When a tree came down in a neighboring yard, what was once a shady sanctuary became a sunny paradise. The clients wanted a garden that adapted to these new conditions, offered more benefit to wildlife, and required less human maintenance in the face of extreme heat and drought. While the clients were eager for some transformations, they didn’t want to say goodbye to all the plants they had known and loved, and they especially wanted to highlight a beloved mural that stands at the back of the garden. The new design involved a combination of removals, edits to incorporate favorites from the old garden, and the introduction of many native species. What results is a colorful and coherent story that moves and changes with the seasons, and is useful to our wild friends. As for the mural, a small footpath leads to a portrait of the clients’ beloved dog and a pair of Itea virginica will, once mature, have spilling white flowers that accentuate the crashing plumes of the painted waterfall. This project was planted in late spring 2026 and has been stewarded since.