A rain water garden was included in our design to manage the storm water run off from the property and sloping driveway. The rocks and pebbles filter the water down and into the garden beds. The curved deck mimics the rocks and softens the rectilinear spaces of the garden. Deciduous shade trees provide dappled light during the warmer months for the butterfly chair outdoor seating around the outdoor fire pit. Kev Quelch

Архитектурное бюро Глушкова автор этого уютного и тёплого дома для Подмосковья.

River Birch branches, Winterberry Holly berries, Southern Magnolia leaves, mixed greens and pine cones fill these simplistically beautiful urns at the front entrance. Garland created using Southern Magnolia leaves, mixed greens, natural grapevine and classic white lights welcome every guest during the holiday season!

G. Dryer

This was a blank space with nothing but lawn and a path to the front door. Front gardens need to be welcoming all year round so this design incorporated a range of easy care evergreens in a contemporary parterre, with the warm tones of porphyry setts forming the centrepiece.

Natalia Lopez de la Cruz

Ryan Gamma Photography

Soaker hoses buried under hardwood mulch. 30 mins - 1 hr daily irrigation. It's dry August soil! Elliott Hallum

very easy and modern design

West facing bed on sandy soil with Oleander 'Cherry Surprise', Aloe 'Topaz', Chalksticks and foxtail asparagus fern. Tough enough to handle the heat from the concrete driveway and brick house.

New garden & decking installation in Melbourne by Boodle Concepts landscaping. Features hardy Australian native plant choices, artificial grass turf, and expansive decking for outdoor entertaining in the sun.

Photo by Brigid Arnott Pots and stone cladding supplied by Gather Co Furniture by Eco Outdoor Plants supplied by Exotic Nurseries

1. Safety Light is an amazing thing. It illuminates everything around us and allows us to see. Unfortunately, every night the sun removes itself along with its full spectrum of light. Now those things that we would normally see like steps, trees, or pools become difficult to see. Climbing stairs without lighting is a great way to fall. Even worse is if you miss the stairs and run face first into a tree. Worse than that is if you fall into the pool. You can see where this is going. Lighting up a landscape is important for safety. Any family or friends who aren’t familiar with the property could be endangered without a properly lit environment. 2. Security I promise these aren’t scare tactics, but security is a valid concern. Thieves prospecting a property will look in from the street. A well-lit building will have a better chance of scaring off a potential burglar compared to a non-lit darker front-yard. It is much easier to sneak around in the dark than in a well-lit beautiful landscape. 3. Beauty and Value LED Directional Landscape Flood Lights are experiences with several tactics to create a beautiful, safe, and secure landscape. Through up lights, down lights, accents, and path lights there are several great ways to improve a yard. Lights can provide, shadows, highlights, silhouettes, wall-washes, and a moonlight effect. Those are plenty of options for a great designer to make something beautiful. Beyond that, crafted fixtures with specific textures can change the environment substantially. Alcon Lighting provides the widest expanse of great products to set the mood for your landscape. Not only does great lighting make a great experience, it also adds value to the property. A beautiful property with a well-lit architecture and landscape can completely change the outer appearance of a property. This kind of value can provide a great return on your investment. 4. You’ve been doing it for years You’ve probably been managing lighting design and landscape lighting for years. If you celebrate Christmas, you can appreciate the hard work and the resulting beauty of a well-lit or elegantly glowing property. Every year, it becomes a competition to light the most extravagant lights and get the biggest luminous trees. Landscape lighting is like a tasteful and all year Christmas experience. If you’ve already been lighting up your house once a year, why not make it a full-time experience?

Jo Fenton