The Novel Gardener

a blog about plants, people, & landscape design

An image of a rowhouse landscape design showing the new two-level modern black metal deck. Steps with wooden treads and cable railings lead up to the second-storey deck with a pergola overhead. Cables provide a place for climbing vines to grow up. A brick walkway allows easy access to the lower portion of the house and gathering area underneath the deck.
Rowhouse and Small Space Landscape Design

November 14, 2023

Do you own a property with a small back yard? Want to make the space more liveable, pleasant, and environmentally friendly but aren't sure how? I work in these spaces frequently and wanted to share some tips and design examples with you!...

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A copper beech hedge in Ireland along Mullaslin Road is golden orange in the winter against bright green fields and bare treesCopper Beech along Mullaslin Road, cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Kenneth  Allen- geograph.org.uk/p/6023997
Nature's Last Green is Gold: Beech & Hornbeam Hedges

November 10, 2023

No matter how hard I try, I still haven't sold any clients on American (or European) beech or hornbeam hedges. There's no two ways about it- Americans hate the idea of clipping hedges twice a year, despite the fact that they will mow their lawns every other week. But hedges are often a great solution for privacy with an initial investment that is often a fraction of the cost of a fence, if small bare-root plants are used...

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