Side Garden

Our free Planting Guide for this garden includes a larger version of the illustration, a detailed layout diagram, a list of plants for the garden as shown, a list of alternatives for each plant, and complete instructions for installing the garden. (Free, one-time registration allows unlimited access to Planting Guides for all garden plans.)

This garden plan transforms the short walk from front yard to back into a stroll through a colorful shade garden. It brings beauty to the strip of ground between the side of a house and the property line -- an area that is often drab and neglected. The gently curving path can be constructed of 2-foot pieces of flagstone, crushed rock, shredded bark, or brick. The perennials all perform well in partial to full shade. Foliage textures vary from lacy ferns to bold hostas, and flowering perennials provide seasonal highlights.