Grid-Design Front Garden: Privacy and Openness in Los Altos

Elegant Simplicity in a Small Space

A 1,500-square-foot front garden in Los Altos, California, designed by Robert Truxell for his brother Bill, uses a clever grid fence and gate that provide privacy while maintaining openness. A pathway jogs under crape myrtles, which offer four-season drama: bronzy spring leaves, summer flowers, colorful fall foliage, and sculptural winter branches.

Welcoming Entry

The new gate and fence make the front door easy to find. Jurors praised the design as “very welcoming” and a “brilliant manipulation of a small space.”