Pet-Friendly Planting

A landscape design plan featuring a curved pathway, various planted shrubs, trees, and flowers, with existing Japanese Maple and Cercis canadensis trees labeled. An inset photograph shows a house with a garden of colorful flowers and shrubbery in front.

Site size: Small to medium front yard on a suburban street

Timeline: Client approached in late fall; design finalized during winter and installed by May the following spring

Client goals:

  • Boost curb appeal with colorful shrubs and flowers

  • Enjoy views from windows and garden seating areas

  • Preserve as much lawn as possible

  • Achieve visual interest across four seasons

Site constraints:

  • Full sun, hot and dry soil

  • Playful puppy who loves to run through and nibble plants

  • Need to harmonize with the home’s blue exterior and neighboring gardens

Solutions:

  • Garden is composed entirely of dog-safe plants

  • Color palette of blues, burgundy, and soft pinks echo the house

  • Boulders incorporated to blend with neighbor’s existing river rock

  • Drip irrigation installed to provide relief from sun and heat

  • Flower beds framing the lawn to retain lawn

  • Evergreens and a succession of long-blooming plants provide interest year-round

Services provided by Madeline Quigley Garden Design:

  • Custom design

  • Coordination with local landscapers

  • Sourcing of plants

  • Pruning of existing trees and shrubs

  • Oversight of installation

Result: A four-season garden that delights from spring through winter, provides safe play for the puppy, and elevates the home’s curb appeal. Neighbors frequently pause to admire the transformation.

Photos:

Before

A two-story house with gray siding and brick accents, featuring multiple windows with black shutters, a black front door, and a curved walkway leading to the entrance. There are trees and shrubs around the house, with a car parked in the driveway on the right side of the image.

During

A suburban front yard with a garden bed containing potted plants, flowers, and small shrubs in the process of being planted. There are two wheelbarrows and a lamp post behind the garden bed, along with a concrete sidewalk and grass lawns.

Rendering

Double-story suburban house with blue siding, front yard with green grass, and flower beds with various colorful flowers and bushes.

After

A backyard with a well-maintained lawn, flower beds, trees, and a black metal fence with a dog standing behind it near the trees

Ready to discuss ideas for your garden?

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