Cape Cod is a haven for the deer tick, known to transmit at least four very serious diseases. The owner required spaces adjacent to the house to be completely free of ticks so they could enjoy the outdoors with no possibility of getting bitten.

It was an opportunity to create a different kind of garden – one that repels ticks and at the same time requires very little maintenance for busy owners. Its aesthetic relies mainly on the use of hard materials, and planting occurs in isolated strips within stone boundaries, keeping ticks away. Located in the sands of Truro, the garden uses very little water, and most of the planting is native.