This nature-inspired design prioritizes natives and sustainable hardscaping to create an environmentally conscious yet functional space
Narberth is one of many neighborhoods on the historical Main Line in Philadelphia ’s western suburbs . fuck as America ’s Garden Capital , this expanse is home to a potpourri of public gardens , arboreta , and renowned landscapes that muse our nation ’s love for fine garden design and horticulture . Therefore , when the chance arose in 2018 to buy a dimension in this worthy positioning , we conquer it . What many would have run into as a pretermit belongings , we check as a hidden gemstone with much potential .
| Key Elements |
What : Renovated sustainable suburban attribute
Zone:7b
Size:2,785 square feet
Conditions : Full Dominicus to full shade ; well - drained , loamy soil
Former challenge : Compacted soil , pitiful drainage , want of tone , and invasive plants
Current challenges : Use of harsh chemicals by neighbors , hotter summers , drought , heavy rains , and storms
1Front garden
2Gravel driveway with sedge strip
3Bluestone slab pathway
4Side shade garden
5No - mow lawn
6Shade house
7Deck
8Outdoor kitchen and blistering tub
9Bluestone stepstone footpath
While we feel fortunate to be circumvent by so much creative inspiration , many traditional gardening practices no longer fit into our change climate . It ’s increasingly exculpated that gardeners must instead break some rules by creating a new prototype that works with , rather than against , the natural world . A former rental prop , our new plate ’s dark-green space felt uninspired and were afloat with bullying undesirables like English Hedera helix ( Hedera helix ) . We craved an immersive environment for our young house that was reminiscent of our metre spent in nature . Seeking to create opportunities to both observe and be hidden , we made an out-of-door refuge that was functional , lively , and beautiful while being welcoming to all its inhabitants — masses and wildlife alike .
AFTER : A small suburban lot gets a factory reset .
BEFORE : Just a few year ago , this property ’s front curtilage was little more than a lawn with a useful concrete track .
Our approach was to maximise our garden ’s ecological wallop by using functional and springy native tree , shrubs , perennials , and smoke , and derogate our own stimulus by eliminating fertilizer , supplemental irrigation , annuals , and intensive sustentation . We endeavor to produce a sustaining refuge for plants , wildlife , and beneficial insects whose home ground is increasingly fragmented . just put , we determine the landscape to process .
A garden in total harmony with nature and people alike. This small landscape is filled with dense, wildlife-friendly native plantings and lots of sustainably sourced, permeable hardscape, but it still has plenty of outdoor living spaces to enjoy.
AFTER : Now , muddle - packed planting beds of aboriginal perennial and woodies along with a no - mow lawn make this blank not only harder working and more beautiful but also lower maintenance .
BEFORE : The back was riddled with incursive English common ivy along with an unattractive wooden fence .
Native plants are incorporated for their toughness, low maintenance, and wildlife benefits
After first removing the lawn , we regraded the full front yard and install a mysterious planting bed , which was then filled with obtusely layered natives . Some of the plants we included had a more southerly aboriginal grasp to account for increasingly warming temperature . These perennials , trees , and shrubs allow sequential involvement throughout the seasons as well as tax shelter and foraging chance for hiss and pollinator alike . At its sum , a majestic pond cypress tree ( Taxodium distichumvar.imbricarium , Zones 5–10 ) provides a ocular anchor and a sensational autumnal show before effortlessly mulch the bed with its needles for wintertime ( exposure , top ) . It ’s the paradigm of smasher with role .
We interspersed knotty and live structural grass that multitask well with their leeway for both utmost drouth and extreme wetness , which are now characteristic of our summertime in greater Philadelphia . Stormwater superstars like switchgrass ( Pancium virgatum , Zones 3–9 ) are experts at managing runoff via their root systems , which can extend three times the size of the aboveground plant .
Reclaiming a garden that has been overrun by invasives is a common trouble for homeowners in our locale . Quickly demonstrate productive plant communities is key and can be achieve with competitive species like ‘ short Henry ’ sweet coneflower ( Rudbeckia subtomentosa‘Little Henry ’ , Zones 4–8 ) ( pic p. 54 ) , easterly bluestar ( Amsonia tabernaemontana , Zones 3–9 ) , and eastern beebalm ( Monarda bradburiana , Zones 5–8).We planted these during our first few summers to hold ground against undesirables while the landscape make . Planting densely and allow perennial to self - seed also created superimposed beds that mimic the thick planting communities found in nature , further providing ground reporting , filth stabilisation , and shelter for wildlife . With the garden enter its sixth year , it now involve short in terms of traditional care beyond winter pruning and late leaping cutbacks ( the results of which are all left as mulch alongside the duff layer of leaf and pine needle ) .
AFTER:A small suburban lot gets a factory reset.
A Confederacy - look side garden has been transformed from full sun during its initial installation ( exposure p. 60 , top ) to fond shade after filling out five years later ( p. 56 , top right of large photo)—which has been a huge help in cool down things down in summertime . In this area , we ’ve let in such favorites as sweetbay magnolia(Magnolia virginiana , Zones 5–10 ) , ‘ Winter Red ’ bearberry ( Ilex verticillata‘Winter Red ’ , Zones 3–9 ) , Southern bayberry ( Morella ceriferasyn . Myrica cerifera , Zones 7–10 ) , and pagoda dogwood tree ( Cornus alternifolia , Zones 3–8).These plants propose excellent cover and forage for wildlife , and many are host flora . We have hear winged visitor raft to the aboriginal plant in our garden for food , ambrosia , and shelter . These guests include aboriginal pollinators like bumble , Alfred Edward Woodley Mason , and sweat bees ; butterflies ; and hummingbirds , as well as other shuttlecock like Carolina wrens , shriek owls , and cardinal grosbeak .
Environmentally well-disposed hardscape element create a realistic aesthetic with purpose
There is much repetition in the materials we used when construct this garden . Cohesion is key when integrating hardscaping or construction materials in a little outer space like ours . reuse barnwood was an affordable option used to clad the house ’s stucco exterior as well as the outdoor kitchen on the deck at the backside . Its silvery patina is recall in the horizontal shadow - box fencing and pergola made of cedar , as well as the shade house structure and thermally modified Pennsylvania hardwood deck . This sustainably forested , topically source wood ( versus an overharvested , exotic hardwood like Ipe ) does a beautiful job of alchemizing our “ cottage in the Ellen Price Wood ” inspiration .
AFTER:A small suburban lot gets a factory reset.
It ’s as of import to be thoughtful about paseo materials . When we purchased the holding , there was an impervious concrete path from the front to the backyard . We replaced this with crushed rock and irregularly placed , permeable bluestone slab and stepping stones . Along with a French drain installedunderneath the stones , this allowed us to slow , spread , and convert overweening stormwater overflow into useful “ run - on ” body of water that could be directed into the garden .
Integrating a parking spot into the redesign was a family precedence due to circumscribed street parking ; a resourceful track of Leavenworth ’s sedge ( Carex leavenworthii , geographical zone 6–9 ) within permeable pea plant gravel serve synchronize this functional constituent within the neighboring planting seam . This area moderate directly to the bluestone pathway that consider you to the backyard .
A no-mow lawn creates ecological value with reduced maintenance
supersede a lawn with more diverse aboriginal plants is one of the most impactful actions a householder can take to scrap clime change and loss of biodiversity . There are many native alternatives to lawn turf that do not require fertilizing , weed , or supplemental water . We love to inscribe bouncy aboriginal sedge like Pennsylvania sedge ( Carex pensylvanica , Zones 3–9 ) and Leavenworth ’s sedge to serve define planting bed border and pathways .
For the backyard , we ’ve experimented with a compounding of sedge specie and a all right meadow fescue mixture ( Festucaspp . and cvs . , Zones 3–8 ) that have been both seed and plug . We’ve had the most achiever with hunky-dory meadow fescue sward that stand moderate ft traffic but only command an yearly crepuscle haircut . This opened field ask in blank space for play and family gatherings around the firepit , or scan on sun lounger beleaguer it . We love the unworried feeling of this blue - sustainment ground masking ; its seed heads are so pretty in spring , and its cascade down riding habit throughout summer stays lush in sunshine or nuance .
supercede lawn can feel scary for some , but call up abouthow much lawn you in reality expend is a good place to embark on . Increasing your planting beds to reduce lawn over time isone tactic . Once homeowners replace an area of lawn with low - mow ground covers or perennial , they are often quick converts . We desire to inspire neighbour to rethink their own plant choices and maintenance habit by showcasing a productive home ground powerhouse in a relatively pocket-size footprint .
BEFORE: Just a few years ago, this property’s front yard was little more than a lawn with a utilitarian concrete path.
| Technique |
Solve for flooding with smart hardscaping
When we first bought this property , it had major number with implosion therapy where stormwater exits the house . This had become more and more of a problem as rainstorms increased in absolute frequency and intensity over the days . The permeable hardscaping , Gallic drainpipe , and planting design solved this problem . Here ’s how :
Jeff Lorenz is the beginner and Kayla Fell is the creative and communicationsdirector of Refugia Design , a Philadelphia arena – based landscape excogitation business firm that prioritizes creating beautiful , functional gardens with ecological benefits and resilience in mind .
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AFTER:Now, jam-packed planting beds of native perennials and woodies along with a no-mow lawn make this space not only harder working and more beautiful but also lower maintenance.
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BEFORE:The back was riddled with invasive English ivy along with an unattractive wooden fence.
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Plants that need minimal maintenanceprovide a garden for all seasons. A green-turned-golden pond cypress towers over native perennials in the front yard. By leaving these plants standing for the winter, birds can feast on seed heads. The debris from a spring cutback is left in place, along with the vibrant cypress needles, to nourish the soil. This eco-friendly approach provides a brilliant season-extending display that supports local wildlife.
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Pollinators flock to blooming natives.In the shady side garden, a pagoda dogwood provides structure and beauty while its blooms are abuzz with bees in spring (top) and its berries swarmed by birds in fall. In the front, eastern beebalm and eastern bluestar also help to support populations of insects that may be threatened under changing environmental conditions, while quickly establishing to keep out weeds and invasives.
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Layered plantings benefit soil and wildlife.By allowing fast-filling perennials like native grasses and ‘Little Henry’ sweet coneflower to spread, these dense beds and borders soak up excess stormwater, blanket and stabilize the soil, and provide maximum shelter and nourishment for an array of different animals.
natural stones create an attractive and functional pathway. Permeable bluestone slabs in the front (below) lead to stepstones made of the same material in the side yard (above). They cover crushed stone and are interspersed with pea gravel. Unlike the concrete slabs that this yard sported previously, these materials allow rainwater to penetrate and disperse into planting beds.
Even the houseand driveway are designed with sustainability in mind. A re-siding of the home’s front exterior in recycled barnwood creates a cozy aesthetic that integrates with the design of the deck and outdoor kitchen in the rear. The addition of a water-absorbing pea gravel driveway with a sedge strip adds another functional yet pretty element to this small space.
No fertilizer, mowing, or watering? Say no more!By experimenting with different options such as Pennsylvania and Leavenworth’s sedge (above) and fine fescue, it’s possible to incorporate lawn replacements that tolerate sun and shade and take foot traffic well. These options simply get a haircut once a year to maintain tidiness.
