Landscape Design
Before and Afters
Patio of the Week: Small City Yard for Gathering and Growing
A landscape architect adds privacy, a flexible patio, edible plants and pollinator attractors to a charming Chicago home
“This was a quintessential Chicago city project for us, and it was a fun project,” landscape architect Benjamin Himschoot says. His clients, parents of two preteens, had a nice deck off their home but were eager to make the most of the rest of their small yard.
The new design includes a flexible patio where the family can lounge around a fire pit, or they can clear out the area for some soccer practice. They also wanted to plant edible gardens, so Himschoot incorporated pollinator-attracting plants to help those spaces thrive. In the front yard, he added a wide range of colorful plants to create cottage garden curb appeal.
The new design includes a flexible patio where the family can lounge around a fire pit, or they can clear out the area for some soccer practice. They also wanted to plant edible gardens, so Himschoot incorporated pollinator-attracting plants to help those spaces thrive. In the front yard, he added a wide range of colorful plants to create cottage garden curb appeal.
After: “One of the design objectives was to make the yard more tidy and functional,” Himschoot says. “Stylewise, we gave the front yard more of a cottage garden feel. This was appropriate for the house and the neighborhood.” A new small curved lawn opens up views of the house and lends a more inviting feel.
Himschoot planted the beds with a mix of perennials, grasses and shrubs for nearly year-round color and interest. Perennials include ‘Summer Beauty’ allium (Allium ‘Summer Beauty’, USDA zones 4 to 9; find your zone), ‘Visions’ astilbe (Astilbe chinensis ‘Visions’, zones 4 to 9), ‘Walker’s Low’ catmint (Nepeta racemosa ‘Walker’s Low’, zones 3 to 8), ‘Little Spire’ Russian sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia ‘Little Spire’, zones 5 to 9), ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ hosta (Hosta ‘Blue Mouse Ears’, zones 3 to 9) and ‘Petite Delight’ beebalm (Monarda didyma ‘Petite Delight’, zones 3 to 9).
The grasses are golden Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’, zones 4 to 9), ‘Ice Dance’ Japanese sedge (Carex morrowii ‘Ice Dance’, zones 5 to 9) and ‘Bowles Golden’ sedge (Carex elata ‘Aurea’, zones 5 to 9).
The shrubs include ‘Ruby Slippers’ oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Ruby Slippers’, zones 5 to 9), dwarf fothergilla (Fothergilla gardenii, zones 5 to 8), ‘Blue Star’ juniper (Juniperus squamata ‘Blue Star’, zones 4 to 8) and ‘Little Devil’ ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Donna May’, zones 3 to 7).
Himschoot planted the beds with a mix of perennials, grasses and shrubs for nearly year-round color and interest. Perennials include ‘Summer Beauty’ allium (Allium ‘Summer Beauty’, USDA zones 4 to 9; find your zone), ‘Visions’ astilbe (Astilbe chinensis ‘Visions’, zones 4 to 9), ‘Walker’s Low’ catmint (Nepeta racemosa ‘Walker’s Low’, zones 3 to 8), ‘Little Spire’ Russian sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia ‘Little Spire’, zones 5 to 9), ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ hosta (Hosta ‘Blue Mouse Ears’, zones 3 to 9) and ‘Petite Delight’ beebalm (Monarda didyma ‘Petite Delight’, zones 3 to 9).
The grasses are golden Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’, zones 4 to 9), ‘Ice Dance’ Japanese sedge (Carex morrowii ‘Ice Dance’, zones 5 to 9) and ‘Bowles Golden’ sedge (Carex elata ‘Aurea’, zones 5 to 9).
The shrubs include ‘Ruby Slippers’ oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Ruby Slippers’, zones 5 to 9), dwarf fothergilla (Fothergilla gardenii, zones 5 to 8), ‘Blue Star’ juniper (Juniperus squamata ‘Blue Star’, zones 4 to 8) and ‘Little Devil’ ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Donna May’, zones 3 to 7).
Before: This flagstone path ran along the left side of the house to the backyard. The building in the background is a detached garage.
How to Make the Most of a Small Yard
How to Make the Most of a Small Yard
After: Himschoot used Techo Bloc Blu pavers for the paths and the new back patio. Guests coming to hang out for a patio party can open the gate on the street side and take this walkway. On the right side of the photo there’s a peek at the existing deck, which was in great shape. Around the corner, a narrow pathway between the deck and the garage leads to the new patio.
Plantings between the walkway and the existing fence include ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ hosta, ‘Little Spire’ Russian sage and ‘Little Devil’ ninebark. These soften this area, which has a lot of hard edges.
Find a masonry-and-concrete contractor near you
Plantings between the walkway and the existing fence include ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ hosta, ‘Little Spire’ Russian sage and ‘Little Devil’ ninebark. These soften this area, which has a lot of hard edges.
Find a masonry-and-concrete contractor near you
Here is a bee enjoying one of the ‘Little Spire’ Russian sage plants.
How to Create a Wildlife-Friendly Garden
How to Create a Wildlife-Friendly Garden
Before: The existing backyard made for a nice view from above but wasn’t usable. The existing deck, seen here on the left, was the only space where the family could hang out outdoors. (That patio seen on the right side of the photo is in the neighbors’ yard.)
How to Create Privacy in Your Yard With Plants and Structures
How to Create Privacy in Your Yard With Plants and Structures
After: This new patio, located in the back-right corner of the lot, was the impetus for the entire project. The garage, seen here on the left, occupies a good portion of the backyard. “There is not a lot of space in this yard, so we made the most of every inch,” Himschoot says. “My clients wanted the space to be flexible so that their kids could put the furniture aside and put up the soccer net for shooting practice.”
Accordingly, he suggested a clean-burning, moveable Solo Stove rather than a permanent fire feature. It suits this tight-knit neighborhood, as it doesn’t emit smoke and won’t disturb the neighbors. The modern Adirondack chairs are made of recycled plastic. They are comfortable but also relatively easy to move out of the way.
Shop for a fire pit on Houzz
Accordingly, he suggested a clean-burning, moveable Solo Stove rather than a permanent fire feature. It suits this tight-knit neighborhood, as it doesn’t emit smoke and won’t disturb the neighbors. The modern Adirondack chairs are made of recycled plastic. They are comfortable but also relatively easy to move out of the way.
Shop for a fire pit on Houzz
The patio measures approximately 12 by 20 feet. The far-left corner of this photo reveals the existing deck. In the right corner, Himschoot planted ‘Skyrocket’ Rocky Mountain juniper (Juniperus scopulorum ‘Skyrocket’, zones 4 to 9), which will provide privacy and year-round color in the tight space.
Browse outdoor furniture
Browse outdoor furniture
Here’s a closer look at the row of ‘Little Lime’ panicle hydrangeas (Hydrangea paniculata ‘Little Lime’, zones 3 to 8) lining the back side of the patio. There’s also a peek at some catmint in the foreground. These plants attract pollinators, and Himschoot reports that birds, butterflies and bees love this yard.
Before: The new patio is located in the back-right corner of this photo and extends to the side of the garage. The stairs seen here lead from the deck to the yard.
The homeowners liked the existing raised beds next to the house and wanted to keep them. The rest of this yard, located along the right side of the house, had become overgrown and hard to navigate.
The homeowners liked the existing raised beds next to the house and wanted to keep them. The rest of this yard, located along the right side of the house, had become overgrown and hard to navigate.
After: Himschoot repurposed existing flagstones from the site to create a path alongside the existing raised beds. Pollinator-attracting plants, including catmint, allium, beebalm and marigolds, help the edible plants in the beds thrive.
“Part of the project was finding ways to provide privacy, as these houses are close together,” Himschoot says. Just beyond the right side of this photo’s frame, he planted a row of tall, columnar ‘Frans Fontaine’ hornbeam trees (Carpinus betulus ‘Frans Fontaine’, zones 4 to 8) and ‘Red Obelisk’ European beech trees (Fagus sylvatica ‘Red Obelisk’, zones 4 to 7).
Check out our beginner’s guide to get started on your home project
“Part of the project was finding ways to provide privacy, as these houses are close together,” Himschoot says. Just beyond the right side of this photo’s frame, he planted a row of tall, columnar ‘Frans Fontaine’ hornbeam trees (Carpinus betulus ‘Frans Fontaine’, zones 4 to 8) and ‘Red Obelisk’ European beech trees (Fagus sylvatica ‘Red Obelisk’, zones 4 to 7).
Check out our beginner’s guide to get started on your home project
Site plan: This plan, from left to right, runs from the street to the back of the property. The new paver path is located along the top of the plan. From there, a skinny path runs between the deck and the garage to the patio, which is located in the bottom-right corner of the plan. The three squares below the house are the edible garden boxes.
More on Houzz
Read more stories about patios
Browse thousands of patio photos
Hire a landscape contractor
Shop for your outdoor spaces
More on Houzz
Read more stories about patios
Browse thousands of patio photos
Hire a landscape contractor
Shop for your outdoor spaces
Yard at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple with two preteen children
Location: Chicago
Patio size: 240 square feet (22 square meters); 12 by 20 feet
Landscape architect: Benjamin Himschoot of Himsben Design Studio
Before: The home is located in Chicago’s historic Lakewood Balmoral neighborhood, which is full of charming homes. The existing yard was overgrown and a bit unwieldy. The homeowners wanted to preserve two existing hemlock trees, one of which can be seen to the right of the porch stairs here. Himschoot also saved the tall tree located off the right side of the porch.
Find a local landscape architect