The Challenge
In 2022, we were commissioned to transform the front garden of a charming 1910 duplex in Denver. The goal: turn a basic yard into a lush, shade‑loving garden that supports pollinators while reflecting the family’s personality and love for natural beauty.
Our Design & Planting Approach
Shade‑Loving Plants & Textures: We built the design around jewel‑toned foliage, striking leaf shapes, and rich textures by choosing shade‑tolerant favorites like Heuchera, Jacob’s Ladder, and Anemones to bring depth and life to the garden under varying sunlight levels.
Pollinator & Sensory Garden: Near the front door, we created a “Bees & Teas” zone with Chamomile, Lemon Balm, Sage, and Lavender adding fragrance for morning coffees or evening relaxation, and inviting pollinators close to the home.
Sun‑Friendly Pollinator Corridor: In the sunnier beds, we planted a “pollinator super‑highway” using Solidago, Rudbeckia, Salvias, and Echinacea, vibrant, hardy, and alive with bees, butterflies, and birds during blooming season.
Personal Touches Reflecting Style: This is a garden that feels product of the family’s spirit. . . stylish, warm, and playful. We aimed to make the garden not just a landscape, but a front‑yard sanctuary that feels like home.
A Living, Pollinator‑Friendly Front Yard
Today, this once plain front garden thrives as a lush, textured, pollinator‑friendly space. The family uses it often; the plants bring color, life, and fragrance, and the garden now feels like a natural extension of their home.
