Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary backyard partial sun xeriscape for spring in Nantes with with privacy feature, natural stone pavers and a wood fence.

Red Buckwheat keeps the garden full of delicate to hot pink well into Pasadena's hot, dry summer. In the autumn and winter, its silver-bottomed leaves continue to deliver a delightful contrast in colors.

Customer wanted to ditch their grass yard in favor of colorful native plants that would create a charming scene for friends and neighbors alike. They dreamed of a gathering space in their front yard that looked out over their native plantings, so we added a seating area with cafe lights and raised steel planters so that the plantings could be enjoyed while seated. Black star gravel was added for furniture and plant contrast, making them pop against the home and landscaping.

Night shot of the rear courtyard, as enjoyed from within the house and home office areas. 2 years of growth.
Design ideas for a small contemporary backyard full sun garden for spring in Melbourne with a garden path, natural stone pavers and a wood fence.

The CorTen retaining wall is a beautiful foil to the rustic stairs and wood and cable rail.
Mid-sized industrial backyard full sun xeriscape in Los Angeles with decomposed granite, a wood fence and a retaining wall for spring.

This very social couple were tying the knot and looking to create a space to host their friends and community, while also adding much needed living space to their 900 square foot cottage. The couple had a strong emphasis on growing edible and medicinal plants. With many friends from a community garden project they were involved in and years of learning about permaculture, they wanted to incorporate many of the elements that the permaculture movement advocates for. We came up with a California native and edible garden that incorporates three composting systems, a gray water system, rain water harvesting, a cob pizza oven, and outdoor kitchen. A majority of the materials incorporated into the hardscape were found on site or salvaged within 20-mile of the property. The garden also had amenities like an outhouse and shower for guests they would put up in the converted garage. Coming into this project there was and An old clawfoot bathtub on site was used as a worm composting bin, and for no other reason than the cuteness factor, the bath tub composter had to stay. Added to that was a compost tumbler, and last but not least we erected an outhouse with a composting toilet system (The Nature's Head Composting Toilet). We developed a gray water system incorporating the water that came out of the washing machine and from the outdoor shower to help water bananas, gingers, and canailles. All the down spouts coming off the roof were sent into depressions in the front yard. The depressions were planted with carex grass, which can withstand, and even thrive on, submersion in water that rain events bring to the swaled-out area. Aesthetically, carex reads as a lawn space in keeping with the cottage feeling of the home. As with any full-fledged permaculture garden, an element of natural building needed to be incorporated. So, the heart and hearth of the garden is a cob pizza oven going into an outdoor kitchen with a built-in bench. Cob is a natural building technique that involves sculpting a mixture of sand, soil, and straw around an internal structure. In this case, the internal structure is comprised of an old built-in brick incinerator, and rubble collected on site. Besides using the collected rubble as a base for the cob structure, other salvaged elements comprise major features of the project: the front fence was reconstructed from the preexisting fence; a majority of the stone edging was created by stones found while clearing the landscape in preparation for construction; the arbor was constructed from old wash line poles found on site; broken bricks pulled from another project were mixed with concrete and cast into vegetable beds, creating durable insulated planters while reducing the amount of concrete used ( and they also just have a unique effect); pathways and patio areas were laid using concrete broken out of the driveway and previous pathways. (When a little more broken concrete was needed, we busted out an old pad at another project a few blocks away.) Far from a perfectly polished garden, this landscape now serves as a lush and inviting space for my clients, their friends and family to gather and enjoy each other’s company. Days after construction was finished the couple hosted their wedding reception in the garden—everyone danced, drank and celebrated, christening the garden and the union!

Natural boulders set in the landscape within the planting areas. In the background are raised wood box vegetable gardens filled with herbs and vegetables. These boxes are made of redwood and filled with rich composted soil ready to feed the plants.

The front garden for an innovative property in Fulham Cemetery - the house featured on Channel 4's Grand Designs in January 2021. The design had to enhance the relationship with the bold, contemporary architecture and open up a dialogue with the wild green space beyond its boundaries. Seen here in the height of spring, this space is an immersive walk through a naturalistic and pollinator rich planting scheme.

MALVERN | WATTLE HOUSE Front garden Design | Stone Masonry Restoration | Colour selection The client brief was to design a new fence and entrance including garden, restoration of the façade including verandah of this old beauty. This gorgeous 115 year old, villa required extensive renovation to the façade, timberwork and verandah. Withing this design our client wanted a new, very generous entrance where she could greet her broad circle of friends and family. Our client requested a modern take on the ‘old’ and she wanted every plant she has ever loved, in her new garden, as this was to be her last move. Jill is an avid gardener at age 82, she maintains her own garden and each plant has special memories and she wanted a garden that represented her many gardens in the past, plants from friends and plants that prompted wonderful stories. In fact, a true ‘memory garden’. The garden is peppered with deciduous trees, perennial plants that give texture and interest, annuals and plants that flower throughout the seasons. We were given free rein to select colours and finishes for the colour palette and hardscaping. However, one constraint was that Jill wanted to retain the terrazzo on the front verandah. Whilst on a site visit we found the original slate from the verandah in the back garden holding up the raised vegetable garden. We re-purposed this and used them as steppers in the front garden. To enhance the design and to encourage bees and birds into the garden we included a spun copper dish from Mallee Design. A garden that we have had the very great pleasure to design and bring to life. Residential | Building Design Completed | 2020 Building Designer Nick Apps, Catnik Design Studio Landscape Designer Cathy Apps, Catnik Design Studio Construction | Catnik Design Studio Lighting | LED Outdoors_Architectural

Mid-sized contemporary backyard partial sun garden in Toronto with with flowerbed and a wood fence for spring.

The exposed front yard has regular passersby on the sidewalk with a full view of the new water feature and shade garden entry garden. A new privacy fence mimics the historic iron fence.

Allen Haren - Photography
Inspiration for a mid-sized mediterranean backyard full sun xeriscape for spring in Los Angeles with natural stone pavers, with raised garden bed and a wood fence.

cedar fencing, garden lighting, porcelain paving with bullnose steps. outdoor kitchen with granite worktop, cedar gate and bin store
Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary backyard full sun garden for spring in London with a wood fence.

Expansive tropical backyard full sun formal garden in Los Angeles with with raised garden bed, concrete pavers and a wood fence for spring.

Modern landscape with different gravels and poured in place concrete.
Design ideas for a large midcentury front yard full sun driveway for spring in San Francisco with with path, gravel and a wood fence.

La terrasse et la façade se dévoilent au fur et à mesure de la progression dans le jardin
Small country front yard partial sun garden in Paris with with privacy feature, natural stone pavers and a wood fence for spring.

Asian courtyard garden in Saint Petersburg with with path, natural stone pavers and a wood fence for spring.

To create privacy and a shade garden sanctuary we used river stone stepping stones, moss rock and ferns. The raised planting bed and boulders to sit and mediate on are surrounded by Japanese maples, tree ferns and fragrant shrubs. This shade garden is magical.

Inspiration for a small modern front yard full sun xeriscape for spring in Los Angeles with a garden path, concrete pavers and a wood fence.