Dear Garden Associates worked closely with the homeowner and builder to create gardens that reflect the homeowner’s taste and compliment the architecture of the home. Curving boulder walls were installed throughout the gardens to create a series of terraces, address grading issues, and protecting large trees. Pathways and steps of large irregular flagstone provide access around the home and through various gardens of fragrant seasonal plantings. Path and tree lights extend the use of the gardens into the night, but do not overpower the night experience. A terrace with a fireplace and water feature was constructed to appear as old ruins and to provide destination away from the home.

The "Gracie Modern Arbors" (by TerraTrellis) offer eye-catching focal points. Three installed to bring interest and needed height over a long pathway ramp with grape vines. Another frames a stairway to the hillside with a flowering Passion vine. The sloped hillsides were revamped to include low-water and low-maintenance plants that include CA natives, flowing grasses, other Mediterranean plants and several succulents.

Design ideas for a small rustic landscaping in New York.

This is an example of a small rustic landscaping in New York.

Ed Taube Photography
Example of a trendy one-story glass exterior home design in Phoenix

White hydrangeas are a bold pop of color in this shady hillside cool border garden.
Photo of a large traditional shade backyard garden path in New York for summer.

The terrace at this time of the growing season is barely visible between the lush growth of blooming butterfly bushes, planted as several 6" - 10" cuttings closely grouped, in spring of 2013. The terrain slopes genty southeast, permitting morning and early afternoon sun to encourage their growth without the kind of late-afternoon overexposure that may actually stress plants, and actually delay their maturity. photo by Michele Burton

Echium - Pride of Madera with Euphorbia and Aloes in this vast hillside in San Anselmo, Northern California and the personal sanctuary of Landscape Designer Eileen Kelly, owner of Dig Your Garden Landscape Design. This sustainable garden also serves as Eileen's "living laboratory" where she observes and learns from the habits and growth of her extensive selection of plants. They include hundreds of varieties of low-water plants that range from California natives to plants from other Mediterranean regions. This diverse garden also offers an abundance of biodiversity and balance for the birds, the bees and the butterflies. Design and Photos © Eileen Kelly, Dig Your Garden Landscape Design http://www.digyourgarden.com

This house is a classic cottage located on a secluded, wooded street below street level. The goal with this project was to create a garden that fit the east coast feel of house while allowing the plants to flourish in the Southern California climate. Looking to Mediterranean adaptive plants we went with a plant pallet consisting of deep green foliage with white and purple flowers. We added the Purple-leaved Eastern Redbud trees to provide nice contract with the other deep green foliage used in the project. These deciduous trees will also work to help moderate the temperature in and around the house. In the heat of the summer when the trees are leafed out they shade the patio iand front rooms of the house. In the winter when the trees lose their leaves sun is allowed in to warm the patio and help heat the home.

Photo of a small rustic landscaping in New York.

Inspiration for a small rustic landscaping in New York.

Sedums and thyme creep down into the boulder wall.
Inspiration for an eclectic landscaping in Charlotte.

Michael Hsu
Large transitional white side yard and two-story wood exterior home idea in Austin with decking and no cover

Photo of a traditional landscaping in New York.

This is an example of a traditional landscaping in New York.

Inspiration for a small rustic landscaping in New York.

Elizabeth Haegele
Inspiration for a large traditional full sun backyard mulch formal garden in Philadelphia for summer.

Design ideas for a mid-sized rustic partial sun hillside garden path in Atlanta with decking for spring.

Design ideas for a large traditional full sun backyard landscaping in Vancouver.