Wish List

11. Botanical garden style. This side yard reminds me of the tropical plant gardens at the Atlanta Botanical Garden. A variety of shapes, sizes, textures and colors keeps the entire walk interesting. For a design like this I’d think about adding botanical names on labels to educate my guests.

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9. Mood lighting. Kudos to photographer Lucas Fladzinski, who captured this sunset and landscape lighting so beautifully. Note that the landscape lighting not only illuminates the path, but also gently spotlights the trees.

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8. A great gate. The eye is drawn down the path to the wall, and the red door beckons one to see what secrets lie beyond it.

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7. A sense of mystery. Conversely, a meandering path like this with shrubs at the end leads you back to discover what’s around the corner.

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3. Meandering path. There was just enough room between the hedges and the house to fit a path with an organic shape in there. Jagged pavers and moss that will grow in between give it magical woodsy appeal. And the pleasing trickle of the fountain draws people back this way.

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This wide drawer places multiple sizable bins side by side, while still leaving room in the back for the sink plumbing. Ultimately, the exact configuration that’s best for you will depend on your layout and your typical food waste, but a system like this that holds freestanding bins can always be reconfigured a bit down the line if your needs change.

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