Photo of a traditional landscaping in Omaha.

Courtesy of the Missouri Botanical Gardens PlantFinder
Photo of a traditional landscaping in St Louis.

Cathleen B. Swift, A.S.I.D. N.C.I.D.Q. Cbswift@icloud.com
Design ideas for a tropical landscaping in Miami.

A once forgotten side yard turns into a charming gravel garden Martin Residence Cardiff by the Sea, Ca
Design ideas for a small mediterranean side yard formal garden in San Diego.

Courtney Olander
Exterior home idea in Seattle

Lincoln Farmhouse LEED-H Platinum, Net-Positive Energy OVERVIEW. This LEED Platinum certified modern farmhouse ties into the cultural landscape of Lincoln, Massachusetts - a town known for its rich history, farming traditions, conservation efforts, and visionary architecture. The goal was to design and build a new single family home on 1.8 acres that respects the neighborhood’s agrarian roots, produces more energy than it consumes, and provides the family with flexible spaces to live-play-work-entertain. The resulting 2,800 SF home is proof that families do not need to compromise on style, space or comfort in a highly energy-efficient and healthy home. CONNECTION TO NATURE. The attached garage is ubiquitous in new construction in New England’s cold climate. This home’s barn-inspired garage is intentionally detached from the main dwelling. A covered walkway connects the two structures, creating an intentional connection with the outdoors between auto and home. FUNCTIONAL FLEXIBILITY. With a modest footprint, each space must serve a specific use, but also be flexible for atypical scenarios. The Mudroom serves everyday use for the couple and their children, but is also easy to tidy up to receive guests, eliminating the need for two entries found in most homes. A workspace is conveniently located off the mudroom; it looks out on to the back yard to supervise the children and can be closed off with a sliding door when not in use. The Away Room opens up to the Living Room for everyday use; it can be closed off with its oversized pocket door for secondary use as a guest bedroom with en suite bath. NET POSITIVE ENERGY. The all-electric home consumes 70% less energy than a code-built house, and with measured energy data produces 48% more energy annually than it consumes, making it a 'net positive' home. Thick walls and roofs lack thermal bridging, windows are high performance, triple-glazed, and a continuous air barrier yields minimal leakage (0.27ACH50) making the home among the tightest in the US. Systems include an air source heat pump, an energy recovery ventilator, and a 13.1kW photovoltaic system to offset consumption and support future electric cars. ACTUAL PERFORMANCE. -6.3 kBtu/sf/yr Energy Use Intensity (Actual monitored project data reported for the firm’s 2016 AIA 2030 Commitment. Average single family home is 52.0 kBtu/sf/yr.) o 10,900 kwh total consumption (8.5 kbtu/ft2 EUI) o 16,200 kwh total production o 5,300 kwh net surplus, equivalent to 15,000-25,000 electric car miles per year. 48% net positive. WATER EFFICIENCY. Plumbing fixtures and water closets consume a mere 60% of the federal standard, while high efficiency appliances such as the dishwasher and clothes washer also reduce consumption rates. FOOD PRODUCTION. After clearing all invasive species, apple, pear, peach and cherry trees were planted. Future plans include blueberry, raspberry and strawberry bushes, along with raised beds for vegetable gardening. The house also offers a below ground root cellar, built outside the home's thermal envelope, to gain the passive benefit of long term energy-free food storage. RESILIENCY. The home's ability to weather unforeseen challenges is predictable - it will fare well. The super-insulated envelope means during a winter storm with power outage, heat loss will be slow - taking days to drop to 60 degrees even with no heat source. During normal conditions, reduced energy consumption plus energy production means shelter from the burden of utility costs. Surplus production can power electric cars & appliances. The home exceeds snow & wind structural requirements, plus far surpasses standard construction for long term durability planning. ARCHITECT: ZeroEnergy Design http://zeroenergy.com/lincoln-farmhouse CONTRACTOR: Thoughtforms http://thoughtforms-corp.com/ PHOTOGRAPHER: Chuck Choi http://www.chuckchoi.com/

A quiet, meditative space on a tree-covered, west facing side yard. The dominant planting motif is semi-tropical foliage emphasizing chartreuse and light green leaves in varying textures and forms. Photo: Billy Goodnick

Another view of extensive kitchen garden for Portola Valley estate. photo by Galen Fultz
Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary backyard vegetable garden landscape in San Francisco.

This is an example of an asian landscaping in Santa Barbara.

The same planting as in the previous picture, but taken around July/August time period. Note how the heat-loving plants have taken over creating a totally different visual effect. Lush Custom Gardening Company

This particular project was developed over a period of one year. A huge commitment for a landscaper and client, but having designed other areas of this property over several previous years we had developed a wonderful working relationship with the client.

A meadow garden surrounds the property and provides a transition zone between the lawn and woodland border. Installing a meadow allowed us to reduce the amount of traditional lawn around the house, an important factor for this LEED Gold certified property. The meadow is low maintenance (mowed once a year), is drought tolerant, and provides an incredible show of color throughout the summer and fall.

Located on Lake Minnetonka in the Western suburbs of Minneapolis, Lake Edge is the epitome of modern lakeside living. The floor plan is open and comfortable, perfect for large family gatherings. The materials, like exposed concrete, galvanized steel and reclaimed wood, are practical and durable but thoughtfully used to create a sense of welcoming and warmth.

This is an example of a traditional backyard landscaping in San Francisco with a pergola.

Grounded - Modern Landscape Architecture
Inspiration for a contemporary stone landscaping in San Diego.

On the western end of the home sits the 'Italian Garden', modeled in the style of a classical French parterre. Lenkin Design: Los Angeles Landscape Design

Inspired by a Mount Vernon barn, the homeowners selected an “old-looking” oversized brick handmade by a Carolina brick company to build the garden’s walkways and fence. The pickets were also inspired by George Washington's Mount Vernon estate. A notch instead of a bulge made the carpenter’s template more efficient. The dutch elbow locks, handmade by a company in Philadelphia, are replicas of the locks of homes built in the same time period (the 1830’s). An annual corkscrew white and purple vine, the vigna caracella, graces the fence three seasons of the year. The redolent vine was a favorite of Thomas Jefferson’s. In a similar vein, all light fixtures are reproductions of fixtures that would have been used in the 1830’s. There are no plants that would not have been used in colonial times. Photography by Greg Hadley

Design ideas for a traditional full sun landscaping in San Francisco for summer.