The existing backyard facing the lake was an unusable lawn with a steep slope and overgrown planting bed. db Landscaping LLC installed the backyard landscape that was designed by Russell Stott. The design called for replacing the old pavers underneath the deck with tightly jointed rectangular blue stone pavers that was extended toward the lake and transitioned to an informal patio with turf filled joints between the blue stone pavers. The retaining wall near the beach was rebuilt utilizing the existing materials, and the wall by the deck was reconfigured to provide access from the deck to the lower patio.

This “Arizona Inspired” home draws on some of the couples’ favorite desert inspirations. The architecture honors the Wrightian design of The Arizona Biltmore, the courtyard raised planter beds feature labeled specimen cactus in the style of the Desert Botanical Gardens, and the expansive backyard offers a resort-style pool and cabana with plenty of entertainment space. Additional focal areas of landscape design include an outdoor living room in the front courtyard with custom steel fire trough, a shallow negative-edge fountain, and a rare “nurse tree” that was salvaged from a nearby site, sits in the corner of the courtyard – a unique conversation starter. The wash that runs on either side of the museum-glass hallway is filled with aloes, agaves and cactus. On the far end of the lot, a fire pit surrounded by desert planting offers stunning views both day and night of the Praying Monk rock formation on Camelback Mountain. Project Details: Landscape Architect: Greey|Pickett Architect: Higgins Architects Builder: GM Hunt Builders Landscape Contractor: Benhart Landscaping Interior Designer: Kitchell Brusnighan Interior Design Photography: Ian Denker

Design ideas for a contemporary backyard concrete paver landscaping in Portland.

A stunning landscape filled with traditional elements throughout. Knot gardens, formal boxwood gardens with a water feature at the center, dining under a plush pergola, and seating from front to back to enjoy every space. Multiple levels are created in the landscape with raised beds and views from the upper terrace. Extensive perennial beds fill the distance with color and texture. Photo Credit: Linda Oyama Bryan

In the past this house had been at the heart of a busy farm. The function of the property has long since changed but it yet remains someone’s home. The challenge is to retrofit existing farm buildings, and the surrounding landscape, to better reflect both the different lifestyle and needs of the present owners. At the back of the farmhouse slopes have been modified to accommodate terraces, gardens and pathways linking through them. View sheds have been emphasized to showcase the property and the landscape filled with four seasons of interest. The geometry of the hard-scaping (walls, stairs, and walkways) is softened by the addition of lush plant material selected for both textural and colour qualities (evergreen, flowering and foliage). This view includes Smooth Viburnum (Viburnum nudum ‘Winterthur’), Purple Smokebush (Cotinus coggygria ‘Royal Purple’), Mellow Yellow Spiraea (Spiraea thunbergii ‘Ogon’), and Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia).

www.seeinseeout.com
Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary full sun front yard stone landscaping in Dallas for spring.

This was the Dymondia lawn planted from flats, right after installation. See earlier photos how it has filled in to make a great lawn substitute.
Photo of a mid-sized contemporary drought-tolerant and partial sun front yard stone garden path in San Francisco.

Draceana and petunias fill the taller planter. Coleus and petunias fill the smaller planter designed and photographed by Pamela Crawford. See over 500 photos of container gardens on her website at pamela-crawford.com. Pamela designs landscapes throughout Palm Beach County, FL, including Boca Raton, Delray Beach, the town of Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Jupiter, and Wellington.

Outdoor Living Spaces, Seat Wall, Firepit, Outdoor Fireplaces, Gazebo, Covered Wood Structures, Wood Fire Oven, Pizza Over, Custom Wood Decking, Ambient Landscape Lighting, Concrete Paver Hardscape

A 6″ x 16″ double-sided segmental retaining wall, with tapered sides and an independent mechanical interlock allowing for a vertical or battered wall. Semma also has tremendous shear strength (block to block contact), void fill interlock (4 cored system with contractor gravel-filled cores), and a ½” bond for joint dispersion. Semma wall, with an integrated corner on every layer, makes a great solution to the raised patio quandary: building a structural wall and topping it with a parapet (free-standing wall). Use the Semma pillars to finish or add drama or light features to your wall.

Photo of a contemporary landscaping in Other.

Craig Bergmann Landscape Design has an eye for detail. As a design firm with a high level of horticultural expertise, we choose the right plant for the right place, allowing your investment to thrive and flourish. Consider our services for the design, installation and care of your seasonal plantings, container gardens, and next special event. Photography by Linda Oyama Bryan

Photo of a farmhouse landscaping in Los Angeles.

Grace Design Associates
Inspiration for a mediterranean gravel and round aboveground pool fountain remodel in Santa Barbara

Scott Johns
Photo of a large traditional partial sun front yard brick garden path in Other.

This large side yard in the Lakeshore Historic District was redeveloped into a natural woodland clearing. Stormwater from the roof has been directed through a steel runnel into a native rain garden where it replenishes the cistern for a bubbling stone fountain. Weathered concrete slabs act as a thread from a firepit seating area, across the rain garden to the rear yard. This additional garden has a lawn parking pad, extensive kitchen gardens and a custom-built garden shower for visits to the beach. Darris Lee Harris Photography

This masterfully designed outdoor living space feels open, airy, and filled with light thanks to the lighter finishes and the fabric pergola shade. Clean, modern lines and a muted color palette add to the spa-like feel of this outdoor living space.

Photo of a traditional full sun landscaping in Minneapolis.

For this contemporary, Japanese-style residence sitting high on a hill in southern Vermont, JMMDS created a simple, clean-lined design using stone pavers, retaining walls, and geometric beds to define the area around the house. The house is composed of two long offset barn buildings with eaves that are joined in the middle around an exterior stone courtyard. JMMDS’s design holds up the steep surrounding slopes with a long stone retaining wall bordering a rectangular quartzite terrace with a beautiful view out to the surrounding landscape. The wall encloses a level grass shelf around the house; outside the wall, less manicured turf drops away quickly down the slope. Ledges on the hillside that parallels the house are exposed as an asset. On the entry side of the house, JMMDS designed a wall that retains the slope between garage and house, accessed by a set of broad stone steps and linear pavers that take a visitor straight to the front door. Plantings in geometric beds surround more quartzite pavers that form a terrace for the guest wing of the house. The drip space under the eaves is filled with black washed river stone. Photo: Scott Wunderle