Backyard Oasis: A Garden That Evolved Over Two Years

From Patio to Paradise The most impressive landscapes sometimes arent planned—they just evolve. When Kendra Phelps and Norbert Kappel installed a new flagstone patio in their San Jose side yard, they had no intention of

Rock Stars: Designing with Stone for a Natural Look

Romancing the Stone When Hendrikus Schraven places rocks in home landscapes, he positions them to look as though time and the elements simply revealed a stonescape that had been there forever. Experience helps—Schraven h

The Case for (and Against) a Synthetic Lawn

The Allure of Real Grass Theres something beautiful and comforting about mown grass—whether youre throwing a ball, lying in the shade, or sitting outside on a warm night. Writer Wallace Stegner, who grew up in dry Saskat

Rock Walls: Timeless Beauty for Western Gardens

Enduring Appeal Rock walls look better than ever as gardeners across the West give a fresh spin to a landscape classic. They suit many garden styles—charmingly rustic or sleek and contemporary, like the wall designed by

Lessons from Butchart Gardens: Ideas to Adapt at Home

Beyond the Spectacle At first glance, Butchart Gardens appears lavish and theatrical—a sort of horticultural Hollywood. But look closely and youll find plenty of ideas to adapt in your own garden. Practical Takeaways Ha

A High-Style Courtyard Garden in Santa Fe

An Unclassifiable Space Unclassifiable might be the best adjective for Gwill Newmans courtyard garden. It has many elements of a classic Santa Fe courtyard—heavily plastered walls with sensuous rounded edges, deep shady

DIY Cylindrical Pot Cover for a Living Christmas Tree

Project Overview This easy-to-make cylindrical surround masks the pot of a living Christmas tree. Its wrapped in ribbons and sized to the height and width of the pot, which sits in a waterproof saucer (elevate the saucer

Creating a Naturalistic Stream Garden in Fort Bragg

Inspiration Strikes One spring day, as rain-splashed flagstone in her Fort Bragg, California front yard created the illusion of a pond, Sarah Forseter realized her garden was missing a vital element: a water feature. Wit

Surreal Succulents: A Fantasy Garden at Ganna Walska Lotusland

Salvador Dalí Meets the Desert Landscape designer Eric Nagelmann created a theatrical display for a collection of 300 rare columnar cacti donated by Merritt Dunlap at Ganna Walska Lotusland in Santa Barbara. Tons of boul

Summer Romance: A Courtyard for Dining and Intimate Gatherings

Maximizing a Pie-Shaped Lot On a small pie-shaped lot in Fresno, designers Bob Truxell and John Valentino created a contemporary courtyard serving as both entryway and outdoor living area. Squeezed between two house wing

So Long, Lawn: Replacing Turf with a Water-Wise Tapestry

From Thirsty Grass to Year-Round Beauty Seattle designer Stacie Crooks replaced much of her lawn with a mixture of perennials and shrubs that survive on half the water. On a moderate slope, the new beds offer a sweeping

Desert Views in Scottsdale: Zen-Like Serenity

Blurring Boundaries with the Desert This Scottsdale, Arizona garden achieves Zen-like serenity through simplicity. Views of Black Mountain and the desert panorama are framed by a giant window in a wall, and an infinity-e

Three Elements of a Great Garden Path

The Journey Matters as Much as the Destination A great path slows you down, revealing surprises—choice plants, scents, vistas, flowers for cutting. Landscape architect Michael Buccino says, Traveling through is as import

Rolling Stones: A Hilltop Garden Overlooking Puget Sound

Stonework Enhances a Spectacular View Designed and built by Hendrikus Schraven, this Bow, Washington garden overlooks Puget Sound. Jurors praised its superb stonework—over 330 tons of rock craned up a 75-foot cliff to fo

Northern California Planting and Maintenance Guide

Planting Bulbs: Zones 7-9, 14-17: Early fall for spring bloomers. Less common types: baboon flower (Babiana), corn lily (Ixia), grape hyacinth (Muscari), harlequin flower (Sparaxis), Homeria, ranunculus, Tritonia, speci

Southern California Style: Worth a Trip – Seaside Gardens Nursery

Year-Round Interest in a Mediterranean Climate Robert Abe, co-owner of Seaside Gardens nursery in Carpinteria, believes gardens should look interesting every month. He dedicated nearly 2 acres to demonstration gardens pl

Designing with Nature in Mill Valley: A Japanese-Inspired Garden

Gardening with Nature Richard Ward fell in love with Japanese gardening after moving from NYC to Mill Valley. He built a raked-gravel pond over an old concrete patio, with a crushed-granite stream winding to it. Boulders

Santa Rosa, California: Bathing Beauty – An Outdoor Soaking Tub Garden

A Garden Room for a Soaking Tub Anne-Marie and Jeff Allen, designers and homeowners in Santa Rosa, placed their soaking tub outdoors amid a beautiful garden. The tub, originally for cleaning tools and chilling drinks, wa

A Cozy Courtyard in Albuquerque: From Wasteland to Retreat

Transforming a Brushy Backyard Judy Propper and Tom Cartledge bought a home in Albuquerques Sandia Heights with a backyard wasteland of brush and scraggly fruit trees. They hired landscape architect Alana Markle after ta

Mix Greens in Your Garden: Growing Mesclun for Fresh Salads

What Is Mesclun? In the Mediterranean, mesclun is a mix of young lettuces and piquant greens (arugula, chervil, endive in France; chicory, curly endive, escarole in Italy). Todays baby greens mixes can contain any greens