This project reimagines an under-used back yard in Portland, Oregon, creating an urban garden with an adjacent writer’s studio. Taking inspiration from Japanese precedents, we conceived of a paving scheme with planters, a cedar soaking tub, a fire pit, and a seven-foot-tall cedar fence. The fence is sheathed on both sides to afford greater privacy as well as ensure the neighbors enjoy a well-made fence too. Photo: Anna M Campbell: annamcampbell.com

This once empty yard was transformed with perennial gardens, raised garden beds, a cute chicken coop, and boxwood hedge with a garden gate. The raised beds are home to strawberries, vegetables, herbs, lavender and annuals.

Photography by Studio H Landscape Architecture & COCO Gallery. Post processing by Isabella Li.
Photo of a modern landscaping in Orange County.

The uneven back yard was graded into ¬upper and lower levels with an industrial style, concrete wall. Linear pavers lead the garden stroller from place to place alongside a rain garden filled with swaying grasses that spans the side yard and culminates at a gracefully arching pomegranate tree, A bubbling boulder water feature murmurs soothing sounds. A large steel and willow-roof pergola creates a shady space to dine in and chaise lounges and chairs bask in the surrounding shade. The transformation was completed with a bold and biodiverse selection of low water, climate appropriate plants that make the space come alive. branches laden with impossibly red blossoms and fruit.

Late spring, early summer when the temperatures are still cool enough for lettuce and pansies.
Inspiration for a traditional vegetable garden landscape in Philadelphia.

This large side yard in the Lakeshore Historic District was redeveloped into a natural woodland clearing. Stormwater from the roof has been directed through a steel runnel into a native rain garden where it replenishes the cistern for a bubbling stone fountain. Weathered concrete slabs act as a thread from a firepit seating area, across the rain garden to the rear yard. This additional garden has a lawn parking pad, extensive kitchen gardens and a custom-built garden shower for visits to the beach. Darris Lee Harris Photography

A stunning rose garden in a free form shaped bed makes an excellent focal point in this yard. The brick path surrounding allows for the garden to be enjoyed from all sides. Rose Garden planted and maintained by Witherspoon Rose Culture.

A side view of the final version for this project. Note the stone wall and how it shapes the yard. This hardscaping idea makes all of the difference when you are trying to transform your front yard. This is the first thing people see when they visit your home, we make it something they remember!

Rising amidst the grand homes of North Howe Street, this stately house has more than 6,600 SF. In total, the home has seven bedrooms, six full bathrooms and three powder rooms. Designed with an extra-wide floor plan (21'-2"), achieved through side-yard relief, and an attached garage achieved through rear-yard relief, it is a truly unique home in a truly stunning environment. The centerpiece of the home is its dramatic, 11-foot-diameter circular stair that ascends four floors from the lower level to the roof decks where panoramic windows (and views) infuse the staircase and lower levels with natural light. Public areas include classically-proportioned living and dining rooms, designed in an open-plan concept with architectural distinction enabling them to function individually. A gourmet, eat-in kitchen opens to the home's great room and rear gardens and is connected via its own staircase to the lower level family room, mud room and attached 2-1/2 car, heated garage. The second floor is a dedicated master floor, accessed by the main stair or the home's elevator. Features include a groin-vaulted ceiling; attached sun-room; private balcony; lavishly appointed master bath; tremendous closet space, including a 120 SF walk-in closet, and; an en-suite office. Four family bedrooms and three bathrooms are located on the third floor. This home was sold early in its construction process. Nathan Kirkman

A side view of the final version for this project. Note the stone wall and how it shapes the yard. This hardscaping idea makes all of the difference when you are trying to transform your front yard. This is the first thing people see when they visit your home, we make it something they remember!

Inspiration for a mid-sized traditional full sun side yard concrete paver landscaping in Houston.

Inspiration for a large coastal two-story concrete fiberboard exterior home remodel in San Diego

Photo credit: Scott McDonald @ Hedrich Blessing 7RR-Ecohome: The design objective was to build a house for a couple recently married who both had kids from previous marriages. How to bridge two families together? The design looks forward in terms of how people live today. The home is an experiment in transparency and solid form; removing borders and edges from outside to inside the house, and to really depict “flowing and endless space”. The house floor plan is derived by pushing and pulling the house’s form to maximize the backyard and minimize the public front yard while welcoming the sun in key rooms by rotating the house 45-degrees to true north. The angular form of the house is a result of the family’s program, the zoning rules, the lot’s attributes, and the sun’s path. We wanted to construct a house that is smart and efficient in terms of construction and energy, both in terms of the building and the user. We could tell a story of how the house is built in terms of the constructability, structure and enclosure, with a nod to Japanese wood construction in the method in which the siding is installed and the exposed interior beams are placed in the double height space. We engineered the house to be smart which not only looks modern but acts modern; every aspect of user control is simplified to a digital touch button, whether lights, shades, blinds, HVAC, communication, audio, video, or security. We developed a planning module based on a 6-foot square room size and a 6-foot wide connector called an interstitial space for hallways, bathrooms, stairs and mechanical, which keeps the rooms pure and uncluttered. The house is 6,200 SF of livable space, plus garage and basement gallery for a total of 9,200 SF. A large formal foyer celebrates the entry and opens up to the living, dining, kitchen and family rooms all focused on the rear garden. The east side of the second floor is the Master wing and a center bridge connects it to the kid’s wing on the west. Second floor terraces and sunscreens provide views and shade in this suburban setting. The playful mathematical grid of the house in the x, y and z axis also extends into the layout of the trees and hard-scapes, all centered on a suburban one-acre lot. Many green attributes were designed into the home; Ipe wood sunscreens and window shades block out unwanted solar gain in summer, but allow winter sun in. Patio door and operable windows provide ample opportunity for natural ventilation throughout the open floor plan. Minimal windows on east and west sides to reduce heat loss in winter and unwanted gains in summer. Open floor plan and large window expanse reduces lighting demands and maximizes available daylight. Skylights provide natural light to the basement rooms. Durable, low-maintenance exterior materials include stone, ipe wood siding and decking, and concrete roof pavers. Design is based on a 2' planning grid to minimize construction waste. Basement foundation walls and slab are highly insulated. FSC-certified walnut wood flooring was used. Light colored concrete roof pavers to reduce cooling loads by as much as 15%. 2x6 framing allows for more insulation and energy savings. Super efficient windows have low-E argon gas filled units, and thermally insulated aluminum frames. Permeable brick and stone pavers reduce the site’s storm-water runoff. Countertops use recycled composite materials. Energy-Star rated furnaces and smart thermostats are located throughout the house to minimize duct runs and avoid energy loss. Energy-Star rated boiler that heats up both radiant floors and domestic hot water. Low-flow toilets and plumbing fixtures are used to conserve water usage. No VOC finish options and direct venting fireplaces maintain a high interior air quality. Smart home system controls lighting, HVAC, and shades to better manage energy use. Plumbing runs through interior walls reducing possibilities of heat loss and freezing problems. A large food pantry was placed next to kitchen to reduce trips to the grocery store. Home office reduces need for automobile transit and associated CO2 footprint. Plan allows for aging in place, with guest suite than can become the master suite, with no need to move as family members mature.

Photo credit: Scott McDonald @ Hedrich Blessing 7RR-Ecohome: The design objective was to build a house for a couple recently married who both had kids from previous marriages. How to bridge two families together? The design looks forward in terms of how people live today. The home is an experiment in transparency and solid form; removing borders and edges from outside to inside the house, and to really depict “flowing and endless space”. The house floor plan is derived by pushing and pulling the house’s form to maximize the backyard and minimize the public front yard while welcoming the sun in key rooms by rotating the house 45-degrees to true north. The angular form of the house is a result of the family’s program, the zoning rules, the lot’s attributes, and the sun’s path. We wanted to construct a house that is smart and efficient in terms of construction and energy, both in terms of the building and the user. We could tell a story of how the house is built in terms of the constructability, structure and enclosure, with a nod to Japanese wood construction in the method in which the siding is installed and the exposed interior beams are placed in the double height space. We engineered the house to be smart which not only looks modern but acts modern; every aspect of user control is simplified to a digital touch button, whether lights, shades, blinds, HVAC, communication, audio, video, or security. We developed a planning module based on a 6-foot square room size and a 6-foot wide connector called an interstitial space for hallways, bathrooms, stairs and mechanical, which keeps the rooms pure and uncluttered. The house is 6,200 SF of livable space, plus garage and basement gallery for a total of 9,200 SF. A large formal foyer celebrates the entry and opens up to the living, dining, kitchen and family rooms all focused on the rear garden. The east side of the second floor is the Master wing and a center bridge connects it to the kid’s wing on the west. Second floor terraces and sunscreens provide views and shade in this suburban setting. The playful mathematical grid of the house in the x, y and z axis also extends into the layout of the trees and hard-scapes, all centered on a suburban one-acre lot. Many green attributes were designed into the home; Ipe wood sunscreens and window shades block out unwanted solar gain in summer, but allow winter sun in. Patio door and operable windows provide ample opportunity for natural ventilation throughout the open floor plan. Minimal windows on east and west sides to reduce heat loss in winter and unwanted gains in summer. Open floor plan and large window expanse reduces lighting demands and maximizes available daylight. Skylights provide natural light to the basement rooms. Durable, low-maintenance exterior materials include stone, ipe wood siding and decking, and concrete roof pavers. Design is based on a 2' planning grid to minimize construction waste. Basement foundation walls and slab are highly insulated. FSC-certified walnut wood flooring was used. Light colored concrete roof pavers to reduce cooling loads by as much as 15%. 2x6 framing allows for more insulation and energy savings. Super efficient windows have low-E argon gas filled units, and thermally insulated aluminum frames. Permeable brick and stone pavers reduce the site’s storm-water runoff. Countertops use recycled composite materials. Energy-Star rated furnaces and smart thermostats are located throughout the house to minimize duct runs and avoid energy loss. Energy-Star rated boiler that heats up both radiant floors and domestic hot water. Low-flow toilets and plumbing fixtures are used to conserve water usage. No VOC finish options and direct venting fireplaces maintain a high interior air quality. Smart home system controls lighting, HVAC, and shades to better manage energy use. Plumbing runs through interior walls reducing possibilities of heat loss and freezing problems. A large food pantry was placed next to kitchen to reduce trips to the grocery store. Home office reduces need for automobile transit and associated CO2 footprint. Plan allows for aging in place, with guest suite than can become the master suite, with no need to move as family members mature.

The uneven back yard was graded into ¬upper and lower levels with an industrial style, concrete wall. Linear pavers lead the garden stroller from place to place alongside a rain garden filled with swaying grasses that spans the side yard and culminates at a gracefully arching pomegranate tree, branches laden with impossibly red blossoms and fruit.

For this garden residence in Stowe, Ambler Design, helped to conceive the home owner's every desire in the quest for the perfect garden. Once an underused sloped area of the front lawn, step stone pathways now connect the existing entry terraces to the yard and garden. A small terrace with garden gate provides a seating area to rest beneath the timber trellis.

Side yard modern water feature. The fountain is located off the living room window to enjoy from both the living area and kitchen. Concrete stepping pads extend over the fountain and into the artificial turf area in the rear yard. Succulents and grasses are planted throughout the yard.

Inspiration for a mid-sized traditional full sun side yard concrete paver landscaping in Houston.

Love the potting shed and raised beds to go with this side yard. The chip and dale fence, with wire mesh, helps keep animals out of the garden area - a must in the South! For a completely low maintenance area, the homeowners have used pebbles for the garden yard.