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Circle in Bloom: Patio Garden Design in Parsonsfield
Circle in Bloom: Patio Garden Design in Parsonsfield
Garden Design Maine was hired to create a circular garden surrounding a newly installed 22-foot patio on a gently sloping hill in Parsonsfield. Set within a beautiful 124-acre property, the goal was to design a soft, cottage-style planting that would enhance the patio without overwhelming the space.
The garden transitions from part sun to part shade and varies in depth from three to nine feet, requiring a flexible planting approach that could thrive across changing light conditions.
Garden Design Goals
Garden Design Goals
This patio garden design focused on creating a balanced, inviting space with season-long interest. Key goals included:
Surround the patio with a cohesive, cottage-style planting
Use long-blooming perennials for extended seasonal color
Keep plant heights in scale with the patio
Design for both part sun and part shade conditions
Create a full, layered look without overcrowding
Before the Garden Installation
Before the Garden Installation
The newly constructed patio provided a strong focal point, but the surrounding area was undeveloped. The sloping terrain and mixed light conditions presented an opportunity to create a dynamic, enveloping garden that would soften the hardscape and connect it to the broader landscape.
Garden Design Concept
Garden Design Concept
Two planting concepts were developed to explore different approaches to color, texture, and plant selection while maintaining a cohesive cottage garden feel.
Both options emphasized layered perennials, varied bloom times, and thoughtful plant spacing to create a natural, flowing design around the circular patio.
Seasonal Flowering Perennials
Seasonal Flowering Perennials
Design Option #1 featured a soft palette of pinks, purples, and yellows, with a sequence of blooms from early spring through fall. Early-season interest came from amsonia, columbine, phlox, and hellebore, followed by foxglove, masterwort, daylilies, and echinacea. Late-season color was provided by anemone and liriope, with reblooming phlox extending the display.
Photo rendering showing Design #1
Design Option #2 divided the garden by light conditions. The sunnier areas included peonies, iris, catmint, lady’s mantle, monarda, delphinium, and rudbeckia, while the shadier sections featured astilbe, epimedium, brunnera, heuchera, and ferns.
Photo rendering showing Design #2
Garden Features and Planting Highlights
Garden Features and Planting Highlights
The customer selected Design Option #1, and the garden was installed in July 2025 using approximately 185 plants.
A circular planting design enhances the shape of the patio
Layered perennials create a full, cottage-style effect
A carefully planned bloom sequence provides season-long color
Plant heights are scaled to maintain openness around the patio
Just two months after installation, the garden was already thriving and full of color—despite drought-like conditions in Maine—thanks in part to thoughtful plant selection and attentive care.
Plants Featured in This Patio Garden Design
Plants Featured in This Patio Garden Design
The following perennials were selected for their durability, extended bloom times, and ability to thrive in varying light conditions while contributing to a cohesive cottage-style planting.
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