Design ideas for a contemporary landscaping in Chicago.

Mid-sized contemporary gray stone exterior home idea in Vancouver

The hot tub patio is designed to provide flexible furnishing options. When open or unfurnished the ground plane details and lighting bring the space alive. This area can also accommodate chaise lounge chairs or larger dining assemblies. The plantings envelop and calm the space.

Shirak Agresta; Sidney Michael; Annette Gutierrez; Becky Bourdeau
Design ideas for a small modern drought-tolerant and partial sun front yard landscaping in Los Angeles.

Detail of built in wood seat and planter boxes. This garden was featured in the June 2009 issue of Sunset Magazine. Photo: Kathleen Shaeffer

Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary drought-tolerant and partial sun front yard mulch landscaping in Orange County for summer.

Design ideas for a contemporary partial sun backyard stone landscaping in New York for spring.

Herb garden/urban agriculture
Design ideas for a modern landscaping in San Francisco.

Cortan planters with a bench top. The removable bench top provides functional sitting. Also, the unit can be used as storage for garden tools and accessories. Durable polystyrene and aluminum bench top construction requires no maintenance. The bench top comes in mocha color with finely sanded texture.

Design ideas for a traditional full sun backyard landscaping in Chicago for summer.

Katy Sheppard
Photo of a small transitional shade courtyard concrete paver landscaping in Chicago.

Urban Landscape
Hot tub - large transitional backyard brick and rectangular infinity hot tub idea in Orange County

farallon gardens 2014
Design ideas for a contemporary landscaping in San Francisco.

Trendy home design photo in Toronto

Great way to know where your food comes from--your back yard! Fresh and delicious!

This lovely landscape sports a poured in place concrete slab patio with drought tolerant sedum plants between the slabs. This sedum mix is sold in sheets then cut to fit but it’s actually grown for green-roof application. It works perfectly in this hot environment too as it is extremely drought tolerant and can go a month without water. Because the water runoff is absorbed between the slabs the patio drainage works perfectly and there are no need for drains.The swimming pool is of the fiberglass variety. Though the initial investment is greater than that of vinyl pools the ROI is greater over a 10 year period. Fiberglass pools retains more heat as the pool shell is all one piece and they don’t ever require a new liner.. This fiberglass pool has cool built-in benching and steps. And there is even a swim jet built into one side great for those cardio blasting swims. The pool interior colour is grey though it shows a soft blue/grey when water is added due to the reflection of the sky and other surroundings. The pool coping is natural stone with rock face edge. The steel arbour was custom made. Metal (steel) was chosen for it’s slim strength as wood placed here would have been too chunky. The best rooms (indoors or our) have a subtle layering of textural elements. To me this landscape needed a structure here to define the “rooms” It will look even better in a few years when the vines reach the top and the Miscanthus on either side reaches its 7′ height!The 12′ x 16′ pavilion is also made of steel and houses an alfresco dining table and sofa set. The pavilions built in cupola makes the warm breezes comfortably pass through with no need for a fan. It’s also sunken 2′ from the pool/patio height and nestled nicely in the corner. I must also mention the large slim planters with “Red Shades” Canna lily within. They are the perfect boldness/balance!Step through the arbor and a linear pond with “floating” natural stone step is revealed! Two smooth flow scuppers are responsible for the quiet waterfalls either side. A wood deck overhangs the pond adding softness to the setting. A modern retaining wall with natural stone cap runs the full width of the pond and pool adding interest and dimension. In the covered outdoor living area this wall is the perfect seat wall - adding lots of extra party seating! The lesson to be learned here is that good design can be applied to any space. This backyard is only 50′ x 45′ and look what can be achieved! Landscape design and photography by Melanie Rekola

Trendy deck photo in Los Angeles