To deal with the pain and excitement of their kids leaving the house for college, these empty nesters wanted to transform their lawn—once home to swing sets and games of catch—into a peaceful retreat. She was dead-set on a water feature, he really wanted a fire pit, and their dogs (which had moved up in rank since the kids were gone) needed a nice patch of grass to play on. The couple’s tastes had changed in the 20 years since they’d bought the Spanish- style bungalow, and they wanted a garden with a more contemporary feeling. Looking to the history of Spanish landscape design, we were able tweak traditional layouts and elements to create a more contemporary garden that fit the needs of all the inhabitants of the home—human and canine alike.

To deal with the pain and excitement of their kids leaving the house for college, these empty nesters wanted to transform their lawn—once home to swing sets and games of catch—into a peaceful retreat. She was dead-set on a water feature, he really wanted a fire pit, and their dogs (which had moved up in rank since the kids were gone) needed a nice patch of grass to play on. The couple’s tastes had changed in the 20 years since they’d bought the Spanish- style bungalow, and they wanted a garden with a more contemporary feeling. Looking to the history of Spanish landscape design, we were able tweak traditional layouts and elements to create a more contemporary garden that fit the needs of all the inhabitants of the home—human and canine alike.

To deal with the pain and excitement of their kids leaving the house for college, these empty nesters wanted to transform their lawn—once home to swing sets and games of catch—into a peaceful retreat. She was dead-set on a water feature, he really wanted a fire pit, and their dogs (which had moved up in rank since the kids were gone) needed a nice patch of grass to play on. The couple’s tastes had changed in the 20 years since they’d bought the Spanish- style bungalow, and they wanted a garden with a more contemporary feeling. Looking to the history of Spanish landscape design, we were able tweak traditional layouts and elements to create a more contemporary garden that fit the needs of all the inhabitants of the home—human and canine alike.

To deal with the pain and excitement of their kids leaving the house for college, these empty nesters wanted to transform their lawn—once home to swing sets and games of catch—into a peaceful retreat. She was dead-set on a water feature, he really wanted a fire pit, and their dogs (which had moved up in rank since the kids were gone) needed a nice patch of grass to play on. The couple’s tastes had changed in the 20 years since they’d bought the Spanish- style bungalow, and they wanted a garden with a more contemporary feeling. Looking to the history of Spanish landscape design, we were able tweak traditional layouts and elements to create a more contemporary garden that fit the needs of all the inhabitants of the home—human and canine alike.

To deal with the pain and excitement of their kids leaving the house for college, these empty nesters wanted to transform their lawn—once home to swing sets and games of catch—into a peaceful retreat. She was dead-set on a water feature, he really wanted a fire pit, and their dogs (which had moved up in rank since the kids were gone) needed a nice patch of grass to play on. The couple’s tastes had changed in the 20 years since they’d bought the Spanish- style bungalow, and they wanted a garden with a more contemporary feeling. Looking to the history of Spanish landscape design, we were able tweak traditional layouts and elements to create a more contemporary garden that fit the needs of all the inhabitants of the home—human and canine alike.

Photo by SRQ360
This is an example of a modern courtyard formal garden in Tampa.

Transitional Mediterranean courtyard with Laura Lee Designs Capri Lanterns.
Example of a mid-sized tuscan one-story and backyard stucco and concrete paver gray patio design in Los Angeles with a tile roof, a fire pit and no cover

Large pots can be used as focal points in the garden, with or without plantings inside. Large, historic home from the 1930's overlooking downtown Santa Cruz. My clients are self-described "plantaholics" and tend to buy many plants, only to have them die. They have an extensive gardening area and low water budget. Our main goal was to make the overall design cohesive between various areas of the garden while utilizing interesting and unusual plant selections - a very fun project for me! We removed over 3,000 square feet of traditional grass and replaced it with several lawn alternatives. The first is a walkable groundcover that uses a fraction of the water of regular grass (and can be seen here in several seasons, one of which has tiny flowers); The second is a California native grass that grows long (or can be kept short) and can tolerate some shade. Both of these are excellent choices for clients with children or dogs who want a green patch without using excessive water. My clients love plants from Australia and South Africa so plants from the Proteacea and other Southern Hemisphere beauties are used predominantly throughout the project. Clean, flowing water is so important for wildlife and the beautiful stone fountain is a constant gathering spot for birds and other animals. My clients are beyond thrilled with their gorgeous, nature-filled garden and ever-expanding plant knowledge.

My clients wanted a new front and back garden which matched their lifestyle. Their main objectives were growing their own food and space for two enormous dogs to roam and play without destroying the rest of the garden. To this end, we used large and extra tall redwood beds (save your back!) in multiple sizes and shapes, plants that aren't easily broken by the occasional 130-lb dog romp, and a "grass" patch (walkable lawn alternative). All of the design elements are connected by decomposed granite pathways for a natural flow. Lastly, we added a fire pit and flagstone patio connected to the existing deck. The eating and living spaces capture the perfect South-facing sunlight most of the day. Now, all of the family members, including the furry ones, can relax and enjoy this peaceful spot.

The goal of this project was to provide a lush and vast garden for the new owners of this recently remodeled brick Georgian. Located in Wheaton this acre plus property is surrounded by beautiful Oaks. Preserving the Oaks became a particular challenge with the ample front walk and generous entertaining spaces the client desired. Under most of the Oaks the turf was in very poor condition, and most of the property was covered with undesirable overgrown underbrush such as Garlic Mustard weed and Buckthorn. With a recently completed addition, the garages were pushed farther from the front door leaving a large distance between the drive and entry to the home. This prompted the addition of a secondary door off the kitchen. A meandering walk curves past the secondary entry and leads guests through the front garden to the main entry. Off the secondary door a “kitchen patio” complete with a custom gate and Green Mountain Boxwood hedge give the clients a quaint space to enjoy a morning cup of joe. Stepping stone pathways lead around the home and weave through multiple pocket gardens within the vast backyard. The paths extend deep into the property leading to individual and unique gardens with a variety of plantings that are tied together with rustic stonewalls and sinuous turf areas. Closer to the home a large paver patio opens up to the backyard gardens. New stoops were constructed and existing stoops were covered in bluestone and mortared stonewalls were added, complimenting the classic Georgian architecture. The completed project accomplished all the goals of creating a lush and vast garden that fit the remodeled home and lifestyle of its new owners. Through careful planning, all mature Oaks were preserved, undesirables removed and numerous new plantings along with detailed stonework helped to define the new landscape.

Large, historic home from the 1930's overlooking downtown Santa Cruz. My clients are self-described "plantaholics" and tend to buy many plants, only to have them die. They have an extensive gardening area and low water budget. Our main goal was to make the overall design cohesive between various areas of the garden while utilizing interesting and unusual plant selections - a very fun project for me! We removed over 3,000 square feet of traditional grass and replaced it with several lawn alternatives. The first is a walkable groundcover that uses a fraction of the water of regular grass (and can be seen here in several seasons, one of which has tiny flowers); The second is a California native grass that grows long (or can be kept short) and can tolerate some shade. Both of these are excellent choices for clients with children or dogs who want a green patch without using excessive water. My clients love plants from Australia and South Africa so plants from the Proteacea and other Southern Hemisphere beauties are used predominantly throughout the project. Clean, flowing water is so important for wildlife and the beautiful stone fountain is a constant gathering spot for birds and other animals. My clients are beyond thrilled with their gorgeous, nature-filled garden and ever-expanding plant knowledge.

Large, historic home from the 1930's overlooking downtown Santa Cruz. My clients are self-described "plantaholics" and tend to buy many plants, only to have them die. They have an extensive gardening area and low water budget. Our main goal was to make the overall design cohesive between various areas of the garden while utilizing interesting and unusual plant selections - a very fun project for me! We removed over 3,000 square feet of traditional grass and replaced it with several lawn alternatives. The first is a walkable groundcover that uses a fraction of the water of regular grass (and can be seen here in several seasons, one of which has tiny flowers); The second is a California native grass that grows long (or can be kept short) and can tolerate some shade. Both of these are excellent choices for clients with children or dogs who want a green patch without using excessive water. My clients love plants from Australia and South Africa so plants from the Proteacea and other Southern Hemisphere beauties are used predominantly throughout the project. Clean, flowing water is so important for wildlife and the beautiful stone fountain is a constant gathering spot for birds and other animals. My clients are beyond thrilled with their gorgeous, nature-filled garden and ever-expanding plant knowledge.

Beautiful stone fountain is a favorite gathering spot for the local birds and other wildlife from adjacent open space. Large, historic home from the 1930's overlooking downtown Santa Cruz. My clients are self-described "plantaholics" and tend to buy many plants, only to have them die. They have an extensive gardening area and low water budget. Our main goal was to make the overall design cohesive between various areas of the garden while utilizing interesting and unusual plant selections - a very fun project for me! We removed over 3,000 square feet of traditional grass and replaced it with several lawn alternatives. The first is a walkable groundcover that uses a fraction of the water of regular grass (and can be seen here in several seasons, one of which has tiny flowers); The second is a California native grass that grows long (or can be kept short) and can tolerate some shade. Both of these are excellent choices for clients with children or dogs who want a green patch without using excessive water. My clients love plants from Australia and South Africa so plants from the Proteacea and other Southern Hemisphere beauties are used predominantly throughout the project. Clean, flowing water is so important for wildlife and the beautiful stone fountain is a constant gathering spot for birds and other animals. My clients are beyond thrilled with their gorgeous, nature-filled garden and ever-expanding plant knowledge.

Large, historic home from the 1930's overlooking downtown Santa Cruz. My clients are self-described "plantaholics" and tend to buy many plants, only to have them die. They have an extensive gardening area and low water budget. Our main goal was to make the overall design cohesive between various areas of the garden while utilizing interesting and unusual plant selections - a very fun project for me! We removed over 3,000 square feet of traditional grass and replaced it with several lawn alternatives. The first is a walkable groundcover that uses a fraction of the water of regular grass (and can be seen here in several seasons, one of which has tiny flowers); The second is a California native grass that grows long (or can be kept short) and can tolerate some shade. Both of these are excellent choices for clients with children or dogs who want a green patch without using excessive water. My clients love plants from Australia and South Africa so plants from the Proteacea and other Southern Hemisphere beauties are used predominantly throughout the project. Clean, flowing water is so important for wildlife and the beautiful stone fountain is a constant gathering spot for birds and other animals. My clients are beyond thrilled with their gorgeous, nature-filled garden and ever-expanding plant knowledge.

Land Studio C
Photo of a mid-sized contemporary drought-tolerant and partial sun backyard concrete paver landscaping in San Francisco for summer.

This is an urban single family home situated on a narrow lot that is about 1/8 of an acre and is only 2 blocks from the Pacific Ocean. I designed a completely new garden and installed everything along with the client’s help. The garden I designed consisted of an ornamental grass garden, a xeriscape garden with decomposed granite mounds, fruit trees and shrubs located throughout, a jungle forest garden, and raised brick vegetable beds in the rear. Previously, there was a wood deck covering almost the entire property that was removed by the owner. We installed root guard around all of the walkways. I installed the raised brick vegetable beds and walkways around the vegetable beds. Many of the plants were chosen to provide food and habitat for pollinators as well. Dozens of fruiting plants were located in the garden. So, it is called the “Garden of Eatin”. Landscape design and photo by Roland Oehme

My clients wanted a new front and back garden which matched their lifestyle. Their main objectives were growing their own food and space for two enormous dogs to roam and play without destroying the rest of the garden. To this end, we used large and extra tall redwood beds (save your back!) in multiple sizes and shapes, plants that aren't easily broken by the occasional 130-lb dog romp, and a "grass" patch (walkable lawn alternative). All of the design elements are connected by decomposed granite pathways for a natural flow. Lastly, we added a fire pit and flagstone patio connected to the existing deck. The eating and living spaces capture the perfect South-facing sunlight most of the day. Now, all of the family members, including the furry ones, can relax and enjoy this peaceful spot.

Patio fountain - huge mediterranean backyard stone patio fountain idea in Los Angeles with no cover

My clients wanted a new front and back garden which matched their lifestyle. Their main objectives were growing their own food and space for two enormous dogs to roam and play without destroying the rest of the garden. To this end, we used large and extra tall redwood beds (save your back!) in multiple sizes and shapes, plants that aren't easily broken by the occasional 130-lb dog romp, and a "grass" patch (walkable lawn alternative). All of the design elements are connected by decomposed granite pathways for a natural flow. Lastly, we added a fire pit and flagstone patio connected to the existing deck. The eating and living spaces capture the perfect South-facing sunlight most of the day. Now, all of the family members, including the furry ones, can relax and enjoy this peaceful spot.