Decomposed granite? Artificial grass? Extend the existing flagstone?

Thanks HALLETT. I spoke to few contractors and they told me we can't extend the flagstone patio. It has to be demolished and redo else it will always look like 2 pads joined together. Is that true?

For DG, what can we add to fill that space? It would look awkward to have a big brown empty area.

Red brick looks nice with flagstone. Colored stone gravel to blend with the flagstone.

Artificial grass will work better. It will also give you the opportunity to improve the space in future.... with a sunken firepit too

Artificial grass is extremely expensive to have professionally installed where I live.

Does ice plant grow in your area? I lived in a house once in San Diego which overlooked a canyon. The edges of the yard and about 5 feet down the canyon was planted in ice plant. It had pretty little pink flowers, and the leaves are succulent so in theory it is supposed to retard wild fires.

Northern CA not Palm Springs, artificial grass is not a part of the aesthetic here. Try xeriscape, there are many examples on the internet. Combinations of rock, decomposed granite, pavers, mulch and low water ornamental grasses and succulents. If you are anywhere near the Santa Cruz area drive around an look at the amazing landscapes done in that style.

When you say you want it "usable", what does that mean exactly?

What does the house look like? You can sometimes bring elements of the house into additional hardscaping. As mentioned above, brick can look good with flagstone (and you already have some). But if there are brick bits on the house, it works even better.

Or you can put small beds along the patio and then add more flagstone on the other side. Having two areas joined by a walk (instead of just adding on to the existing patio) lets you fudge the match a little bit.

Artificial grass is very much on trend in northern CA. Not that I especially like it. :)

Thanks all for your creative suggestions. I have not thought about artificial grass but that is a good option as it maintains the current look (which I don't dislike) but without the water consumption.

I am likely going with the xeriscape for the front yard. I haven't found many examples for the backyard that would make the space usable. By usable, I mean a space that I can use for entertaining (e.g. firepit, seating area) as opposed to having a bunch of plants for only visual pleasure (which is what I see in most examples). I would like to keep the plants to under 20% in the current grass area and using them as dividers is a great suggestion.

Cheers

"Northern CA not Palm Springs, artificial grass is not a part of the aesthetic here."

I'm not sure that the exact location is much of a factor. It is used frequently here as well in other areas of the country where the size of the area or drought conditions limit the suitability of a real lawn. NorCal is just as droughty as SoCal so should become "part of the aesthetic"!

Artificial turf may be more expensive to install than a new lawn or other plantings initially but it requires almost zero maintenance and generates NO other costs down the road. It is a very reasonable alternative to a growing lawn.

If you put a small flower bed between the old and new flagstone patios with a flagstone walkway connecting them the old and new areas will not be as noticeable. Look for drought tolerant plants and cover with mulch or small bed rocks.

Where does your bavkyard actually end? At the wall on the right side of the picture or does it include the area beyond the wall?

I agree with artificial grass and xeriscape. They actually compliment each other in my opinion.

"Where does your backyard actually end? At the wall on the right side of the picture or does it include the area beyond the wall?"

My backyard has a triangle shape. The top of the triangle is that area above the retaining wall and it is sloped down. That area is a separate project for later as the soil keeps sliding down. I might need to add a couple of walls to create "steps" before putting in new plants.

Given I already have a good amount of square footage for plants (on the slope), my preference would be to keep the flat surface (where the grass is) for other uses. But connecting areas with flower beds is a great idea and I can imagine many possible designs.

Thanks much for your input.

I'd use decomposed granite, pavers, or continue the flagstone with some ground covers. . You can add a few plants if you feel it's too empty. Artificial turf will eventually break down, is not good for the environment, and gets hot. A firepit is a great idea for part of the space. You can build it with stone that works with your flagstone.

Amazing Berkeley Back Yard · More Info

Best Project Shots · More Info

A Midsummer Night's Dream in Mechanicsville · More Info

Waterwise Mediterranean · More Info

Decomposed granite has lots of disadvantages… google it… but pea gravel is a good option …as it is an easy diy…and small enough pebbles to walk on comfortably and safely…and put furniture on…it does need maintenance… usually just raking to keep it smooth and occasionally adding more gravel as it tends to spread into other areas…we have walkways.. a hammock area…and some in between plantings.. and I enjoy the sort of zen experience of raking…as well as the convenience of being able to rotate big pots of plants wherever I like with no worry about draining

If you decide on pea gravel there are a few other things to help…skip the weed matting.. do a thinnish application .. … and use an organic spray on weeds that may grow thru at first…over time weeds will not be a problem

While I find the look of DG most eye-pleasing, but I do like the look of pea gravel very much. I haven't look into the installation of pea gravel yet, but I imagine it would be similar to DG with the sand and crushed stones underneath. Is the weed matting the geo-fabric black sheet? What is the disadvantage of putting it besides cost? And the thin application means a thin top layer of pea gravel? Is that for cost-benefit or there is another reason? Sorry for the naive questions. Thanks much

I vote artificial turf. BTW, I had all my DG removed from my front & rear yards. It was dusty & if you have any pets they’ll track it into your house every time they go outdoors!

Rock mulch would look great with your flagstone! We have used it with and without landscape fabric and if it is thick enough it works quite well at weed suppression, almost as well as landscape fabric. A friend has artificial turf and at about six years old so far it has held up great. Here’s our firepit in our yard in progress. we have a dog that likes to dig up plants and chew our ornamental grasses so we are still trying to figure out that puzzle:)

"Artificial turf will eventually break down, is not good for the environment, and gets hot."

Better quality AT will last as much as 25 years and is no more detrimental to the environment than is a water hogging, chemical consuming, equipment requiring traditional lawn. In fact, much less. Yes, it can get hot in sun but so does any sort of paving or other hardscaping.

To explain my reasons in general…i like a more natural look than hardscaped….A thinnish layer of gravel is easier to walk on and less likely to spread into other areas..skipping the cloth allows a 2” layer to suffice….over time it will eventually mix with the soil for a pretty solid base….after that …I keep a garbage can of pea gravel to fill in occasionally if needed…harder surfaces are more likely to “crack”…discolor..stain…but mostly just does t look “natural” to me……also an occasional spray of water will keep the dust down…as opposed to a harder surface that will require much more water for washing…a small cordless garden blower easily removes leaves and other green bits..so raking doesn’t become a big chore…pea gravel does come in different colors…so call around to see what is available …artistically the material accentuates the creatively shaped sections as well

We are in N. Ca.

All of “us” enjoy the pea gravel

Mojavemaria….it looks like you may be in a climate that bamboo my grow?…there are many varieties that are varied in size and color..and doggies stay completely away

Our bamboo garden in the desert

Keep in mind that many homes in CA are limited in the percentage of their yard that can be legally paved over or built on. You know, just in case it ever rains again...

”not good for the environment” ???!!! Where i live ( beach , So Cal ) it’s considered, by many , to be more environmentally friendly. No run offs to the ocean of chemicals used on the lawns. Everything in our-street gutters run directly to the ocean. There are warning signs posted advising us of that. I’ve seen gardeners & homeowners hosing debris & granular fertilizer down the street. Additionally , no gas fumes from lawn mowers & gas powered blowers.. I’ve had artificial turf for several years , still ooks like new, & get compliments on my beautiful lawn ( it’s that realistic looking. ). i had it installed due to drought concerns (another environmental plus ).

I wasn't comparing artificial turf to a grass lawn. I was comparing artificial turf to an alternative drought tolerant landscape using natural elements. https://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/organics/landscaping

I have seen homes with beautiful “ beach scape” yards … with decorative grasses and stone scapes….seems like that would be a good option….aesthetically …and environmentally …in a beach location…But I admit I dislike any fake options .. as they look too perfect to be real and ultimately have to be burned or buried adding to pollution of some form