Garden Rooms Around a Green Core: A New Jersey Backyard Tour

Architect John Conroy of Princeton Design Collaborative transformed a shady 1/8-acre Lawrenceville backyard into a multipurpose oasis — storage, outdoor rooms, circulation, and an edible garden — all woven into existing mature trees. The homeowner, a bachelor who loves hands-on projects, now entertains outdoors spring through fall.

Working With What Exists

"People want to clear-cut and start over," Conroy says. "We kept the trees." Only one removed. The canopy shades the house (AC rarely needed) and acts as a living ceiling for the entire yard. A central grass rectangle with brick-and-hosta border anchors the design; garden rooms tuck around it. Vegetable potager at the far end; dining and lounging terraces near the house for easy kitchen access.

An Arbor as Hallway and Threshold

A long cedar arbor connects front to back, hinting at backyard surprises. Gravel path (half-inch stone plus fines for compaction) stays put. Reclaimed stones from a friend's parents edge the path. The arbor's contemporary crispness comes from cedar, copper plumbing pieces, and stainless screws — all from Home Depot.

Living Walls Soften Structure

Sweet Autumn clematis and male kiwi (non-fruiting, leaves shift green-pink-white) climb the arbor. Built around an existing Japanese maple — architecture yielding to nature.

Sculptural Storage Pavilion

Tucked in a far corner: cedar siding, metal roof, copper accents echo the arbor. Reused architectural sample windows create a modern bay-window effect. Visible from house — functional but beautiful.

Repurposed Elements as Art

The homeowner dismantled his parents' dilapidated redwood picnic bench, remilled it into an obelisk balancing the shed's mass. "Very handy guy," Conroy notes. Rejected brick samples from a firm project pave the koi pond area.

Tranquil Koi Pond Sequence

Along the arbor behind the obelisk: water spouts from an arbor post into upper pond, cascades via trough to lower pond, pumps back up. Bluestone (matching house terrace) surrounds it; pond edging doubles as bench. A beam extension holds a hanging plant.

The Big Picture

Master plan executed over years, piece by piece. Cat Chandigarh approves the lounge terrace. Next: house exterior and front yard. This yard proves small shady lots can be rich, layered, and deeply livable.