Raleigh, NC · 2023
The Maplewood Garden
Professional landscape design with layered plantings & paths
The Story
The Maplewood property had good bones — mature trees and decent soil — but the landscape was overgrown and chaotic. We designed a structured garden with layered plantings, defined bed edges, a flagstone path, and landscape lighting that brings it all to life at night.
The Challenge
The existing landscape had invasive species intertwined with desirable plants. Selective removal without damaging the keepers required plant-by-plant evaluation and careful extraction.
Our Solution
Our horticulturist tagged every plant before removal began. Invasives were extracted root-and-all, while desirable specimens were protected, pruned, and incorporated into the new design.
3 weeks
Build Time
1,800 sq ft
Garden Area
Plantings + Path + Lighting
Features
180+
Plants Installed
Construction Timeline
From ground to glory.
Site Assessment
An overgrown landscape with invasive vines, leggy shrubs, and undefined bed edges. Good bones underneath — mature trees and fertile soil.
Selective Removal
Invasive species extracted, dead wood removed, and overgrown shrubs cleared. Desirable plants tagged, pruned, and protected in place.
Bed Edging & Soil
Clean bed edges cut with a bed edger. Beds amended with compost and topsoil, graded for drainage away from the house.
Flagstone Path
Natural flagstone stepping-stone path laid through the garden, connecting the patio to a back seating area. Stones set in compacted gravel for stability.
Planting
Over 180 plants installed in layered drifts — tall ornamental grasses in back, mid-height perennials in the middle, groundcover in front. Color planned for three-season interest.
Mulch & Lighting
Three inches of hardwood mulch applied to all beds. Low-voltage landscape lighting installed — uplights on specimen trees, path lights along the flagstone walk.
Final Reveal
Layered plantings catching golden hour light, the flagstone path beckoning deeper into the garden. The Maplewood Garden is a landscape transformed.
The Transformation
Before & After
BeforeAfter
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