedges, when chosen properly for the region, make excellent, low-maintenance (often mow-free) lawn alternatives, perfect for covering large expanses of yard. The Carex species, such as Carex pansa, shown here, are particularly good for this purpose.
This free-form gravel path, barely 25 feet long, has a Japanese maple at its end and could easily fit into an average suburban yard. For those who walk there in the late afternoon, this path partners with the setting sun to offer a 15-minute light show that is nothing short of spectacular.
The ground cover used between the stones of the walkway. This path ascends, but the angle of the photo shows that this would work even on a flat surface.
Mulch pathway, using double-hammered hardwood. Simple and elegant.
This paver pathway leads to a postage stamp-sized patio between buildings, then continues on the far side. A tight planting scheme creates the illusion of a forest right in Chicago. Two chairs may not be enough for a party, but they’re certainly enough for a memorable conversation.
The pergola and gravel.
Plant combo: - ‘Angelina’ stonecrop (Sedum rupestre ‘Angelina’, zones 3-8) - ‘Perle von Nürnberg’ echeveria (Echeveria ‘Perle von Nürnberg’, zones 9-11) - Aloe vera (Aloe vera, zones 6-9) - ‘Mexican Giant’ echeveria (Echeveria colorata ‘Mexican Giant’, zones 9-11) - Blue chalk sticks (Senecio serpens, zones 9-12) - ‘Velour’ Aeonium (Aeonium ‘Velour’, zones 9-11) Light requirement: Full sun
Ground cover instead of grass. “The ground cover is Ajuga reptans ‘Catlin’s Giant’ and flowers in spring. “The flower spikes can be up to [6 to 8 inches] high and the ground is a sea of purply blue.”
Nice use of a small space, broken up by wood and pavers, so that it doesn't look too paved. Nice design.
Like the combination of pavers and gravel.
Use sound-absorbing materials. Every surface in your outdoor space, especially if it is small, is going to either amplify or absorb sound. Consider each surface and how that surface can be changed to absorb sound instead of reflect it. Your outdoor furniture should have soft elements, like outdoor-rated, weather-resistant cushions and textiles. The ground is a big amplifier of sound in small urban outdoor areas — especially when it’s made of concrete, metal or stone paving. Integrate as many areas for ground covers as possible, either planted in the ground or in wide containers, to create a textured surface of plants that absorbs sound. This Sydney garden features a mix of decking and ground cover that breaks up the ground plane with sound-absorbing textures.
Paving is one of the most expensive materials in a garden, but it doesn’t mean you should miss out on a stylish solution. In this garden, very simple and inexpensive concrete pavers have been combined with gravel in a simple pattern to create a standout path. The gravel has been taken into the rest of the front garden, where fewer people will walk but where it gives access to all the planted beds. The design is simple, effective and great for drainage.
Use of gravel, not grass.
Nice arrangement of chamomile and Echeveria.
No grass! Nice visual interest.
Has no relevance to our home plot, but pleases me nevertheless.
The trees used to create a green privacy barrier at the far end.
Small, intimate, well layed out.
Small, well layed out. Nice elegant symmetry. Private.
Plants and well, all of it.
Nice idea for gluing shells on a pot.
I like the *large* pots, grouped, on pavers.
Pot groupings containing succulents.
Q