We’ve all been there. You have an idea for the garden, spend the time and effort turning it into a plan, and finally get everything installed—only to step back later and think, “Hmm, I wish I’d done that a little differently.” It can be frustrating to admit after all that work, but those little garden “mistakes” often lead us toward something even better than what we originally imagined.
Brittany (@quarteracreroots) in Frederick, Maryland (Zone 7a), had one of those moments after adding a small pond to her garden. What followed was a complete rethink of the area around the patio, and the end result was a garden that works even better than her first plan.
I have been gardening for many years, though we’ve only lived at this house since 2022. The lot is a quarter acre total, so we like to focus on high-density planting and maximizing space. This area of our garden is right by our patio, and we have slowly expanded the landscaping over the years.
When we first moved in, we put a bed along the fence line. Then, in early 2024, we decided to add a small pond and expand the landscaping around it with some paths. We loved the pond, but we regretted not going bigger. So in fall 2025, we removed it and enlarged it. Initially, I was hesitant because it would mean starting over with the landscaping, but I am so glad we did! We love the new pond, and the larger perimeter gives us more space to plant.
I redid all of the landscaping in spring 2026, adding more paths and plants, including an arch. Our focus is largely on edible and native gardening, though that is a work in progress. We are filling in with annuals while the newly planted perennials establish. We love this space and are looking forward to seeing how the plants evolve over the next few years!
Beginning the landscaping with sheet mulching and the first plantings along the fence.
Expanding the planting area around the patio.
Laying paths and continuing to expand the landscaped areas.
Digging the first small pond.
An aerial view of the area and the original pond in fall 2024.
Digging out the larger pond in fall 2025.
Planning the new landscaping around the enlarged pond in spring 2026, including more paths and an arch.
The larger perimeter around the new pond gave us more space to plant, which was one of the biggest benefits of starting over.
New landscaped area with path and archway by the patio and pond.
View from the patio of the archway and pond together. This area contains several edibles, including goumi berry (Elaeagnus multiflora, Zones 4–9), strawberries (Fragaria × ananassa, Zones 4–8), boysenberry (Rubus hybrid, Zones 5–9), and blueberries (Vaccinium cvs., Zones 3–8). This year, Virginia groundnut (Apios americana, Zones 4–9) and lima beans (Phaseolus lunatus, annual) are growing on the arch.
For native plants, we have goldenrod (Solidago cvs., Zones 3–9), asters (Symphyotrichum cvs., Zones 4–8), coneflowers (Echinacea cvs., Zones 3–9), American elderberry (Sambucus canadensis, Zones 3–9), black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia hirta, Zones 3–7), yarrow (Achillea millefolium, Zones 3–9), and creeping phlox (Phlox subulata, Zones 3–9). We’re filling in with zinnias (Zinnia elegans and cvs., annual), sunflowers (Helianthus annuus, annual), and petunias (Petunia hybrids, annual) while the newly planted perennials establish.
Thanks for sharing this transformation with us, Brittany! I’m a huge fan of your plant choices and the way you’ve woven edible plants in with your natives and ornamentals. Gardens don’t have to be divided into separate spaces for food, wildlife, and beauty, and I think this garden does a wonderful job of showing what can happen when those ideas are allowed to grow together. What an absolutely gorgeous transformation! I hope you’ll share another update with us as everything continues to fill in.
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