Opening vision
A woodland garden approach for the shaded entry/walkway area: quiet, layered, textural, and beautiful through the seasons.
Before images
Don’t go overboard: shade, circulation, scale, empty spots, opportunities.
Design direction
Woodland gardens: mossy greens, soft paths, layered shrubs, ferns, spring ephemerals, restrained color. Slopes, stone walls and walkways. Avoid images with water - it’s an expensive proposition with a lot of structural and maintenance issues
Proposed plant palette
Plant list with short descriptions:
- name
- role in the garden
- season of interest
  - deer/shade/dry shade
  - link each plant to its own deeper page with text and images.
Key visual proposal
Perspective drawing of steps with new plantings.

Perspective Drawing
Site Plan - include coral-bark japanese maple
- Materials List - not complete, just to give an idea of the total scope, discuss gravel, wood bark mulch, stone, check the current stone (go to stoneyard)
- Plants - estimated number, purpose, texture. This is all somewhat preliminary because we don’t know about the structure.
Concept drawing of the bench area
Before and after image of driveway entry
Specific plants and containers
Small seating moment
A small curved bench. This is also a good opportunity to look at local auctions or estate sales; something older, well-made, and charming may be far more interesting than a new catalog piece. We will work on the scale - we will need to increase the space if they want to use it.
Next steps
- Review the direction
- Review plant selection
- Sourcing
- Detailed instruction plan
Area prep
- Clear the area
- Materials - capstones, field stones, gravel for base
- Additional soil
- Woodbark mulch
- Prepare seating area
- Planting

Auctions: developers buy estates and sell the good stuff. “As older estates change hands, good garden pieces often come onto the auction market.”