Squeeze In Some Ground Cover Plants such as clover, buttercups and daisies are so valuable to insects, and the soil is essential for worms, birds and other small creatures. If you can’t have any form of lawn, try creating small areas along hard paving using ground-cover plants. Small strips of grass alongside and between paving stones also create a great look, along with an essential habitat for wildlife.
A wildlife-friendly garden doesn’t have to mean a riot of color. If you prefer a limited palette, you can create a design that’s neat and stylish, yet still attracts insects and other visiting fauna. Try introducing plants that add structure but are also insect-friendly. Bees in particular are attracted to blue and violet colors, due to the fact that they see in ultraviolet, so it’s good to include purple flowers. Hedging is generally a better alternative for wildlife than solid fencing and, by using straight lines and dividing spaces, you can create a stylish, modern feel to a space.
The couple also maintains raised beds filled with herbs and veggies. “We love having year-round supplies of oregano, sage, parsley, thyme, mint and rosemary,” Tom says, adding that they also grow French tarragon, strawberries (which their granddaughters love) and two types of chili peppers. As the landscape has matured, the homeowners have found that lettuces, herbs and other edibles that can handle the yard’s shadier conditions grow best. The raised beds sit a little out of the way, screened from the rest of the garden with strategically planted shrubs. “Silverberry [Elaeagnus x ebbingei ‘Gilt Edge’], ceanothus and lobelia give a colorful shoulder height divider, while monardella, yarrow [Achillea millefolium], sedum and other ground covers provide flowers and color in front of the higher plantings.
A satellite fire pit lounge surrounded by lush foliage draws visitors out into the garden. “We loved the feel of the fire pits outside the Arizona Biltmore hotel designed by Frank Lloyd Wright We love the oversized comfy chairs around an earthy fire bowl for coffee in the morning and happy hour in the evening. We can listen to the birds, along with classical music and the water feature,. Concrete paving and gravel define the gathering spaces and connect the yard’s outdoor rooms. The team used concrete closer to the house, with gravel taking over further out in the garden. “A good example is the fire pit area. It is still clearly defined by a concrete band to form a large square area. But the main material inside this band is gravel,
We built the outdoor kitchen around a mid-sized Italian Mugnaini wood-fired oven. It took a crane to move the oven from where it was delivered in the front, over the house and into the concrete block designed around it,” Ongwiseth says. Concrete counters top the workspace, with wood cabinets that match the perimeter fence beneath. “The concrete table between the wood-fired oven and the grill is so useful when preparing food and toggling between the two cooking methods,
dream of converting their conventional lawn yard in Pasadena, California, into a landscape of outdoor living rooms connected by a series of paths and naturalistic gardens. . multiple seating and dining areas, native and low-water plantings and a private spa retreat. The designers reimagined the space so it would thrive in the yard’s hot but somewhat shady conditions and wouldn’t require too much maintenance.
Cool colors like blues, silvers and greens, as well as neutrals, can feel more serene in a landscape than hotter reds, yellows, pinks and oranges. Select plants and hardscape materials in colors that you personally find calming, and arrange them together in large groupings. For example, a purple monochromatic planting of salvia and catmint give a relaxing feeling to this path
Hydromassage jets are located along the submerged steps, which serve as seats in the massage area. From there, the depth increases toward the diving spot. Finally, there is a relaxation area at the edge with a 19½-inch-deep bench. The pool is finished in porcelain stoneware tiles. Next to it, a pergola defines an outdoor dining area.
The skirting beneath the deck is also PVC. “The vertical skirting below the deck hides all structure underneath the deck and keeps critters out, but also forces your eye to look up to the outdoor living room above,” Struble says. “The deck and stair tread material is ipe, a beautiful Brazilian hardwood. It’s extremely durable and comfortable to walk on.”
A welcoming patio set off the back of the house provides a viewing area to appreciate the much more dynamic garden. Designer Fiona Green used a series of interlocking circles to define areas of lawn and planting beds. A cobblestone path meanders between the different areas like the path of a river down a valley, drawing one’s eye from side to side rather than just straight down the yard.
More of the patio stone
The brick walled garden
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