This small front and side yard makeover called for restraint to create a setting of simple elegance. Not every yard begs to be a garden, sometimes it asks for refreshed garden lines, a pleasant view from a window, updated plant material and new hardscapes to ease visitors through the yard to the front door.

Such was the case with this Hyde Park home. In a way, I feel like we took what the original idea was for the landscape and rearranged it a bit, injected a bit of Southern influence and added cleaner lines and a lovely splash of color in the side yard.

New stone work was a must. Crumbling, uneven walks are distracting and unsafe. A new front  walk, and retaining wall in the front of the home made the property feel fresh and well-kept: even before the new plants and sod went in.

Along the side of the house, a new walk gently curves to the side door, reflecting the stone wall and creating a sense of calm. It’s amazing what soft lines can do. And from the kitchen window, one that is often looked out, we added a simple garden of boxwoods and drift roses: it’s a soothing sight to start and end the day.  –  Natalie