b'populatedareasinthecountry,heing xeriscapinga type of landscaping says. When I walk out onto my patio,thatreducestheneedforirrigation. I have a secluded place to relax and en- Quietlybubblingfountainsandflag joy nature. stone paths with plenty of texture from A GRASSLESS YARD the pines, flowers and other plants cre-ate layers of greens with pops of color. WhatifyoumovedintoahouseWeirgrewupinBergenCounty that had only pebbles for the front yard?in a home with simple gardens. Her Alison Weir did just that by buying hermom had a flower arranging business. SouthOrangehomefromasculptorUpon moving to Maplewood in 1992, who used the property to display hisher parents helped with the garden and workonpedestals.Thebackyardisvarious projects. Gardening is an ev-reminiscent of a Zen garden, employ- er-changing landscape that is all about [ ]For Weir, the idea of a perfect gar-den has changed over the years as she has moved to different homes. Now with a grassless yard, she says, I love the quiet beauty of my back-yard garden. I look forward to seeing if the dozens of bulbs planted out front this fall will show up this spring! Alison Weir moved to her present home in 2020. I loved it immediately, she says. I envisioned filling it with native perennials and a simple fountain and lots of bird feeders. It has a beautiful simplicity to it.trial and error, she says. Every spring is an opportunity for risk-taking and learning and creative expression. Hervisionofherperfectgarden has changed. At first it was a safe yard for her kids, then it was a shady oasis with huge trees. In 2020, she moved to her current house. I loved it imme-diately, she says. I envisioned filling it with native perennials and a simple fountain and lots of bird feeders. It has a beautiful simplicity to it.Sheimmediatelystartedplanting. She continues to do so every spring, revising and replanting where needed. She also worked with Karen Shelby for designing part of the backyard garden. Butthiswasntwithoutchallenges. Beneaththepeagravel,thereisa weed barrier cloth. Beneath that, there is highly compacted soil.Shes also found a few surprises. I learned that there are weird bits of pav-ers or bricks or macadam in places, she says. If I find a place where I wanted to Weir has found a few surprises in her yard. I learned that there are weird bits of pavers or bricks or macadam in places, she says. If Iplant but cant, thats where Ill place a find a place where I wanted to plant but cant, thats where Ill place a decorative ceramic pot instead. decorative ceramic pot instead. 26/ matters magazine / hearth + home 2024'