In our last blog post, we discussed my go-to trees and shrubs to create privacy on your property. Whether individual specimens or through a mass hedge planting, there are a variety of plants to create privacy for every space. This week I’m discussing some more unusual plants that can be used to create privacy. Read on to learn more. Continue reading More Interesting Evergreens for Screening →

As temperatures cool and the leaves begin to fall, many of our clients start to notice that their gardens feel less private. Views that were previously blocked by deciduous shrubs and trees are now open which can be wonderful, or not, depending on what the view contains. If you are looking to make an investment in your property this fall, consider identifying areas that could benefit from increased privacy through a screen or hedge planting. Read on to learn about some of my favorite landscaping for privacy! Continue reading My Go-To Landscaping for Privacy →

We recently installed a series of shade containers for a customer in Chapel Hill. Focusing on contrasting leaf color and texture, we planted a combination of Hosta, Rex Begonia, Gardenia, Aucuba, Heuchera, and Japanese Painted Ferns. Most of these plants are perennials and several will provide year-round evergreen interest. The gardenias even bloom reliably in the shade and offer a fantastic fragrance!
We are excited to offer container design, installation, and maintenance services – give Beth a call at 919.619.4460 to get started on your own container project!

Looking to add year-round color in beautiful container plantings? Beth with Bright Leaf Landscaping is teaching a course at Duke Gardens on Colorful Summer Container Gardens. Beth will take us through two different designs using a combination of evergreen plants along with seasonal interest plants. Each plant builds the color, texture, and seasonality of the planter. The evergreen may be left in place year-round while the other plants are swapped out to freshen the planter each season. The discussion will focus on what to look for in a container, what planting media to use, various plant choices, and then how to plant and maintain your container. Continue reading Container Design with Beth from Bright Leaf Landscaping →

Bright Leaf Landscaping is now offering container design, installation and maintenance for commercial clients!

We are excited and ready to offer our landscape design and installation expertise to businesses in Durham. Have existing containers and need help removing and replacing dead or overgrown plants? Looking forward to warmer weather and need to spruce up your outdoor dining space? Ready to get started but scared you’ll pick the wrong plants or won’t know how to care for them? We can help!  Continue reading Container Design, Installation and Maintenance Services Available →

The only plants that were existing when we bought our house in 2009 were a Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum ‘Bloodgood), a Redbud (Cercis canadensis), a Loblolly Pine (Pinus taeda), and a hedge of Privet (Ligustrum). When redesigning the space, I automatically worked around them because of their maturity, but it wasn’t until the space was complete and being used that I appreciated the level of enclosure they provide.

Continue reading My COVID Project Design Principals – Enclosure and Borrowed Views →

Almost a year ago I introduced you to a project that I started at my house during the early part of the pandemic. Now I’m back with a reveal of our new and improved backyard space. Read on to learn more about our space!

Continue reading My Covid Project – Reveal →

Many landscape products are marketed to solve your gardening problems. Before you spend money on DIY projects, consider the pros and cons. Read on to learn about some landscape products I don’t recommend and why.

Continue reading Landscape Products I Don’t Recommend →

Dried Flower heads are an ornamental highlight to my landscape. I grow a mix of perennials, grasses, and shrubs that I don’t cut back after the flowers are spent. Read on to learn about the plants I use for dried flower heads. Continue reading Plants I Use for Dried Flower Heads →

I always encourage my clients to find garden inspiration without worrying about practicality, at least initially. In my last post, I discussed two gardens that served as inspiration for my backyard Covid Project. La Louve and Jardin Majorelle are both stunning and my next step was to figure out how to translate their styles to my ¼-acre residential lot in Durham, NC. My final source of inspiration includes elements of the larger properties but translated to a scale more relevant to my garden. Read on to learn more. Continue reading My COVID Project – My Inspiration Part 2 →