These common design blunders amplify the impression of tight quarters. Here’s what to do instead. Design your garden with simple, strong shapes and lines, avoid cluttered curves, and add variegated ...

Elizabeth has worked since 2010 as a writer and consultant covering gardening, permaculture, and sustainable living. She has also written a number of books and e-books on gardens and gardening. If you ...

It may seem curious that viewing a sparse landscape of rock and gravel can be an antidote to the day’s chaos. But a Zen garden, a minimalist composition of carefully placed stones, is calming — if you ...

Bamboo trees stand tall in this Japanese garden. Photo by Kevin Legnon. Noted for its minimalist style, natural landscape and tranquil nature, the Japanese garden is as much art as it is science. To ...

Let’s say you have recently purchased a house and want to create beautiful gardens. How should you begin? I recently visited Gordon and Mary Hayward, both garden designers, at their home in ...

Elizabeth has worked since 2010 as a writer and consultant covering gardening, permaculture, and sustainable living. She has also written a number of books and e-books on gardens and gardening. Are ...

The challenges of gardening in a small space are real. Some design choices, however, amplify the impression of tight quarters. Color, line, and texture all play important roles in making a small ...