Inspiration for a contemporary partial sun gravel landscaping in San Francisco.

The 1,750-square foot Manhattan Beach bungalow is home to two humans and three dogs. Originally built in 1929, the bungalow had undergone various renovations that convoluted its original Moorish style. We gutted the home and completely updated both the interior and exterior. We opened the floor plan, rebuilt the ceiling with reclaimed hand-hewn oak beams and created hand-troweled plaster walls that mimicked the construction and look of the original walls. We also rebuilt the living room fireplace by hand, brick-by-brick, and replaced the generic roof tiles with antique handmade clay tiles. We returned much of this 3-bed, 2-bath home to a more authentic aesthetic, while adding modern touches of luxury, like radiant-heated floors, bi-fold doors that open from the kitchen/dining area to a large deck, and a custom steam shower, with Moroccan-inspired tile and an antique mirror. The end result is evocative luxury in a compact space.

Photo of a mid-sized contemporary shade backyard stone formal garden in Boise.

This is an example of a farmhouse landscaping in Atlanta.

New covered front porch and walkway.
Inspiration for a mid-sized traditional front yard concrete paver landscaping in Louisville.

This project presented unique opportunities that are not often found in residential landscaping. The homeowners were not only restoring their 1840's era farmhouse, a piece of their family’s history, but also enlarging and updating the home for modern living. The landscape designers continued this idea by creating a space that is a modern day interpretation of an 1840s era farm rather then a strict recreation. The resulting design combines elements of farm living from that time, as well as acknowledging the property’s history as a horse farm, with staples of 21st century landscapes such as space for outdoor living, lighting, and newer plant varieties. Guests approach from the main driveway which winds through the property and ends at the main barn. There is secondary gated driveway just for the homeowners. Connected to this main driveway is a narrower gravel lane which leads directly to the residence. The lane passes near fruit trees planted in broken rows to give the illusion that they are the remains of an orchard that once existed on the site. The lane widens at the entrance to the gardens where there is a hitching post built into the fence that surrounds the gardens and a watering trough. The widened section is intended as a place to park a golf cart or, in a nod to the home’s past, tie up horses before entering. The gravel lane passes between two stone pillars and then ends at a square gravel court edged in cobblestones. The gravel court transitions into a wide flagstone walk bordered with yew hedges and lavender leading to the front door. Directly to the right, upon entering the gravel court, is located a gravel and cobblestone edged walk leading to a secondary entrance into the residence. The walk is gated where it connects with the gravel court to close it off so as not to confuse visitors and guests to the main residence and to emphasize the primary entrance. An area for a bench is provided along this walk to encourage stopping to view and enjoy the gardens. On either side of the front door, gravel and cobblestone walks branch off into the garden spaces. The one on the right leads to a flagstone with cobblestone border patio space. Since the home has no designated backyard like most modern suburban homes the outdoor living space had to be placed in what would traditionally be thought of as the front of the house. The patio is separated from the entrance walk by the yew hedge and further enclosed by three Amelanchiers and a variety of plantings including modern cultivars of old fashioned plants such as Itea and Hydrangea. A third entrance, the original front door to the 1840’s era section, connects to the patio from the home’s kitchen, making the space ideal for outdoor dining. The gravel and cobblestone walk branching off to the left of the front door leads to the vegetable and perennial gardens. The idea for the vegetable garden was to recreate the tradition of a kitchen garden which would have been planted close to the residence for easy access. The vegetable garden is surrounded by mixed perennial beds along the inside of the wood picket fence which surrounds the entire garden space. Another area designated for a bench is provided here to encourage stopping and viewing. The home’s original smokehouse, completely restored and used as a garden shed, provides a strong architectural focal point to the vegetable garden. Behind the smokehouse is planted lilacs and other plants to give mass and balance to the corner and help screen the garden from the neighboring subdivision. At the rear corner of the garden a wood arbor was constructed to provide a structure on which to grow grapes or other vines should the homeowners choose to. The landscape and gardens for this restored farmhouse and property are a thoughtfully designed and planned recreation of a historic landscape reinterpreted for modern living. The idea was to give a sense of timelessness when walking through the gardens as if they had been there for years but had possibly been updated and rejuvenated as lifestyles changed. The attention to materials and craftsmanship blend seamlessly with the residence and insure the gardens and landscape remain an integral part of the property. The farm has been in the homeowner’s family for many years and they are thrilled at the results and happy to see respect given to the home’s history and to its meticulous restoration.

Interior wood and steel screens create filters, dividing spaces while modulating light. Exterior screens of sustainable Resysta filter light and views inward while lending privacy at the entry to the Lowman Beach Residence.

Inspiration for a modern landscaping in Los Angeles.

Photo of a farmhouse partial sun decomposed granite outdoor sport court in San Francisco.

Bliss Garden Design
Photo of a traditional shade gravel landscaping in Seattle for fall.

Rain water is channeled through a perforated pipe to create a waterfall. The water then is channeled into rain water reserve tanks under ground. Photo: Aaron Leitz

Brent A. Riechers
Inspiration for a small contemporary full sun rooftop vegetable garden landscape in Chicago.

A rustic walkway of irregular bluestone and a garden space heavily dependant upon texture: the robust foliage of Hosta and the feathery fronds of Ostrich Fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris), contrast well with the delicacy of the Variegated Ribbon Grass (Phalaris arundinacea var. picta) across the path. A lot of interest can be generated within a small plant palette.

Gateway to Rear Yard - General Contractor: Forte Estate Homes
This is an example of a mid-sized mediterranean partial sun side yard stone landscaping in Orange County for spring.

Inspiration for a small farmhouse full sun backyard concrete paver landscaping in San Francisco for summer.

Hoi Ning Wong
Inspiration for a traditional brick landscaping in San Francisco.

This is an example of a traditional landscaping in Philadelphia.

Gardens of Growth Indianapolis, IN 317-251-4769
This is an example of a large contemporary full sun backyard stone landscaping in Indianapolis for spring.

Stephen Cridland
Inspiration for a contemporary backyard concrete paver landscaping in Portland.