This residential client had a particular caveat: Their granddaughter, who visits every summer, was deathly allergic to bees, and so any summer-blooming flowers that attract bees needed to be absent for the safety of the child. I solved this dilemma by creating a simple backyard retreat that uses different foliage textures and colors, rather than flowers, to paint a lush picture. River birch and golden junipers form the structure, while hostas, ferns and grasses add embellishment with handsome leaves. A purple-leaved ‘Forest Pansy’ redbud hovers gracefully above a water feature as a focal point. Akebia vine, which is pollinated by flies rather than bees, carries the purple color theme onto a pergola. Korean spice viburnum gives delicious fragrance to the seating area but flowers early enough to not attract summertime insects.