One Garden, Two Worlds

In this colorful and welcoming garden, sunny, flower-filled front borders transition to a shady backyard hideaway.

- Marisa Reyes

1 Charming front yard A mix of evergreens and vibrant flowers creates a warm and inviting entrance to this North Carolina home.

First Impressions

Six years ago, Tom and Courtenay Vanderbilt from Georgia to be closer to family. Foundation repairs required most of the original shrubs surrounding the house to be removed, but once that project was finished, Courtenay was ready to start fresh in the garden.

GARDEN CHALLENGES The house sits at the top of a steep slope, which presented several challenges before planting could begin. Heavy rains caused water to collect around the foundation, so they had a dry creek bed installed to redirect water away from the foundation and had a retaining wall built to level the backyard and separate the garden from the ravine.

2 A lawn at last After years of not having a single blade of grass, Tom finally enjoys a lush green lawn.

Their previous garden in Georgia was all shade, but the North Carolina home gave Courtenay the opportunity to create sunny beds in the front yard. She does most of the gardening, and Tom, who occasionally helps with mulching, is ready to help whenever she comes up with new projects or ideas. The goal for this garden was to create a space filled with unique textures and colors as well as a variety of evergreen shapes that could provide winter interest and year-round privacy.

3 Quiet corners Just off the mulch path, a stone walkway leads to a seating area where, like many gardeners, Courtenay tries to relax. But the moment she sits down, she spots something in the garden that needs attention, and before long, she's back up and working again.