Modern Wisconsin Garden: Soft Geometry Meets Midcentury Architecture

Milwaukee homeowners Bob Gruendyke and Chrissy Kruger-Gruendyke refused to let Wisconsin winters deter their Southern California modernist garden vision. They envisioned summer nights by the fire pit in a clean-lined, low-fuss landscape—and found designer Jim Drzewiecki (Ginkgo Leaf Studio) via Houzz to make it happen.

Yard at a Glance

• Residents: Bob, Chrissy, young daughter
• Location: Milwaukee
• Size: 4,900 sq ft front yard, 5,800 sq ft backyard

Front Yard: Linear Geometry & Asian Influence

Before: Cracked driveway, unwelcoming walk, weedy beds, dying sod.

After: Drzewiecki drew from the home's architecture—color palette, materials, lines, even interior decor. Goal: appear as if house and yard were designed simultaneously. Linear walkway at an angle, broken into segments, replaces the original. Overlapping river rock and mulch beds convey subtle Asian influence. Black aluminum edging maintains crisp lines.

Plants: Green Velvet boxwood, Summer Beauty allium, northern sea oats, Skyracer moor grass, Wesuwe sage.

Backyard: Outdoor Rooms & Privacy

Before: Blank canvas—no design, just lawn. Needs: grilling, dining, fire pit, open play space, privacy from overlooking neighbors.

After: Living screen of evergreen and deciduous trees on perimeter—year-round structure plus seasonal transitions. Fire pit area with gas flame and modern Loll lounge chairs extends seasonal use.

Large concrete patio (cost-effective alternative to bluestone) features river pebble runnels carving exterior rooms and preventing monolithic feel. Architecture-trained Drzwiecki scaled outdoor rooms to relate to the house: lounge → dining → kitchen → fire pit in sequence.

Plants: Purple candles astilbe, Rozanne cranesbill, Summer Beauty allium, Skyracer moor grass.

Master Suite Connection

Before: Covered porch ended abruptly—nowhere to go.

After: Patio flows directly from house, grounding it. Porch transformed into grill/outdoor kitchen.

Shade Garden & Low Maintenance

Before: Neighbor's deck overlooked yard.

After: Screened views, new plantings for seasonal change. Muted palette with natives/cultivars. Ornamental grasses and late perennials extend fall interest; evergreens hold winter structure. Timer-automated drip irrigation. "Low-maintenance—just trimming, weeding, lawn care," says Kruger-Gruendyke.

Plants: The Rocket ragwort, Elegans hosta, Twist-n-Shout hydrangea, Summer Beauty allium, purple candles astilbe, northern sea oats.

"After long Wisconsin winters, we're excited to entertain, enjoy family time, or simply relax outdoors," Kruger-Gruendyke shares.