Lawn Tips

Yes, you can plant bulbs in the spring! Bury summer-blooming bulbs now, and imagine beautiful flowers enhancing a calming water garden, a sunny cutting garden to fill your home with colorful arrangements, or containers on a shaded patio. Whatever you fancy, summer bulbs can make it happen. In just a few months, you’ll be able to sit back and take in the stunning surprises.

First-time homeowners Roy and Liane Burns pictured a home with clean, modern lines; earth-friendly materials such as metal roofing, cement-based siding, and bamboo flooring; and flexible spaces that could change with their family needs. A big grassy front yard that would mean lots of upkeep? Not so much.
Instead, the couple’s landscaping wish list included a low-maintenance, environmentally friendly plan that would fit their budget plus materials that would add privacy and complement the contemporary design of the new house.

An All-Green Plan
Roy and Liane asked Master Gardener Mary Beth Burner to consult with the architects and green-building specialists, Will Brothers and Matthew Finley of the Green Bottle Workshop, on the design. Mary Beth suggested a large, sweeping mulched bed in the front yard that follows the natural contours of the lot. “This reduces the size of the lawn, which in turn reduces the amount of watering and mowing and the need for chemical fertilizers,” she says. The homeowners saw another benefit: Saving on sod meant saving money.
The low-maintenance concept extends to the left side of the house, where potted succulents brighten one deck. “These plants have natural defenses that help them retain water, so they require a lot less care and babying,” Mary Beth says. Other hardy plants, such as sweet potato vine, add to the colorful mix.
On the opposite deck, an herb garden brimming with lavender, rosemary, thyme, mint, and basil is just steps away from the kitchen—another time-saving measure for Liane and Roy, both avid cooks. 

Clean and Contemporary
The landscaping also plays up the home’s unique architecture. “With modern design, you want clean lines,” Mary Beth explains. “We were going for an overall simplicity, something that would be relaxing to look at.”
Along the front of the house, a single line of Russian sage acts as a sculptural element—its feathery plumes soften the home’s straight angles. Spiky muhly grass sprouts like surprising green fountains along the gravel walkway, while hardy cast iron plants keep exterior walls from feeling stark. Two strategically placed Japanese maples—a weeping ‘Waterfall’ and a ‘Seiryu’—grace each side of the house. The trees were pricey but worth it, says Mary Beth, citing her rule of thumb: “If you have just one planter, splurge. If you have just one tree, splurge.”

Now, Roy and Liane are as much in love with the landscaping as they are with the rest of their home. Glancing around, Liane grins. “This is our first house—and it will be our last.”

	1. Muhly grass planted in soil topped with gravel gives the feel of a Japanese Zen garden.
	2. Growing herbs just outside the kitchen means fresh flavor without a trip to the grocery store.
	3. A reel push mower (Task Force, #289834) makes quick work of the modest-sized yard. It’s a great choice for a small, flat lawn. When fully grown, the Russian sage in the box planters will add privacy to the front windows.
	4. Set flush with the gravel walkway, gray pavers (16- x 16-inch, #54338; 16- x 8-inch, #19192) mirror the home’s wooden tower pattern.
	5. A selection of potted succulents adds green to the deck; the plants require little water and maintenance.
	6. Russian sage will fill out with lush purplish plumes up to 4 feet high when mature. The planters shown here were custom built by the home’s architects.

No-Fuss Tips From the Burns’s Home

■ Get a low-care, contemporary-style landscape following these design secrets.

■ Choose native plants. Regional selections tend to thrive without a lot of extra care. Once they’re established after the first year, they require even less watering.

■ Reduce lawn size. Using less sod means less grass to mow, water, and fertilize. Mary Beth replaced sod with simple mulch beds and hardscaping materials, such as stone and gravel, but ground covers are a good option too.

■ Use solar lighting. The right lighting can add drama to your landscaping. Here, they chose eco-friendly floodlights with solar panels (#127456), which are sold in packs of three lights.

■ Plant container gardens. Potted plants are more manageable than flowerbeds. And because the containers are usually close to the house—on a patio or deck—watering takes less work.

Click here to learn how to plant and install a water-wise landscape.

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