2 Types of Garden Design

The underbelly of my profession sometimes falls under the heading of design-build-maintain.

Aka, fox-designing-the-hen-house, cliche.

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Low front windows?  Sure, design shrubs growing to 15', they'll need pruning 2x/year.  Why design groundcovers, mulch needs replacing yearly.  And the list grows: mowing weekly, fertilizer & chemical treatments, irrigation, annual beds.

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This type of landscaping has its place.  Yet this type of landscaping is hardly low-maintenance & frugal.  It just 'appears' to be.  Mr. Testosterone-on-wheels-mow-blow-go-commodify-all-I-touch is happy to put you on contract.  Again, this type of landscaping has its place, I get that.  

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Why mention it?  Because it's incredibly sad to my heart.  Historic garden design feeds the soul, pollinator habitat, doesn't poison ground water, increases property value, reduces hvac expense, reduces maintenance, has little yearly expense,  & etc....  

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Garden & Be Well, XO Tara

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Pic taken at jobsite this month.  I didn't do the original design decades ago.  We've recently replaced mulch with groundcover at the foundation.  Luckily part shade slows her plantings from fast growth.  So, we did not replace them.