Bluestone steppers connect the concrete front walk to the breezeway between the house and garage.
Design ideas for a mid-sized modern front yard partial sun garden in Milwaukee with with path and natural stone pavers.

This Minnesota Artisan Tour showcase home features stone in spaces that it will be enjoyed the most. ORIJIN STONE Connemara™ Sandstone is used for the front walkway and stoop, premium ORIJIN Blue Select Bluestone is used for the custom stair treads as well as the custom fire place surround. An expansive ORIJIN Ferris™ Limestone patio is found in the backyard, creating an entertaining space that continues under the deck. Eden Prairie, MN residence. DESIGN & INSTALL: MN Green Landscaping BUILDER: Wooddale Builders, Inc. PHOTOGRAPHY: Landmark Photography

Country garden in Atlanta with with path and natural stone pavers.

Removed old, tired landscape, and a large, diseased tree was taken down in front, which opened up view to house. We put in a very linear planting to emphasize the low-slung lines of the house. Redo of the landing and sidewalk to a generous size, in Smoky Mountain cleft stone, with a little accent wall to anchor the coach light. Also, repaved the atrium inside, with a bright Arctic Sandblast stone, to bring light to the dark interior.

When I came to this property not only was the landscape a scrappy mess the property also had some very real grading and drainage issues that were jeopardizing the safety of this house. As recent transplants from New Jerseys to Southern California these clients were in awe of all the plants they were seeing in their neighborhood. Living on the water at the Ventura harbor they wanted to be able to take full advantage or the outdoor lifestyle and cool ocean breeze. Being environmentally conscious citizens, these clients were very concerned that their garden was designed with sustainability as a leading factor. As they said in our initial consultation, “Would want or garden be part of the solution not part of the problem.” This property is the last house on the bottom of a gently sloping street. All the water from the neighbor’s houses drain onto this property. When I came into this project the back yard sloped into the house. When it would rain the water would pool up against the house causing water damage. To address the drainage we employed several tactics. Firstly, we had to invert the slope in the back yard so that water would not pool against the house. We created a very minor slope going away from the house so that water drains away but so the patio area feels flat. The back of the back yard had an existing retaining wall made out of shabby looking slump stone. In front of that retaining wall we created a beautiful natural stone retaining wall. This retain wall severs many purposes. One it works as a place to put some of the soil removed from the grading giving this project a smaller carbon foot print (moving soil of a site burns a lot of fossil fuel). The retaining wall also helps obscure the shabby existing retaining wall and allows for planting space above the footing from the existing retaining wall. The soil behind the ne retaining wall is slightly lower than the top of the wall so that when the run on water on from the neighbor’s property flows it is slowed down and absorbed before it has a chance to get near the house. Finally, the wall is at a height designed to serve as overflow seating as these clients intend to have occasional large parties and gatherings. Other efforts made to help keep the house safe and dry are that we used permeable paving. With the hardscape being comprised of flag stone with gravel in-between water has a chance to soak into the ground so it does not flow into spots where it will pool up. The final element to help keep the house dry is the addition of infiltration swales. Infiltration swales are depressions in the landscape that capture rain water. The down spouts on the sides of the houses are connected to pipe that goes under the ground and conveys the water to the swales. In this project it helps move rain water away from the house. In general, these Infiltration swales are a powerful element in creating sustainable landscapes. These swales capture pollutants that accumulate on the roof and in the landscape. Biology in the soil in the swales can break down these pollutants. When run of watered is not captured by soil on a property the dirty water flows into water ways and then the ocean were the biology that breaks down the pollutants is not as prolific. This is particularly important in this project as it drains directly into the harbor. The water that is absorbed in to the swales can replenish aquafers as well as increasing the water available to the plants planted in that area recusing the amount of water that is needed from irrigation. When it came to the planting we went with a California friendly tropical theme. Using lots of succulents and plants with colorful foliage we created vibrant lush landscape that will have year around color. We planted densely (the images in the picture were taken only a month after installation). Taller drought tolerant plants to help regulate the temperature and loss of water from the plants below them. The dense plantings will help keep the garden, the house and even the neighborhood cooler on hot days, will provide spaces for birds to enjoy and will create an illusion of depth in a somewhat narrow space. Today this garden is a space these homeowners can fully enjoy while having the peace of mind that their house is protected from flooding and they are helping the environment.

Photo of a contemporary front yard driveway in San Francisco with with path and natural stone pavers.

The ALL Landscaping crew crafted this beautiful rustic stone walkway & landing for Newton, MA clients in 2013. We think this style complements the property well! Interested to see what we can do for your outdoor space? It's never too early to think of spring -- give us a call today and we'll get a project set up for you so you can enjoy your dream outdoor space this summer. Call (508) 351-9883 or email AllLandscapingCo@gmail.com for your FREE consultation today.

This is an example of a large traditional backyard partial sun formal garden in San Francisco with with path and natural stone pavers.

Nothing is more charming than a quiet garden path complete with stone pavers, wildflowers, and the view of a cozy firepit in the distance.
Design ideas for a large transitional side yard garden in Salt Lake City with with path and natural stone pavers.

Design ideas for a backyard garden in Cleveland with natural stone pavers and with path.

Blue stone walkway and steps in Edina, Minnesota by English Stone.
Design ideas for a mid-sized traditional front yard garden in Minneapolis with natural stone pavers and with path.

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 summer, this space is an immersive walk through a naturalistic and pollinator rich planting scheme.

This is an example of a small contemporary garden in Other with with path, natural stone pavers and a wood fence.

Balinese style water garden including a pond less waterfall and 18’ stream, crossed by a custom made wooden bridge and stone mosaic pathway. 12’ x 16’ Pergola custom built to enjoy the sound of the running water.

Walkway
Inspiration for an arts and crafts front yard garden in DC Metro with with path and natural stone pavers.

Inspiration for a large traditional front yard full sun garden for summer in Philadelphia with with path and natural stone pavers.

Through planting bed layout, careful use of plant height and color, we created a welcoming nook for the home and patio space.
This is an example of a mid-sized traditional front yard full sun garden for summer in Milwaukee with with path and natural stone pavers.

Landscape by Kim Rooney Fire, Water, Wood, & Rock - A Northwest modern garden for family and friends
Inspiration for a mid-sized modern backyard full sun formal garden in Seattle with with path and natural stone pavers.

Balinese style water garden including a pond less waterfall and 18’ stream, crossed by a custom made wooden bridge and stone mosaic pathway. 12’ x 16’ Pergola custom built to enjoy the sound of the running water.