Today we see a couple of gorgeous curved staircases that are planted with alpine and rock garden plants. Not only are the shapes of the stairs a softened version of the norm, but the plants soften these steps even more, making this a relaxed and inviting space. The stairs almost seem to spill out into the lawn. If you look closely at the second set, you’ll see that the top stairs curve inward, while the bottom stairs curve outward, creating a full circle if viewed from above. Quite a feat of stonemasonry!

**All this week and next, we’re featuring photos of the gardens at Les Quatre Vents, the home of Frank and Anne Cabot in Quebec. If you’d like read more about this garden, check out this interview with Frank Cabot that ran in the April 2005 issue of Fine Gardening. Frank also wrote a book about the garden. You can get it on Amazon here.**

Welcome to the Fine Gardening GARDEN PHOTO OF THE DAY blog! Every weekday we post a new photo of a great garden, a spectacular plant, a stunning plant combination, or any number of other subjects. Think of it as your morning jolt of green.

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READER PHOTOS: We love featuring your photos, too. If you think you have a photo that we should share on the Garden Photo of the day, email us. Send hi-res images if possible. We’ll only respond if we plan to use your photo.