Forget the Open Floor Plan--It's Time to Bring Back Walls

You don’t have to completely start over in your garden beds when you have new plants and new ideas to try. One of the best things we can do to foster health for ourselves and the natural community is to increase density and layers in our landscape. Many gardeners have older beds that need updating as plants come and go over time. There’s no need to remove an exotic plant — unless it’s regionally invasive — as long as the plant is healthy; just fill in around it with more natives adapted to your region. There will be many opportunities to fill gaps that are seasonal and spatial, and doing so will decrease the need for annual wood mulch applications, help compete against weeds and provide more for wildlife. Pistils Landscape Design + Build Spatial Gaps In a natural landscape — like a meadow, woodland, fen or even desert — plants will be layered. There will be ground covers that are often under a foot tall, then mid-layer plants that may be roughly 1 to 3 feet tall and, finally, perennial...

  Getting Started A gate should be welcoming, obvious, easy to access and effortless to use, Clough says. The rest of the details — size, location and style — are up to you. They can be the entry point to your property from the sidewalk or street in your front yard, allow access to the back yard from the front, open onto a back alley or even connect your yard with a neighbor’s space. Morgan Howarth Photography Size.  Gates can range in size from very low, maybe 3 feet high, to very tall, 8 feet high or more. A standard width for a single gate is 3 feet, which provides plenty of room for people and most basic landscaping equipment, such as a lawn mower or a wheelbarrow, to go through. A double-wide gate is both a gracious entry as well as a practical choice for transferring larger pieces of equipment — anything from a riding mower to a small sailboat — between two spaces. Eurowood Cabinets, Inc If your gate will span a driveway, consider setting the posts or supports about a fo...

  1. Transitional Transitional bathrooms gracefully walk the line between traditional and contemporary, with just enough detailing to please folks in both design camps.  While elements of traditional and contemporary styles are both present,  transitional bathrooms  don’t veer far in either direction. Key features  of transitional-style bathrooms: Shaker-style vanity Light-hued stone counters, floors or wall treatments in materials such as  marble and quartz Undermount sink Subway tile Pedestal bathtub Glass shower enclosure Classic lighting such as drum pendants, updated chandeliers and sleek wall sconces. Color palette:  Whether you opt for cool or warm hues, the colors in a transitional bathroom tend to be soft and subtle. For a richer look, consider blue, brown, gray or wood tones. Poet Interiors 2. Modern Modern bathrooms are sleek and streamlined, emphasizing strong horizontal lines. Clean, flourish-free details keep the focus on the architecture...