Private Dossier · Landscape Design

The Native
Garden Small

An ornamental native front garden, replacing overgrowth with intention and a year of overlapping bloom.

10,866 sq ftZone 7bCfa humid subtropicalMar–Oct overlapping

19.6 kW

Recommended solar array, sized to cover roughly 99% of the home's electricity use.

$56,857 20-yr

Projected net savings from going solar, after federal incentives.

36,000 gal / yr

Rainwater capturable off the roof at a 90% capture rate.

A note from Eden and Dane

Land that rewards you.

Eden and Dane is not your run-of-the-mill landscaping company. We look at systems and properties at every level, so we can work from the ground up to build a strong, strategic, and personalized plan of action.

This study is a look at the design we created, alongside the data and assessments that make a property both more self-reliant and more enjoyable. We believe that what is beautiful, productive, and passive brings unrivaled peace and satisfaction.

What is beautiful, productive, and passive brings peace.
Dane Hoover · Eden and Dane LLC

Site Profile

The land, at a glance.

Land area

10,866 sq ft

Hardiness

Zone 7b

Climate

Cfa humid subtropical

Bloom

Mar–Oct overlapping

Plans and Goals

What the design achieves.

Grow beautiful, low-maintenance natives across the front garden.

Replace overgrowth with intentional, structured plantings.

Deliver overlapping bloom from March through October for constant color and pollinator support.

Audit

Sustainability

Twenty-four assessed metrics across energy, water, soil, and ecology. Scored out of 20. Water and soil samples, and livestock metrics, were out of scope for this front-garden design.

55%→85%

Current baseline

Potential at full build-out

Water retention20 → 20

Water capture Plant deep taproots20 → 20

Flower schedule19 → 20

Rainwater volume18 → 20

Renewability Lessen grid electricity needs16 → 20

Native landscaping Increase natives, weed out invasives15 → 20

Nutrient cycling Streamline biomass transition15 → 20

Appliance & fixture efficacy Eaves on the southern face for passive cooling15 → 20

Pollinator friendliness Add a water source15 → 20

Compost Increase utility14 → 20

Fertilizer need Increase biodiversity14 → 20

Energy efficiency Increase supply and resilience12 → 20

Food production Increase ratio grown at home12 → 20

Vehicle repairability11 → 20

Denudation Replant foliage in tandem with county grant10 → 20

Waste management Add on-site septic10 → 20

Vegetative temp management10 → 20

Plant guilds Increase biodiversity7 → 20

Material sustainability Renovations use sustainably harvested materials4 → 20

Vehicle emissions Switch to an EV4 → 20

Climatic conditions4 → 20

Consumable nutrient range Add superfood berry plants1 → 20

Solar generation Add panels0 → 20

Proximity to protected land0 → 20

Plant Palette

Species going in.

Golden Euonymus · 4 · 5 galBlue Hydrangea · 5 · 3 galSalvia · 2 · nativeCreeping Thyme · 10 · ground coverBlack-Eyed Susan · native driftConeflower · native driftButterfly Weed · 4 · nativeBearded Iris · 3 varieties

The Problem We Solved

Constraints turned into design decisions.

Persistent poison ivy and weeds

Replace the overgrowth with dense native plantings and a clover ground-cover layer that crowds weeds out over the first two to three seasons.

Low soil fertility

Rebuild fertility from the ground up with compost and a vermiculture system feeding the beds, rather than synthetic inputs.

Growth Stages

From install to mature system.

1–3 yrs
Pioneer
Everything is planted and begins to fill empty space while we rebuild soil health. The most intense and important stage: get the install right and the system can run on autopilot. Irrigation, mulch, and routine care go in now.
2–8 yrs
Early growth
Plants and trees integrate into the ecosystem and near production of fruits and nuts. Maintenance matters most here, monitoring growth for the good signs and the bad.
5–15 yrs
Adolescent forest
Everything grows into its final form, filling remaining space and beginning to reach full production.
8–20+ yrs
Mature forest
Fully grown in, occupying all planned space. Harvesting becomes the primary function and maintenance is light.

Investment and Returns

What the design gives back.

19.6 kW

Solar array sized to offset about 99% of household electricity.

$56,857

20-year savings versus staying fully on the grid.

up to $50,000

VCAP eligibility for state water-management and erosion credits.

+$5,000

Property value delta projected over five to ten years.

Solar figures assume outright purchase, claiming the federal Investment Tax Credit and available renewable energy credits. A lease or loan path changes the math and can be modeled on request.

Next step

Ready to move forward?

Schedule a 15-minute call to discuss phasing, timing, and what comes next for the property.

Book a discovery call →