Material previously published in Planting a Small Garden, Low-maintenance Garden, Easy Pruning, and Vegetable Gardening GARDENING STEP BY STEP Easy-to-follow advice f0r great results [...]... gnarled trunks and silvery foliage of a pair of old olive trees are as arresting as any classical sculpture Winding steps Even a utilitarian feature such as a flight of steps can provide a focal point, as long as it is well executed Winding steps passing through lush foliage lead the eye on to brighter, more vibrant flowers and foliage, which then act as a visual stopping point Dramatic containers Attractive... specimen plants providing instant impact The palette of plants is usually limited, with a restricted color theme, and maximum use is made of form and texture Broad sweeps of perennials and grasses, often planted in a naturalistic way, provide summer color Planting suggestions • Acer japonicum (Japanese maple) • Dicksonia antarctica • Fatsia japonica • Phyllostachys nigra • Stipa tenuissima • topiary shapes,... such as Yucca Asian calm Japanese-style gardens often feature a few manicured plants, such as Japanese maples (Acer japonicum), dwarf pines, bamboos, Ophiopogon, and Ilex crenata, set in a rock and gravel landscape Strategically positioned bonsai specimens add a dramatic touch to the overall theme Cottage effects Borders overflowing with flowers are typical of cottage gardens Old favorites include... (Digitalis), Shasta daisies (Leucanthemum x superbum), and lavender (Lavandula), with sweetly scented roses and self-seeding annuals completing the informal look Modern mixes Architectural plants, such as tree ferns, phormiums, and Tetrapanax, are the mainstays of highly designed contemporary gardens Grasses and smallscale, naturalistic planting schemes are also popular, their soft foliage forms contrasting... end-of-season work, and using well-spaced larger plants reduces watering and trimming Low-maintenance planting suggestions • Acer • Arbutus unedo • Aucuba japonica • Choisya ternata Sundance • Cotoneaster horizontalis • Fatsia japonica • Hemerocallis (day lily) • Ilex aquifolium ‘Silver Ilex aquifolium ‘Silver Queen’ has beautiful evergreen foliage Stipa tenuissima is a trouble-free, airy grass Queen’ • Jasminum... geometricshaped beds or borders Designs can be either high-maintenance, with a mix of perennials, annuals, and shrubs, or low-maintenance, with easy-care shrub borders A natural approach For many people, choosing a naturalistic planting style, using drifts of perennials or a large number of native plants, creates a garden that feels at one with nature With this approach, you may also decide to avoid using... flowers and often topiary Both styles of garden are highly formal, labor-intensive, and best seen from above Planting suggestions • Acer japonicum (Japanese maple) • Camellia sasanqua • Ophiopogon ‘Nigrescens’ • Phyllostachys nigra • Pinus mugo ‘Ophir’ Maintenance tips Keep raked gravel weed- and leaf-free: the garden should appear immaculate Maple foliage provides vibrant color in an Asian-themed garden... large, open expanses and tend to be short-lived— many of the plants used are annuals, such as poppies (Papaver) and cornflowers (Centaurea cyanus) However, perennials can also feature, and the planting style can be scaled down to more modest-sized borders Moroccan oasis Water is a vital element for a Moroccan theme, and a wall fountain, perhaps with a blue-tiled surround, would make an ideal feature Most... important to you, a large patio with a dining/barbecue area will be useful, while a lawn is a good idea if children are likely to play in the yard in summer Your lifestyle may dictate that you have a low-maintenance garden with plants that are easy to care for but look good all year Consider also how much privacy you need Examine the visual appeal of your chosen scheme Will you include plants with impact... Attractive pots and containers, planted or otherwise, are one of the simplest ways of creating a focal point Used alone or in groups, they can be placed in a border, on a patio, or at the end of a pathway, perhaps terminating a vista Large, impressive pots are often best left empty; others can be enhanced with a dramatic plant, such as a Dasylirion Focus on color Brightly colored plants make smallscale . fence or wall, can make a yard feel small and claustrophobic. Concealing boundaries with plants will radically improve the appearance of a yard, transforming it into an attractive space. Pictures. Material previously published in Planting a Small Garden, Low-maintenance Garden, Easy Pruning, and Vegetable Gardening GARDENING STEP BY STEP Easy-to-follow advice f0r great results