Late-Season Garden Sensation

Drawing up the garden was done in one winter; tweaking the design took another four-plus years. For example, a berry garden was originally on the menu, "but it was too much of a mess," Robin found. In the end, she was able to indulge the full gamut of her dreams, including an herb garden, a bird garden, a white garden, a hot-color garden, a vegetable-garden parterre, and a conifer garden—all within footsteps of her studio.

Shown: In the bird garden, a fanciful birdhouse is surrounded by more Polygonum oriental and winterberry.