How We Helped:

Instead of doing a quick cosmetic swap, we approached Cynthia’s yard as a long-term, creative collaboration—one that would unfold over seasons, at a pace that fit her budget and honored how nature really works.

Key moves included:

- Removing the oversized shrubs that were dominating the borders and shrinking the usable space

-Relocating her veggie beds into a sunnier spot so they could finally thrive during prime growing seasons

- Adding a dedicated place to sit and enjoy the garden, turning it into a space to actually inhabit, not just look at

- Introducing diverse, pollinator-friendly plantings to bring color, movement, and ecological value to a small footprint

- Building soil health over time, so the garden could become more resilient and self-sustaining

- Replacing the thirsty St. Augustine lawn with a drought-hardy groundcover that could handle New Orleans’ weather without constant rescue

This wasn’t about forcing a quick “after” photo effect; it was a dynamic process of creative experimentation—observing, adjusting, and slowly bringing the space into healthy balance.