No matter how you choose to get there, the manicured Emerald City version takes a certain amount of work, either for you or a lawn service. There’s no way around that.

Flowers and tall grass cover the lawn of Amanda Beltranmini Healen in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, May 19, 2025, who participates in No Mow Months to improve water retention and encourage pollinators ...

Luckily, the proper cottage garden effect can be achieved in any setting—no matter the size of your outdoor space. "It's entirely possible to rely on diminutive planters, trellises and tuteurs ...

Their romantic relationship lasted for 10 years, but the plants May put in the ground have turned her backyard into a green oasis, an anomaly among the neighboring manicured lawns.

When Amanda Beltramini Healan moved into her Nashville ranch house in 2016, the yard had been manicured for sale: a walnut tree, roses from a home improvement store and short grass.