This fountain is a great addition to a front yard entry. Clean and simple with a subtle water noise for visual and auditory interest. The fountain is surrounded by boxwood hedges, Mexican Beach cobble, and white precast concrete.

A stepping stone path meanders through drought-tolerant plantings including Dymondia, Rosemary 'Barbeque', and Euryops. The owner's favorite roses are integrated with Penstemon 'Apple Blossom' and variegated Tulbaghia 'Silver Lace' to provide color and contrast. Photo © Jude Parkinson-Morgan.

A path through the Stonehouse Meadow, with Monarda in full bloom. Ecological landscaping
トロントにあるラグジュアリーな巨大な、夏のラスティックスタイルのおしゃれな庭 (ゼリスケープ、日向、石フェンス) の写真

Hot Lips Saliva, along with Hummingbird Sage and Common Yarrow, attract butterflies to the planted spaces at the entrance and alongside the dining patio. Photo: Lesly Hall Photography

This classic San Francisco backyard was transformed into an inviting and usable outdoor living space. A few steps down lead to a lounging area, featuring drought-friendly and maintenance-free artificial grass as well as a cozy, custom-built natural gas fire pit surrounded by a Redwood bench. Redwood fencing, low-voltage LED landscape lighting, drip irrigation, planting and a water feature completed the space.

Our homeowners were looking for a garden where they could sit by the fire, grow vegetable and hear the sound of water. Their home was new construction in a modern farmhouse style. We used gravel and concrete as paving. Board formed concrete firepit keeps it feeling modern. The vegetable beds supply season vegetables and herbs.

Striking Texas native botanical design with local river rock top dressing. Photographer: Greg Thomas, http://optphotography.com/

サンフランシスコにある広いモダンスタイルのおしゃれな庭 (傾斜地、ゼリスケープ、擁壁、日向、砂利舗装) の写真

The seating area is located near the sidewalk and the bocce ball court driveway for convenient socializing. The African Tulip Tree will eventually provide shade to the seating area.

ヒューストンにあるラグジュアリーな中くらいな、春のモダンスタイルのおしゃれな裏庭 (ゼリスケープ、コンテナガーデン、日向、コンクリート敷き ) の写真

フェニックスにある高級な中くらいなサンタフェスタイルのおしゃれな庭 (レンガ敷き、ゼリスケープ、半日向) の写真

This client's house is located on a busy corner, so she wanted a 'different' fence. The fence is a zig-zag pattern in black. The stepping stones are are keep the angular design of the house. These are new plantings of salvia, agave, and various echeverias.

サンフランシスコにあるモダンスタイルのおしゃれな庭 (ゼリスケープ、川石舗装) の写真

While the Retreat hosts many fall-blooming native plants, Deer Grass accents steal the show in autumn. The owners love the look of their golden seed heads, which catch the breeze and enchant the birds.

When I came to this property not only was the landscape a scrappy mess the property also had some very real grading and drainage issues that were jeopardizing the safety of this house. As recent transplants from New Jerseys to Southern California these clients were in awe of all the plants they were seeing in their neighborhood. Living on the water at the Ventura harbor they wanted to be able to take full advantage or the outdoor lifestyle and cool ocean breeze. Being environmentally conscious citizens, these clients were very concerned that their garden was designed with sustainability as a leading factor. As they said in our initial consultation, “Would want or garden be part of the solution not part of the problem.” This property is the last house on the bottom of a gently sloping street. All the water from the neighbor’s houses drain onto this property. When I came into this project the back yard sloped into the house. When it would rain the water would pool up against the house causing water damage. To address the drainage we employed several tactics. Firstly, we had to invert the slope in the back yard so that water would not pool against the house. We created a very minor slope going away from the house so that water drains away but so the patio area feels flat. The back of the back yard had an existing retaining wall made out of shabby looking slump stone. In front of that retaining wall we created a beautiful natural stone retaining wall. This retain wall severs many purposes. One it works as a place to put some of the soil removed from the grading giving this project a smaller carbon foot print (moving soil of a site burns a lot of fossil fuel). The retaining wall also helps obscure the shabby existing retaining wall and allows for planting space above the footing from the existing retaining wall. The soil behind the ne retaining wall is slightly lower than the top of the wall so that when the run on water on from the neighbor’s property flows it is slowed down and absorbed before it has a chance to get near the house. Finally, the wall is at a height designed to serve as overflow seating as these clients intend to have occasional large parties and gatherings. Other efforts made to help keep the house safe and dry are that we used permeable paving. With the hardscape being comprised of flag stone with gravel in-between water has a chance to soak into the ground so it does not flow into spots where it will pool up. The final element to help keep the house dry is the addition of infiltration swales. Infiltration swales are depressions in the landscape that capture rain water. The down spouts on the sides of the houses are connected to pipe that goes under the ground and conveys the water to the swales. In this project it helps move rain water away from the house. In general, these Infiltration swales are a powerful element in creating sustainable landscapes. These swales capture pollutants that accumulate on the roof and in the landscape. Biology in the soil in the swales can break down these pollutants. When run of watered is not captured by soil on a property the dirty water flows into water ways and then the ocean were the biology that breaks down the pollutants is not as prolific. This is particularly important in this project as it drains directly into the harbor. The water that is absorbed in to the swales can replenish aquafers as well as increasing the water available to the plants planted in that area recusing the amount of water that is needed from irrigation. When it came to the planting we went with a California friendly tropical theme. Using lots of succulents and plants with colorful foliage we created vibrant lush landscape that will have year around color. We planted densely (the images in the picture were taken only a month after installation). Taller drought tolerant plants to help regulate the temperature and loss of water from the plants below them. The dense plantings will help keep the garden, the house and even the neighborhood cooler on hot days, will provide spaces for birds to enjoy and will create an illusion of depth in a somewhat narrow space. Today this garden is a space these homeowners can fully enjoy while having the peace of mind that their house is protected from flooding and they are helping the environment.

the front garden is maturing and displaying all the purple flowers contrasting with the yellow house - Mexican Sage, Artemesia, Lavender, Little Ollie Dwarf Olive Standards, Ginkgo tree

Fountain in the Back Yard
ロサンゼルスにある小さなコンテンポラリースタイルのおしゃれな庭 (ゼリスケープ、川石舗装) の写真

Decomposed granite patio/flex space defined with custom steel edging. Photographer: Greg Thomas, http://optphotography.com/

Plants were chosen to complement the house colors but also provide texture and a variety of heights that don't overwhelm the scale of the house and yard.