In the summer of 2023 while landscaping a next-door neighbor’s property we had the opportunity to meet team up with this client who had tried installing grass multiple times to no avail. The beautiful, wooded property seemed like a scene out of the North Georgia mountains. Huge deciduous Oaks providing shade with native understory Dogwoods and Azaleas make the property comfortable during hot weather. When rainy weather arrives, the brook running parallel with the front yard space sounds like a river from the swelling of the water collecting and running through the ravine just beyond the woods edge. After discussing the reluctance to cut down an enormous number of mature trees to get sunlight, an alternative plan to utilize the space as nature provided, a shade garden was born. Leading up to the front porch an inviting look was achieved by providing a path system that made the space interactive using mini slate chips as an aggregate. The client picked out a bench and steppingstones inside the portion of the path leading to it were inserted to differentiate the main path from the path to the bench. A large flow of water from the opposite side of the property and off the driveway funneled by the existing driveway grade gave the opportunity for a dry creek bed for visual enhancement of the space but the utilitarian purpose for erosion control. A large 600-pound flagstone was picked out at the stone yard for the perfect “bridge” over the dry creek bed. Low growing and colorful plants were carefully chosen to provide a near evergreen look in the winter but also color and texture in other seasons. Small statuary and garden art finished off the new space much to the content of the owners and their family to enjoy.