Secret Garden

The Big Idea: This small, secluded garden, tucked into trees and shrubs two steps up from the terrace, is a garden within a garden. Splashing water from a fountain and a color scheme centered on white, chartreuse, and green make it feel cool and private.

The Plants: 'Diamond Frost' euphorbias, 'Aaron' white caladiums, white impatiens, 'Margarita' sweet potato vines, and white mazus all meld.

The Details: White-flowering mazus (Mazus reptans 'Albus') is ideal for planting between flagstones. It grows 2 inches high and doesn't mind being stepped on. Mazus spreads by creeping stems but never becomes a problem. In mild-winter areas like Dallas, it's evergreen. In colder areas, it will die to the ground in winter and resprout in spring. It prefers full to partial shade in most of the South. The most commonly planted form sports purplish blue flowers. Give it fertile, moist soil for best results.