Brightleaf

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.

 Over the past few months, I’ve introduced you to my backyard and its challenges, but now I’m excited to move on to my inspiration for the space. As someone who has worked in the landscaping industry for over a decade I’ve seen a lot of gardens –many in person, and many many more in gardening publications. Read on to learn about the two that most inspired me.

When I first told you about my COVID backyard project, I identified two problems – weed management and ineffective use of the space. Read on to learn how I created a space that is both low maintenance and highly functional for my family.

Last year, I made a few attempts to keep the deer from eating my plants. They damaged my Hostas, Oak Leaf Hydrangea, and Strawberry plants. Read on to get an update on my deer-proofing garden successes and failures.

‘I Must Garden’ Cinnamon Scented Deer Repellent

Commercial Container Plantings: Design, Installation, and MaintenanceWere you aware that tropical plants can grow in North Carolina and some are even shade tolerant? Tropical plants can offer large, lush leaves and interesting textures to your landscape. Read on to learn about some tropical plants for NC shade gardens.

Fatsia japonica

 Edible gardening gained momentum during the pandemic in 2020. I watched as neighbors spent time planting fruits, veggies, and herbs for the first time. Read on for my tips for new gardeners.

New 4’x8’ Raised Bed

I used to take walks on the American Tobacco Trail since it’s close to my house. During the 2020 pandemic, I started walking along the neighborhood streets to avoid the crowded trail and began to pay more attention to the front yards. Read on to learn about some cool finds on my neighborhood walks.

At the start of 2020, I had no plans for significant work in my back yard – in fact, I was looking forward to a break from projects as we were in the process of completing a very involved basement renovation. Once we knew we would be spending a lot more time at home this year I started thinking about how to make our property as comfortable and enjoyable as possible during this challenging time. Our desire to spend time outside with friends and family led to an almost complete renovation of our back yard.

Our backyard when we toured the house in August 2009.

Dry creek beds have gained popularity for stormwater management. They can be successfully designed when considering 3 elements: Environment, Shape, and Planting. Read on to learn more about 3 elements for dry creek bed design.

Bright Leaf Landscaping provides landscape design and installation services to Durham, Chapel Hill, and Hillsborough. Boulder placement has been tied into many of our landscape design projects. Read on to learn about highlighting boulders in your garden.

Clients want boulders incorporated into their gardens for many reasons. I’ll create a bed of low growing plants around the boulders. I like to use a variety of groundcovers and spiky textured plants. The idea is to showcase the boulder, not cover it up. You can even install a spotlight for a nighttime view.

Phlox subulata and Iberis sempervirens