“Wake Up the Front Yard” — Southern Living, March 2012
We’re excited to have one of our recent projects featured in Southern Living March 2012! This little house in Mountain Brook, Alabama looked like part of a witness protection program. It was hidden away by shrubs and totally colorless. Today, you can see the dramatic changes we made with a cottage garden plan.
Now cheerful seasonal flowers greet visitors and new fences now clearly define the yard and street areas. The front walk and driveway were redone, so there are ample parking and a clear path directing visitors to the door. The gardens are all perfectly spaced to show off the scale of the house.
Emerald Arborvitaes and sculpted tiny boxwoods provide a frame for the redesigned front walk. These complement the harder landscape elements. The result is the homeowner feels surrounded by plants the minute they pull into the parking space.
The side yard originally had wooden gates, but these were replaced with pavers in the cottage garden plan. Troy Rhone also added an ornate planter filled with an assortment of herbs in an herb garden design to provide a striking focal point in the garden. This cleverly pulls attention away from the fact that the front center of the house is not centered on the parking spot. Previously, steps were too narrow and restricting, so they were replaced with beautiful bluestone slabs that provide easy access and hold flower containers.
The new short picket fence was another key part of the cottage garden plan. This replaced the old concrete retaining wall by the street — the old one looked like it was designed to keep people out. Now there is a short picket fence atop a stacked-stone wall, inviting visitors to enter.
Download the full article and learn details about the types of plants chosen. In the article, Troy also shares four easy updates — helpful advice that will boost the appeal of any home.
The new garden was designed by Troy Rhone, and it was installed by integrity Landscapers.
