with fronds like these

Low effort, high comfort and a feeling of being in wonderful seclusion - this is how Daniel Nolan does gardens and our editor Pip Rich couldn't be more impressed

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San Francisco-based landscape designer Daniel Nolan has made relaxed and inviting outdoor spaces full of lush planting and minimal hardscaping his signature. His beautiful coffee table book, Dry Gardens: High Style for Low Water Gardens, is published by Rizzoli.
PIP RICH I think it’s the palette, the shapes of the plants and that there is always seating involved, but the first thing I think when I look at your work is that these are gardens I want to spend time in.

DANIEL NOLAN Thank you! I make a deliberate point to design gardens that are about relaxation, about getting you into a meditative mindset. I don’t want to include anything that takes – or alludes to – work, so I don’t include outdoor kitchens or edible plants that need care and attention. I view the landscape as a painting and something to enjoy.
PR So what low-maintenance plants would you recommend people go for?