Inspiration for an expansive traditional backyard full sun formal garden for spring in New York with gravel and a garden path.

This shade arbor, located in The Woodlands, TX north of Houston, spans the entire length of the back yard. It combines a number of elements with custom structures that were constructed to emulate specific aspects of a Zen garden. The homeowner wanted a low-maintenance garden whose beauty could withstand the tough seasonal weather that strikes the area at various times of the year. He also desired a mood-altering aesthetic that would relax the senses and calm the mind. Most importantly, he wanted this meditative environment completely shielded from the outside world so he could find serenity in total privacy. The most unique design element in this entire project is the roof of the shade arbor itself. It features a “negative space” leaf pattern that was designed in a software suite and cut out of the metal with a water jet cutter. Each form in the pattern is loosely suggestive of either a leaf, or a cluster of leaves. These small, negative spaces cut from the metal are the source of the structure’ powerful visual and emotional impact. During the day, sunlight shines down and highlights columns, furniture, plantings, and gravel with a blend of dappling and shade that make you feel like you are sitting under the branches of a tree. At night, the effects are even more brilliant. Skillfully concealed lights mounted on the trusses reflect off the steel in places, while in other places they penetrate the negative spaces, cascading brilliant patterns of ambient light down on vegetation, hardscape, and water alike. The shade arbor shelters two gravel patios that are almost identical in space. The patio closest to the living room features a mini outdoor dining room, replete with tables and chairs. The patio is ornamented with a blend of ornamental grass, a small human figurine sculpture, and mid-level impact ground cover. Gravel was chosen as the preferred hardscape material because of its Zen-like connotations. It is also remarkably soft to walk on, helping to set the mood for a relaxed afternoon in the dappled shade of gently filtered sunlight. The second patio, spaced 15 feet away from the first, resides adjacent to the home at the opposite end of the shade arbor. Like its twin, it is also ornamented with ground cover borders, ornamental grasses, and a large urn identical to the first. Seating here is even more private and contemplative. Instead of a table and chairs, there is a large decorative concrete bench cut in the shape of a giant four-leaf clover. Spanning the distance between these two patios, a bluestone walkway connects the two spaces. Along the way, its borders are punctuated in places by low-level ornamental grasses, a large flowering bush, another sculpture in the form of human faces, and foxtail ferns that spring up from a spread of river rock that punctuates the ends of the walkway. The meditative quality of the shade arbor is reinforced by two special features. The first of these is a disappearing fountain that flows from the top of a large vertical stone embedded like a monolith in the other edges of the river rock. The drains and pumps to this fountain are carefully concealed underneath the covering of smooth stones, and the sound of the water is only barely perceptible, as if it is trying to force you to let go of your thoughts to hear it. A large piece of core-10 steel, which is deliberately intended to rust quickly, rises up like an arced wall from behind the fountain stone. The dark color of the metal helps the casual viewer catch just a glimpse of light reflecting off the slow trickle of water that runs down the side of the stone into the river rock bed. To complete the quiet moment that the shade arbor is intended to invoke, a thick wall of cypress trees rises up on all sides of the yard, completely shutting out the disturbances of the world with a comforting wall of living greenery that comforts the thoughts and emotions.

Our clients were looking to replace their existing dying grass with a welcoming low water design. We created a fire pit seating area under trees with string lights overhead. The fountain is featured opposite the master bedroom windows. A low water and low maintenance design.

Photo of a large traditional backyard full sun garden in DC Metro with gravel.

Italian fountain is centered in this formal Mediterranean garden. Wisteria blooms on vaulted pergola over the entry door. Espaliered fig trees, roses, hydrangea and citrus trees fill the beds while boxwood hedges lend formality. Photo by David Palermo Photography, Santa Barbara.

Marion Brenner
Photo of a contemporary full sun garden in San Francisco with a fire feature and gravel.

Sisson Landscapes
Inspiration for a mid-sized traditional backyard full sun formal garden in DC Metro with gravel and a vegetable garden.

Ken Muellers
Photo of a traditional front yard driveway in New York with gravel.

Photo of a small contemporary front yard full sun garden in Los Angeles with gravel.

This is an example of a large traditional front yard shaded driveway in New York with gravel.

wa design
Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary backyard partial sun formal garden for spring in San Francisco with a vegetable garden and gravel.

Plain grassy corner of backyard gets a landscape makeover with some evergreens to screen surrounding neighbors.
Inspiration for a small transitional backyard full sun garden for summer in Kansas City with gravel.

Voted Best of Westchester by Westchester Magazine for several years running, HI-LIGHT is based in Yonkers, New York only fifteen miles from Manhattan. After more than thirty years it is still run on a daily basis by the same family. Our children were brought up in the lighting business and work with us today to continue the HI-LIGHT tradition of offering lighting and home accessories of exceptional quality, style, and price while providing the service our customers have come to expect. Come and visit our lighting showroom in Yonkers.

Above The Grade Landscape
Photo of a mid-sized backyard full sun xeriscape for summer in Other with a garden path and gravel.

Benefiting from varied stone and gravel hardscapes, this back yard is used in many ways. Transitions are marked with a change in structure of paths, walls, and features. The dining area is defined by a seat wall that ends where the fire feature area starts. Garden beds surround the space as an accent, softening the space. A rugged yet warm design for a relatively small back yard. Photo Credit: Linda Oyama Bryan

Inspiration for a large contemporary side yard full sun formal garden in Salt Lake City with a vegetable garden and gravel.

riverine planting
This is an example of a large contemporary sloped partial sun garden in Other with gravel.

Hardscape design takes a balanced combination of form and function, and this front yard is no exception. Copper, wood, and gravel all contribute to this stunning front yard.

This is an example of a large country backyard full sun formal garden in Omaha with a fire feature and gravel.