Ballwin Yard Overhaul
Rustic Garden, St Louis
This is view at the top of the natural stone steps. We had the walkway widen here at the crossways so more people could stop and chat before entering the home.
The existing hydrangea really loved the soil after we amending it. We later trimmed the hydrangea far back to allow the newly planted perennials to grow into themselves instead of on the path.
The original design had a large Lilac in the middle to act as a focal point but plant supply changed that. Instead we added a Lilac tree to this spot. It will require more trimming to retain shape and keep suckers at bay, but once it grows some and flowers it will be a much loved accent in the garden.
The Goldenrod is just barely starting to bloom to help extend the blooming season of the landscape. A great native to our area that establishes quickly and blooms profusely. The Goldenrod we used was Solidago rugosa 'Fireworks', and to its name it really looks like fireworks when blooming. Keep this plant closer to the back, because as it grows taller it bends over to almost three feet wide.
The pavers we used were a 3 piece ledgestone in a sahara/chestnut light color with a chestnut rectangular border. The path was wide enough that we could use a border and the proportions were not thrown off.