After this home was completely rebuilt in the established Barton Hills neighborhood, the landscape needed a reboot to match the new modern/contemporary house. To update the style, we replaced the cracked solid driveway with concrete ribbons and gravel that lines up with the garage. We built a retaining to hold back the sloped, problematic front yard. This leveled out a buffer space of plantings near the curb helping to create a welcoming accent for guests. We also introduced a comfortable pathway to transition through the yard into the new courtyard space, balancing out the scale of the house with the landscape.

After this home was completely rebuilt in the established Barton Hills neighborhood, the landscape needed a reboot to match the new modern/contemporary house. To update the style, we replaced the cracked solid driveway with concrete ribbons and gravel that lines up with the garage. We built a retaining to hold back the sloped, problematic front yard. This leveled out a buffer space of plantings near the curb helping to create a welcoming accent for guests. We also introduced a comfortable pathway to transition through the yard into the new courtyard space, balancing out the scale of the house with the landscape.

After this home was completely rebuilt in the established Barton Hills neighborhood, the landscape needed a reboot to match the new modern/contemporary house. To update the style, we replaced the cracked solid driveway with concrete ribbons and gravel that lines up with the garage. We built a retaining to hold back the sloped, problematic front yard. This leveled out a buffer space of plantings near the curb helping to create a welcoming accent for guests. We also introduced a comfortable pathway to transition through the yard into the new courtyard space, balancing out the scale of the house with the landscape.

After this home was completely rebuilt in the established Barton Hills neighborhood, the landscape needed a reboot to match the new modern/contemporary house. To update the style, we replaced the cracked solid driveway with concrete ribbons and gravel that lines up with the garage. We built a retaining to hold back the sloped, problematic front yard. This leveled out a buffer space of plantings near the curb helping to create a welcoming accent for guests. We also introduced a comfortable pathway to transition through the yard into the new courtyard space, balancing out the scale of the house with the landscape.

After this home was completely rebuilt in the established Barton Hills neighborhood, the landscape needed a reboot to match the new modern/contemporary house. To update the style, we replaced the cracked solid driveway with concrete ribbons and gravel that lines up with the garage. We built a retaining to hold back the sloped, problematic front yard. This leveled out a buffer space of plantings near the curb helping to create a welcoming accent for guests. We also introduced a comfortable pathway to transition through the yard into the new courtyard space, balancing out the scale of the house with the landscape.

The existing excavated limestone boulders were strategically repositioned to not only serve as functional components but also as visually striking features to the modified design of the dry creek pathways and planted areas. The trees are viewed as an opportunity to utilize dark Whittlesey mulch to provide contrast, water retention, and tie in to other defined beds and oak clusters on the property. The front walk is comprised of sawn limestone pavers surrounded by crushed limestone rock mulch and accented by river rock dry creek bed that follows through to the backyard. The existing overwhelmed downspouts were replaced with rain chains, which not only effectively managed the water flow but also added a touch of elegance that matched the home's style. To work in tandem with the rain chains, 8” limestone block splash pads were installed beneath them to act as splash pads. The limestone block beautifully matches and enhances the existing architecture of the property, as well as the materials used throughout the landscaping.

Native Edge Landscape, LLC
Photo of a small modern backyard landscaping in Austin for summer.

After this home was completely rebuilt in the established Barton Hills neighborhood, the landscape needed a reboot to match the new modern/contemporary house. To update the style, we replaced the cracked solid driveway with concrete ribbons and gravel that lines up with the garage. We built a retaining to hold back the sloped, problematic front yard. This leveled out a buffer space of plantings near the curb helping to create a welcoming accent for guests. We also introduced a comfortable pathway to transition through the yard into the new courtyard space, balancing out the scale of the house with the landscape.

Photo of a mid-sized transitional partial sun backyard stone formal garden in Denver for summer.

Photo by George Dzahristos
Design ideas for a transitional shade concrete landscaping in Detroit.

Photo of a mid-sized transitional partial sun hillside stone formal garden in Denver for summer.

Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional partial sun backyard stone formal garden in Denver for summer.

After this home was completely rebuilt in the established Barton Hills neighborhood, the landscape needed a reboot to match the new modern/contemporary house. To update the style, we replaced the cracked solid driveway with concrete ribbons and gravel that lines up with the garage. We built a retaining to hold back the sloped, problematic front yard. This leveled out a buffer space of plantings near the curb helping to create a welcoming accent for guests. We also introduced a comfortable pathway to transition through the yard into the new courtyard space, balancing out the scale of the house with the landscape.

We had a several challenges to face with this project. Not only did we need to update a dated landscape to accommodate two seemingly different design tastes (modern & minimalistic vs natural english garden), we were tasked with improving the property’s drainage, improving the driveway access, reducing water usage and plant maintenance, and fixing a crumbling wall. To marry the two design tastes, we started with the more modern elements of metal planters and softened the landscape with mass plantings of ornamental grasses and native sedge. These grasses act as a turf replacement that do not need to be mowed and require less regular watering. On each side of the yard we constructed new cedar fences to provide updated and additional privacy. In addition, we poured a new concrete wall to replace the existing retaining wall and play off the new modern vibe.

Fire pit seating area with fountain and pathway to upper level landscape. ©Daniel Bosler Photography
Design ideas for a large contemporary drought-tolerant backyard concrete paver landscaping in Los Angeles with a fire pit.

After this home was completely rebuilt in the established Barton Hills neighborhood, the landscape needed a reboot to match the new modern/contemporary house. To update the style, we replaced the cracked solid driveway with concrete ribbons and gravel that lines up with the garage. We built a retaining to hold back the sloped, problematic front yard. This leveled out a buffer space of plantings near the curb helping to create a welcoming accent for guests. We also introduced a comfortable pathway to transition through the yard into the new courtyard space, balancing out the scale of the house with the landscape.

Photo of a mid-sized transitional partial sun backyard stone formal garden in Denver for summer.

After this home was completely rebuilt in the established Barton Hills neighborhood, the landscape needed a reboot to match the new modern/contemporary house. To update the style, we replaced the cracked solid driveway with concrete ribbons and gravel that lines up with the garage. We built a retaining to hold back the sloped, problematic front yard. This leveled out a buffer space of plantings near the curb helping to create a welcoming accent for guests. We also introduced a comfortable pathway to transition through the yard into the new courtyard space, balancing out the scale of the house with the landscape.

After this home was completely rebuilt in the established Barton Hills neighborhood, the landscape needed a reboot to match the new modern/contemporary house. To update the style, we replaced the cracked solid driveway with concrete ribbons and gravel that lines up with the garage. We built a retaining to hold back the sloped, problematic front yard. This leveled out a buffer space of plantings near the curb helping to create a welcoming accent for guests. We also introduced a comfortable pathway to transition through the yard into the new courtyard space, balancing out the scale of the house with the landscape.