Prioritizing Lifestyle over Layout: Our Evolving Perspective on Garden Design
There’s a moment at the end of every garden installation when everything feels complete. The trim is mitered at perfect 45-degree angles, the irrigation hoses are set to a steady drip, and the copper plant labels glisten in the sun. After days—sometimes weeks—of building, we step back, hands on hips, and admire the transformation from grassy lawn to garden. It’s a deeply satisfying sense of finality.
But last month, Abi, Melissa, and I spent the day visiting three very different gardens for a mid-summer photography session with Natalie Metzger. And as we admired the abundance, the quirks, and the constant hum of life in these spaces, we realized something: gardens are never really finished. They’re always evolving—shaped by the hands, habits, and hearts of the people who tend them. Trinkets appear. New plants are squeezed into old corners. A chair gets dragged to a new sunny spot.
We walked through raised beds bordered by pasture fences, past ornate iron gates on a grand estate, and into a gravel courtyard that could’ve been plucked from Tuscany. The gardens were stunning—but they were more than that. They were real. Each one reflected the values, rhythms, and daily life of the gardener behind it.
As we gathered photos for our new online portfolio, we realized something else: the gardens we’re most proud of don’t just showcase good design—they showcase lifestyle. These spaces aren’t just measured and mapped; they’re lived in. They’re gardens where morning coffee is sipped, where muddy boots are welcome, where plants and people grow together.
The Farm Garden
This space is all about utility with heart.
Surrounded by horses and a classic wooden fence, the garden feels like an extension of the barn itself. The raised beds are filled with raspberries, herbs, and leafy greens, and a few whimsical white chairs invite you to sit down and shell peas with your kids—or your goats. There’s gravel underfoot and no shortage of weeds at the edges, but that’s part of the charm. It’s a working garden, full of life, and perfect in its authenticity.
This garden isn’t trying to be a showroom. It’s a homestead.
The Estate Garden
Drive though this ornate stone gate and you’ll you’ll feel it immediately—elegance lives here.
Boxwoods and old oakleaf hydrangeas frame the porches, and you’ll find steel-edged raised beds perfectly aligned with the geometry of the patio. Every plant seems to know its place. But even with all that precision, there’s warmth in the details: the rusted patina of the beds, the scent of rosemary, the soft echo of a wind chime. It’s refined, but not rigid.
This garden isn’t just for growing—it’s a statement piece.
The Mediterranean Garden
This one is our newest garden, and it feels like a love letter to slow living.
Set at the base of a large pavilion with an Airstream poised for adventure, the garden’s decomposed granite paths and purple vitex trees evoke a sun-soaked European escape. A limestone fountain bubbles softly—rumor has it there are coins from a distant land at the bottom. The beds burst with tomatoes, basil, and vining beans, and a long outdoor table awaits a leisurely lunch. There’s no rush here—only rhythm.
This garden isn’t about maximizing space—it’s about savoring it.
Our Takeaway
After years of drawing sketches and calculating square footage, this shoot reminded us that the best gardens don’t follow templates. They follow people.
We still love clean lines and smart design, but we’ve started asking new questions:
How do you want to feel when you walk outside?
Where will you drink your coffee?
Who do you want to share this space with?
Because ultimately, your garden should reflect your lifestyle—not just your backyard layout.
