Hard and soft elements give this side yard a modern sensibility that makes coming here a treat. This is a distinctly linear space, with lawn, path, planting bed and fencing lined up in parallel.That type of treatment could feel rather severe, but the designer has used several tricks to soften the scene:The blue stone walkway looks like a band that nicely frames the lawn.The trees are limbed up and planted in a row, hedge-like.The little clipped boxwood balls echo the green, organic shapes of the trees.The cedar fencing is natural rather than painted, silhouetting the sculptural trees; fence boards are aligned horizontally to reinforce the contemporary vibe.