Eclectic San Jose Garden: Roman Columns, Indonesian Furniture, and a Philippine Fire Bowl

Eclectic San Jose Garden: Roman Columns, Indonesian Furniture, and a Philippine Fire Bowl Bob and Linda Shelbys backyard celebrates adventure, not one place. Roman columns, Indonesian furniture, Asian lanterns, Philippin

Authentic Southwest Ramada: Tohono O'odham-Built Twig Shelter for Tucson Entertaining

Authentic Southwest Ramada: Tohono Oodham-Built Twig Shelter for Tucson Entertaining When Ann and Mike Liebert throw parties, guests gravitate to the ramada—a twiggy, three-sided shelter with downtown Tucson views, desig

Layered Border Design: Eight-Year-Old Southern California Garden with Butterfly Bushes, Salvias, and Kangaroo Paws

Layered Border Design: Eight-Year-Old Southern California Garden with Butterfly Bushes, Salvias, and Kangaroo Paws Nursery owner Mia McCarville planted this border eight years ago in Norm and Lynn Ginsburgs garden. It co

Mexican-Inspired Townhouse Garden in Scotts Valley: Stucco Wall, Blue Fountain, and Bougainvillea

Mexican-Inspired Townhouse Garden in Scotts Valley: Stucco Wall, Blue Fountain, and Bougainvillea At the base of the Santa Cruz Mountains west of Silicon Valley, this 430-sq-ft townhouse garden feels like a remote Mexica

Miniature Garden Tray: Irish Moss, Scotch Moss, and Lady's Slipper Orchids in Copper

Miniature Garden Tray: Irish Moss, Scotch Moss, and Ladys Slipper Orchids in Copper Irish moss and Scotch moss combine with ladys slipper orchids (Paphiopedilum) to create the illusion of a garden in a 14-inch square cop

Shady Retreat: Reclaiming a San Jose Backyard Corner

Jan Colemans San Jose backyard corner has had two lives. Thirty years ago, small trees allowed sunbathing on a deck. As trees matured and blocked light, Coleman, with designer Sally Edwards, tore out the deck and reclaim

Entry Facelift: Driveway Transformation in Menlo Park

An entryway is like a business card, says garden designer Laurie Callaway. It tells people something about you. Most of all, it should be inviting. When Callaway redesigned Mary and Edward Solomons Menlo Park front yard,

Jewel-Box Terrace: Big Amenities in 17 by 15 Feet

Who says outdoor living requires space? This cheerful West Hollywood garden, inspired by owner Marcia Smiths Mexican beach resort visit, packs amenities into 17 by 15 feet. Landscape designers Pamela Berstler and Alex St

New Desert Garden Respects Tucson Tradition

Landscape designer Debra Huffman wanted her new Tucson garden to blend into its older neighborhood, so she used traditional plants and hardscape materials evoking the areas roots. For street privacy, she installed an old

Kensington, California: Jigsaw Puzzle Entry Garden

Modern art and landscape design collide in a playful 25-by-30-foot entry garden that reinvents paving. Landscape architects Mathew Henning, Heather Anderson, and Emily Payne developed a jigsaw puzzle of irregularly shape

Gallery on the Green: Sculpture in a Berkeley Garden Renovation

Historic architecture meets contemporary garden at Art Berliner and Laura Werlins Berkeley property, designed by landscape architect Randy Thueme. Jurors praised the simple, modern approach and superb integration of outd

Rock Garden Tapestry: Alpine Beauty at 8,000 Feet in Evergreen, Colorado

Gardening in Evergreen, Colorado (8,000 ft. elevation) is daunting: snow in June and August, 90° days dropping to 40° nights, poor rocky soil, dry conditions, and grazing deer and elk. Yet Master Gardener Lori Lapp culti

Dressing Up a Deck: Containers Over a Spring-Fed Pond

After enlarging a spring-fed pond on their Redmond, Washington property, Vi and Don Kono added an overhanging fir-plank deck — a serene summer retreat that also gives fish escape from herons. Vi, a landscape designer, dr

Small-Yard Secrets: Maximizing 1,500 Square Feet in Oakland

Landscape architect Tomi Kobara wanted open areas and intimate nooks from her Oakland backyard makeover — challenging at barely 1,500 square feet. She started with an overall plan for structure, flow, and focal points, t

Falling Waters: Simple, Elegant Fountain Designs

Pleasure isnt complicated, and neither are beautiful fountains. The timeless designs here reduce to a few elements: a great pot, a pump, some pipe, and a spout to splash water back into a reservoir. Simple but elegant. O

Backyard Firepits: From Built-In to Portable Options

Summer evenings by a crackling fire are a Western pleasure — and you dont need to camp to enjoy it. Firepits bring that experience home. Types of Firepits Aboveground built-in. Stone, rock, or concrete walls (18–24 in.

A Tribute to Muriel: Honoring a Fuchsia Hybridizer's Legacy

The spirit of Muriel Waltz, a famous 1940s–60s fuchsia hybridizer who ran a commercial nursery on this Lake County property, still haunts the land — and Juliet Wood loves it. She retained most of Muriels plants, built a

A Dream Comes True: DIY Tiered Pond and Garden in Oakland

Deterred by high professional bids, Catherine Burns and Michael Monroe tackled their Oakland garden remodel themselves — six months of weekend work later, their dream garden was complete. Starting from mostly dirt and we

On a Tiki Beach in Carlsbad: A Tropical Backyard Retreat

Robb Greens childhood love of Hawaii inspired his Carlsbad backyard transformation with designer Greg Vasilieff. Instead of a full canopy, tropical plants line the property edges and an island bed near the patio, leaving

Converting a Cold Frame to a Hotbed: Electric Heating Cable Installation for Seed Starting

Converting a Cold Frame to a Hotbed: Electric Heating Cable Installation for Seed Starting To speed seed germination and rooting of cuttings, convert your cold frame to a hotbed. Making a Hotbed Add electric heating cab