This is an example of a mid-sized modern front yard garden in Perth with concrete pavers and with lawn edging.

The view of Cat Mountain from the street really shows the privacy of the patios below. The long steel planters separate the lawn from the front beds and add direction to the entrance. This photo was taken by Ryann Ford.

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.

A complete view of this stunning front yard gives the full scope of the space- the lawn, shrubs, retaining walls, gravel, and pavers. This home is a prime example of the benefit of hiring a landscape design and installation team can do for a space.

Bundy Drive Brentwood, Los Angeles modern home outdoor golf putting green. Photo by Simon Berlyn.
This is an example of a large modern side yard full sun outdoor sport court in Los Angeles with with lawn edging.

Livit Site + Structure, Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, 2022 Regional CotY Award Winner, Residential Landscape Design/Outdoor Living Over $250,000
Photo of a large modern front yard driveway in Minneapolis with with lawn edging.

Photo of a modern backyard full sun garden for summer in San Diego with with lawn edging, concrete pavers and a stone fence.

This is an example of a large modern side yard xeriscape in San Luis Obispo with with lawn edging and decomposed granite.

a suspended wood trellis and smooth stucco provide the palette for a modernist backyard featuring a new pool, fire pit and seating
This is an example of a mid-sized modern backyard full sun formal garden in Orange County with with lawn edging and concrete pavers.

Mid-sized modern backyard full sun xeriscape in Santa Barbara with gravel, a wood fence and with lawn edging for spring.

Landscape Design & Build, with Stone Veneer Installed Porch - Hanover, PA
This is an example of a small modern front yard partial sun formal garden for summer in Other with with lawn edging and mulch.

Photo of a large modern backyard full sun xeriscape in Phoenix with with lawn edging and brick pavers.

A grass path through a rock garden featuring a large rock fountain.
Mid-sized modern courtyard partial sun garden in Los Angeles with gravel and with lawn edging for spring.

Residential home in Santa Cruz, CA This stunning front and backyard project was so much fun! The plethora of K&D's scope of work included: smooth finished concrete walls, multiple styles of horizontal redwood fencing, smooth finished concrete stepping stones, bands, steps & pathways, paver patio & driveway, artificial turf, TimberTech stairs & decks, TimberTech custom bench with storage, shower wall with bike washing station, custom concrete fountain, poured-in-place fire pit, pour-in-place half circle bench with sloped back rest, metal pergola, low voltage lighting, planting and irrigation! (*Adorable cat not included)

Residential home in Santa Cruz, CA This stunning front and backyard project was so much fun! The plethora of K&D's scope of work included: smooth finished concrete walls, multiple styles of horizontal redwood fencing, smooth finished concrete stepping stones, bands, steps & pathways, paver patio & driveway, artificial turf, TimberTech stairs & decks, TimberTech custom bench with storage, shower wall with bike washing station, custom concrete fountain, poured-in-place fire pit, pour-in-place half circle bench with sloped back rest, metal pergola, low voltage lighting, planting and irrigation! (*Adorable cat not included)

Clean lines are displayed in this design with the bluestone walkway and edging repeated through the turf areas and levels.
Photo of an expansive modern front yard garden in New York with natural stone pavers and with lawn edging.

This is an example of a large and desert look modern front yard full sun xeriscape for summer in Los Angeles with a garden path, with lawn edging, with rock feature and concrete pavers.

This is an example of a small modern front yard partial sun garden for summer in Other with with lawn edging and concrete pavers.

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This is an example of an expansive modern front yard full sun garden for summer in Other with with lawn edging and decking.