Backyard Oasis

A great example of how a few changes can completely refine the feel of a yard. This yard was very linear — the home, the yard, the deck, the grass, and the retaining wall were all corners and angles. We wanted to eliminate the straight lines and add some interest with curves.

The lower, flat portion of the yard was lawn, and the client wanted to eliminate it and reduce her water use. We saw an opportunity to create a focal point: we removed the old, rotted retaining wall and created two dry ponds that fill with water, one spilling into the other during heavy rain, and stay dry the rest of the year. Around the ponds, we added plants for a more natural appearance.

The lower part of the yard was dominated by an aging deck. We removed it and poured a smaller, semi-circular concrete patio, and covered the rest of the flat surface with gold fines decomposed granite to tidy up the look. After removing half of the wood retaining wall on the side yard and replacing it with a sinuous rock wall, we were able to showcase the smoke bush there, restoring a point of interest that had been lost.

The hillside had been mostly ice plant. We added several drought-tolerant plants to the slope behind the ponds, bringing new color and texture to the hillside. Shredded bark helps everything pop, controls weeds, and protects the soil from the sun.