A traditional garden in the French style that contains fruits, berries, herbs, cutting, and vegetable garden.
Inspiration for a traditional backyard water fountain landscape in Chicago.

John Feldman | Photographer
This is an example of a traditional backyard vegetable garden landscape in Los Angeles.

A refurbished Queen Anne needed privacy from a busy street corner while not feeling like it was behind a privacy hedge. A mixed use of evergreen trees and shrubs, deciduous plants and perennials give a warm cottage feel while creating the privacy the garden needed from the street.

This small tract home backyard was transformed into a lively breathable garden. A new outdoor living room was created, with silver-grey brazilian slate flooring, and a smooth integral pewter colored concrete wall defining and retaining earth around it. A water feature is the backdrop to this outdoor room extending the flooring material (slate) into the vertical plane covering a wall that houses three playful stainless steel spouts that spill water into a large basin. Koi Fish, Gold fish and water plants bring a new mini ecosystem of life, and provide a focal point and meditational environment. The integral colored concrete wall begins at the main water feature and weaves to the south west corner of the yard where water once again emerges out of a 4” stainless steel channel; reinforcing the notion that this garden backs up against a natural spring. The stainless steel channel also provides children with an opportunity to safely play with water by floating toy boats down the channel. At the north eastern end of the integral colored concrete wall, a warm western red cedar bench extends perpendicular out from the water feature on the outside of the slate patio maximizing seating space in the limited size garden. Natural rusting Cor-ten steel fencing adds a layer of interest throughout the garden softening the 6’ high surrounding fencing and helping to carry the users eye from the ground plane up past the fence lines into the horizon; the cor-ten steel also acts as a ribbon, tie-ing the multiple spaces together in this garden. The plant palette uses grasses and rushes to further establish in the subconscious that a natural water source does exist. Planting was performed outside of the wire fence to connect the new landscape to the existing open space; this was successfully done by using perennials and grasses whose foliage matches that of the native hillside, blurring the boundary line of the garden and aesthetically extending the backyard up into the adjacent open space.

Garden Sun Room Aurbach Mansion: This room was restored for a designer show house. We had hand painted murals done for the walls by William "Bill" Riley (rileycreative1@mac.com). They depict walking paths in a wondrous sculpture garden with flowers lining your every step. The champagne metallic molding was added at the top to increase the feeling of intimacy. The Ralph Lauren midnight blue ceiling helped to create a cozy space day or night. There are verde marble floors throughout. The ottoman is Mackenzie Childs. Antique pillows from The Martin Group. Photography: Robert Benson Photography, Hartford, Ct.

Photo credit: Scott McDonald @ Hedrich Blessing 7RR-Ecohome: The design objective was to build a house for a couple recently married who both had kids from previous marriages. How to bridge two families together? The design looks forward in terms of how people live today. The home is an experiment in transparency and solid form; removing borders and edges from outside to inside the house, and to really depict “flowing and endless space”. The house floor plan is derived by pushing and pulling the house’s form to maximize the backyard and minimize the public front yard while welcoming the sun in key rooms by rotating the house 45-degrees to true north. The angular form of the house is a result of the family’s program, the zoning rules, the lot’s attributes, and the sun’s path. We wanted to construct a house that is smart and efficient in terms of construction and energy, both in terms of the building and the user. We could tell a story of how the house is built in terms of the constructability, structure and enclosure, with a nod to Japanese wood construction in the method in which the siding is installed and the exposed interior beams are placed in the double height space. We engineered the house to be smart which not only looks modern but acts modern; every aspect of user control is simplified to a digital touch button, whether lights, shades, blinds, HVAC, communication, audio, video, or security. We developed a planning module based on a 6-foot square room size and a 6-foot wide connector called an interstitial space for hallways, bathrooms, stairs and mechanical, which keeps the rooms pure and uncluttered. The house is 6,200 SF of livable space, plus garage and basement gallery for a total of 9,200 SF. A large formal foyer celebrates the entry and opens up to the living, dining, kitchen and family rooms all focused on the rear garden. The east side of the second floor is the Master wing and a center bridge connects it to the kid’s wing on the west. Second floor terraces and sunscreens provide views and shade in this suburban setting. The playful mathematical grid of the house in the x, y and z axis also extends into the layout of the trees and hard-scapes, all centered on a suburban one-acre lot. Many green attributes were designed into the home; Ipe wood sunscreens and window shades block out unwanted solar gain in summer, but allow winter sun in. Patio door and operable windows provide ample opportunity for natural ventilation throughout the open floor plan. Minimal windows on east and west sides to reduce heat loss in winter and unwanted gains in summer. Open floor plan and large window expanse reduces lighting demands and maximizes available daylight. Skylights provide natural light to the basement rooms. Durable, low-maintenance exterior materials include stone, ipe wood siding and decking, and concrete roof pavers. Design is based on a 2' planning grid to minimize construction waste. Basement foundation walls and slab are highly insulated. FSC-certified walnut wood flooring was used. Light colored concrete roof pavers to reduce cooling loads by as much as 15%. 2x6 framing allows for more insulation and energy savings. Super efficient windows have low-E argon gas filled units, and thermally insulated aluminum frames. Permeable brick and stone pavers reduce the site’s storm-water runoff. Countertops use recycled composite materials. Energy-Star rated furnaces and smart thermostats are located throughout the house to minimize duct runs and avoid energy loss. Energy-Star rated boiler that heats up both radiant floors and domestic hot water. Low-flow toilets and plumbing fixtures are used to conserve water usage. No VOC finish options and direct venting fireplaces maintain a high interior air quality. Smart home system controls lighting, HVAC, and shades to better manage energy use. Plumbing runs through interior walls reducing possibilities of heat loss and freezing problems. A large food pantry was placed next to kitchen to reduce trips to the grocery store. Home office reduces need for automobile transit and associated CO2 footprint. Plan allows for aging in place, with guest suite than can become the master suite, with no need to move as family members mature.

The star at the center of this veggie garden is the perfect place for the dwarf lemon tree. The six pointed star (just like the Great Seal of the United States) is ideal for the strawberries to cascade over the edges. The star is 6' with 3' clearance around the star so the space is wide enough to comfortably access the veggie beds from all sides. Photo Credit: Mark Pinkerton

Dwarf Hinoiki cypress accents and softens the view of this play house and garden shed. On this level, the structure is two story structure is a play house. Below is a garden shed, adjacent to the swimming pool that houses tools and pool equipment. I did not design this awesome structure but I sure felt special to be able to design the plants around it, enter it, play and dream! The cypress is Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Gracilis' also known as a slender hinoiki false cypress. It is extremely slow growing eventually reaching a height of 8-15'. Photographer: Danna Cain, Home & Garden Design, Inc.

Denash photography, Designed by Jenny Rausch, C.K.D This project will be featured in Better Homes and Gardens Special interest publication Beautiful Kitchens in spring 2012. It is the cover of the magazine.

Design ideas for a craftsman landscaping in New York.

Irregular bluestone stepper path and woodland shade garden.
Inspiration for a traditional shade stone landscaping in Boston.

A paver patio (Anchor Afton, walnut color) to gives the homeowners the entertainment and dining space they wanted. The blended colors of the pavers pull together the colors of the roof shingles (brown) and the New York Bluestone (blue/gray). The smaller pattern of the pavers defines the space, inviting guests to sit. Plus, the plant bed between the wall and the patio gave the homeowners a space to plant seasonal color and an edible garden.

Conte & Conte, LLC landscape architects and designers work with clients located in Connecticut & New York (Greenwich, Belle Haven, Stamford, Darien, New Canaan, Fairfield, Southport, Rowayton, Manhattan, Larchmont, Bedford Hills, Armonk, Massachusetts) House designed by James Schettino Architects; Boxed Vegetable Gardens, thanks to Fairfield House & Garden Co. for building these!

Russian sage and lady's mantle alternating along a white fence with pink roses
Design ideas for a mid-sized traditional front yard wood fence driveway in New York for summer.

Example of a classic gravel patio design in Charlotte with no cover

Woodland Garden: A curvaceous pea gravel path directs the visitor through the woodland garden located at the back and back side of the house. It is planted with drifts of Erie and Chindo Viburnumns, Oak leaf Hyrangeas, Astilbe, Ferns, Hostas.A row of hollies was added to block the view to the son's home. Photo credit: ROGER FOLEY

An English style Georgian home with walled courtyard garden. Photographer: John Howard.
Photo of a traditional backyard stone formal garden in Atlanta.

The espaliered apple fence has become a dense wall of leaves, hiding a multitude of ripening fruit. The multi-stem trees in the back ground are River Birch (Betula nigra 'Heritage'). Photo by Rob Cardillo

A traditional garden in the French style that contains fruits, berries, herbs, cutting, and vegetable garden.
Inspiration for a traditional vegetable garden landscape in Chicago.