Updating a backyard and patio

Here's a recently completed project, bringing in a lot of new plants -- mostly succulents -- and using a few existing plants to create a wonderful palette.

BEFORE/In Process

AFTER: Newly Planted/New Pavers

AFTER Detail Just Planted, Will Fill In

Traditional (Climate-Appropriate) Front Garden

AFTER DETAIL 6 months after planting

This was a fun project in a wonderful area of Pasadena. The house was lovely, but the landscape had not been updated in many years, and there was absolutely no buffer from the street.
The changes we made have had huge impact, even though it's only been six months since we planted.

BEFORE

AFTER

AFTER

AFTER

Planting four Crape Myrtle Trees along the sidewalk created a boundary along a rather busy intersection. I will try to catch them in bloom in a couple months!

BEFORE

AFTER

The Daylillies are just beginning to bloom, and everything is starting to fill in. When the trees grow larger, there will be even more privacy from the street.

BEFORE

AFTER

Eagle Rock Backyard

This large urban backyard was dead lawn, full sun, minimal shade, and did not give my clients any reason to spend time outdoors. They wanted a patio, fountain, drought-tolerant plantings, more shade, and a large open area for parties, etc. So we made the DG pathway serve as an open area to accommodate tables and chairs when needed, and as a generous pathway to take you through a riot of tough but beautiful trees and plants.

AFTER: New Patio and Plantings

BEFORE: Backyard at my first visit

AFTER: Newly Planted, DG just laid

AFTER: Less than 2 Years Later

AFTER: Fountain Beside New Patio

Before and After: From Lawn to Succulents and More

Here is another lawn conversion that gave this home a significant update. The client wanted room between plants. Plants were planted about 4 months ago, so they are just starting to fill in. There will be a lot more flowers as Spring goes on, and the plants will really fill out over the next few years.

Before (Google Maps)

The lawn was patchy and the shrubs were dated.
The client wanted a nice mix of succulents, especially Aloes, with some low-water, flowering perennials.

After

After Detail

We continued the boulder motif, inspired by a couple large boulders already on site. We brought them out of hiding, and added more. The small boulders help fill in space while the plants are small.

Whimsical Garden in Pasadena

The moment I met with this client, I was so impressed with her love for plants, her love for her garden and her sense of whimsy! What a fun project!

Working within a large range of plant varieties

We started with the homeowner's attempts to create an interesting border along a stepping stone path. Her concept was there, but she needed help bringing it to life.

BEFORE

AFTER

The new stone pathway is of a beautiful almost iridescent gray stone called Tumbled Idaho. We helped her get the lawn rebate, planting Ceanothus in the former lawn area.
We trimmed, relocated, and cleaned up many of her existing plants, and added some repetition of new plant selections to give some structure to all the magical variety!

BEFORE

AFTER

One of the most challenging projects I face is to start with an existing garden that the client wants to keep to some extent. You must work with existing plants, trimming them, possibly relocating them, keeping the spirit of the existing garden, while taking it up a few notches. I find that I must use the limitations of the existing garden to connect with the as yet undeveloped vision that the client has for her yard, and make that vision come to life.