This woodland glade design has been one of the more exciting landscapes I’ve worked on so far. Normally, people consider massive pecan trees difficult to design around. Their shade is dense and pecans emit a chemical called juglone into the soil that not all plants can handle. Here in the southeast, though, so much of our land evolved as biodiverse, shaded forests, often populated with juglone trees like black walnuts, hickories, and, of course, pecans. This doesn’t stop gorgeous perennials from growing at their feet. The shade and the juglone are merely the frame that contains this design.

What emerged from that frame was a plan for a densely planted forest floor with diverse, whimsical, shade-loving species. They will move around over the years and join together and reseed themselves. They will help to increase the health of the soil and bring diverse wildlife benefits. They will also be gorgeous. Additionally, there’s an aromatic patio planting nearby and lots of perennials added into the front yard.