A Refined Dry Shade Garden for the Urban Streetscape

This front garden redesign emphasizes low-maintenance planting and year-round appeal while complementing the home’s modern aesthetic. A tiered retaining wall elevates the planting bed, filled with dry shade–tolerant selections that add diversity without demanding upkeep. A row of ornamental grasses provides subtle separation from the neighbour’s walkway, introducing both privacy and movement.

The hardscape pairs clean geometry with custom detailing: a Manhattan paver walkway in ultra black, a corten steel accent, and a concrete wall along the sidewalk. Transplanted hydrangeas, along with hosta, sedge, hellebore, and switchgrass, create a layered, textural planting palette that offers seasonal change and structure throughout the year.