Shaded Forest on a Hill

Note: any bulleted, italicized comments you see come from our in-house landscape designer!

See this landscape design in Simplyscapes.

In the front yard, you can find a sneak peak of what's to come with a large planting bed full of interesting foliage in the form of hostas, coleus, coral bells, a Japanese maple, and a locust "twisty baby." The large windows on the home add visual depth to the scene by reflecting trees from across the street.

• Some featured plants: locust "twisty baby", Japanese maple, heuchera, hosta, variety of color

As you move into the backyard, you find large railroad ties being used as retaining walls. These help to make the garden like it comes from another time and leaves space for several tiers of planting beds that emphasize interesting textures in the foliage.

• The staggered railroad tie planters form the perfect woodsy setting for flowers and grasses, many of which are shade loving (especially the bleeding heart in back)

Directly behind the house is a large deck that features a dining table, comfortable seating, a potting station, a tinkling fountain, more large windows, some containers with blooms.

• This woodsy outdoor entertaining area is surrounded by rich, dark greens and highlighted by bright colors in the Japanese maple and potted fuschia plants

The roof extends from the main house and has a single slope, providing shelter but not obstructing the view. The owner shared that this space is his favorite place to relax and enjoy the wooded scenery.

• The use of layers in this area adds depth. Repeated use of wood brings an earthy feel. Plants on every side create a setting that is teeming with life and a secluded retreat from the world

The steep slope up from the house is covered by Vinca minor, a prolific and shade (or sun!) loving surface cover.

Breaking up the wall of green, you can ascend via a staircase of huge stones to another social space with seating, pots, and large flagstone pavers.

• The stone and ground cover make for a natural, woodsy, shady feel--the darker colors create a calming vibe

• Heavily wooded, this yard is filled with plants that thrive in the shade

• While still surrounded by the calming woods, this seating area is also punctuated by tropical potted plants and a splash of bright color

• This wooded, natural area is perfected by the flagstone walkway

A short picket fence runs along the top of the ridge, separating the property from a canal running behind it, but that's not all. If you continue to follow the path, you will reach a bridge that crosses over the canal and leads to another part of the property. Made of more railroad ties, the bridge itself blends into its surroundings with large hostas and other foliage covering it.

On the other side, you can find a secluded seating area with more hostas and ferns where the owners like watch and listen to the water passing by below.

• Some featured plants: ferns, hostas, brunnera

This landscape truly feels like you have be transported away to a secluded cabin in the forest, but it is in a middle of a large suburban city. If you feel like you could use a little more nature in your life, use this landscape as motivation to start working on your own piece by piece.

See this landscape design in Simplyscapes.