How a $4,800 Garden Bed Changed an Entire Front Yard

The clients had lived in their San Marco bungalow for eleven years. The front yard was perfectly fine. It was also perfectly forgettable. Lawn to the property line, two old azaleas by the door, a confused crape myrtle off to the side.

The Brief

A modest budget. Under $5,000. No hardscape. No structural changes. Just a single bed that would make the house feel intentional from the curb.

The Design

We pulled the bed line out into a gentle curve from the front walk to the property edge, generous enough to read from across the street. Eleven plant varieties layered in three heights: muhly grass and dwarf yaupon at the back, loropetalum and pentas in the middle, beach sunflower and creeping jenny along the front.

The Result

The first October bloom on the muhly grass pulled three neighbors over within a week. The clients have since asked us back for the side garden, then the backyard. This is how Oasiscapes projects often start: one bed, then the whole yard.