Planting
Why Repeated Shapes Make a Planting Border Feel Connected
Repeated shapes in a planting border create rhythm without making every plant alike. Learn to choose suitable forms…
The garden reading room
All stories
Browse ideas about planting, garden layout, materials, seasonal change and the culture behind the gardens we make.
Garden Layout
Straight Path or Gentle Curve: Two Ways Through a Garden
Compare a straight path or gentle curve for your garden, then choose a comfortable route that reaches its destination…
Garden Culture
From Clipped Borders to Naturalistic Planting Through the Seasons
From clipped borders to naturalistic planting, learn to read seasonal change at your garden’s edges and choose where…
Planting
The Bare-Soil Myth: Why a Finished Garden Need Not Look Empty
The bare-soil myth treats every visible patch as a flaw. Learn when to leave soil open, add groundcover or place…
Seasonal Change
A Late-Winter Look at the Garden’s Structure
A late-winter garden structure walk helps you record how plants, walls and materials hold their shape, so you can make…