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Before and After: 3 Gorgeous Gardens That Celebrate Nature
See how landscape designers turned underused yards into dynamic, plant-filled spaces that encourage wildlife visitors
Marianne Lipanovich
2022年4月18日
Birds, bees and butterflies are frequent visitors to the following three yards, thanks to nature-friendly makeovers. The gardens now feature native and climate-appropriate plantings combined with sustainable hardscape and wildlife-attracting features. The results are enticing outdoor spaces where the homeowners can view and welcome nature up close.
1. Perennial Meadow
Yard at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple with two teenage children and a goldendoodle
Location: Denver
Size: 3,250-square-foot (302-square-meter) backyard; overall lot is 8,276 square feet (769 square meters)
Landscape designer: Kyle Trembley of Environmental Designs
Before: A home renovation had turned much of the landscape surrounding this Denver home into a construction site. In the backyard, the only signs of the previous garden were remnants of an old lawn and a large dead tree. In addition, there were issues with the drainage and runoff along the back of the property.
The homeowners had recently relocated from Philadelphia to Denver. They wanted a backyard with dry-climate-friendly plantings that wouldn’t take much water but would still provide color and attract wildlife. A recommendation from a friend led them to Kyle Trembley and Environmental Designs. Trembley gave them an inspired outdoor space with a soft, billowing plant palette of airy grasses, flowering perennials and ground covers that provide year-round interest.
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Yard at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple with two teenage children and a goldendoodle
Location: Denver
Size: 3,250-square-foot (302-square-meter) backyard; overall lot is 8,276 square feet (769 square meters)
Landscape designer: Kyle Trembley of Environmental Designs
Before: A home renovation had turned much of the landscape surrounding this Denver home into a construction site. In the backyard, the only signs of the previous garden were remnants of an old lawn and a large dead tree. In addition, there were issues with the drainage and runoff along the back of the property.
The homeowners had recently relocated from Philadelphia to Denver. They wanted a backyard with dry-climate-friendly plantings that wouldn’t take much water but would still provide color and attract wildlife. A recommendation from a friend led them to Kyle Trembley and Environmental Designs. Trembley gave them an inspired outdoor space with a soft, billowing plant palette of airy grasses, flowering perennials and ground covers that provide year-round interest.
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After: Trembley removed the lawn and dead tree, installed percolation pits beneath the home’s downspouts and added permeable decomposed granite and ground covers between pavers to capture rainwater. He then designed a meadow-like garden filled with colorful perennials and ornamental grasses to fill the space where the turf had been.
The plants are arranged in clumps and swaths, mimicking how they might reseed naturally. They also offer multiple seasons of colorful flowers. There’s even winter interest, thanks to the bright twigs of plants such as Arctic Fire dogwood (Cornus sericea ‘Farrow’, USDA zones 2 to 9; find your zone).
The plants are arranged in clumps and swaths, mimicking how they might reseed naturally. They also offer multiple seasons of colorful flowers. There’s even winter interest, thanks to the bright twigs of plants such as Arctic Fire dogwood (Cornus sericea ‘Farrow’, USDA zones 2 to 9; find your zone).
The homeowners are avid hikers and nature lovers, so attracting wildlife was a priority for them. “To this end, native plants were selected as much as possible, such as serviceberries and dogwoods to attract birds, fruit trees for wildlife and many flowering perennials for bees and butterflies,” Trembley says.
He also included other bee- and butterfly-friendly perennials, including black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia fulgida var. sullivantii ‘Goldsturm’, zones 3 to 9), tickseed (Coreopsis grandiflora ‘Baby Sun’, zones 4 to 9), English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia ‘Munstead’, zones 5 to 8), Coronado red hyssop (Agastache ‘Pstessene’, zones 5 to 9), red-hot poker (Kniphofia uvaria, zones 5 to 10) and pink-flowering thyme.
Drip irrigation provides a modest amount of water and keeps the plants from drying out in droughts. A thick layer of mulch atop the soil helps conserve moisture and hides the drip lines.
Read more about this makeover
He also included other bee- and butterfly-friendly perennials, including black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia fulgida var. sullivantii ‘Goldsturm’, zones 3 to 9), tickseed (Coreopsis grandiflora ‘Baby Sun’, zones 4 to 9), English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia ‘Munstead’, zones 5 to 8), Coronado red hyssop (Agastache ‘Pstessene’, zones 5 to 9), red-hot poker (Kniphofia uvaria, zones 5 to 10) and pink-flowering thyme.
Drip irrigation provides a modest amount of water and keeps the plants from drying out in droughts. A thick layer of mulch atop the soil helps conserve moisture and hides the drip lines.
Read more about this makeover
2. Lush Aquatic Haven
Yard at a Glance
Who lives here: A family with older children
Location: West London
Size: 1,170 square feet (109 square meters); 30 by 39 feet
Landscape designer: Jane Ashley Garden Design
Before: A patch of lawn with a few shrubs around the edges was hardly the beautiful and serene retreat these West London homeowners wanted. Designer Jane Ashley helped them turn their yard into a secluded planted space. “The aim with this garden was to create an enclosed green retreat that was a beautiful and serene place to sit, with the sound of running water plus wildlife and fish,” Ashley says.
The new ponds and adjoining areas now attract amphibians, birds and dragonflies, creating a sense of nature and tranquility in this suburban backyard.
Yard at a Glance
Who lives here: A family with older children
Location: West London
Size: 1,170 square feet (109 square meters); 30 by 39 feet
Landscape designer: Jane Ashley Garden Design
Before: A patch of lawn with a few shrubs around the edges was hardly the beautiful and serene retreat these West London homeowners wanted. Designer Jane Ashley helped them turn their yard into a secluded planted space. “The aim with this garden was to create an enclosed green retreat that was a beautiful and serene place to sit, with the sound of running water plus wildlife and fish,” Ashley says.
The new ponds and adjoining areas now attract amphibians, birds and dragonflies, creating a sense of nature and tranquility in this suburban backyard.
After: A wall of greenery creates a backdrop that hides the edges of the yard and gives it a secluded feel. “The trick of this garden is that although it’s small, you can’t tell where it ends,” Ashley says. The evergreens also provide interest during the winter, when the water plants disappear.
The space is small but lush. “We installed two ponds — one for goldfish and koi, and a separate small pond with gently sloping sides for frogs and newts,” Ashley says. There is also a boggy area for planting between the two ponds and a waterfall.
Ashley planted the area surrounding the water garden with bog plants, shrubs and grasses. She added drifts of colorful perennials nearby to blur the edges between the ponds and the rest of the landscape, “That helps so much [in making it look natural], and it’s really good for all the wildlife, because they have areas in which to hide. We also put some rocks on the planting shelves to make it easier for things to get in and out,” Ashley says.
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The space is small but lush. “We installed two ponds — one for goldfish and koi, and a separate small pond with gently sloping sides for frogs and newts,” Ashley says. There is also a boggy area for planting between the two ponds and a waterfall.
Ashley planted the area surrounding the water garden with bog plants, shrubs and grasses. She added drifts of colorful perennials nearby to blur the edges between the ponds and the rest of the landscape, “That helps so much [in making it look natural], and it’s really good for all the wildlife, because they have areas in which to hide. We also put some rocks on the planting shelves to make it easier for things to get in and out,” Ashley says.
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The fish pond has thriving populations of ornamental fish, whose flashes of red and gold can easily be seen from the adjoining seating area. Ashley added various waterlilies to the pond as well as water hawthorn (Aponogeton distachyos, zones 6 to 10). “They aren’t as showy as waterlilies, but they appear much earlier in the season, so they provide cover,” Ashley says. “It’s a tough, reliable plant, and it’s there longer than the waterlilies.”
The waterfall, which empties into the fish pond, is lined with rocks. “You want to have a lot of rocks, not just a few around the waterfall, and tons of stones and plants around it as well,” Ashley says. “You don’t want to see bare patches, so it looks natural.”
The waterfall is also a popular spot for birds. “Having running water makes a massive difference to getting the birds in, because they come to drink and bathe,” Ashley says. “It’s stepped, and there are little low bits they can get into.”
The waterfall, which empties into the fish pond, is lined with rocks. “You want to have a lot of rocks, not just a few around the waterfall, and tons of stones and plants around it as well,” Ashley says. “You don’t want to see bare patches, so it looks natural.”
The waterfall is also a popular spot for birds. “Having running water makes a massive difference to getting the birds in, because they come to drink and bathe,” Ashley says. “It’s stepped, and there are little low bits they can get into.”
The wildlife pond is separated from the fish pond by big rocks and planting shelves on both sides. “You can’t really see where one pond ends and the other begins, as there’s a seam of planting between them,” Ashley says.
“This pond is very much designed for the frogs and newts, with its shallow beach,” she adds. Both ponds have filters, but the one in the wildlife pond doesn’t get turned on until all the tadpoles have gone. “You don’t want them getting sucked into it,” she says.
See more of this makeover
“This pond is very much designed for the frogs and newts, with its shallow beach,” she adds. Both ponds have filters, but the one in the wildlife pond doesn’t get turned on until all the tadpoles have gone. “You don’t want them getting sucked into it,” she says.
See more of this makeover
3. Craftsman-Inspired Garden Filled With Native Plants
Yard at a Glance
Who lives here: Jennifer and Marc Trotoux and their two school-age sons
Location: South Pasadena, California
Landscape architect: June Scott Design
Landscape contractor: Hernan Quezada
Before: “Minimalistic with a traditional lawn” is how landscape architect June Scott describes the “before” look of this South Pasadena, California, front yard. Homeowners Jennifer and Marc Trotoux hired Scott to turn the lackluster space into a low-water garden with plants more suitable to the area’s climate. “The owners were already native-plant enthusiasts and had gardened with natives at their previous home,” Scott says. “They were also committed to other sustainable practices and wanted any hardscape to be permeable where possible.”
The homeowners’ other request was that the garden complement the relaxed feel of their home’s Craftsman architecture. “Jennifer is an architectural historian and curator at the Gamble House. She was also on the board of the California Landscape and Garden History Society, so she knows her Craftsman architecture and landscape architecture,” Scott says.
Yard at a Glance
Who lives here: Jennifer and Marc Trotoux and their two school-age sons
Location: South Pasadena, California
Landscape architect: June Scott Design
Landscape contractor: Hernan Quezada
Before: “Minimalistic with a traditional lawn” is how landscape architect June Scott describes the “before” look of this South Pasadena, California, front yard. Homeowners Jennifer and Marc Trotoux hired Scott to turn the lackluster space into a low-water garden with plants more suitable to the area’s climate. “The owners were already native-plant enthusiasts and had gardened with natives at their previous home,” Scott says. “They were also committed to other sustainable practices and wanted any hardscape to be permeable where possible.”
The homeowners’ other request was that the garden complement the relaxed feel of their home’s Craftsman architecture. “Jennifer is an architectural historian and curator at the Gamble House. She was also on the board of the California Landscape and Garden History Society, so she knows her Craftsman architecture and landscape architecture,” Scott says.
After: Scott chose the palette of grasses and fragrant native plantings to emphasize movement and scent. Massed plantings of field sedge (Carex praegracilis, zones 6 to 10), a California and North American native, serve as a low-water alternative to a traditional lawn. The sedge’s tolerance of full sun and light shade also suits this yard, which experiences a range of sun exposures. ‘Winnifred Gilman’ Cleveland sage (Salvia clevelandii ‘Winnifred Gilman’, zones 8 to 11) infuses this garden with its fragrance of California terroir. “Its scent has become a distinct feature of the yard,” Scott says.
Island alumroot (Heuchera maxima, zones 8 to 11), another California native, produces small pink flowers from late winter into spring. Other native and wildlife-attracting plants in the design include ‘Carmel Sur’ manzanita (Arctostaphylos edmundsii ‘Carmel Sur’, zones 8 to 10), ‘Yankee Point’ California lilac (Ceanothus griseus var. horizontalis ‘Yankee Point’, zones 8 to 10), ‘Concha’ California lilac (Ceanothus ‘Concha’, zones 8 to 10), dudleya (Dudleya brittonii, zones 9 to 11), red-flowered buckwheat (Eriogonum grande var. rubescens, zones 8 to 10), ‘Elk Blue’ California gray rush (Juncus patens ‘Elk Blue’, zones 6 to 9), ‘Canyon Prince’ wild rye grass (Leymus condensatus ‘Canyon Prince’, zones 7 to 10), sticky monkeyflower (Mimulus aurantiacus, zones 7 to 10) and foothill penstemon (Penstemon heterophyllus ‘Margarita BOP’, zones 6 to 10).
How to Find the Right Native Plants for Your Yard
Island alumroot (Heuchera maxima, zones 8 to 11), another California native, produces small pink flowers from late winter into spring. Other native and wildlife-attracting plants in the design include ‘Carmel Sur’ manzanita (Arctostaphylos edmundsii ‘Carmel Sur’, zones 8 to 10), ‘Yankee Point’ California lilac (Ceanothus griseus var. horizontalis ‘Yankee Point’, zones 8 to 10), ‘Concha’ California lilac (Ceanothus ‘Concha’, zones 8 to 10), dudleya (Dudleya brittonii, zones 9 to 11), red-flowered buckwheat (Eriogonum grande var. rubescens, zones 8 to 10), ‘Elk Blue’ California gray rush (Juncus patens ‘Elk Blue’, zones 6 to 9), ‘Canyon Prince’ wild rye grass (Leymus condensatus ‘Canyon Prince’, zones 7 to 10), sticky monkeyflower (Mimulus aurantiacus, zones 7 to 10) and foothill penstemon (Penstemon heterophyllus ‘Margarita BOP’, zones 6 to 10).
How to Find the Right Native Plants for Your Yard
A rectangular seating area with chairs and a new custom fountain anchor the front yard. Scott chose decomposed granite for the hardscape, for its permeability. The patio is “usually the one sunny spot to sit and read the newspaper,” she says.
Landscape contractor Hernan Quezada turned a glazed pot the homeowners already owned into a “disappearing” water feature in the patio’s center. “It serves as a relaxing element and attracts birds,” Scott says.
“Like most California native gardens, this one is at its peak in spring,” she adds. “It does look good year-round, however, and avoids the drought-deciduous look. The year-round green of the ceanothus and some of the taller grasses keeps it looking fresh all year.”
See more of this makeover
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Landscape contractor Hernan Quezada turned a glazed pot the homeowners already owned into a “disappearing” water feature in the patio’s center. “It serves as a relaxing element and attracts birds,” Scott says.
“Like most California native gardens, this one is at its peak in spring,” she adds. “It does look good year-round, however, and avoids the drought-deciduous look. The year-round green of the ceanothus and some of the taller grasses keeps it looking fresh all year.”
See more of this makeover
More on Houzz
Read more landscape design stories
Get landscape design ideas
Find a landscape designer or architect
Shop for outdoor products
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