There was a lot to work with as the yard was a “tabula rasa” and we were able to start from scratch. We were inspired by the family’s appreciation of modern and Asian-influenced design and came up with a vision for the yard. Steve is a pro at Sketchup and put together a model so they could see what the finished product would look like or at least what we hoped it would look like.
The overall idea was to install a landscaped border with native plants, two seating areas with pergolas and screens, new planter-boxes to conceal some not-so-attractive handrails, and pathways were envisioned to create a sort of backyard oasis. It was an ambitious project and it took all of our skills to pull it off.
There was a lot of digging and planting and paver-placing, and woodworking involved. Installation took just over a month as the whole family pitched in with all aspects of the project. Steve and I learned a thing or two in the process as well. 
Hurricane lamps, planters, and furniture provided the final accents in the garden. All in all it was strenuous but fun project to take on and everyone seems pleased with the outcome. 
I think I've come away with a little inspiration and energy to start taking on some bigger projects on my own at the Tiny Bungalow. Hopefully the weather is good for the Fourth of July Weekend and I can kick-start those projects.
6 comments:
The finished job looks very professional from the photos. Whomever did the SketchUp needs to do it as a business! Looks awesome! Very pro looking to me. Ive spent a little time with it, and cant do much more than the basic boxes.
One question though... Why the two separate seating areas? One for the mother in law? :) J/K of course! I would make on of them a BBQ area at least.
I'm not a big fan of the 3-5 foot surround next to the fences. Both of my brothers have homes and they removed that unused space and tore out the bushes and their backyards look much bigger now. If this was my backyard I would at least plant fruit trees and berries alongside the fencing, so you at least get something in return for the unused space.
My house and yard arent very big, so for me Im trying to maximize every square foot possible.
Yeah, Steve is actually a professional so they should look good. The bbq area is adjacent to the driveway, on the other side of the fence, near the kitchen. The second area is for the kids to have their own patio. Most of the layout is a result of the needs of the owner and their somewhat challenged landscape and yardkeeping skills. If it were for someone that knew how to tend things, there might be different plant choices. Everything is native and should fill-in with little or no tending. The yard opens to a large public park in the back (we should all be so lucky) so having open-ness and play areas within this space is not much of an issue at all.
We were just there this weekend and it looks great. It got rave reviews from all of their friends...but then if it looked bad, I don't think they would have said so. ha! I also liked the selection of greenery. And the look out to the public park is as dramatic as the seating areas are serene.
this looks awesome! I can hardly wait until you guys plant some things.
D, you kill me. We are done planting there. Just a little spread out now because stuff needs to grow up/in a bit.
Oh my gosh, this looks fabulous! I knew you tinkered with woodworking (your shelving units from some time back), but this is really, really nice. It's a completely different space!
Post a Comment