Project Journal: Full-Property Planting and Landscape Design in Wilmington, Delaware

When we first arrived at this Wilmington property, the homeowners had just finished a major renovation. The exterior was fresh, the structure solid - but the surrounding landscape needed to catch up. The goal was to bring the home’s curb appeal and outdoor spaces up to the same standard as the renovation, creating a setting that felt polished, complete, and naturally balanced.

Our team at One Thousand Hands Horticulture developed the full design plan, taking into account the home’s deep gray siding, existing hardscape, and the property’s light conditions front to back. The layout included structured foundation plantings, soft transitions between beds, and defined edges to unify the space.

The first step was a full removal - clearing out all old plant material and reshaping the beds. The new design called for roughly a hundred plants, installed across every side of the house. We handled everything from grading and soil preparation to stormwater management, ensuring the foundation and garden beds drained correctly before a single plant went in.

Lighting was also part of the plan. We ran new low-voltage lines to highlight the walkways and specimen trees, extending the home’s presence into the evening without overpowering it.

At the front entry and along the brick walk, the design balanced structure and texture. Boxwood, dwarf conifers, and golden-thread cypress added rhythm and formality, while accent pieces like Picea pungens , Heuchera ‘Crimson Curls’ , and Lagerstroemia ‘Watermelon Red’ introduced movement and color.

We kept the palette consistent with the home’s tones - dark siding, warm brick, and white trim - so the new landscape would age naturally with the property rather than feeling newly planted or out of place.

The backyard design tied into the new deck and hot tub area. This space needed to feel inviting but not overbuilt - just clean lines, evergreens for privacy, and low-maintenance perennials to keep color in rotation through the seasons.

We used Juniperus scopulorum ‘Blue Arrow’ to frame the corners, with groupings of Monarda didyma , Helleborus ‘Ivory Prince’ , and Allium giganteum for height and color through spring and summer. Each planting bed was shaped to follow natural sightlines from the deck, creating a sense of flow from one space to the next.

Once the planting was complete, our crew installed a drip irrigation system and tested lighting zones. Every bed was mulched and hand-shaped - no spray, no shortcuts - to keep the garden as low-maintenance as possible for the homeowners.

The result is a clean, cohesive landscape that connects the architecture of the house with the surrounding property. From the curb to the back fence, every view now has a sense of purpose and completion.

This project is a good example of what we love most: taking a property that feels unfinished and giving it shape, function, and life. By handling the design, stormwater work, lighting, and installation together, we could control every detail - from soil grading to plant spacing - and leave behind something that’s not just beautiful today, but built to stay that way.

If you've got a vision for your yard - even a foggy one - we can help you bring it to life with top-tier design and installation. Get in touch today!