Photo: Hilary Walker © 2013 Houzz
Inspiration for an eclectic backyard garden in Dallas.

Giovani Lunardi
Photo of a midcentury shaded garden in Portland with brick pavers.

A low water-use drought tolerant succulent and ornamental grasses planting project in Pasadena, California. We used contrasting colors and textures of plant material to create a curb appeal for this spec home. The aloe and Agave american's are the focal points and add a great architectural element to the project. Studio H

The problem this Memorial-Houston homeowner faced was that her sumptuous contemporary home, an austere series of interconnected cubes of various sizes constructed from white stucco, black steel and glass, did not have the proper landscaping frame. It was out of scale. Imagine Robert Motherwell's "Black on White" painting without the Museum of Fine Arts-Houston's generous expanse of white walls surrounding it. It would still be magnificent but somehow...off. Intuitively, the homeowner realized this issue and started interviewing landscape designers. After talking to about 15 different designers, she finally went with one, only to be disappointed with the results. From the across-the-street neighbor, she was then introduced to Exterior Worlds and she hired us to correct the newly-created problems and more fully realize her hopes for the grounds. "It's not unusual for us to come in and deal with a mess. Sometimes a homeowner gets overwhelmed with managing everything. Other times it is like this project where the design misses the mark. Regardless, it is really important to listen for what a prospect or client means and not just what they say," says Jeff Halper, owner of Exterior Worlds. Since the sheer size of the house is so dominating, Exterior Worlds' overall job was to bring the garden up to scale to match the house. Likewise, it was important to stretch the house into the landscape, thereby softening some of its severity. The concept we devised entailed creating an interplay between the landscape and the house by astute placement of the black-and-white colors of the house into the yard using different materials and textures. Strategic plantings of greenery increased the interest, density, height and function of the design. First we installed a pathway of crushed white marble around the perimeter of the house, the white of the path in homage to the house’s white facade. At various intervals, 3/8-inch steel-plated metal strips, painted black to echo the bones of the house, were embedded and crisscrossed in the pathway to turn it into a loose maze. Along this metal bunting, we planted succulents whose other-worldly shapes and mild coloration juxtaposed nicely against the hard-edged steel. These plantings included Gulf Coast muhly, a native grass that produces a pink-purple plume when it blooms in the fall. A side benefit to the use of these plants is that they are low maintenance and hardy in Houston’s summertime heat. Next we brought in trees for scale. Without them, the impressive architecture becomes imposing. We placed them along the front at either corner of the house. For the left side, we found a multi-trunk live oak in a field, transported it to the property and placed it in a custom-made square of the crushed marble at a slight distance from the house. On the right side where the house makes a 90-degree alcove, we planted a mature mesquite tree. To finish off the front entry, we fashioned the black steel into large squares and planted grass to create islands of green, or giant lawn stepping pads. We echoed this look in the back off the master suite by turning concrete pads of black-stained concrete into stepping pads. We kept the foundational plantings of Japanese yews which add green, earthy mass, something the stark architecture needs for further balance. We contoured Japanese boxwoods into small spheres to enhance the play between shapes and textures. In the large, white planters at the front entrance, we repeated the plantings of succulents and Gulf Coast muhly to reinforce symmetry. Then we built an additional planter in the back out of the black metal, filled it with the crushed white marble and planted a Texas vitex, another hardy choice that adds a touch of color with its purple blooms. To finish off the landscaping, we needed to address the ravine behind the house. We built a retaining wall to contain erosion. Aesthetically, we crafted it so that the wall has a sharp upper edge, a modern motif right where the landscape meets the land.

This is an example of a modern garden in Sydney.

custom fabricated vessels
Photo of a front yard xeriscape in Austin with gravel and a garden path.

Graptoveria 'Fred Ives', along with Aeonium Zwartkop, and trailing 'String of Pearls'. Great succulent companions. © Eileen Kelly, Dig Your Garden Landscape Design

Pincushion, aloes, and echeveria in bloom as the sun sets over Morro Bay.
Design ideas for a mediterranean xeriscape in San Luis Obispo.

Homemade succulent cinder block planter wall makes for a great weekend project.
Inspiration for a contemporary garden in San Diego.

Surface runoff gathers in this new rain garden, densely planted with ornamentals and natives. The elongated pavers are recycled concrete from the existing patio space.

Photo of a contemporary garden in San Francisco with a water feature.

Modern garden in San Diego.

Photo by Linda Oyama Bryan
This is an example of a contemporary backyard garden in Chicago with gravel.

Inspiration for a contemporary garden in San Francisco with natural stone pavers.

Photos by ©ThompsonPhotographic.com 2019 A passion for the Southwest inspires one couple to turn their garden into a vibrant showcase for Sonoran Desert flora. By Nancy Erdmann | Photography by Steve Thompson For someone who loves to garden and has done so in many areas of the U.S., taking on the challenge of a rocky, boulder-strewn hillside lot in the Sonoran Desert is something that Carey Bertsch relishes. “I was born in Scotland but grew up in Atlanta, Georgia. My husband, Robin, is from Indiana. We have always loved everything about the Southwest. The sunny, arid climate; the lifestyle; the flora; the fauna—they all resonate with us,” she remarks. As such, the couple, who are based in Colorado, decided to purchase a part-time residence in Arizona. They found a Santa Fe Territorial-style home that’s tucked into the base of a steep slope in North Scottsdale’s Estancia community. Populated with natural boulder outcroppings, the property’s landscape was rudimentary at best. “But we saw the potential and knew it could be so much more,” recalls Carey. She and her husband lived in the house for several years before making any major changes; they recently completed a total exterior remodel.

Modern home landscape design in Sonoma County. Low black wood fence provides a barrier that is also inviting.
Design ideas for a large and australian native modern front yard partial sun driveway for spring in Other with mulch and a wood fence.

This is an example of an australian native contemporary garden in Perth.

Inspiration for a contemporary front yard garden in Orange County with a vertical garden.

A great garden begins with great design. Table2Garden specializes in drought dazzling designs utilizing native plants and sustainable materials. We pride ourselves on innovating unique garden spaces that reflect our customers style. There are so many creative uses of outdoor space - we encourage our clients to collaborate with us! Whether you are designing a new garden that can grow with your new family or want a design that reflects your lifestyle - let us inspire you.