From Boring to Beautiful

Our winning design turns a ho-hum landscape into a spectacular garden for the home owners and passersby

We ’ve all been there — standing amid tired planting and lackluster hardscaping , yearn for a professional intriguer to come along and transubstantiate our landscape into a garden worthy of . . . well , a cartridge characteristic . The faculty ofFine Gardeningspotted just such a garden and , with the home owner ’ permission , invite fashion designer and landscape architects from across the United States and Canada to demonstrate how each would transform this specific space . All dissident were give a photograph of the front grounds , along with information about the orbit : dimensions , light-headed vulnerability , and land site - specific considerations , include requests by the property owners to replace or dress up up the entrance , leave a blank space for their pet schnauzer to run , and make a bit of privacy without blocking off the neighborhood . room decorator pass on plan using a hardiness geographical zone of their choice .

We represent here the contest winner and two finalist . We trust you will revalue the multifariousness of ideas as much as we did when take the top figure . Thanks to all who submitted plans , and congratulation to Tana , Joseph , Stuart , and Paula .

The Winner

A design that engages all senses

Tana Oscanyan ; Stone Creek Landscape Design , Provo , Utah

Tana enjoin : I designed this landscape to furnish color and interest for all seasons and for there to be a beautiful view from every windowpane of the firm . The programme engages all senses : It features singular focal points and a variety of color ; water flows from a stone bubbler under the weeping Cercis canadensis ; peonies satisfy a desire for fragrance ; strawberries are a goody as a earth cover ; and the soft silvery needles of Korean fir call out to be touched . Even the family detent has his own touch of lawn within which to play — one that also creates a small manicure area amid more natural plantings . The curvilinear path is spacious and welcoming , the walk to the front door is gradual , and terraces yield passage between space . A 2 - foot - tall keep wall allow for for privateness while defend visibility , and passersby are treated to a view of a beautiful landscape painting from the sidewalk .

A sample of flora :

1.‘Daybreak ’ magnolia(Magnolia‘Daybreak ’ , USDA Hardiness Zones 5–9 )

2.‘Vossii ’ prosperous string tree(Laburnumwatereri‘Vossii ’ , Zones 6–8 )

3.Lavender Twist ® weeping redbud(Cercis canadensis‘Covey ’ , Zones 5–9 )

4.French Lace ™ weigela(Weigela florida‘Brigela’,Zones 4–8 )

5.‘Silberlocke ’ Korean fir(Abies koreana‘Silberlocke ’ , zone 5–8 )

6.‘Alexander Fleming ’ duple peony(Paeonia‘Alexander Sir Alexander Fleming ’ , Zones 3–8 )

7.‘Prairie Blue optic ’ daylily(Hemerocallis‘Prairie Blue Eyes ’ , Zones 4–11 )

8.‘Yakushima ’ dwarf miscanthus(Miscanthus sinensis‘Yakushima ’ , Zones 4–9 )

The Finalists

Sustainability defines this design

Joseph R. Leo and Stuart McPherson ; Evergreen , Toronto , Ontario

JR and Stuart say : The theme of this landscape is sustainability : With the exclusion of herbs , all plants are aboriginal ; the lawn is significantly shrink ; and a new walkway is made out of recycled , holey stuff . The use of aboriginal plants ensures performance , reduces maintenance , lowers energy cost , and provides sustenance for local wildlife . Woodland garden situated under fledged canopies and understory trees provide a naturalistic tiered environment . The home owners ’ desire for privateness is direct by fittingly place plants ; the front is partially blot out by two diversity of grasses and two small Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree . The spruce and true cedar trees add privacy and shade , creating a nerveless space within which to relax . And the benefits of this garden hold out well beyond those to the base owners — seasonal berries establish throughout the landscape painting furnish something for all creatures .

1.Blue beech(Carpinus carolinianacv . , Zones 3–9 )

2.Pagoda dogwood(Cornus alternifoliacv . , geographical zone 4–8 )

3.Shagbark hickory(Carya ovatacv . , zone 4–8 )

4.White cedar(Thuja occidentaliscv . , Zones 2–7 )

5.Elderberry(Sambucussp . , Zones 3–9 )

6.Foam flower(Tiarella cordifoliacv . , Zones 3–8 )

7.Northern sea oats(Chasmanthium latifolium , Zones 5–9 )

8.Purple coneflower(Echinacea purpureacv . , Zones 3–9 )

A gardener’s garden filled with flowers and fragrance

Paula Wendland ; Sturgeon Bay , Wisconsin

Paula says : Fragrance sets this garden aside . Too often sweetness is disregard , so I went a small wild with it and used as many scented plant as I could . The structure is multilayered : The first layer creates privacy , the second features a rock garden , and the third is a closely plant strip at the infrastructure of the rock garden — a “ hem ” that stitches the garden together . One one-half of the lawn is replaced with thyme , while the other one-half remains for the family dog . The latter area is block out by a snowy arbor and trellises plant with a mixture of blossom vine . The former area is planted with a redbud and marvellous , Laputan perennials that provide an subject , veil - like screen door for extra privacy . Dark gray-headed slate roofing tile and a lighter pebble photomosaic on the risers replace the concrete step and walkway . The stair rail is rebuilt using stone column supporting a cedar railing . I included a mixed border of perennial and annual , which ply color from early spring through fall .

1.Eastern redbud(Cercis canadensiscv . , Zones 4–9 )

2.‘Lemon Lights ’ azalea(Rhododendron‘Lemon Lights ’ , Zones 5–9 )

3.Bloomerang ® Purple lilac(Syringa‘Penda ’ , geographical zone 3–7 )

4.‘Betty Corning ’ clematis(Clematis‘Betty Corning ’ , Zones 4–11 )

5.Blue star creeper(Isotoma fluviatilis , Zones 5–9 )

6.‘Doone Valley ’ lemon thyme(Thymus‘Doone Valley ’ , Zones 6–9 )

7.‘Newberry Borrowed Time ’ daylily(Hemerocallis‘Newberry Borrowed Time ’ , Zones 4–11 )

8.‘Fascination ’ Culver ’s root(Veronicastrum virginicum‘Fascination ’ , zone 4–8 )

Lynn Felici - Gallant is the associate editor .

Photos and exemplification : courtesy of the designers ; courtesy of David Clough

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