Colorful plant combinations and groupings along a decomposed pathway in a San Anselmo garden in northern California. Phormiums, native Penstemon, Snow in Summer, Lambs Ears and other colorful plants create a beautiful low-water tapestry of plant groupings. Photo and Design: © Eileen Kelly, Dig Your Garden Landscape Design

Lawn replaced with colorful plants such as Orange Sedge, Phormiium, Bulbine frutescens 'Hallmark', and Rubus ground cover, along with and contemporary pavers that create a welcoming front entrance in Bel Marin Keys, Novato. The landscape design transformed the tired, water thirsty-lawn into a contemporary setting with dramatic concrete pavers leading to the home's entrance. And a new driveway design featuring large concrete slabs and small black pebbles set in a permeable resin in between. A variety of low-water plants for sun and part shade complete this project front yard transformation. Installed in February 2014. The back areas of this transformation is featured in a separate project: Modern Water-Side Landscape Remodel .

PHOTO TAKEN SOON AFTER INSTALLATION. SEE BEFORE PHOTOS AND AFTER 2 YEARS. This San Rafael front landscape has been dramatically updated with a welcoming concrete pathway entrance, and complimented by a variety of architectural plants, hardy succulents, textural grasses and a majestic, fruitless olive tree. The dramatic transformation is enhanced by a raised corten steel planter at the pathway entrance with gravel , Mexican pebbles, concrete pavers, and succulents. Two horizontal ipe wood structures provide contemporary accents. New raised concrete planters alongside the new concrete driveway define the property and showcase more colorful succulents. A beautiful gray house paint color and ipe accents complete the remodel. Plants include Lomandra 'Breeze', Bulbine frutescens 'Hallmark', Thamnochortus insignis, Phormium 'Black Adder' along with others. Drawings, Design and Photos © Eileen Kelly, Dig Your Garden Landscape Design

The hillside garden two years after it was planted. This sloped hillside was been transformed into a beautiful tapestry of colors and textures in every season. I specified drought tolerant plants and shrubs that are low maintenance and deer resistant. Located in Novato, CA - Marin County. The hillside has filled in beautifully! © Eileen Kelly, Dig Your Garden Landscape Design

A plain rectangular-shaped back yard in Fairfax, CA was transformed by including curvaceous pathway of decomposed granite (DG) patios and garden beds. The plant palette includes a variety of colorful drought-tolerant plants that offer both flower and leaf colors and textures throughout every season. Photo and Design ©Eileen Kelly, Dig Your Garden Landscape Design

Concrete pavers lead from driveway to front deck
This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary drought-tolerant and full sun front yard concrete paver landscaping in San Francisco.

The hillside garden two years after it was planted. This sloped hillside was been transformed into a beautiful tapestry of colors and textures in every season. I specified drought tolerant plants and shrubs that are low maintenance and deer resistant. Located in Novato, CA - Marin County. The hillside has filled in beautifully! © Eileen Kelly, Dig Your Garden Landscape Design

Ali Atri Photography
Inspiration for a contemporary entryway remodel in San Francisco

Dianella are the ultimate easy care plants. This tough new hybrid gets strong upright Phormium like growth from one parent, and deep blue color from the other. Plays well with succulents, and makes a great container plant. Features Feature/Bloom Year round blue foliage Evergreen or Deciduous evergreen USDA Zones Root Hardy to 10°F USDA Zones 8-11 Sunset Zones Sunset Zones 5,8,9, 14-24 Special Features Year-round interest, easy care, dwarf, deer resistant, disease/pest resistant, drought tolerance Landscape Use Accent, border, container, rock gardens, mass planting, slope Exposure Full coastal sun to part shade inland Bloom Season Spring, summer, fall, winter Dimension 24”-30”Height x 18”-24” Width Growth Rate Slow in winter, moderate spring to fall Plant Type evergreen About the Collection Brought to you by the authority on Western gardening, the Sunset Western Garden Collection is an exclusive plant collection of top performing plants for the Western Gardener.

Lagoon-side property in the Bel Marin Keys, Novato, CA. Entertaining and enjoying the views were a primary design goal for this project. The project includes a large camaru deck with built-in seating. The concrete steps and pavers lead down to the water's edge. I included a sunken patio on one side and a beautiful Buddha statue on the other, surrounded by succulents and other low-water, contemporary plantings. I also used Dymondia ground cover to create a natural pathways within the garden. This project was just completed. More photos will be included in Spring when the plantings fill in. Photos: © Eileen Kelly, Landscape Designer, Dig Your Garden Landscape Design.

Bliss Garden Design
Inspiration for a contemporary landscaping in Los Angeles.

The front areas of this landscape were transformed from a tired, water thirsty lawn into a contemporary setting with dramatic concrete pavers leading to the home's entrance with FX Luminaire low voltage pathway lighting. New driveway constructed with large concrete slabs and small black pebbles set in resin. Plants for sun and part shade complete this project. The back areas of this transformation are in a separate project: Modern Water-Side Landscape Remodel. Photos: © Eileen Kelly, Dig Your Garden Landscape Design

Phormium with grasses and succulents - Sedum Angelina, Phormium 'Sundowner', Fescue grasses.
Photo of a mediterranean drought-tolerant and full sun hillside stone landscaping in San Francisco for fall.

Lovely plant combination of Loropetalum and Coleonema (Breath of Heaven). These are two great plant combinations that don't need a lot of water and provide nice leaf color and textures throughout the seasons. Located in a Sleepy Hollow/San Anselmo garden in northern California. Other plants n this garden include Phormiums, native Penstemon, Snow in Summer, Lambs Ears and other colorful plants that create a beautiful low-water tapestry of groupings. Photo and Design: © Eileen Kelly, Dig Your Garden Landscape Design

Lomandra 'Breeze' with Phormium 'Black Adder', Bulbine frutescens 'Hallmark', Carex testacea and Leucadendon 'Jester'. Novato front landscape.
Inspiration for a mediterranean drought-tolerant and partial sun hillside stone garden path in San Francisco for summer.

Patio - contemporary patio idea in San Francisco

Drought tolerant plant combination or northern california landscapes. Shown: Cordyline festival grass, carex divulsa, Salvia greggii.
Inspiration for a mediterranean drought-tolerant and full sun backyard stone landscaping in San Francisco for summer.

This tired, unused San Francisco backyard was transformed into a modern, low-maintenance landscape with site-appropriate plantings enhanced by raised planting beds and a lead-free artificial lawn to replace the existing water-thirsty lawn. I created two separate "rooms" to break up the long narrow yard, and specified full range blue stone for the two small patio areas, connected by a curved pattern of rectangular pavers of the same natural stone. The raised concrete rectangular planting beds were incorporated to bring more movement and interest to the landscape along with gravel bed accents alongside. Some of the existing concrete remained, and was stained with a color to compliment the natural stone. These photos were taken over a three year period. Photos: © Landscape Designer, Eileen Kelly, Dig Your Garden Landscape Design.

Design ideas for a large traditional drought-tolerant and full sun front yard concrete paver landscaping in Los Angeles.