Nancy Mellen
This is an example of a farmhouse landscaping in Boston.

The 'retreat' area between three neighboring garages is the couple's sanctuary. We used bamboo privacy fencing for a very natural background, wove a wide, sinuous pathway through lush Hostas, Astilbe, Ferns, Bleeding Heart, Hardy Geranium, Climbing Hydrangea, Redbud trees and more. The destination is the two Adirondack chairs where the clients put their feet up and enjoy morning coffees and evening glasses of wine while watching birds frolic in the bird bath.

Morning is breaking and the West gate and Forest Pansy Redbud trees. David Morello
Inspiration for a traditional landscaping in Houston.

Constructed a long, sinuous retaining wall of warm colors. Dark leaf Forest Pansy redbud trees offset the many shades of green surrounding them. Native plants were used to encourage birds and butterflies.

Our client commissioned us to redesign the entire front landscape of their beautiful contemporary home, built in 2004. As a starter, the project entailed demolishing and repouring their front steps and walkway. We chose sand-finish concrete as the replacement material for its beauty and slip resistance, and we laid the walkway out in a segmented, offset pattern to complement the contemporary nature of our client’s home. We chose solid-brass pathway lights from Brilliance Lighting to complement the beauty of their bronze front door. To further accentuate the beauty of our client’s entrance, we tiled their front stoop with natural Rustica slate, built a decorative screen of South American Ipe wood on one side of their entrance, and installed a colorful ceramic flowerpot on the other. We installed an automatic watering system for the flowerpot, and directed their downspout effluence into an underground drainage system. Our planting choices for the project included a specimen multi-trunk Eastern Redbud tree, ‘Panchito’ Manzanita, Itoh Peony, ‘Kelseyi’ Dogwood, Blue Avena Grass, and Liriope Muscari.

A new stone path from the street to the front of the house bisects an existing but reduced lawn. New Western Redbud trees are placed symmetrically on each side of the path. Filler plants include Nepeta faassenii, Day Lilies, Salvia greggii, Phormium Yellow Wave, Artemisia Powis Castle, and Osteospermum.

DRM Design Group provided Landscape Architecture services for a Local Austin, Texas residence. We worked closely with Redbud Custom Homes and Tim Brown Architecture to create a custom low maintenance- low water use contemporary landscape design. This Eco friendly design has a simple and crisp look with great contrasting colors that really accentuate the existing trees. www.redbudaustin.com www.timbrownarch.com

This is an example of a landscaping in Kansas City.

It's easy to focus on Redbud's candy-pink (and edible!) spring blooms, yet its fall color is equally spectacular. Photo: Lesly Hall Photography
Inspiration for a landscaping in Los Angeles for fall.

Planting under established trees can be daunting for homeowners. This area called for a more sedate planting design that would brighten the understory near the entry drive. Variegated Hosta and native ferns lightened the space with their bright green foliage and provide just enough textural difference to be interesting, but not overwhelming.

Established tree canopy maintains shade and leafy curb appeal. ,Once petite, two Western Redbuds have come into their own, offering substantial shade and leafy canopy at a lower vertical.

Native foliage and a Madrone Tree now fill steel raised beds that once held herbs and veggies. As with the Western Redbuds in front, this petite, low growing tree adds needed shade and a vertical ember blocker. Established tree canopy is well maintained and does not connect to the roof or the siding of the office. The vine against the office is a recognized vulnerability. At ground level, it's foliage is uplifted from ground level and the bed is mulched with ember resistant gravel to reduce chances of its ignition.

Michael Pring
Design ideas for a contemporary landscaping in New York.

This is an example of a traditional landscaping in Richmond.

With this client who has been passionate about plants all his life, there was naturally a close collaboration and a lot of input from him. Upon closer inspection you'd find some very exceptional plants that are sort of experimental but "all worth the try" in Gordon's eyes. And he is right! I relished the opportunity to use Star Magnolia stellata, Redbud Cercis 'Avondale' and 'Silver Cloud', Arabian Lilac 'Grand Duke of Tuscany', Royal Bromeliad Vriesea imperialis, also many unusual bulbs such as Scilla. Besides structure providing shrubs and trees (Tecoma, existing Indian Hawthorne with beautiful structures, Sweet Pea Bush, Golden Breath of Heaven, Ilex, Ginkgo, Bronze Loquat etc.) you'll see here also my favorite perennials, succulents and grasses, all as low care and undemanding as well as low-water as possible, to keep the landscape colorful and interesting year round. One of the highlights of this garden are the dry stream beds, bird bath and garden bench that we added. Built originally by himself and his wife, the dry stream beds were overgrown, mostly hidden by plant debris, or half rolling down hill. We had fun selecting a mixed collection of colorful and richly textured boulders of various sizes over, and with the input from 7 team members: Gordon, me, the contractor, the supervisor and three workers, we re-created the stream beds, making sure that anchor stones on the sides were well embedded in the slope, and that stone shelves and “top dressing” with smaller pebbles would add to the visual interest. Now these beds form very pleasing architectural features that look like they have always been there. We were all surprised how quickly all plants adapted to the site and started growing and putting out bloom. Now the old birdbath, a traditional white thing with dove figurines resting on the scalloped bowl, looked out of place, and I suggested to replace it with a stone bowl. And that part of the garden just called for a bench under the Macademia nut tree, to observe the birds and contemplate the whole creation. Only stone would do, but not any stone! Gordon picked a Basalt boulder that was naturally bowl shaped. It’s so heavy that it took 8 men to heave it into place! The Basalt bench was not much lighter, and together they make a very inviting scene. This job should last for a while. Photographed by Emma Almendarez at http://www.emmatheodoraphotography.com/

A small traditonal urban garden with beds scaled to accommodate low-maintenance color and foundation plantings, a stone patio, containers, roses and river rock. Roundtree Landscaping.

The shade garden demonstrates the importance of mixing foliage size and shape since the predominant color is green. Renn Kuhnen Photography
Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary drought-tolerant and shade front yard landscaping in Milwaukee for summer.

Bursting with color, this front landscape features a brick driveway, a brick walkway and a large assortment of perennials.
Photo of a large traditional full sun front yard brick landscaping in Chicago.

During the construction of the addition to this centuries old San Francisco home, our firm was brought in to create a design for the upper and lower outdoor decks, and surrounding garden space. The spiral staircase was the link that allowed for maximum deck space below. The bottom deck was brought lower by taking two broad steps down from the house thus eliminating the need for railing. This was very important to the owners’ desire to feel connected to the surrounding garden. A fire pit, placed off of center, created the focal point for the seating area. A cobalt blue water feature was placed close to the house so it could be enjoyed both from within the house and while sitting on the deck. The many vibrant colored pots placed along the deck edges were planted with a small Meyer Lemon tree, herbs for cooking, and mint for tea, as well as some colorful ornamental grasses and perennials. On the upper rooftop deck, we installed numerous skylights to allow light to the lower addition, and added appropriate native plants and succulents. In the front of the house, we cut in two large street planters and added matching Olive trees, under planted with colorful Mexican Salvia and orange New Zealand Wind Grass.