I like the zen round bowl water feature... the fire is too much for out there since I have fire on the roof deck and the side yard in both actual fireplaces and patio heaters. Now, fire IN the water out there... I'm all for that! :P

Apparently someone found some of this flagstone that I can get (for top dollar). https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=2xJ4tkOVnUE

If you get more flagstone and reset them into a configuration compatible with the space, it's going to necessitate that the joints between the stones are uniform and fairly tight, as opposed to irregular, random and with some fairly wide gaps as they are now. Since the newly available stone has cut edges, it would work best if all the flagstone were installed with cut edges in order to create uniform gaps in the "broken tile" pattern.

What if I make the sitting area a little smaller with some stacked rectangular planters like this? Of course I would change the plants in the the white rectangles to tier down. Is this interesting or too competitive with the stairs?

I think it competes and detracts from the steps. It adds a busy quality.

Well, the plants these pots are terrible for one thing. I'll clean it up and take another picture tomorrow. It's an interesting mirroring of the stairs in person but maybe not right there in the corner... perhaps across the yard.

Agreed, the plants are not right. But also, the container looks cheap compared to the steps, which look rich. For the container to look equivalent, I think you'd need a mat of plants that completely cover the container's top edges, which are thin. What a container needs is 4" thick stone slab walls ... so not a little container.

Cleaned the planters up a bit. I would install and plant them better obviously if they stay there, snugging them up to the bench. Right now Mondo grass and a sprinkler head are in the way. Looks kinda elegant from certain angles and relates to the white topped pots, no?

I could try them on the other end of the cement bench as well. I removed the granite bench and it looks so much better. A neighbor gave me the round ceramic stool but perhaps a square one would be better.

I have chair cushions sitting on the bench since the wooden slatted top won't fit with the white pot up there. I could get a new color bench cushion but all kinda critters will be prowling on them during the night I'm sure. My little wall mounted wind vane will have to move since that will bonk someone on the head eventually.

Probably better to show it in sunlight!

The planters look better being cleaned up. I would still strive for fewer, larger, simple, bold things. It doesn't strike me as the kind of space that improves with clutter.

Are you opposed to gravel? I see clean lines when I look at your space.

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My city has a program that will pay for the drought tolerant re-landscaping of my front yard... up to $3000 or so. I'd love to do a major redesign with blocks/gravel like that so I can stop watering so much now that the climate has changed here so drastically. I'd put some bollards and spotlights out there for night time lighting.

That's awesome! That style would look great with your house!

There are some interesting pots on sale for about $200 already plumbed as a fountain. Different color stones and stacked slate. How about one of these instead of the weeping juniper?

Finally got around to moving the stone and block around! I'm going to take out the juniper in the center of everything and use the round planter for a water feature; Everything else is going to be decomposed granite. I had extra stone so I just jigsawed it in just to see how a giant paved area would look. The seams will be packed with 2-inch stones and set with decomposed granite. The first pic is before and the second one if after. Have I gone a little overboard with that much flagstone?

Nice find on the fountains! Looks good!

To me, it will not look right until a landing surrounds the steps. If flagstone filled in the entire area, it would be good.

Glad the mondo grass is gone. Looks cleaner. I would suggest removing all accessories and slowly introducing them one at a time until you achieve the visual balance the space needs. After the path is completed. Good for you, continue with the updates!

Yes, it is great to see the Mondo gone! It was a lot of work but it looks so much bigger out there. Yardvaark, I've got some stone left but to do a border around the stairs, I'd have to pull some from the little area leading to the granite bench on the left. I was a little worried that too much paving and no in-ground plants on this side of the yard was going to look barren as well. I think you mention the use of rounded stones... I have some red Mexican pebble of different sizes I'm packing the joints with this week. The threat of rain has stopped work.

"I think you mention the use of rounded stones... " That was a desperate move on my part, trying to help you find band-aids to paste onto problems in order that they might eventually somehow heal. Then things changed with the availability of some additional stone, etc. I don't prefer adding in the Mexican stone halfway into this, as it's a whole new theme. If it could somehow be carried throughout with great integrity, well OK ... which I'm sure is possible with thought and dedication. It could even be a bold "river" of contrasting pebble paving running through a field of flagstone. Yet the easy way out is more flagstone. The courtyard is not giant. I don't think there is any worry whatsoever that paving its whole central area -- with charming paving -- would create a barren look. You've got plenty of interest within the perimeter including the house itself. That's my suggestion now ... more flagstone. If it's not available then one must return to the drawing board looking for a creative solution that might include other materials.

In the second illustration, the areas of priority I want to see most paved are outlined in red. That immediately invites connections, which are outlined in green. This exercise tells me that the central area could possibly be less important when it comes to paving.

I would be careful about edges and making them more architecturally perfect. Even though flagstone is a material that lends itself to rustic use, I don't think it's going to suit your architecture nearly as well as something that is more carefully controlled. Mainly what I'm talking about is edges. They're not going to look that great being wonky or wavy. I would get them right on paper before trying to move heavy stone around.

I would carry the paving to the left corner of the main steps, but not necessarily beyond, especially if there was a shortage.

I, too, much prefer the absence of the mondo. It automatically looks 1,000 percent tidier.

BTW, these illustrations are NOT PLANS. They are ideas to be further refined and worked out in a plan. If it can't be seen well, the first illustration is just finishing what's there in flagstone and fixing the top edge.

Thanks for the feedback. I don't have enough stone for a full on paving but I've moved things around a little. I'll get a grinder to not only fit them better but to work on the outside line. I did pack some rocks into the large joints that mondo used to grow out of but I see although both the flagstone and the stones have violet in them they are awfully contrast-y when placed. Don't you think? Even if DG is used to lock them in place?

That does not work... No clue as to what stone would be an appropriate substitute. I’m sure someone (Yardvaark) will make a suggestion.

Not so bad overhead... see the additional pics I put on. My thought perhaps tan mexican stones but that might be pretty contrast-y as well. I'll get some samples on tuesday.

Anything from a distance looks good.... Kind of how at 3am in a bar, everyone looks good. The stone shows up quite purple on my screen. The undertones are wrong. Do you have access to stones that are the color of pea gravel but larger in size?

I’ve never needed to look for them, but I would hope beige flagstone or large rectagular pavers would be available. I don’t envy you this challenge!

It looks way too busy. I think you would be better off with rectangular pavers as Kulrn showed above.

True, haha. The flagstone is violet with a haze of tan over one side... if I flip them over they are mostly violet. That was in my mind picking the rocks but now I see lots are of them are on the blue/black side. Thanks Ashtonchic but I'm way beyond that decision now.

Interesting! It would look good like that if you didn’t have the ultra-modern steps you were working with. I kind of like the violet... That gives me ideas.

I'm not really bothered by the contrast. But I like the Mexican stones used in a more organized way relative to the space they occupy, not oriented in multiple directions. But if you get them in and the overall looks decent, I promise not to look at the small details. The other possibility is using them as a separate pavement in some way. (No matter what you do, you're going to be criticized!) :-)

I like having the square patio tiles gone from the scene. The steps and flagstone is enough variety for me. And if you work the Mexican stone in, in some nice way, I can buy that, too.

I get the feeling you are not scheming this out on paper, which I think is to your disadvantage. Oh ... maybe you like working out.

I have some decomposed granite being delivered next weekend so I'm trying to get all the indecision out of the way. I literally have to see it to know if I like it, drawing it out on paper doesn't work for me! I'm trying different layouts and listening to knowledgeable people like yourself. In the meantime, if I locate more 3 rivers flagstone then the design will have some bigger pieces and this week I'll be burying some romex for the fountain basin, laying low voltage lines in, capping some sprinkler heads and converting others to drip heads, pounding in Corten strips for edging, using a grinder to shape the stone... lots to do. I'll be as surprised as anyone how this ends up but totally satisfied everytime I see it that I tried my best. :)

Ok, I'm not totally sold on this color pebbles but whatever I pick I'll try to place them in a more orderly fashion, perhaps up on end.

Look much better without the grass. The flagstone does not go with your architecture. Sell it. Get stone like kurln stated, that would look much better and fit. I can see bougainvillea growing along your wall for a pop of colour. The cost of a design from a competent landscaper would be well worth to complement your beautiful home.

folowing

"I literally have to see it to know if I like it" I think you are selling the method short. That's exactly WHY you draw it out ... to see it! Many times I'm doodling with an idea in my head, but have no idea if a part should be this way or that. I sketch it out and sometimes the answer becomes instantly visible. (I build some simple cabinetry. It would be impossible for me to build it without drawing it first.) You might think that's too much drawing. That's why we start with a base plan -- all those things that are permanent features we know will be remaining. Then we don't have to draw that but one time. We do all the doodling on tracing paper over the base plan. Or, now that everyone has a copier, on copies of the base plan. Even if the perfect drawing does not materialize out of the doodling, it's very likely that some ideas or drawing that's close enough will help the project along in an acceptable way. In your case, you would not start with a detailed drawing of paving pattern pieces. You'd start with an outline of the paving with not necessarily any idea of how pieces would fit into it. Getting the outline correct here is major in terms of how the finished product will read in real life.

In your case drawing a base plan could be easily done from the overhead pictures. You add an overlapping picture to the picture you already have so that you have the complete courtyard area shown. Tape it on the window with some plain paper over it and you could see well enough to trace the outline of steps, house wall, gateway & the container in the center (only things at the floor level.) Copy it and it's done ... 12 minutes from start to finish.

Oh, I know the standard drill for having it all on paper before you start as I renovated homes for a number of years. But usually I'd sit down for 10 minutes to sketch what I thought was the best flow through a house and then from that moment it was off to the building supply store for styrofoam to mock up walls, arches and shapes and also moving boxes to stand in for kitchen islands, furniture, etc. I would literally have to see the placement and move around the area to see if I'm on to something and the more angles I could view the mocked-up layout from the more I could refine it. I'd end up with measurements and layout that way.

For me, sometime the best plan can be made better by adjusting the size or placement of a window and its just by being able to previewing what you see through the window when you sit down.

Now, if I could plan it out in 3d and put on a VR headset to experience the space in advance, it would be the perfect solution and save a lot of time. The technology is available but barely taught in architecture school currently for some reason. I would imagine it would be invaluable to you and your clients to pre-visualize one of your designs.

For example, with my overhead view of the current paving layout I am starting to see the shape of a rattlesnake or even a giant eyeball. Now, do I play one of those shapes up? Put a snakehead stone mosaic at the gate opening and further enhance the line to be more snake-like? I don't know yet. I definitely would not have come up with that weirdo idea by sketching on paper, I needed to see it, you know? Plus, it's kind of exhilarating flying by the seat of my pants. :) Thanks for your help!

Maybe something like this? The snakes head is at the gate and the bench has the snakes rattle in front of it. Certainly would make the contrast-y rocks look tribal or like snake skin. Bore a couple 3-4 inch holes in the pieces at the gate for red stone eyes. However an overall snake shape would only probably visible to me or seen from above! I am native American btw. :)

This is just a mock up of a dry river bed I'm considering with some of the corten steel edging I'm using on the other side of the yard. The square pavers are a path (now blocked by a pot) to the side of my house.

What a beautiful setting you have with so much potential. Check out our fountains and firepits to add curb appeal.

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Thanks... I was just at the fountain store today! I think I'm looking for a bored out basalt stone fountain.

Most of your potted plants could be planted in the ground. The place looks very cluttered. I remember your previous posts.

This very is much better, even with the Mondo Grass.

Have a yard sale and get rid of most of the pots.

Do not buy a fountain unless you know where you will put it.

The flagstone you are doing now does not look terrible. I'd say most of us think it is not the best choice for your house and courtyard.

I like the simplicity here.

Flat paving. Matched planters with substantial plants in them. Nothing to trip over on the ground.

There will be 4 large potted plants in the front yard when this is through. Any new planting will in planting beds at the base of the bamboo. As for the flagstone, it was there already as you can see from the picture you posted from 1999. My city has a drought program they are paying me to remove plantings that need excessive water. So this is more of a plant stripping and stone rearranging than full on renovation. The only thing I'll be paying for is a water feature and that will be dead center in the round planter. Not overjoyed with all the decomposed granite but it does restore the place back to what the architect originally intended and I'll certainly water a whole lot less. This picture is more my taste but alas, that linear design will need to wait.

I thought I would follow up with my completed landscaping project. I can't believe how bad the before photo looks to me now! Thanks for all your help with a special thanks to Yardvaark.

Before

After

Thanks for posting an after photo.

Sure! My city is paying homeowners to take out high water planting so although decomposed granite wasn't my first choice the entire project was on the cities dime so i can live with it for a few years.

Very nice! Thanks for the update.

Thanks! The best thing about it are the birds that come and bath in the fountain. Its my favorite side of the yard now and it was just forgotten area before.

During:

After:

It is much less busy now. I'm glad you like it.

That weeping spruce may not make it. Otherwise, wow! So much easier to care for too!

Thanks... glad you like it! Yes that juniper is in trouble... I cut the smallest little root when I was installing the drip line into that planter and it looks like it is on the way out now. Oh well, a little mound of colorful succulents will go there now.

She took a turn for the worse! The weeping juniper is no more. I kinda like it gone! Now I have to figure out what needs to go there now.

I like it better without. How about succulents? Prickly pear cactus (also edible)?

Ooooh, agave!

I've got tons of agave around the yard but maybe more?? Otherwise...