Modern Loft designed and built by Sullivan Building & Design Group. Photo credit: Kathleen Connally
Industrial metal exterior home idea in Philadelphia

In a narrow sideyard, a flagstone path leads to the backyard. Ornamental grasses screen views of the A/C units. Mike Crews Photography
Photo of a traditional shade side yard stone landscaping in Chicago for summer.

Cesar Rubio
Photo of a farmhouse partial sun stone garden path in San Francisco.

In south Seattle, a tiny backyard garden needed a makeover to add usability and create a sitting area for entertaining. Raised garden beds for edible plants provide the transition between the existing deck and new patio below, eliminating the need for a railing. A firepit provides the focal point for the new patio. Angles create drama and direct flow to the steel stairs and gate. Installed June, 2014. Photography: Mark S. Garff ASLA, LLA

Want to grow your own organic fruits and vegetables but lack a perfectly square patch of yard on which to build? Don't worry, Homefront Farmers can custom-build gardens to fit just about any space!

Design ideas for a mid-sized transitional shade backyard concrete paver garden path for summer.

Pamela Crawford designed this porch two ways to show two exciting, new outdoor living trends: Designing the outdoor living area with items we normally associate with indoor designs - art, rugs, and throw pillows - and living walls. The first makeover shows these decorative accessories accenting the wicker furniture. Each of these pieces was manufactured to withstand outdoor conditions. The second makeover shows a trendy living wall from kinsmangarden.com. This simple planting system allows container gardens to become an art form - easily and instantly. Discover thousands of ideas on Pamela's web site, pamela-crawford.com. Pamela designs landscapes, container gardens, and outdoor living areas throughout Palm Beach County, FL, including Boca Raton, Delray Beach, the town of Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Jupiter, and Wellington. She provides beautiful, custom designs that include professional installation of beautiful plant material, planters, and outdoor furniture and accessories.

A beautiful shade garden.
Inspiration for a traditional stone landscaping in DC Metro.

Inspiration for a farmhouse landscaping in San Francisco.

Fresh concrete with repeating linear cutouts are planted with Elfin Thyme. A staggered path of limestone tiles will frame a forthcoming sculpture. Crushed salt and pepper quartz complete the low maintenance, low water use look.

You can read more about the project through this Houzz Feature link: https://www.houzz.com/magazine/hillside-yard-offers-scenic-views-and-space-for-contemplation-stsetivw-vs~131483772

Learn seed starting basics and get a jump start on growing the flower garden of your dreams with the new book, Cut Flower Garden. In this striking guide you will find everything you need to grow, harvest, and arrange stunning seasonal blooms. With equal parts instruction and inspiration, Floret Farm’s Cut Flower Garden welcomes you into Erin Benzakein’s abundant, bloom-filled world, and is a feast for every flower lover’s eyes and soul. Floret Farm's Cut Flower Garden. Written by Erin Benzakein with Julie Chai. Photos by Michèle M. Waite. Published by Chronicle Books.

Photo taken in the garden of David Benner. Photo by Jay Sifford
Design ideas for a traditional landscaping in Charlotte.

Rikki Snyder © 2015 Houzz
Inspiration for a timeless exterior home remodel in New York

Photo of a large farmhouse backyard stone landscaping in New York.

Rikki Snyder © 2015 Houzz
Inspiration for a timeless exterior home remodel in New York

image: Travis Rhoads Photography
Design ideas for a small contemporary shade side yard stone formal garden in San Francisco.

Photo of a large traditional partial sun backyard stone retaining wall landscape in New York.

Our client in Emerson has a beautiful home, perched on a magnificent mountain slope with incredible views. They asked Dreamscapes to design outdoor living spaces for them in order to fully utilize the property. Their wish list included a water feature, a deck for outdoor living, a patio to take in the distant views of the mountains, a place to garden, and a natural and native planting design to fit into the existing southeastern native woodlands and mountain environment. Living on the side of a mountain means bedrock. The design incorporates the natural slope and stone and works with the terrain. A new deck was constructed to extend out from the house, floating over the bedrock where it meets the new pond. From the top of the hill, a waterfall cascades down through the native plantings into the pond below. Natural boulders were used to build seating along the pond’s edge, where you can watch the fish, tend to the aquatic plants, listen to the frogs, and even take a dip to cool off. Two natural flagstone patios were built at two different elevations to sit and enjoy the views of the landscape and the mountains. Both patios are accessible by cut stone crab orchard steps set into the slope. The space at the end of the driveway was a blank canvas and the perfect place to design and build a garden of raised beds, enclosed in a traditional picket fence. It is now filled with vegetables, herbs, and cutting flowers. The local bees and butterflies love it too. And the beautiful landscape takes on a magical look after sunset. Landscape lighting was expertly placed, using a variety of fixture types to enhance the pond, waterfalls, trees and plants, bringing the spaces to life after dark. The homeowners are both multi-talented and wanted a place to incorporate their skills. They create original art, build detailed wood work and plant edible gardens, just to name a few. This new landscape gives them and their family and friends a place to work and play and relax. It has become a haven for people and wildlife alike. Outdoor living at its finest!