In An Alluring Design for a Lawnless Front-Yard Garden, Stacie Crooks writes, “The key to creating a low-maintenance yet visually appealing garden lies in careful planning and thoughtful design choices. In this case it was important to create spaces that are easily navigated by people of all ages, with areas to gather as a group and a few hidden sanctuaries where individual family members can retreat to rejuvenate from their busy lives.

“The head of the turnaround driveway was widened to accom­modate the width of a game court. Although it is shy of any regulation sizes, the space is large enough to play some competitive pickleball, and when the net is stashed away the area doubles as parking space. We also created a sizable terrace next to the home’s main entrance that is used for family meals, entertaining, and as a spectator area for regular evening racquet games.”

See the plant IDs below for areas of this beautiful garden so that you can recreate these gorgeous designs.

Photo 1 (above)

1. Emerald ‘n Gold wintercreeper (Euonymus fortunei ‘Emerald ‘n Gold’, Zones 5–8)
2. Parney cotoneaster (Cotoneaster lacteus, Zones 7–9)
3. Dwarf strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo ‘Compacta’, Zones 7–9)
4. ‘Mary Helen’ heath (Erica × darleyensis ‘Mary Helen’, Zones 6–9)
5. ‘Springwood Pink’ winter heath (Erica carnea ‘Springwood Pink’, Zones 5–7)
6. Brass buttons (Leptinella potentillina, Zones 4–10)
7. ‘Aureola’ Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’, Zones 5–9)
8. Katsura (Cercidiphyllum japonicum, Zones 4–8)
9. ‘Bloodgood’ Japanese maple (Acer palmatum ‘Bloodgood’, Zones 5–8)
10. ‘Wester Flisk’ hellebore (Helleborus foetidus ‘Wester Flisk’, Zones 5–9)
11. ‘Cappuccino’ hair sedge (Carex tenuiculmis ‘Cappuccino’, Zones 6–9)

Photo 2

1. ‘Hidcote’ English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia ‘Hidcote’, Zones 5–9)
2. ‘Sango-kaku’ Japanese maple (Acer palmatum ‘Sango-kaku’, Zones 5–8)
3. ‘Evergold’ sedge (Carex oshimensis ‘Evergold’, Zones 5–9)
4. Giant feather grass (Stipa gigantea, Zones 7–10)
5. ‘Mary Helen’ heath (Erica × darleyensis ‘Mary Helen’, Zones 6–9)
6. Emerald Green arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis ‘Smaragd’, Zones 2–7)
7. Katsura (Cercidiphyllum japonicum, Zones 4–8)
8. ‘Snow Queen’ oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Snow Queen’, Zones 5–9)
9. Sombrero^® Adobe Orange coneflower (Echinacea ‘Balsomador’, Zones 4–9)
10. ‘Royal Purple’ smoke tree (Cotinus coggygria ‘Royal Purple’, Zones 5–9)
11. ‘Color Guard’ yucca (Yucca filamentosa ‘Color Guard’, Zones 4–10)
12. ‘Kaleidoscope’ abelia (Abelia × grandiflora ‘Kaleidoscope’, Zones 5–9)

Photo 3

1. ‘Moon Bay’ heavenly bamboo (Nandina domestica ‘Moon Bay’, Zones 6–9)
2. ‘Thunderhead’ Japanese black pine (Pinus thunbergii ‘Thunderhead’, Zones 5–8)
3. Endless Summer bigleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Bailmer’, Zones 4–9)
4. Twist-n-Shout^® bigleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla ‘PIIHM-I’, Zones 4–9)
5. ‘Gracillimus’ maiden grass (Miscanthus sinensis ‘Gracillimus’, Zones 5–9)
6. Japanese maple seeding (Acer palmatum cv., Zones 5–8)
7. Autumn Joy sedum (Hylotelephium ‘Herbstfreude’, Zones 3–9)
8. ‘Munstead’ English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia ‘Munstead’, Zones 5–8)
9. ‘October Glory’ red maple (Acer rubrum ‘October Glory’, Zones 4–9)
10. Rozanne geranium (Geranium ‘Gerwat’ , Zones 5–8)

Photos: doreenwynja.com

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