This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary full sun front yard landscaping in Charlotte.

A small traditonal urban garden with beds scaled to accommodate low-maintenance color and foundation plantings, a stone patio, containers, roses and river rock. Roundtree Landscaping.

Korean rock ferns (shown here), northern maidenhair, native Christmas and lady ferns, hay-scented ferns, hart's tongue ferns, and Dyce's holly ferns are finding a home on the slope surrounding the switchback steps. Photo by Jay Sifford.

I wanted to create a perfect circle for the seating area to juxtapose the naturalistic plantings. I planted Christmas ferns and hardy holly ferns to form the circle, then interplanted them along the perimeter with primulas, hart's tongue fern and hay scented fern. Here, the view of the stream from the seating area is shown. Photo by Jay Sifford.

Home bar - home bar idea in Austin

Our client had not done anything with their landscaping for many years. Tin the front of their house they had a few tired berberris (barberry) shrubs in the front, creeping blue junipers, some large evergreens, and lots of empty spaces. They liked reds, greens, yellows, and blues (the junipers). We removed the berberris and other shrubs that had to go, but kept the larger evergreens and blue junipers. We installed plants approved by our client: Nandina domestica, red twig dogwoods (a Native plant), and Acorus Oborozuki. All plants are evergreen which they wanted. In the process, we re-shaped the beds a little and seeded an area that we returned to lawn. In the back of the house, the client had a beautiful deck with a lovely view. However, the area around the deck was totally bare. They wanted colorful perennials that were low maintenance. Since they do not spend time on the deck in the winter, we concentrated on plants in their color palette that flower in late spring, summer, and early fall. The plants will grow together to minimize weeds and maintenance. The shade perennials we planted are: Tricyrtis Samurai (Toad Lily), Ghost Fern, Male Fern (Native), Japanese Holly Fern, Autumn Fern, Astilbe Peach Blossom Dicentra, Ivory Hearts, Geranium Rozanne, Anemone Honorine Jobert

Australian tree ferns, holly fern, autumn fern, and mondo grass flank the front walkway.
Design ideas for a contemporary landscaping in Orlando.

Our client had not done anything with their landscaping for many years. Tin the front of their house they had a few tired berberris (barberry) shrubs in the front, creeping blue junipers, some large evergreens, and lots of empty spaces. They liked reds, greens, yellows, and blues (the junipers). We removed the berberris and other shrubs that had to go, but kept the larger evergreens and blue junipers. We installed plants approved by our client: Nandina domestica, red twig dogwoods (a Native plant), and Acorus Oborozuki. All plants are evergreen which they wanted. In the process, we re-shaped the beds a little and seeded an area that we returned to lawn. In the back of the house, the client had a beautiful deck with a lovely view. However, the area around the deck was totally bare. They wanted colorful perennials that were low maintenance. Since they do not spend time on the deck in the winter, we concentrated on plants in their color palette that flower in late spring, summer, and early fall. The plants will grow together to minimize weeds and maintenance. The shade perennials we planted are: Tricyrtis Samurai (Toad Lily), Ghost Fern, Male Fern (Native), Japanese Holly Fern, Autumn Fern, Astilbe Peach Blossom Dicentra, Ivory Hearts, Geranium Rozanne, Anemone Honorine Jobert

At the tree in the center: Viburnum obovatum 'Schiller's Delight' - dwarf Walter's viburnum with Cyrtomium falcatum - holly fern in front of it
Photo of a mid-sized traditional landscaping in Orlando.

Campania's Cascade Fountain (FT-131) is surrounded by holly ferns and mondo grass.
Inspiration for a mid-sized modern landscaping in Orlando.

Our client had not done anything with their landscaping for many years. Tin the front of their house they had a few tired berberris (barberry) shrubs in the front, creeping blue junipers, some large evergreens, and lots of empty spaces. They liked reds, greens, yellows, and blues (the junipers). We removed the berberris and other shrubs that had to go, but kept the larger evergreens and blue junipers. We installed plants approved by our client: Nandina domestica, red twig dogwoods (a Native plant), and Acorus Oborozuki. All plants are evergreen which they wanted. In the process, we re-shaped the beds a little and seeded an area that we returned to lawn. In the back of the house, the client had a beautiful deck with a lovely view. However, the area around the deck was totally bare. They wanted colorful perennials that were low maintenance. Since they do not spend time on the deck in the winter, we concentrated on plants in their color palette that flower in late spring, summer, and early fall. The plants will grow together to minimize weeds and maintenance. The shade perennials we planted are: Tricyrtis Samurai (Toad Lily), Ghost Fern, Male Fern (Native), Japanese Holly Fern, Autumn Fern, Astilbe Peach Blossom Dicentra, Ivory Hearts, Geranium Rozanne, Anemone Honorine Jobert

Our client had not done anything with their landscaping for many years. Tin the front of their house they had a few tired berberris (barberry) shrubs in the front, creeping blue junipers, some large evergreens, and lots of empty spaces. They liked reds, greens, yellows, and blues (the junipers). We removed the berberris and other shrubs that had to go, but kept the larger evergreens and blue junipers. We installed plants approved by our client: Nandina domestica, red twig dogwoods (a Native plant), and Acorus Oborozuki. All plants are evergreen which they wanted. In the process, we re-shaped the beds a little and seeded an area that we returned to lawn. In the back of the house, the client had a beautiful deck with a lovely view. However, the area around the deck was totally bare. They wanted colorful perennials that were low maintenance. Since they do not spend time on the deck in the winter, we concentrated on plants in their color palette that flower in late spring, summer, and early fall. The plants will grow together to minimize weeds and maintenance. The shade perennials we planted are: Tricyrtis Samurai (Toad Lily), Ghost Fern, Male Fern (Native), Japanese Holly Fern, Autumn Fern, Astilbe Peach Blossom Dicentra, Ivory Hearts, Geranium Rozanne, Anemone Honorine Jobert

Front yard entry Frank Mahy
Inspiration for a mid-sized traditional full sun front yard stone formal garden in Houston.

Our client had not done anything with their landscaping for many years. Tin the front of their house they had a few tired berberris (barberry) shrubs in the front, creeping blue junipers, some large evergreens, and lots of empty spaces. They liked reds, greens, yellows, and blues (the junipers). We removed the berberris and other shrubs that had to go, but kept the larger evergreens and blue junipers. We installed plants approved by our client: Nandina domestica, red twig dogwoods (a Native plant), and Acorus Oborozuki. All plants are evergreen which they wanted. In the process, we re-shaped the beds a little and seeded an area that we returned to lawn. In the back of the house, the client had a beautiful deck with a lovely view. However, the area around the deck was totally bare. They wanted colorful perennials that were low maintenance. Since they do not spend time on the deck in the winter, we concentrated on plants in their color palette that flower in late spring, summer, and early fall. The plants will grow together to minimize weeds and maintenance. The shade perennials we planted are: Tricyrtis Samurai (Toad Lily), Ghost Fern, Male Fern (Native), Japanese Holly Fern, Autumn Fern, Astilbe Peach Blossom Dicentra, Ivory Hearts, Geranium Rozanne, Anemone Honorine Jobert

Our client had not done anything with their landscaping for many years. Tin the front of their house they had a few tired berberris (barberry) shrubs in the front, creeping blue junipers, some large evergreens, and lots of empty spaces. They liked reds, greens, yellows, and blues (the junipers). We removed the berberris and other shrubs that had to go, but kept the larger evergreens and blue junipers. We installed plants approved by our client: Nandina domestica, red twig dogwoods (a Native plant), and Acorus Oborozuki. All plants are evergreen which they wanted. In the process, we re-shaped the beds a little and seeded an area that we returned to lawn. In the back of the house, the client had a beautiful deck with a lovely view. However, the area around the deck was totally bare. They wanted colorful perennials that were low maintenance. Since they do not spend time on the deck in the winter, we concentrated on plants in their color palette that flower in late spring, summer, and early fall. The plants will grow together to minimize weeds and maintenance. The shade perennials we planted are: Tricyrtis Samurai (Toad Lily), Ghost Fern, Male Fern (Native), Japanese Holly Fern, Autumn Fern, Astilbe Peach Blossom Dicentra, Ivory Hearts, Geranium Rozanne, Anemone Honorine Jobert

A pair of world travelers with a deep love of Japan asked JMMDS to design a Japanese-inspired landscape that would complement the contemporary renovation of their home in Edinburgh, Scotland. JMMDS created a plan that included a handsome cut-stone patio, meandering stepping stone paths, sweeping bed lines, stony mounds, a grassy pool of space, and swaths of elegant plantings. JMMDS was on site during the installation to craft the mounds and place the plants and stones. Julie Moir Messervy set out the ancient pieces of gneiss from Scotland’s Isle of Lewis. With the planting design, JMMDS sought to evoke the feeling of a traditional Japanese garden using locally suitable plants. The designers and clients visited nurseries in search of distinctive plant specimens, including cloud-pruned hollies, craggy pines, Japanese maples of varied color and habit, and a particularly notable Japanese snowbell tree. Beneath these, they laid drifts of sedges, hellebores, European gingers, ferns, and Solomon’s Seal. Evergreen azaleas, juniper, rhododendrons, and hebe were clustered around the lawn. JMMDS placed bamboos within root-controlled patio beds and planted mondo grass, sedums, and mosses among the stepping stones. Project designers: Julie Moir Messervy, Principal; Erica Bowman, Senior Landscape Architect Collaborators: Helen Lucas Architects, Steven Ogilvie (garden installers) Photography: Angus Bremner

A pair of world travelers with a deep love of Japan asked JMMDS to design a Japanese-inspired landscape that would complement the contemporary renovation of their home in Edinburgh, Scotland. JMMDS created a plan that included a handsome cut-stone patio, meandering stepping stone paths, sweeping bed lines, stony mounds, a grassy pool of space, and swaths of elegant plantings. JMMDS was on site during the installation to craft the mounds and place the plants and stones. Julie Moir Messervy set out the ancient pieces of gneiss from Scotland’s Isle of Lewis. With the planting design, JMMDS sought to evoke the feeling of a traditional Japanese garden using locally suitable plants. The designers and clients visited nurseries in search of distinctive plant specimens, including cloud-pruned hollies, craggy pines, Japanese maples of varied color and habit, and a particularly notable Japanese snowbell tree. Beneath these, they laid drifts of sedges, hellebores, European gingers, ferns, and Solomon’s Seal. Evergreen azaleas, juniper, rhododendrons, and hebe were clustered around the lawn. JMMDS placed bamboos within root-controlled patio beds and planted mondo grass, sedums, and mosses among the stepping stones. Project designers: Julie Moir Messervy, Principal; Erica Bowman, Senior Landscape Architect Collaborators: Helen Lucas Architects, Steven Ogilvie (garden installers) Photography: Angus Bremner