Friday Inspiration and Advice

Anemone planted en masse. When groundcovers are planted on a large scale, such as these, it becomes such a beautiful, wonderful surprise, and spectacle when they are in bloom. This is a great way to draw attention to a special place in the landscape. Choose a groundcover in which the growth habit is of a spreading nature. Over time, your maintenance will decrease. This is a great solution if you are looking to reduce turf grass while adding color and texture. Photo credit: Garden Design Magazine

This bamboo rail is a simple, effective solution for holding back papyrus plantings. It's minimalist style doesn't compete with the other furnishings, yet maintains an elegance that pairs nicely with the color palette and plantings. Usually papyrus can get very large; this railing will give it the support it needs as it grows taller. Papyrus makes a great privacy screen; its similar to bamboo in texture, yet unlike bamboo, it will not overwhelm the space, keeping the feeling more on a residential scale. Photo credit: Garden Design Magazine

This curved concrete wall has a lot of good things going on. Firstly, it's concrete - durable, moldable and relatively inexpensive. Here, it is serving several functions. It's providing double-sided, shaded seating around a water feature. I am assumming that the landscape off to the right of the image is a picturesque view, making this an ideal sitting spot. The wall is also serving as an edge holding back the wilder plantings from the more manicured hardscape. Concrete is a great material. It can be stained, rubbed, stone and shell aggregates can be added for texture or color. When constructed properly, concrete can be as luxurious as natural stone. Photo credit: Garden Design Magazine.