From Lawn to Living Landscape
How We Transformed a Front Yard into a Thriving Native Garden
How It Began
What started as a simple request—replacing a patchy, underperforming lawn—quickly became an opportunity to create something more meaningful. Instead of forcing grass to grow where it clearly didn’t want to, we reimagined the space as a thriving native garden, designed to work with the land rather than against it.
Every project begins the same way: by understanding what’s already happening on-site. We flew the drone, rolled out the measuring tapes, studied the soil, tracked how water moved through the yard, and observed how light shifted throughout the day. Like many front yards, this one had a mix of conditions—some areas were dry and root-heavy, while others held too much water after a storm. Rather than treating these as obstacles, we leaned into them, using design to turn challenges into assets.
The Design
A flowing mass of native sedges became the foundation for our design, naturally absorbing excess moisture while adding soft texture to the space. We layered in a dynamic plant palette that would offer structure, color, and movement throughout the seasons—spring ephemerals, summer pollinator favorites, fall foliage, and winter seed heads. A sculptural witch hazel placed strategically anchored the garden (while obscuring the view of the neighbors).
Hand-picked & Placed
Once the design was finalized, we made a trip down to Pleasant Run Nursery where we hand-picked each plant ourselves, ensuring the best possible selections. By the time we left the nursery, our truck was packed with vibrant native species, pollinators already circling the fragrant flowers.
The echinacea was an unexpected highlight—each plant grown from seed, carrying its own unique form, stature, and genetic material. Some stood tall and airy, others more compact and full, coming together to create a garden that felt naturally diverse from day one.
Messy Ecosystems, Orderly Frames
To define the space, we installed custom curved, weathered steel edging, giving the planting beds a crisp frame while allowing the design to flow naturally. After prepping the soil and carefully placing each plant, we watered everything in, knowing that after a short establishment period, these plants would settle in and thrive on their own—no chemicals, no heavy maintenance, just a self-sustaining ecosystem built to last.
In the Ground for Generations
Looking at the garden now, it’s hard to imagine it was ever struggling. Instead of a lawn fighting against its conditions, the space has come alive—with movement, color, and layers that evolve throughout the year. It’s a landscape that works, not just for the homeowners but for pollinators, the soil, and the greater ecosystem.
Creating a resilient, beautiful landscape isn’t complicated—it just takes the right approach. What opportunities are waiting in your yard?
Opportunity is in every landscape. From the ground up,
Design Ecosystems with us.
