I believe the curved shapes are my cousin's design. I know what you mean about the mowing! There's a fellow who was friends with my uncle, who has landscape maintenance business. He "takes care of the yard" which means, he sends his guys to mow and blow when he thinks it needs done. Occasionally my cousin contracts him to do extra projects, such as weeding and mulching. They came and moved a little fig tree for us recently and I am delighted that it seems to be surviving having been moved this time of year!
Anyway, I have nothing to do with any mowing, thank goodness. I always say I don't do lawns, but we've been SO dry, I do water (by moving a sprinkler around) when it gets crunchy, which it is now in some areas.
I would never design beds with such tight curves but that was here when I came, so....
And, yes, they use hand mowers, not the riding on kind. Usually there are two pushmowers at once going, when they buzz through. It's a mow blow and go kind of crew, and I have expressed that while they are nice fellas I do not consider them gardeners.
