Use Plants to Connect Your Garden With Its Surroundings

Plants with bold silhouettes have a clean look which feels appropriate next to the architecture. “We start with an organized palette in and around the outdoor rooms, then as we go farther out, we want the plantings to almost dissolve into the surrounding natural environs,” explains Miller. “In our area the gardens often have beautiful backdrops, sometimes overlooking golden California hills, or a riparian area near a creek.” He designs the outer edges of the planted areas almost as one would weave a tapestry, creating a loose fabric of textures and colors which blurs the boundary lines of the landscape and visually claims the scenery beyond. Near a riparian zone, he pulls in rushes and other fresh, lush plants. Next to grassland, he draws upon the motion and softness of ornamental grasses. “We never want a landscape to feel like a sterile museum,” he says.