I am sharing this not so garden-y garden with you today because I find that sometimes a blank slate is even more inspiring than looking at beautifully built gardens. Of course this property (The Gregory Farmhouse in Northern California) is a particularly beautiful blank slate.
I enjoy imagining that this were a project of mine. Would I fill it with voluptuous plants or stay understated? Lots of color or a narrow color palette? Hmmm….what would you do?
I would try to keep the gorgeous lines and the spacious look. Replace some of the grass with succulents. Make that center circle look like a big bowl of color with red succulents – a pop of color with a calm backdrop. Maybe the black lace elderberry along the fence out front, keeping the line across the top, and skirted with succulent patches that are uneven in width and color. Maybe some touches of liriope or rosemary in the bleakest winter spots. If they grow here??