A cut flower and annual border edging the brick path, planted with snapdragons, California poppies, nigella, and pansies. The log edging is reclaimed from a removed tree on the property. This border produces cutting flowers from early spring through summer.

Updated: Almost a year removed from the original installation, we returned to add a knee wall for soil retention as well as additional seating.
Patio - traditional patio idea in Seattle

This area used to be a garden, flat, and not landscaped. For the project, we removed the existing plant material, leveled the area, and brought in new soil to build up the center island. The next step was building the small rock wall and placing the plant material and rock. The end product isn't as formal as some projects, it has a rustic charm that is appealing to the eye.

This client contacted us with a two fold purpose. The first was that his yard was constantly wet no matter how much or how little he irrigated, which kept him and his pets from enjoying the yard. The second was to give him and his wife a patio that fit the space well. We designed a retaining wall that diverted water away from his property that was draining off several neighbor's lots onto his. Along with excavating and removing some poor soils, this succeeded in drying out what had previously been a saturated and largely unusable backyard. We also designed a spacious, curved layout that compliments the rolling nearby terrain. We also sealed the hardscape elements to give it a lustrous, wet look without making it slippery!

This client from Highgate in North London, N6 contacted us about their large honed Limestone tiled floor that was installed throughout the ground floor. It had been laid seven years prior and was now grubby and in need of a deep clean and seal including the grout which had turned black with dirt. I visited the property to survey and assess what was required and provided the owner with a quotation for the renovation. The hallway pictured was in the worst condition, it was a busy house with young children and dogs and over the years the sealer had worn down leaving it vulnerable to ingrained dirt. Without a sealer to protect the stone it had become heavily soiled and lost its original polished appearance. Happy with the quote we scheduled a date for the work to go ahead. The quote included deep cleaning and burnishing the stone to bring back the polish, grout cleaning and re-sealing the Limestone to protect it. We arrived on the first day and prepared the area by taping up the skirting and woodwork to protect them from potential splashing. Next step was to burnish the floor using a set of Tile Doctor Diamond Burnishing Pads, specifically the 400, 800 and 1500 grit pads fitted to a rotary machine, these were used in sequence running each pad over the tiles several times with water to lubricate the process. The water turns into a fine slurry as pores in the stone are opened and the dirt is released, the slurry is rinsed off with more water and extracted using an industrial wet vacuum after each pad. The finer 800 and 1500-grit pads slowly close the pores and refine the appearance of the stone building up the polish in the process. A strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean was then applied to the grout lines, leaving it for a short while to soak in and then hand scrubbing with a grout brush. The dirty cleaning solution and were then removed from the floor with the wet vacuum. This process was repeated across the different sections of the Limestone floor until I was satisfied with its appearance. Before leaving for the day, I rinsed the floor again using a buffing machine fitted with a brush fitted to give it a final clean. The floor was dried as much as possible using the wet vacuum and then allowed it to dry off fully overnight. The following day the final 3000-grit pad in the four-pad set was applied to the floor to bring up the polish even further. The pad is applied dry with only a little water sprayed onto the tile. We call this process a “Spray Burnish” and as well as leaving the floor nice and dry ready for sealing it adds a nice subtle shine to the stone. The floor was then sealed with two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow sealer. This is a colour intensifying impregnating sealer that works by occupying the pores in the stone so dirt cannot become ingrained there. It will provide durable protection and make the floor much easier to keep clean. It worked well on the pale Limestone and beautifully enhanced the colour and features in stone. Once complete the floor looked brand new again. I left a complimentary bottle of Tile Doctor Stone Soap with the client and gave them some information about how best to maintain the floor. This product is pH neutral and cleans whilst maintaining the patina on the stone helping to keep the floor in great condition. The client was delighted with the result and left us a great review. “Andrew is excellent and gets on with the job and we got a fantastic result. Highly recommend. By Aaron S, Highgate, 15 March 2021” Andrew Newstead North London Tile Doctor

Veggie bed border around quartzite flagstone interplanted with Dymondia margaretae to help stabilize flagstones and improve soil water holding capacity.

This project was the result of the owner’s desire to install a swimming pool and outdoor living space inspired by tropical resorts they had visited on family vacations. The one element asked for specifically was a large waterfall spilling into the pool. The challenge for the designers was how to achieve the look the owner’s wished without the use of clichéd items such as thatched huts and tiki torches. The designers decided lush full plantings using plants found in the northeast region that met certain design criteria would be the primary way of giving the tropical feel. Boulder outcroppings, irregular stone paving and fire bowls along the back of the pool would complete the look. The property is located in a newer subdivision with homes on both sides and a school to the rear. A walkway connects the neighborhood and the school along one side. The desired privacy would be addressed by the placement of plants and trees around the perimeter in mounded beds. Placing the waterfall to the rear of the pool helped block the view of the school beyond. The township had restrictions on the amount of impervious material allowable on site. The patio was designed to the maximum allowable size with square footage going to where it would be most usable. Planting beds were cut into the patio to decrease unnecessary square footage, divide spaces, and allow for more places to add plants and trees. A rectangular swimming pool was chosen to make it easier to install an automatic pool cover. The pool was designed, with input from the landscape designers, and contracted separately by the owner. The landscape designers chose the location of pool and waterfall so that it was prominently placed to be the focal point of the backyard. The pool includes a curving sunbathing shelf running from end to end, finished in a lighter color to make it more visible, with removable umbrellas for shade and to add to the resort feel. To tie into the boulders used throughout the design, a large boulder was used as a substitute for a diving board. The yard sloped down towards the back of the property which required a large amount of soil to be added and large boulder retaining wall along the back. For the planting design, the designers choose to focus on plants with larger leaves, various leaf colors and textures, and plants with large flowers in bold colors. These plants were then arranged into a loose lush planting scheme mixed with more traditional northeast plants such as pines, grasses, and roses. Unique plants such as hardy bananas were added for their tropical and exotic look. The full planting beds help to nestle in and enclose the living space. Broken flagstone was chosen for the patio and intentionally left irregular at the edges. PA flagstone was avoided and a stone with gold and brown tones was chosen. Boulder outcroppings added to the natural and tropical theme. The fire pit was designed with a large built-in bench to increase the amount of seating. The designers chose a rounded smooth shape and incorporated the same stone as the pool coping for the caps and bench. For entertaining guests the outdoor kitchen was outfitted with a large gas grill, beverage taps, refrigerator, sink and a dedicated lobster cooker. The kitchen was finished with granite countertops and stainless steel cabinets. Two strategically placed fire bowls, along with the low voltage lighting, add additional interest to the space at night. While the designers were faced with many challenges the resulting design incorporated enough elements to achieve the desired look and feel. Using plants appropriate to the northeast that fit the design criteria and carefully choosing hardscaping materials was essential. The owner’s feel they now have their own tropical theme resort right in their Pennsylvania backyard.

A complete metamorphosis was needed to bring out the buried treasure hidden beneath this yard, and a family of five rattlesnakes had to find a new home! Here’s the short list of the awkward elements that had to be remedied: First, the neighbors’ living room window peered perpetually (like, all the time) and directly into the yard with no privacy whatsoever. None. Second, the vast deep end swallowed up the patio and provided no place for furniture, or walking. Only tripping and treading water was allowed. Third, the sunken lawn must have been an arena of some sort! Intentionally excavated from natural grade a full -42″ from the patio, for no good reason. Fourth, the not-worth-a-visit ramada was the focal point for the entire yard. See it up close! It’s gone. Fifth, the spa was shoved against the farthest wall and provided no invitation. It was so bad, it never had a photo taken! See the statue peeing between the two short columns? It’s over there. Peeing in the corner as all little boys are want to do. Sixth, the bbq and fire place were non-functional and equally uninviting, and here’s a better view of just how crowded the furniture is. Don’t fall in! Last, we will not mention the boulder pile droppings distributed around the yard. Oops! Sorry. The first order of business was to spend several weeks tearing out everything but the pool shell. Then another few weeks were spent wheelbarrowing in a few hundred yards of top soil (there was no access) to fill the matador pit flush to a more relatable -18″. The large gaping trough was then discretely hidden with large removable stones, so it was out of sight but still serviceable. Second, the neighbor was screened instantly with a row of mature Texas Ebony trees in a raised planter, that also housed a sculptural ironwood tree as the focal point of the property, soon to be reflected in the pool’s richer Midnight Blue pebble tec finish. A hundred or so yards of shotcrete filled not only the reclaimed deep end, but also created a sun shelf and spa ledge, now the focal jewel in the foreground as a 360 overflow vanishing edge spa clad in Pewter glass tile from Oceanside Glass, and viewed from all the interior living spaces. The BBQ was tucked around the corner out of sight but still easy access. The fireplace for two gave way to a large inviting built in banco, with a splashes of colorful fabrics to draw one out. The fire pit serves about 10 people easily, for hours at a time. Last but not least, the foreground of the pool became a sweeping entry shelf extending the full length of the pool, bedecked with fiberoptic starlights and six glowing bubblers set low, to just barely break the surface of the water, giving a lovely and tranquil sound while sleeping away with all retractable doors wide open. Simple. Serene. Self-evident. That is the remedy. If your project needs a similar touch, more or less, drop me a line and we’ll figure out a plan.

Tiered of the looking out at a shabby brown lawn in their front yard and unwilling to use the water to keep it green these homeowners decided to go for something different. The wife in this household worked from home and was motivated to have a better view from her home office. As an enthusiastic bird watcher, I wanted to give her a view that included happy birds fluttering about. The husband was annoyed by the fact that some of the neighbors allowed their dogs to use this corner lot a toilet without having the curtesy of cleaning up after them. My job was to create a low water landscape (also known as xeriscape) that attracted birds, bees and butterflies but kept the dogs off. We started with directing down spouts in to catch basins called infiltration swales. These swales capture water storing it in the soil where it can be accessed by plants months after the rains have stopped. Then we integrated primarily California native plants and succulents into the design. Special attention was payed to the water needs of the plants and the ideal growing conditions for each species so that the combination of earthworks and plant choice and placement this landscape can get by with zero supplemental irrigation after the period of establishment this landscape. By incorporating flowering California native plants, native birds and insects flocked to the site in a neighborhood otherwise dominated by lifeless landscapes. By surrounding the garden with decomposed granite and succulents we created a space that was unpleasant and unappealing for dogs to relive themselves while remaining appealing to more human sensibilities. Today this property sits on the corner in a suburban neighborhood of Goleta, California. Hopefully serving as inspiration to take out lawns and build beautiful gardens that work to integrate the man made landscape with the natural ecosystem in which it is built.

This project was the result of the owner’s desire to install a swimming pool and outdoor living space inspired by tropical resorts they had visited on family vacations. The one element asked for specifically was a large waterfall spilling into the pool. The challenge for the designers was how to achieve the look the owner’s wished without the use of clichéd items such as thatched huts and tiki torches. The designers decided lush full plantings using plants found in the northeast region that met certain design criteria would be the primary way of giving the tropical feel. Boulder outcroppings, irregular stone paving and fire bowls along the back of the pool would complete the look. The property is located in a newer subdivision with homes on both sides and a school to the rear. A walkway connects the neighborhood and the school along one side. The desired privacy would be addressed by the placement of plants and trees around the perimeter in mounded beds. Placing the waterfall to the rear of the pool helped block the view of the school beyond. The township had restrictions on the amount of impervious material allowable on site. The patio was designed to the maximum allowable size with square footage going to where it would be most usable. Planting beds were cut into the patio to decrease unnecessary square footage, divide spaces, and allow for more places to add plants and trees. A rectangular swimming pool was chosen to make it easier to install an automatic pool cover. The pool was designed, with input from the landscape designers, and contracted separately by the owner. The landscape designers chose the location of pool and waterfall so that it was prominently placed to be the focal point of the backyard. The pool includes a curving sunbathing shelf running from end to end, finished in a lighter color to make it more visible, with removable umbrellas for shade and to add to the resort feel. To tie into the boulders used throughout the design, a large boulder was used as a substitute for a diving board. The yard sloped down towards the back of the property which required a large amount of soil to be added and large boulder retaining wall along the back. For the planting design, the designers choose to focus on plants with larger leaves, various leaf colors and textures, and plants with large flowers in bold colors. These plants were then arranged into a loose lush planting scheme mixed with more traditional northeast plants such as pines, grasses, and roses. Unique plants such as hardy bananas were added for their tropical and exotic look. The full planting beds help to nestle in and enclose the living space. Broken flagstone was chosen for the patio and intentionally left irregular at the edges. PA flagstone was avoided and a stone with gold and brown tones was chosen. Boulder outcroppings added to the natural and tropical theme. The fire pit was designed with a large built-in bench to increase the amount of seating. The designers chose a rounded smooth shape and incorporated the same stone as the pool coping for the caps and bench. For entertaining guests the outdoor kitchen was outfitted with a large gas grill, beverage taps, refrigerator, sink and a dedicated lobster cooker. The kitchen was finished with granite countertops and stainless steel cabinets. Two strategically placed fire bowls, along with the low voltage lighting, add additional interest to the space at night. While the designers were faced with many challenges the resulting design incorporated enough elements to achieve the desired look and feel. Using plants appropriate to the northeast that fit the design criteria and carefully choosing hardscaping materials was essential. The owner’s feel they now have their own tropical theme resort right in their Pennsylvania backyard.

Inspiration for a craftsman home design remodel in Charlotte

This was an average back yard. Our clients wanted ALL of the grass removed. The challenge of these no grass landscapes is to make them interesting. Several deeper organic soil "islands" were created and boulders with complimentary other rocks weer incorporated.

Ted J Greiner
Photo of a traditional landscaping in New York.

This client contacted us with a two fold purpose. The first was that his yard was constantly wet no matter how much or how little he irrigated, which kept him and his pets from enjoying the yard. The second was to give him and his wife a patio that fit the space well. We designed a retaining wall that diverted water away from his property that was draining off several neighbor's lots onto his. Along with excavating and removing some poor soils, this succeeded in drying out what had previously been a saturated and largely unusable backyard. We also designed a spacious, curved layout that compliments the rolling nearby terrain. We also sealed the hardscape elements to give it a lustrous, wet look without making it slippery!

Tiered of the looking out at a shabby brown lawn in their front yard and unwilling to use the water to keep it green these homeowners decided to go for something different. The wife in this household worked from home and was motivated to have a better view from her home office. As an enthusiastic bird watcher, I wanted to give her a view that included happy birds fluttering about. The husband was annoyed by the fact that some of the neighbors allowed their dogs to use this corner lot a toilet without having the curtesy of cleaning up after them. My job was to create a low water landscape (also known as xeriscape) that attracted birds, bees and butterflies but kept the dogs off. We started with directing down spouts in to catch basins called infiltration swales. These swales capture water storing it in the soil where it can be accessed by plants months after the rains have stopped. Then we integrated primarily California native plants and succulents into the design. Special attention was payed to the water needs of the plants and the ideal growing conditions for each species so that the combination of earthworks and plant choice and placement this landscape can get by with zero supplemental irrigation after the period of establishment this landscape. By incorporating flowering California native plants, native birds and insects flocked to the site in a neighborhood otherwise dominated by lifeless landscapes. By surrounding the garden with decomposed granite and succulents we created a space that was unpleasant and unappealing for dogs to relive themselves while remaining appealing to more human sensibilities. Today this property sits on the corner in a suburban neighborhood of Goleta, California. Hopefully serving as inspiration to take out lawns and build beautiful gardens that work to integrate the man made landscape with the natural ecosystem in which it is built.

Home design - craftsman home design idea in Charlotte

This beautiful landscape design was a unique project. When presented with a very steep incline, a large hill and only approximately 30' of level space, the Gary Duff Designs team got down to work, chopping down trees, and removing barrels of soil. After flattening out the space, this experienced team was able to implement each desired feature, from pool and play area to patio and privacy. This complete re-design and demolition resulted in an intimate, yet open, backyard living space.

This beautiful landscape design was a unique project. When presented with a very steep incline, a large hill and only approximately 30' of level space, the Gary Duff Designs team got down to work, chopping down trees, and removing barrels of soil. After flattening out the space, this experienced team was able to implement each desired feature, from pool and play area to patio and privacy. This complete re-design and demolition resulted in an intimate, yet open, backyard living space.

Jenn Gers
Example of a trendy home design design in Los Angeles