Pots on Top

 Design for a Balcony Garden

Suitable for a balcony or patio, this container garden is lightweight enough for most structures. Hardwood benches support a collection of colorful pots at least 12 inches in diameter & made of moisture-retentive glazed ceramic. They hold an assortment of herbs, flowers & vegetables in easy reach of the kitchen, where a watering can & snipping scissors are kept handy. A redwood box, planted with a Camellia & a shade-loving groundcover, is in a protected spot against the wall. The tile mosaic patio table & comfortable chairs invite the apartment dweller outside. --text from Low-Maintenance Gardening.

Plant List
A. Camellia japonica (1)
B. Allium schoenoprasum (2) Chives
C. Thymus vulgaris (1) Culinary Thyme
D. Green Onion (5)
E. Hemerocallis (1) Daylily
F. Lamium maculatum 'Beacon Silver' (4)
G. Limonium latifolium (1) Sea Lavender
H. Lobelia erinus 'Sapphire' (3)
I. Pelargonium tomentosum (1) Peppermint Geranium
J. Rosmarinus officinalis (1) Rosemary
K. Rudbeckia hirta (1) Gloriosa Daisy
L. Sedum spurium 'Dragon's Blood' (2)
M. Stachys byzantina (1) Lamb's Ears
N. Ocimum basilicum (1) Sweet Basil
O. Tomato 'Patio' (1)
P. Viola tricolor (12) Johnny-Jump-Up

I designed this garden which appeared in the 1998 Sunset publication, Low-Maintenance Gardening. It is appropriate for USDA Zone 8.

On the Shady Side

Design for a Portland Garden

Little sunlight makes its way into this corridor beside a Portland home, yet plenty of color appears in Spring, when an assortment of shade-loving perennials & flowering shrubs burst into bloom. A flagstone path lined by an evergreen groundcover leads onto the low deck with a built-in bench that doubles as a storage bin. A glazed pot of Sarcocca ruscifolia wafts its perfume inside & out. --text from Low-Maintenance Gardening.

Plant List
A. Aconitum napellus (4) Monkshood
B. Ajuga reptans (24) Carpet Bugle
C. Astilbe 'Rheinland' (5) Ostrich Plume
D. Camellia japonica (2)
E. Actaea racemosa (2) Bugbane
F. Dicentra spectabilis (1) Bleeding Heart
G. Fatsia japonica (1) Japanese Aralia
H. Helleborus x hybridus (6) Lenten Rose
I. Mahonia aquifolium (9) Oregon Grape
J. Pieris japonica 'White Cascade' (4) Lily of the Valley Shrub
K. Polystichum munitum (1) Western Swordfern
L. Rhododendron 'Cinnamon Bear' (3)
M. Sarcococca ruscifolia (1) Sweet Box
N. Thuja occidentalis 'Fastigiata' (6) American Arborvitae

I designed this garden which appeared in the 1998 Sunset publication, Low-Maintenance Gardening. It is appropriate for USDA Zone 8.

Burst of Color

 Design for a California Garden

Dry doesn't have to mean drab. This sunny front yard in coastal California features perennials & shrubs, such as Kangaroo Paws & Orchid Rockrose, that were chosen for their exotic flower colors & shapes, as well as their drought-tolerant habits. Groundcovers keep weeds at bay & contribute more color. A simple gravel path curving from the front walk to the side yard is easy to maintain. Even viewed from inside the house, the show is eye-catching. --text from Low-Maintenance Gardening.

Plant List

A. Anigozanthos flavidus (1) Kangaroo Paw

B. Callistemon citrinus (2) Lemon Bottlebrush

C. Cistus purpureus (4) Orchid Rockrose

D. Acca sellowiana (1) Pineapple Guava

E. Festuca ovina 'Glauca' (5) Blue Fescue

F. Gazania 'Sunrise Yellow' (10) Gazania

G. Kniphofia uvaria (3) Torch Lily

H. Lantana montevidensis (1)

I. Limonium perezii (3) Sea Lavender

J. Salvia leucantha (1) Mexican Sage

K. Thymus pseudolanuginosus (9) Woolly Thyme

I designed this garden which appeared in the 1998 Sunset publication, Low-Maintenance Gardening. It is appropriate for USDA Zone 9.

Asian Style

 Design for a Japanese Garden

Simple & elegant, this Seattle front yard relies on elements of traditional Japanese garden design, yet features plants that are easy to maintain. A hedge of Japanese Holly conveys formality, as does the gated entrance, & the stone elements, which are carefully placed. Strawberry Trees & deciduous Burning Bushes offer seasonal interest & color. Round pavers lead to a granite bench by the 'pond,' a simple excavated area lined with landscape fabric & filled with gravel. Douglas Irises add a touch of color in spring. --text from Low-Maintenance Gardening.

Plant List

A. Arbutus unedo (2) Strawberry Tree

B. Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Nana Gracilis' (1) Dwarf Hinoki Cypress

C. Euonymous alatus 'Compacta' (3) Dwarf Burning Bush

D. Fragaria chiloensis (18) Wild Strawberry

E. Ilex crenata 'Convexa' (8) Japanese Holly

F. Iris douglasiana (9) Douglas Iris

G. Pinus mugo pumilio (2) Dwarf Mugo Pine

H. Sedum spurium 'Dragon's Blood' (12) Stonecrop

I designed this garden which appeared in the 1998 Sunset publication, Low-Maintenance Gardening. It is appropriate for USDA Zone 8.