Savvy Side Yard: Five Favorite Features in Sacramento

1. Trellis for Shade. Coated aluminum trellis overhead provides shade while letting daylight bathe a privacy wall and fountain.

2. Floral Backdrop. Drought- and heat-tolerant gaura, lavender, salvia draw the eye to the back fence.

3. Longer Patio. New patio roomier than replaced deck; rosy cocoa tiles and pavers enhance expansive feel.

4. Curving Seat Wall. Topped with Arizona flagstone, curves from patio end to firepit.

5. Fountain. Freestanding stucco-faced wall, 3 feet from property line, painted persimmon, masks neighbor’s home. Water spills through a slit, falls through cobbles into underground basin, recirculates.

INFO: Remodel cost $24,000 (design, walls, firepit, fountain, trellis, installation) + $4,300 paint/tile. Design: Roberta Walker Landscape Design, Sacramento; for Josh and Rosemary Rubinstein.