The gardens we love most in summer are the ones that were thought through in winter. Mint Design principal Darin Bradbury on why the quieter months are the best time to plan your outdoor fireplace, alfresco, spa or sauna — and be ready to build when spring arrives.

The best screening plants don't just block a view, they create one. Mint Design’s Darin Bradbury shares the nine plants we specify again and again, and the layering principle that turns a simple hedge into a beautiful garden boundary.