Ruth Willmott
Design ideas for a mid-sized modern backyard formal garden in London.

Matt Gamble Photography
Mid-sized transitional backyard garden in London with gravel.

Gorgeous modern landscape with clean lines and exquisite detail.
Design ideas for a mid-sized modern backyard shaded garden in Dallas with with rock feature, river rock and a wood fence.

Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary backyard formal garden in Other with a water feature and gravel.

Mid-sized modern backyard full sun xeriscape in Houston with a container garden and concrete pavers for spring.

Photo By: Jude Parkinson-Morgan
This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary backyard garden in San Francisco with a water feature and gravel.

Design ideas for a mid-sized traditional backyard full sun garden for spring in Austin with a retaining wall.

Traditional Style Fire Feature - the Prescott Fire Pit - using Techo-Bloc's Prescott wall & Piedimonte cap.
Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional backyard full sun garden for summer in DC Metro with a fire feature and natural stone pavers.

Photo of a mid-sized country backyard full sun garden in Atlanta.

Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary backyard shaded garden in San Francisco with a water feature and concrete pavers.

Lincoln shadowbox (solid board) privacy fence designed and installed by Dakota Unlimited.
Mid-sized country backyard garden in Minneapolis.

The flower bed is full of stone rocks, evergreen plants, and pops of color.
Design ideas for a mid-sized traditional backyard partial sun xeriscape for summer in Denver with gravel.

Photo shows Japanese Tea House west side. The gravel path contains a Japanese dry river bed and an Inukshuk sculpture, metaphysically designed. The surrounding garden is the inner Roji garden and contains a Roji stepping stone path designed with a metaphysical pattern. pattern. Photo credits:Dan Drobnick

Contemporary backyard with plenty of play space and entertaining area. Custom built cubby house for the kids matching the style of the house. Porphyry stone clad walls with bluestone capping and pavers. Frameless glass pool fence. Garden lighting. Photography © thepicturedesk.com.au

Photo of a mid-sized contemporary backyard shaded formal garden in Philadelphia with gravel and a garden path.

Photo of a mid-sized traditional backyard full sun formal garden in Seattle with a water feature and gravel.

Gorgeous modern landscape with clean lines and exquisite detail.
This is an example of a mid-sized modern backyard shaded garden in Dallas with with rock feature, river rock and a wood fence.

Yorkstone patio surrounded by colourful planting with stylish lounge seating and sunshade in garden with 2 patios, pretty shed, lawn and glorious borders

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.