Jay Sifford
“Magical” might be the best way to describe landscape designer Jay Sifford. Whether transforming a boring suburban backyard into a colorful oasis or laying out hundreds of perennials on a steep mountain slope, Jay is a master at molding natural elements into something breathtaking. His firm, Sifford Garden Design, has won numerous awards over the years and was named by LUXlife magazine as North Carolina’s Most Outstanding Landscape Designer 2021. When he’s not drafting planting plans for clients, you’ll find Jay giving horticultural lectures around the country, tending his new mountain meadow garden, or shopping for rare Podophyllum to add to his ever-growing collection.
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Design8 Gorgeous, Nontoxic Dog-Friendly Plants
Gardening with pets in mind requires thoughtful planning, but it doesn't mean you have to compromise on beauty or variety. While many plants can pose risks to our furry companions,…
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DesignDesigning a Beautifully Lush, Dog-Friendly Garden
Have you ever dreamed of cultivating a garden full of plants that are climatically out of your reach? I certainly have. Despite living in humid, subtropical North Carolina, I’ve often…
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DesignThe Best House Foundation Plants for Your Region
When it comes to choosing foundation plants for your home, it’s important to pick species that not only enhance your landscape but also thrive in your specific climate. That’s why…
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Southeast Regional ReportsShopping-List Plants for the Southeast
If you’ve run into a garden rut, we’ve got you covered. It’s time to start planning for your first trip to the local nursery or garden center. What plants will…
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Design5 Inspiring Naturalistic Dry Creek-Bed Designs
The following five garden spaces are a good representation of the variety of styles that dry creek-bed designs can encompass. Each of these designs also solved a unique issue stemming…
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DesignHow to Build a Stylish Dry Creek Bed
Stormwater runoff, and the damage it can leave behind, has become a seemingly unmanageable problem for gardeners from coast to coast. The perfect mix of unpredictable and changing weather patterns, urban…
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DesignHow to Design a Stylized Meadow Garden
We gardeners, whether we are professional designers or novice plantspersons, can find inspiration in the most unlikely of places. Such was the case when I sat down with a bottle…
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DesignTraditional vs. Stylized Meadow Gardens
Many positive things can be said for planting a meadow garden. These naturalistic designs tend to be a bit wilder thanks to the use of native wildflowers and ornamental grasses,…
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DesignMix and Match for a Meaningful Design
Cohesion in a garden can be difficult to achieve. A design can appear either too homogenous or too disparate. The latter is especially true for us gardeners who are collectors.…
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ArticleRegional Picks: Plant This With That – Southeast
PLANT THIS: ‘Antonow’s Blue’ honey bush Name: Melianthus major ‘Antonow’s Blue’ USDA Hardiness Zones: 7 to 11 Size: Up to 8 feet tall and wide Conditions: Full sun to…
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