Morrow wanted to avoid letting the existing architecture determine the design of the outdoor entertaining area that was to be located next to the house, which was one of his goals. Even though it seems lovely from the street, his Victorian home from the 1890s is actually merely a “brick box” in the rear. As a result, Morrow covered it with wisteria. The juxtaposition of the leafy curtain with the patio’s wrought-iron furniture and worn stone is reminiscent of a theatrical backdrop.
Make it versatile.
Potentially distracting is Morrow’s array of perennials, which is often changing. In response, he crafted a plan that included a foundation of evergreen plants to ward against this, as well as a sharply defined hardscape of stone and gravel.
Dismantle the barriers.
The “disappearing boundary” was one of Morrow’s favorite tricks for making a small area seem larger. Morrow painted seven-foot-tall wooden board fences on three sides of the garden a glossy black to blend them into their surroundings. Until they see the garden in action, clients consistently deny that this is a smart concept. An assumption without evidence.
Show no mercy.
On the lawn, Morrow swiftly displayed the door. “In a small urban garden, I don’t think lawns are practical,” remarks Morrow. “A beautiful perennial bed or even an Edward Scissorhands topiary garden would yield far more eye candy than the time, energy, chemicals, and machinery needed to keep a lawn looking nice.”
Spot-on, incorrect location
My task was to prune three enormous Magnolia grandiflora trees. “It almost killed me,” Morrow admits. “The decision to plant them there was a mistake from the very beginning.” From a distance, southern magnolias look beautiful, but up close and personal, they’re not trees you want to call home. I set aside a fourth that was sufficiently distant from the residence to incorporate into the plan.
Adorn yourself
After undergoing the invasive but essential surgery to create a functional scheme, Morrow shifted his focus to furniture. Iron furniture, he says, “visually is light and airy,” making it an ideal option for little yards.
Introduce a range
There is a significant role for seasonal containers in this garden. In containers with a diameter of less than 18 inches, Morrow favors solitary specimen plants. In bigger containers, she uses riotous combinations of annuals and summer exotics, such as bananas, palms, agaves, and coleus. In the dead of winter, evergreen bushes take over the pots.
