Design ideas for a mediterranean courtyard water fountain landscape in Los Angeles.

Entrance walk edged with pineleaf penstemon and daylily. Spears Horn Architects
Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary drought-tolerant and full sun front yard stone garden path in Albuquerque for summer.

A refurbished Queen Anne needed privacy from a busy street corner while not feeling like it was behind a privacy hedge. A mixed use of evergreen trees and shrubs, deciduous plants and perennials give a warm cottage feel while creating the privacy the garden needed from the street.

One of the 3 bathrooms at the Byrnes Residence.
Minimalist freestanding bathtub photo in Phoenix with a vessel sink

Low growing, spreading, American native with light lavender flower clusters. Incredibly heat tolerant. Use as ground covers or in planters. Southern Living® calls this perennial “bambi-proof.” FEATURES Bloom/Feature Lavender flower clusters from spring until fall Plant Type Annuals Evergreen or Deciduous Deciduous USDA Zones 7,8,9,10,11 Zone Detail Hardy to 0°F Key Features Heat tolerance, attracts birds/butterflies, water-wise, dwarf Use Border, container, groundcover, mass planting Exposure Full sun Bloom Season Spring, summer Dimension 12-14" H x spreading Growth Rate Moderate to fast growth CARE Water Keep on the dry side of moist Soil Type Well-drained garden soil Fertilizer Monthly in garden; bi-monthly in containers Pruning Prune as desired, but not required PLANTING INSTRUCTIONS water before planting plant in full sun to part shade dig hole 3X the width of pot, backfill and plant 1”-2” above soil level water and add more soil if needed mulch plants

Photo credit: Scott McDonald @ Hedrich Blessing 7RR-Ecohome: The design objective was to build a house for a couple recently married who both had kids from previous marriages. How to bridge two families together? The design looks forward in terms of how people live today. The home is an experiment in transparency and solid form; removing borders and edges from outside to inside the house, and to really depict “flowing and endless space”. The house floor plan is derived by pushing and pulling the house’s form to maximize the backyard and minimize the public front yard while welcoming the sun in key rooms by rotating the house 45-degrees to true north. The angular form of the house is a result of the family’s program, the zoning rules, the lot’s attributes, and the sun’s path. We wanted to construct a house that is smart and efficient in terms of construction and energy, both in terms of the building and the user. We could tell a story of how the house is built in terms of the constructability, structure and enclosure, with a nod to Japanese wood construction in the method in which the siding is installed and the exposed interior beams are placed in the double height space. We engineered the house to be smart which not only looks modern but acts modern; every aspect of user control is simplified to a digital touch button, whether lights, shades, blinds, HVAC, communication, audio, video, or security. We developed a planning module based on a 6-foot square room size and a 6-foot wide connector called an interstitial space for hallways, bathrooms, stairs and mechanical, which keeps the rooms pure and uncluttered. The house is 6,200 SF of livable space, plus garage and basement gallery for a total of 9,200 SF. A large formal foyer celebrates the entry and opens up to the living, dining, kitchen and family rooms all focused on the rear garden. The east side of the second floor is the Master wing and a center bridge connects it to the kid’s wing on the west. Second floor terraces and sunscreens provide views and shade in this suburban setting. The playful mathematical grid of the house in the x, y and z axis also extends into the layout of the trees and hard-scapes, all centered on a suburban one-acre lot. Many green attributes were designed into the home; Ipe wood sunscreens and window shades block out unwanted solar gain in summer, but allow winter sun in. Patio door and operable windows provide ample opportunity for natural ventilation throughout the open floor plan. Minimal windows on east and west sides to reduce heat loss in winter and unwanted gains in summer. Open floor plan and large window expanse reduces lighting demands and maximizes available daylight. Skylights provide natural light to the basement rooms. Durable, low-maintenance exterior materials include stone, ipe wood siding and decking, and concrete roof pavers. Design is based on a 2' planning grid to minimize construction waste. Basement foundation walls and slab are highly insulated. FSC-certified walnut wood flooring was used. Light colored concrete roof pavers to reduce cooling loads by as much as 15%. 2x6 framing allows for more insulation and energy savings. Super efficient windows have low-E argon gas filled units, and thermally insulated aluminum frames. Permeable brick and stone pavers reduce the site’s storm-water runoff. Countertops use recycled composite materials. Energy-Star rated furnaces and smart thermostats are located throughout the house to minimize duct runs and avoid energy loss. Energy-Star rated boiler that heats up both radiant floors and domestic hot water. Low-flow toilets and plumbing fixtures are used to conserve water usage. No VOC finish options and direct venting fireplaces maintain a high interior air quality. Smart home system controls lighting, HVAC, and shades to better manage energy use. Plumbing runs through interior walls reducing possibilities of heat loss and freezing problems. A large food pantry was placed next to kitchen to reduce trips to the grocery store. Home office reduces need for automobile transit and associated CO2 footprint. Plan allows for aging in place, with guest suite than can become the master suite, with no need to move as family members mature.

The bluestone patio was screened from the neighbors with a wall of arborvitae. Lush perennial gardens provide flower cutting opportunities and color to offset the green wall.

A colorful mixed border of deer resistant plants including annuals and perennials. Some of the plants included are: Allium 'Millennium', Ageratum, Argyranthemum 'Butterfly', Helenium 'Mardi Gras', Agastache 'Purple Haze', Annual Cleome, Echinacea 'Hot Papaya', Coreopsis 'Zagreb', and New Guinea Impatiens. Specialty Gardens LLC, Grand Haven, MI

Dining room - contemporary dining room idea in Dallas with white walls

The chocolate central cone of Helenium 'Mardi Gras' is picked up by the dark foliage of Physocarpus 'Diablo' (ninebark) Le jardinet
Design ideas for a traditional landscaping in Seattle.

Specialty Gardens LLC, Grand Haven, MI
Inspiration for a traditional full sun backyard landscaping in Grand Rapids.

Kimberly Dahlen
Large elegant u-shaped light wood floor open concept kitchen photo in Portland with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

If you like your outdoor decor to be classic and elegant, but also unexpected, try this understated but lovely combo. Sheared boxwood cones (try Wee Willie) are surrounded by Japanese skimmia, a pretty, evergreen shrub (zones 7 -9) that flowers in early spring. You’ll get the wintery contrast of leaves and cones now, with the promise of blooms to follow.

Large rose-form flowers are a blend of pinks resembling Camellia japonica flowers. Dark foliage on an upright, dense, conical form. Use as a specimen or intermediate hedge. FEATURES Bloom/Feature Plant Type Shrubs Evergreen or Deciduous Evergreen USDA Zones 7, 8, 9 Zone Detail Hardy to 5°F USDA zones 7-9 Key Features Use Exposure Full sun to part shade. Best bloom performance in light shade Bloom Season Blends of pink blooms in the fall Dimension 4-6 ' H x 3-4' W Growth Rate Slow to moderate CARE Water Regular water Soil Type Rich, acidic, moist, well-drained soil Fertilizer Early spring Pruning Shape in early spring PLANTING INSTRUCTIONS • water before planting • plant in full sun to part shade • dig hole 3X the width of pot • backfill and plant 1”-2” above soil level • water and add more soil if needed • mulch plants”

The round rock path leads through fragrant thyme, blue oat grass, iris, ceanothus, rosmary, pine, lavender and blanket flower to a patio by the sea. Located on the shores of Puget Sound in Washington State. Photo by Scott Lankford

Features: Custom Wood Hood with Pull Out Spice Racks, Mantel, Motif, and Corbels; Varied Height Cabinetry; Art for Everyday Turned Posts # F-1; Art for Everyday Corbels # CBL-TCY1, Beadboard; Wood Mullion and Clear Beveled Glass Doors; Bar Area; Double Panel Doors; Coffered Ceiling; Enhancement Window; Art for Everyday Mantels # MTL-A1 and # MTL-A0; Desk Area Cabinets- Main Kitchen: Honey Brook Custom in Maple Wood with Seapearl Paint and Glaze; Voyager Full Overlay Door Style with C-2 Lip Cabinets- Island & Bar Area: Honey Brook Custom in Cherry Wood with Colonial Finish; Voyager Full Overlay Door Style with C-2 Lip Countertops- Main Kitchen: Golden Beach Granite with Double Pencil Edge Countertops- Island and Bar Area: Golden Beach Granite with Waterfall Edge Kitchen Designer: Tammy Clark Photograph: Kelly Keul Duer

Russian sage and lady's mantle alternating along a white fence with pink roses
Design ideas for a mid-sized traditional front yard wood fence driveway in New York for summer.

This garden pathway links the front yard to the backyard area. Perennials and shrubs bloom throughout the season providing interest points that change from week to week. Creeping thyme and other flowering plants fill in the spaces between the irregular stone pathway.

Blue & White Garden with rectangular lily pond; azaleas, tree peonies, assorted Spring bulbs, perennials and flowering shrubs. Display Garden, Seekonk, MA.