Landscape designer Jaquie Tomke-Bosch and husband Al Bosch moved from the Bay Area to Sonoma seven years ago with a collection of 23 containerized Japanese maples and ambitious plans to renovate a long, narrow side yard. "The garden became a labor of love," Tomke-Bosch says.

First, they removed large portions of an existing lawn and oversize deck. Then they formed rounded planting beds to visually soften the space. Each maple became the focal point for one of the beds. Beneath the trees, Tomke-Bosch wove a tapestry of perennials and ornamental grasses, using plants with flowers or foliage in shades of yellow — including alstroemeria, euphorbia, Japanese forest grass, and Jerusalem sage — to direct the eye through the garden.

Steppingstones embedded in the lawn invite visitors to stroll through the garden to the rear of the property, where Bosch designed and built a garden cottage for potting and storage. "It's a fun country garden with something happening in it every month of the year," Tomke-Bosch says.