To preserve an old live oak, homeowner Stephanie Dixon reimagined traditional outdoor living spaces for her Georgia home.
Simons Island, Georgia, front yard.
“It was the only thing left after the space was cleared.
Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller
Saving this tree was worth giving up half afront porch.
“The fenceand planting areas around the patio created the perfect place for entertaining,” says Dixon.
Her creativity resulted in a coastal cottage bursting with charm.
Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller
Read on to see how this Golden Isles oasis came to life.
Keep Beds Pretty Neat
An infallible way to makethe front yardattractive?
A white picket fence.
Hidden from street view, a bridge—built over tree roots—leads from the patio to a potting shed. Dixon layers color and texture with impatiens, ferns, caladiums, coleus, and more.
This classic touch plays up character while providing privacy for the outdoor living area.
Plants are key too.
Two pots of SunPatiensimpatiensmark the entry to the patio.
She attached free-flowing fatshedera to the fence with self-fastening strips screwed into the wood.
Dixon brought it to life by hanging artwork, birdhouses, and planters.
Along with fatshedera, she planted Dragon Wing begonias as well aselephant’s earsbehind the potting shed.
Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller
“It’s a private space for me to enjoy being in the moment,” she says.
