Cottage Garden Transformation

Garden designer Daniel Keeley was searching for a small, affordable house to make his own when he stumbled upon a 1,004-square-foot fixer-upper in a desirable neighborhood in Fayetteville, Arkansas. On a lot of less than a fifth of an acre, he's integrated a house, front garden, perennial garden, fountain garden, cabana, courtyard, rear garden, and vegetable garden.The new windows, brick cladding, lamps, front door, paint, gate, and planters made a huge difference in this home's curb appeal. 

Daniel was drawn to the cottage, built in 1948, because of its simple, symmetrical design and relatively level, corner lot. He saw  opportunitiy for creating unique spaces for gardening and outdoor living.

The Big Idea: Update the house's facade and pair it with a welcoming, neat-as-a-pin front garden for tremendous curb appeal.The Plants: Boxwoods, dogwoods, hydrangeas, hostas, ornamental grasses, annuals, and a fescue lawnDesign Tip: Be consistent in your style, colors, and structures.

The Big Idea: Add an attractive, low-maintenance side yard to take you from front to back.The Plants: Chaste tree, artemisia, Russian sage, blue salvia, white dianthus, white gaura, "Diamond Frost" euphorbia, "Beyond Blue" blue fescue, silver maple, and boxwoods

The Big Idea: Combine modern with traditional elements. Add the soothing sound of splashing water to mask outside noise.The Plants: Four white "Snowdrift" crabapples and low boxwood hedgesDesig Tip: Don't buy more house or garden than you need. Instead, make good use of the space you have.

The Big Idea: Convert the old carport and shed in the back into a cabana to create a covered dining area and multipurpose room. Add a small vegetable garden between the cabana and rear fence.The Plants: Matching evergreen topiaries in pots decorate the cabana. Assorted summer veggies, such as tomatoes and collards, fill the raised bedsDesign Tip: Don't buy more house or garden than you need. Instead, make good use of the space you have.

The Big Idea: Create an additional space for dining and relaxing that's accessible from the house, fountain garden, and cabana.The Plants: Potted boxwoods, azaleas, liriope, and containers of annualsDesign Tip: Keep your plant palette simple.

The Big Idea: Devote the space behind the old shed to a hidden garden.The Plants: Four dogwoods in large containers, asparagus ferns, potted boxwoods, and various green-and-white annuals