College Hill

A path from the street to the front door is a central feature in most front landscapes, providing access and focus to the design. In this narrow, driveway-adjacent space on College Hill in Eugene, Oregon, an entry path would be neither practical nor attractive. Our challenge was to create a garden that would welcome visitors as they passed nearby, and provide interest and focus from the street and the house.

Previously, the space had been planted with large evergreen shrubs, blocking access and energy between the house and street. In Mosaic’s design, layered plantings surround a rectangular, stone-bordered pea gravel terrace, anchored by a large Vietnamese urn and custom metal bench. The open space and features make a serene garden room that draws the eye into the garden. A flagstone path and steel framed stairs provide access to the space from the driveway, allowing visitors to explore if they wish. Full, textural plantings balance the quiet openness of the terrace, making the entry garden at once enticing and private. The plantings vary in height and fullness, creating a layered effect and providing subtle privacy from the house without walling off the entry garden.