Form & Function in the Garden

A vine-covered arbor beckons you into the garden and a bench catches your attention, creating a progressive revelation to lead your eye around the garden. The pathways direct your steps while protecting your feet from the elements.

Friends relax and raise their glasses together in outdoor living spaces, and a shady nook sheltering a rope hammock is a favorite spot to relax and enjoy a book or nap on a warm summer afternoon.

Retaining walls both stop erosion and re-direct water, and create raised bed for plant material.

Hardscapes, generally the man-made parts of the garden, provide a foundation, or backdrop in the garden, and set the tone through the choice of materials used to build them. They also provide interest in the winter garden when the plants are dormant.

Rachel works with you to determine the design and type of material needed to suit the site. Visit our Resources page for Rachel’s hardscape suppliers.

Hardscape Features

Photos of hardscape features designed & installed by Rachel’s Gardens

Pathways

Pathways

Oh what a great pleasure they provide in a garden! They can provide variety of texture since mulch, pebbles, stone chips, flagstone, bricks, etc. are available as coverings.
Pathways provide guidance to meander through the garden to enjoy, cut flowers, and lead on to another room in the outdoor living space.

Pergolas

Pergolas

Pergolas, attached to an existing building structure, add a transition from indoors to outdoors and can also provide the illusion of an outdoor room with shade and privacy.

Arbors

Arbors

Freestanding arbors add to the landscape by providing entry and exit to a garden area as well as providing new spaces for plant material to grow and cascade over. The introduction of metal or wood to the landscape adds a needed contrast of texture.

Berms & Islands

Berms & Islands

When well planned they provide a point of accent in the landscape with height and shape. They can often provide a visual and sound barrier from unwanted views or sounds. An island is flat, whereas a berm is built up.

Retaining Walls

Retaining Walls

A great benefit in control of erosion, but also a wonderful way to add height to a slope or foundation planting. A well planned retaining wall provides many niches with which to plant into the wall for the overflow effect.

Benches

Benches

Seating in a garden provides not only a place to rest your feet, but also a place to rest your mind. From quiet morning contemplation to lively evening conversations with friends and family, benches come in many materials, shapes and sizes and are a staple in any garden.

Rachel's arbors support cheery holiday lights in her home gardens.