Front Yard Edible Garden Design for a Bay Area Bungalow

Kendra and Chris in their front yard edible garden with chickens.

Kendra and Chris moved to San Leandro (a small town in the East Bay) for yard space. Although there was much they liked about city living in their 20s, Kendra grew up gardening with her dad and grandfather, and longed for room to grow her own veggies and get her hands dirty in a kitchen garden.

Chris and Kendra fell in love with their 1924 bungalow when they found it, plus, it had significant yard space. The only challenge: all of the available space was in the front yard, as home additions over the past 100 years had eaten into the backyard.

Kendra saw the large front lawn as an opportunity. Instead of keeping the water-intensive sod, Kendra worked with the Yardzen design team to create a functional front yard, featuring edible and pollinator-supporting plants, and space to gather with friends and neighbors.

The front lawn and hedge before Yardzen wasn’t an eyesore, but it required a lot of water, and fell short of Kendra and Chris’s functional needs.

THE DESIGN & INSPIRATION

Kendra, who is also Yardzen’s Marketing Director, started her front yard design & build journey when she joined the young company in 2019. Every employee receives a gifted design, and she got started right away, working with her design team to create a functional front yard that celebrates the beauty and pleasure of California living.

Image via Homestead Design Collective

Chris and Kendra’s top requests:

• Space for year-round fruits and vegetables that maximized sun

• Easy-to-maintain hardscaping to replace the large lawn – a waste of space and detriment to the environment, especially in California

• A mix of pollinator plants in and around the beds

• Low-water trees for shade

• Space to gather with friends and family in the front yard

Image via Pine House Edible Garden

Note: Yardzen does not currently offer planting plans for raised beds as part of a design package – Kendra selected the plants in the containers herself. Here are a few easy edible garden plans for inspiration.

When selecting inspiration photos for the front yard edible landscaping, Kendra and Chris turned to some of their favorite California landscape designers for garden ideas, including Homestead Design Collective, Pine House Edible Gardens, and Growsgreen Landscaping—women-owned landscaping companies (like Yardzen!) with a love for beautiful, functional, and sustainable edible gardens.

Image via Growsgreen Landscape

EXTERIOR DESIGN FOR THE BUNGALOW

When Yardzen launched our exterior design services in 2021, Kendra was one of the first to try the new service, eager to transform the muddy beige of her home. She used Benjamin Moore White Dove for the house and Black Iron for the trim to highlight the beautiful, historic windows. Chris and Kendra hired out this work—painting a home’s exterior is a tremendous amount of work and best suited to a professional—and they are thrilled with the results. The bright white of the home makes all of the plants and trees in the front yard pop.

San Leandro front yard transformation

SMART DESIGN DECISIONS FOR BUDGET & BEAUTY

→ Play with heights

Yardzen’s design team played with heights throughout the yard. Fruiting olive trees interspersed between raised beds add Mediterranean charm, visual punctuation, and spatial definition to the overall scene.

→ Consider olive trees

Beyond their visual impact, well-positioned olive trees also created  moments of shade for relaxing while not blocking too much sun from the other plants. Plus, they are incredibly low-water. Olive trees welcome pruning and can be kept at any height or width you like.

Note: Fruiting olive trees can be messy, although that isn’t an issue in this edible garden. For a low-maintenance solution, there are non-fruiting olive trees

→ Edibles as ornamentals

This front yard garden shows that fruit trees and vegetable gardens have a place in landscape design. A couple favorite edibles that also double as beautiful ornamental plants include artichokes, sage, rosemary, kale, cabbage, and eggplant.

Blooming artichokes serve both decorative and pollinator-supporting purposes in the garden

→ Give old materials a new life

Instead of replacing their red front walkway, Chris and Kendra opted to paint the front walkway so that it mimics unfinished concrete. This decision alone saved several thousand dollars and reduced their construction waste.

→ Get creative with borders and boundaries

Just as this garden gets creative with heights, it also rethinks garden borders. The design incorporates many spill-over plants, including creeping thyme (a great lawn replacement) and watermelons, which save room for other veggies by spilling over the sides of f the raised garden beds.

→ Gravel!

Gravel has many merits as a ground cover—it’s easy to maintain, requires no water, and is inexpensive.

PREPPING THE SPACE

For budget reasons, Kendra and Chris did some DIY work prepping the space and worked with a local, vetted contractor for the build portion of the front yard transformation. The big lift, which did take some time, was removing the hedge and lawn. After tilling in the fall, they laid down cardboard and covered it with mulch (this is called sheet mulching), which decomposed over the next several months and resulted in beautiful, loamy soil in time for spring planting. 

Word to the wise: This was a time consuming process that took about 40 hours of work – most of several weekends. For many homeowners, it likely makes sense to hire out for this work.

THE BUILD OUT

Chris and Kendra hired a vetted contractor in Yardzen’s Pro Network to bring the yard and home exterior design to life. They had an $18,000 budget, which was spent primarily on materials for the raised beds, pea gravel, paint for the walkway, trees, and labor. The work took about three days to complete.

Landscaping Budget: $10,000 for labor and materials, not including seasonal vegetable starts

Exterior Budget: $8,000, including paint

THE RESULT

The front yard edible garden is a great addition to the home. Chris and Kendra spend most evenings outside in their front yard, tending the garden, drinking wine with neighbors, and chasing the chickens around. It is their favorite place to relax, reconnect, and unwind after a busy day at work. It has also become one of their favorite places to entertain friends, family, and their backyard chickens – they frequently host parties with produce straight from the garden.

Kendra and Chris agree that their upgraded home exterior and landscaping is the single best investment they have made in their house. Not only has it encouraged hundreds of hours spent outside with friends and family, but it has also significantly raised their home value – curb appeal improvements can add 15%+ to the value of your home.

Chris and Kendra’s backyard chickens are frequent visitors in the front yard where they play around the trellis

CHRIS & KENDRA’S TOP EDIBLE GARDENING TIPS

→ Start small – you can grow a lot in a little space

When living in an apartment, Kendra grew a small, yet productive, porch garden in pots. Whether you’re short on time or space, you can grow your own food in pots.  Edible plants including zucchini, peppers, eggplant, and tomatoes, as well as many herbs, all do well in pots.

→ Take care of your soil

Kendra adds homemade compost every growing season before planting (she makes her compost in a Jora Tumbler). She also rotates crops every year and adds nitrogen-fixing cover crops, like fava beans, to keep her soil fertile and her garden bountiful.

→ Deep watering

Water is a concern in the West – and throughout the country. To maximize water efficiency and minimize loss to evaporation, Kendra practices deep water twice a week in the evenings.

Pollinator-loving African blue basil

→ Plant pollinators

The key to any great garden is the presence of pollinators like bees and hummingbirds. Throughout the garden, Kendra has planted pollinator-loving plants, including native matilija poppy,  lavender and African blue basil. An edible garden can also be a flower garden!

KENDRA’S FAVORITE OUTDOOR DECOR ITEMS & GARDENING TOOLS

Garden Kit | Lulu & George
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Modern House Numbers | Schoolhouse
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Gardening Clog Boots | Smith & Hawken
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Recycled plastic Adirondack chair | Neighbor
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Original Lifeguard Straw Sun Hat | Peter Grimm
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Sage Slim Watering Hose | Pottery Barn
SHOP NOW >

DESIGNING A FUNCTIONAL FRONT YARD THAT MATCHES YOUR NEEDS AND STYLE

Yardzen's award-winning online landscaping design is tailored to clients in all fifty states in the U.S. Our design process begins with understanding your space, your aesthetic preferences, and a discussion of your budget and vision to minimize surprises when it comes time to build. 

Our top-notch designers then develop a personalized vision for your yard, shared through 3D renderings, 2D plan drawings, and plant and material lists. Your design will capture the look, feel, and function you are hoping for, all while keeping costs within range. 

Once your design is complete, we'll help you connect with a local contractor from our Pro Network of vetted professional landscapers to install your new design.

Ready to level up your curb appeal and create additional space for all the chives, swiss chard, cucumbers, and edible flowers you can grow? Create your design profile or explore our design packages today!

Stylish and Family-Friendly Ranch House Landscaping in Burlingame, CA

Jenny and Brendan were already deep into renovating their Burlingame home when they began the landscape design process. 

“We were eager to create an exterior yard that matched the style of the newly remodeled home,” explained Jenny. 

THE CHALLENGES

This would take some work. Their 1950s ranch home had an overgrown yard that “had been unkempt for years,” Jenny said. The property also sat on a significant cross slope, creating several challenges. 

Their uphill neighbor had clear views into their backyard. A fence to block that view would be crucial to achieve privacy. Walls and earthwork had to be dealt with, as well. “We had to remove a large mound of dirt and old overgrown trees to reinstall the retaining wall on the west side of our property,” Jenny said. 

They built their new wall prior to tackling their landscape design, and while it increased usable flat space in their backyard, it also added costs. Having spent more than expected on the house and wall, their landscape design would need to be cost-effective. 

At the same time, the design couldn’t fall short on function or style.

THE VISION

Jenny and Brendan envisioned a family-friendly yard that felt inviting but looked cohesive with their home’s contemporary styling—“modern but warm,” as she put it. 

In their vision, their landscape would balance room for their two young kids to romp with resources for entertaining family and friends. “We wanted a space where we could spend time both relaxing and running after our kids,” Jenny said.

To capitalize on newly-won flat space, they would tuck a fire pit in the far corner of the yard. Houseward from that, they’d install a proper built-in kitchen (Brendan loves to grill) and cozy dining table, both sheltered beneath a pergola. Much of the remaining space they planned to allocate to a play lawn for the kiddos.

In front, they aimed for a similar approach, bounding the front walls and walkways with lush planting, but reserving a sizable area for a lawn for the kids to play on.

Well aware of the need to conserve water, Jenny and Brendan were concerned about the irrigation demands of their planned lawn areas. Ultimately, they opted for artificial turf. “We chose to install turf over real grass to create a drought tolerant yard and to limit water bills and upkeep.” 

THE DESIGN

Yardzen’s design executed on Jenny and Brendan’s vision. An outdoor kitchen, complete with a BBQ and a kamado grill, tucks under a wood pergola, as does a circular dining table perfectly sized for family dinners. 

One step up, the fire pit area sits on a raised concrete slab; while subtle, the elevation change helps to distinguish the spaces while still preserving free-flowing circulation between them. Custom built-in seating wraps the outer corner of the fire pit, painted a crisp white to match the home, with a wood bench stained to complement the hue of the pergola.

Above this activity hub, a new wood fence perches atop a retaining wall, offering the privacy they’d longed for.

To navigate a grade change from the living room and primary suite down to the backyard, the design added two walk-off patios, which, Jenny says, “provide the indoor/outdoor vibe that we were dreaming of.”

In front and back, generous artificial turf lawns give the kids plenty of room to play. To Jenny’s surprise, her daughter went all-in on playing out front. “She loves to run on the grass in the front of the house, wait for our house guests, and say hi to all of our neighbors on their daily walks,” Jenny said.

THE INSTALLATION

Jenny and Brendan took advantage of Yardzen’s process to zero in on preferred design details. 

“We spent more time in the design phase refining our design so that when it came to install we were ready to move forward quickly and smoothly,” Jenny explained. “Being able to see renderings of the space really helped to seal the deal and ensure we were making the right decisions for our space,” she added.

Before breaking ground, they worked directly with their contractor to make a few final tweaks. They adjusted the position of a few plants to adapt to unanticipated onsite sun patterns, opted for scooter-friendly concrete in place of gravel in a few key areas, and add an outdoor TV to their pergola.  

They also plugged in a few extra edible plants, including blueberry bushes and lime trees.  “Our kids love to help keep up our growing garden of flowers and fruit trees,” says Jenny.

Beyond these minor adjustments, the design was installed as envisioned, and they couldn’t be happier about it. “Yardzen made our exterior design an enjoyable and seamless experience,” Jenny said. “We were able to incorporate all elements of our wishlist,” she added. “Choosing a partner in Yardzen was one of the best decisions we made.”

DESIGNING A FAMILY-FRIENDLY AND DROUGHT-TOLERANT YARD

Yardzen's award-winning online landscaping design is tailored to clients in all fifty states in the U.S. Our design process begins with understanding your space, your aesthetic preferences, and a discussion of your budget and vision to minimize surprises when it comes time to build. 

Our top-notch designers then develop a personalized vision for your yard, shared through 3D renderings, 2D plan drawings, and plant and material lists. Your design will capture the look, feel, and function you are hoping for, all while keeping costs within range. 

Once your design is complete, we'll help you connect with a local contractor from our Pro Network of vetted professional landscapers to install your new design.

Ready to level up your curb appeal or backyard landscaping with a professional design and remodel that brings your vision to life? Create your design profile or explore our design packages today!

Guide to Drought Tolerant Landscaping: What, Why, and How

As heat waves intensify and drought digs its heels in across the country, water conservation is more important than ever.

Drought tolerant front yard designed by Yardzen with low water pollinator plants and artificial turf front lawn

How serious is drought in the U.S.? Quite, as of Summer 2022, especially in the Western United States. The uptick in regulations limiting water use in places like California, Utah, Las Vegas, and even the typically rain-soaked Houston demonstrate the severity of current conditions.

Drought touches everything: ecosystems, industry, food production, city water supplies, recreation—virtually nothing is immune from a shortage of water, and that shortage is very much here.

In short: it’s a perfect time for homeowners, contractors, and landscape designers to focus on drought tolerant landscape design.

Table of Contents

What is Drought Tolerant Landscaping

Why Drought Tolerant Landscaping

How to Create a Drought Tolerant Landscape

What is Drought-Tolerant Landscaping?

Let’s walk through some definitions:

• Drought-Tolerant refers to plants that will stay happy and continue to grow when water is scarce. Native plants are frequently drought tolerant, having evolved to thrive in local conditions. Throughout the West, Artemisia and Salvia are reliable drought-tolerant (and native) winners.

• Drought-Resistant plants take it up a notch, surviving for long periods without any water at all. Many succulents like Agave, along with tough shrubs and perennials like juniper and Achillea/yarrow, are examples.

• Climate-Adapted plants originate from other parts of the world with climate conditions similar to your local region. Plants from Australia, South Africa, Chile, and the Mediterranean often perform beautifully in California’s dry conditions for example, thanks to the climate these regions share in common. Climate-adapted plants are great for reducing water demands, and some, like Russian Sage and Lavender, can be popular with pollinator species.

• Xeriscaping is an approach to landscape design and maintenance developed in the 1980’s by Denver Water. It aims for landscapes that require little to no irrigation at all—essentially the same goal as drought-tolerant or drought-resistant landscapes. Xeriscaping is commonly associated with desert landscapes heavy on decorative stone, but in fact it can be applied to virtually any landscape style, provided the design can thrive with little more than the water it receives from natural precipitation.

• Water-wise is also often used to describe water-saving drought-tolerant gardens that require little to no irrigation to thrive, but it also refers to good water management, namely capturing and infiltrating water onsite to recharge groundwater supplies.

Lest we get lost in the jargon, let’s remember that each of the above terms is engaged for a common goal: using less water in our landscapes, and being efficient with the water we do use, two goals which neatly summarize drought-tolerant landscape design.

What about Drought-Tolerant style?

To be clear: there is no single drought-tolerant style.

Drought-tolerant backyard designed by Yardzen with artificial turf, pool, and colorful low water planting

Just as native plants look different from one region to the next, so too are drought tolerant landscapes (which often feature native plants!) capable of achieving a huge range of design styles.

As with xeriscaping, the thought of drought-tolerance tends to conjure images of sun-baked rock gardens or succulent-heavy desertscapes. This is one flavor of drought tolerant design, but certainly not the only one. Provided the plants you select can get by with minimal irrigation, they can contribute to a drought-tolerant design, replete with trees, shrubs, flowering perennials, wispy grasses, or pretty much any other plant type you may desire. Not every plant is drought tolerant, but there are more drought-tolerant species out there than you probably think.

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Why Drought-Tolerant Landscaping?

Landscape irrigation makes up a sizable chunk of residential water use across the country—up to 30% on larger properties, and a staggering 60%-90% in the arid Southwest.

Lawns are the worst offenders, hogging the majority of irrigation water in most residential landscapes, particularly in hot, dry climates where lawns require vast quantities of water to survive.

Big water consumption means big opportunity. By converting water-intensive yards into drought-tolerant landscapes, we can make a meaningful and necessary reduction in water use and do our part to alleviate the widespread impact of drought.

Opportunities of Drought-Tolerant Landscaping

Drought is not exactly good news, but look on the bright side: a lot of positive opportunities come along with reimagining your yard as a drought tolerant landscape.

A low-maintenance Yardzen backyard in Napa, CA with permeable, light-colored hardscaping and artificial turf

• Low-Maintenance (and Low Cost!). Opting for drought tolerant landscaping cuts back on the time and expenses you must devote to irrigation, resuscitating struggling plants, and replacing failed ones.

• Take Advantage of Rebates. Governments and other agencies across the country offer a wide range of incentives for switching to drought-tolerant landscaping. There are deals to be had!

• Increase Habitat. By opting for native low water species in your drought tolerant design, you can support your local ecosystem and patch up holes in fragmented habitat corridors.

• Reduce Water Pollution. It bears repeating: maximizing permeable surfaces and minimizing lawn both help to keep pollutants from entering local waterways.

• Reduce Heat Islands. Expanding tree canopy, increasing planted surface area, and opting for light-colored hardscape materials all help to cool surface temperatures.

• Reduce Home Energy Consumption (and expenditure!). Shade from canopy trees can make a big impact on home energy consumption, helping to reduce the amount of energy required (and paid for!) to keep a house cool inside.

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How To Create a Drought-Tolerant Landscape

Now for brass tacks. Let’s look at the steps we can take to design landscapes that reduce water usage.

Any discussion of drought-tolerant landscaping necessarily starts with planting choices:

Drought-Tolerant and Drought-Resistant Planting.

To reduce water consumption, replace thirsty ornamental species with drought-tolerant or drought-resistant species. These can be native or climate-adapted, so long as they perform well with minimal water.

Looking for suggestions? Our roundup of ornamental grasses includes many drought-tolerant species, including several natives, while our guide to drought-tolerant plants recommends drought-tolerant favorites by state. Olive tree fans can also browse our breakdown of 10 olive varieties for residential landscapes.

A lawn-free and drought tolerant front yard designed by Yardzen with ornamental grasses and a specimen olive tree

A note on natives: whenever possible, we recommend prioritizing low water natives, which offer exponentially more habitat value than climate-adapted species, and tend to require the least maintenance to thrive.

Not all natives are low-water. Plants from damp habitats like streambanks may have higher water demands than natives from dry habitats. That being said, natives from dry climates are mostly low-water, and it’s easy to confirm the water needs of any species you consider.

Little to No Lawn.

Lawns require lots of water to stay green and healthy, and are particularly water-intensive in arid climates. Lawns are also routinely overwatered, and irrigated with spray sprinklers, which lose more water to evaporation than drip irrigation.

Beyond water concerns, lawns also offer scant habitat value, and generate air and water pollution via the mowers, blowers, fertilizers, and pesticides that must be enlisted to keep them green and tidy.

Lawns are vastly overused across the country, and our tolerance for them is inflated from overexposure. They’re not evil unto themselves, and in fact can be rather lovely, but lawns are not appropriate for every climate.

For landscapes in areas affected by drought or with a dry climate, we recommend skipping decorative lawns entirely. If people in these regions need lawn for functional reasons—say, as a surface for kids to play—include enough to meet that functional need, but no more.

It can be challenging to think beyond the lawn, but options abound. Looking for ideas? Try this blog on grass alternatives, which lists several drought-tolerant groundcover species like Sedum and creeping thyme, along with material alternatives like gravel and decomposed granite. You could also take a spin through our roundup of no-grass front yard ideas.

Our advice when replacing a lawn? Consider the area occupied by the lawn and how it can be used to generate the most positive impact on the overall design. Usually, the answer will be a combination of features: a seating area here, expanded planting there, a focal point tree over there, and so on.

Plant Trees.

There are 1,001 reasons to plant trees, and more than a handful of them relate to drought-tolerance. We’ll get into details below, but bottom line: trees can keep your yard cool and your soil moist, supporting greater drought-tolerance in both cases.

Beyond planting choices, there are other steps you can take to improve drought-tolerance in your landscape:

Reduce Temperatures in the Yard.

Plants use water less efficiently when they got hot—that means they require more water to survive when temperatures climb. Keeping plants cool has the opposite effect, improving their water efficiency.

A Yardzen backyard in Austin, TX with light-colored gravel patio and tree to keep things cool

To cool things off, try adding canopy trees to your yard—their shade will reduce ground-level temperatures. Increasing the amount of planted area in the yard can also help, especially if it involves replacing dark paving with planting.

Opting for light colored paving and building materials is also an excellent way to minimize ground-level heating. As anyone whose walked an asphalt parking lot in full sun can attest, dark colors absorb heat, light colors reflect it.

Increase Permeability and Infiltration.

Permeable surfaces allow water to soak back into the ground, where it builds back groundwater reserves, improving plants’ ability to endure dry spells. Planting, mulched areas, gravel patios, and decorative stone beds all make for excellent permeable zones.

As added perks, capturing and infiltrating water onsite also reduces pollution in local waterways and mitigates local flood risk, in both cases by keeping water onsite and out of city drainage systems.

Maximize permeable surfaces on your property, and use permeable areas to capture runoff from impermeable hardscape surfaces. It is particularly important to capture runoff from driveways, which is laden with heavy metals and other toxic chemicals from vehicles.

Tree roots increase the rate at which water soaks into the ground, while groundcover planting is highly effective at slowing down surface runoff long enough for gravity to coax it down into the soil. Adding trees, groundcover, and planting in general will give your onsite water management a big boost, keeping your soil moist, your ground cool, and your plants’ water reserves well-fed.

Trap Moisture in Soil.

Apply mulch to exposed soil in planting areas. This insulates the soil, keeping it cool and preventing it from losing moisture to evaporation.

A Yardzen front yard in Los Gatos, CA with trees and mulched planting areas to soak up water on-site

Groundcover planting (or other planting) is even better than mulch, because its roots enrich the soil (it also offers critical habitat for the caterpillars birds depend on for food). In place of bare mulch zones, try adding small patches of native groundcover in open areas between denser moments of ornamental planting.

Shade from canopy trees or structures can also help to keep soil cool, in turn helping it retain its moisture.

Note: When placed in full sun, rock mulches absorb and reradiate heat, and can contribute to warming up the soil. This isn’t necessarily a problem, provided the plants in a full sun rock mulched bed are tolerant of heat.

Efficient Irrigation.

An inefficient or leaking irrigation system can single-handedly erase all the gains you may have made through drought-tolerant planting and design. Don’t let this happen to you!

Routinely check your irrigation system to ensure it is leak-free and functioning properly.

Use high-efficiency drip irrigation for all plants, save for lawns, which do best with spray irrigation (another reason to skip lawns).

Incorporate a weather sensor into your system, or simply turn it off by hand when wet weather is coming - whatever it takes to avoid watering in a rainstorm.

Apply irrigation at the end of the day to minimize loss of water to evaporation.

Plant in Hydrozones.

Hydrozones are groupings of plants that share similar water requirements.

When placed next to high water plants, low water plants often end up receiving more water than they need. By grouping low water and high water plants in distinct zones, you minimize the loss of water to over-irrigation. 

Of course, drought-tolerant designs should try to avoid high water plants entirely, unless the local climate provides enough precipitation to meet the majority of high water plants’ needs.

Cover your Pool.

Evaporation at it again! An exposed pool in full sun will lose significant water to evaporation. Throw on a pool cover, and this problem is solved.

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Get Started With Your Drought Tolerant Landscape Design by Yardzen

Yardzen's award-winning online landscape design is tailored to clients in all fifty states in the US. Through the American Rewilding Project, we are committed to creating designs with climate-adapted plants and water saving landscaping in drought-prone regions unless homeowners specifically opt out.

Our design process begins with understanding your space, your aesthetic preferences, and a discussion of your budget and vision to minimize surprises when it comes time to build. 

Our top-notch designers then develop a personalized vision for your yard, shared through 3D renderings, 2D plan drawings, and plant and material lists. Your design will capture the look, feel, and function you are hoping for, all while keeping costs within range. 

Once your design is complete, we'll help you connect with a local contractor from our Pro Network of vetted professional landscapers to install your new design.

Ready to level up your curb appeal and sustainability with drought-tolerant landscaping ideas? Create your design profile or explore our design packages today!

61 Fire Pit Landscaping Ideas Our Designers Love

Fire pits: we love them. So do a whole lot of other people - they’re among the most commonly requested features in Yardzen designs, and for good reason.

Most obviously, fire pits offer a way to extend the outdoor season by keeping you toasty when the weather turns cool. If outdoor living is your aim, fire pits are your ally, especially in colder regions.

But fire pits offer more than just heat! They make for dramatic focal points in an evening landscape, and provide a prominent canvas to express landscape style. Unlit (and, in some cases, lit), they’re great as a footrest, drink ledge, or even an informal seat.

Above all, fire pits anchor and activate gathering spaces. Their greatest utility is in their power to bring family and friends together to enjoy each other’s company.

So how does one best integrate a fire pit into their landscape design? The answer will vary depending on your functional and stylistic goals.

To help you develop your own design ideas, we’ve collected 61 of our favorite fire pit designs below, offering our take on what makes each of them shine (pun intended) along the way. Grab some s’mores and take a look!

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01 OPEN PLAN FOR ANY PLAN

This open plan deck can adapt to just about any event you throw at it. A nice-but-approachable sectional sofa seating and bench seating along the dining table stand ready for groups big and small. The fire pit makes sure the party can continue into the evening. The broad wraparound deck stair lets people of all edges flow on and off the deck to a lower play lawn - perfect for kids to ramble below while parents keep a watchful eye up above.

Fire pit in backyard landscape design for California Yardzen client

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02 LEAN & GREEN

To suit a long and narrow seating area, the design opts for a rectangular concrete fire pit, complemented below by a carpet of herringbone brick and above by a twinkling ceiling of string lights. Monolithic rows of planting frame the scene in green.

Herringbone brick paver patio with seating area around gas fire pit

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03 RUSTIC & REFINED

The clean lines of oversized pavers and a modern square gas fire pit contrast with crunchy gravel and naturalistic planting to create a scene that is informal, welcoming, and stylish.

Casual fire pit area on gravel with square stone fire pit

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04 EMBRACE COLOR!

Sapphire blue furnishings take a color cue from the expansive sky views in the background, binding this tucked-away fire pit to the broader design through a common color theme. The pop of color is soothing and fun, and helps to activate the space by catching people’s eye.

Fire pit area with lounge chairs in sloped backyard for Yardzen client

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05 SIMPLE BACKYARD FIRE PIT

Planting above, gravel below, fire bowl in the middle - sounds like camping! With plenty of framing from adjacent trees and planting, this space-efficient design is simple by design, minimizing clutter and maximizing openness.

Small backyard with fire bowl surrounded by wooden chairs

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06 OPEN & INTERCONNECTED

A large paver patio plays home to a sequence of spaces: kitchen, dining area, fire pit. You can envision the evening starting at one end and proceeding to the other. The pergola overhead offers shade for cooking while the fire feature remains exposed for evening stargazing.

Open concept outdoor kitchen with dining area, pergola, and fire feature

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07 FRESH & CLEAN

This newly-installed San Francisco fire pit positions trees at the corners of a paver pad, kept compact to preserve plenty of open space for kids and dogs to play. As the tree canopies fill in, the space will grow more enclosed (and cozy), and will be shaded by dappled light.

Fire pit area with white Adirondack chairs in San Francisco back yard

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08 DESERT OASIS

A pergola with shade sails and curtains creates a cool refuge in this landscape design. The white stucco fireplace and bench seating keep the look clean and bright, a compelling contrast with the dark greens and organic forms of the succulent garden.

Outdoor room and fireplace in desert landscape design

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09 COTTAGE CORNER

A square fire put tucks into the nook of a corner sectional, ceding the spotlight to the lush planting in this cottage garden design. To minimize its visual impact, the fire pit matches the color of the flagstone.

Flagstone patio with lounge area in cottage garden

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10 FLOOR & CEILING

This design calls upon a large in-ground deck and fiberglass pergola to establish a large outdoor room, in which the fire pit has pride of place. An outdoor rug defines a more intimate zone within the outdoor room. Adjustable louvers in the pergola adapt to cast shade through changing light conditions.

Backyard landscape design with black pergola covering fire pit with seating area

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11 A NEW ROOM

A concrete driveway is transformed into an outdoor room by a pergola and a fireplace. Vines, perennials, and a spread of groundcover planting bring the softness, the fire brings the coziness.

Outdoor fireplace and furniture on a side yard hardscape

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12 RESORT AT HOME

Choose your favorite spot: the cafe seating by an outdoor fireplace, a push lounge atop grass-laced pavers, or a crunchy path for strolling a perennial garden. You can’t lose.

Multiple outdoor rooms featuring a wood-burning outdoor fireplace

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13 CLEAN LINES

Concrete and wood - a classic modern materials palette - express simple, elegant forms in this design. The choice of gray concrete for the fire pit melds it with the surrounding floor, while the bright white of the bench and rosy hue of the wood evoke the warmth and comfort of Mediterranean patios.

Concrete fire pit with built-in seating for modern backyard design

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14 CASUAL & COMPOSED

The fire pit seating area is the hub of the wheel in this design - access it via a wide step down from the deck, a slanting path of grass-set pavers, or a humble gravel path lining the back fence. Open edges and a consistent planting palette keep the whole scene cohesive and flowing.

Casual backyard with dense plantings, concrete paver walkway through a small lawn

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15 BLACK, WHITE & WOOD

A black steel wood-burning fire pit gives a subtle nod to the material palette of this outdoor living room: white concrete, black cushions and wood seating. A margin of green softens things up.

Outdoor living room with wood-burning fire pit and string lights

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16 DON’T FORGET YOUR SUNSCREEN

A cantilevered arbor and translucent curtain provide crucial shade from afternoon glare to this wide-lipped stone fire pit and wicker sectional. Beyond the curtain: veggie beds, trellised vines, and neighboring tree canopy, along with rustic decomposed granite on the ground - a whole fleet of rustic elements to balance out the clean concrete paving of the fire pit area.

Family enjoying S'Mores around fire pit in Yardzen designed backyard

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17 CAMPFIRE RETREAT

This ADU gets a treat: a lush campfire zone, ringed in dense planting and furnished with easy-to-move seating.

Small backyard with gravel seating area and fire pit next to an ADU

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18 SEPARATE & CONNECTED

A double-sided fireplace divides the lounge and dining areas in this backyard design. Clear views above (and through!) the fireplace manage the trick of making the spaces feel both separated and connected at once.

Sloped backyard with stone retaining wall and modern wood-burning outdoor fireplace

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19 SPANISH PATIO

This desert design does well by using trademark Spanish patio details: white stucco, black metal, and earthy-red paving. Succulent planting with tan gravel mulch puts a desert twist on it, and makes for a fine pairing with the hardscape.

Social front yard fire pit with seating area in Yardzen landscape design

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20 POOLSIDE LOUNGE

A fire pit is the centerpiece of a poolside lounge zone, aligned on-axis with the pool to provide a focal point for night swimmers. The broad lip of the fire pit doubles as a tabletop for snacks and drinks during the daytime.

Sunny poolside fire table

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21 BOARD FORM FLAIR

The wood grain texture and parallel lines of a large board form concrete fireplace, flanked by a clean stack of logs in a minimal metal frame, set a stylish, minimalist tone for this modern outdoor dining area.

Large outdoor fireplace as the focal point of a backyard bbq and dining area

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22 A SWINGING GOOD TIME

Swing benches are the best, gently rocking you into peaceful bliss as you enjoy an evening chat with family or friends. Among their many benefits, pergolas offer perfect support for hanging seating. This design doubles down on the swings, sticking to a tight color scheme of auburn wood and bone whites.

Hanging loveseat attached to pergola near outdoor fire pit area

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23 GATHER IN THE GRAVEL

A uniform application of gravel stitches several distinct seating areas into a single flowing space. The style is rustic and casual across the board, from the dappled light cast by the mature tree canopy, to the wood farm table and metal fire pit.

Large gravel backyard with multiple seating areas installed around existing tree

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24 BRIGHT WOOD & COOL GRAYS

Like the sun amongst the clouds, blonde wood details shine against a backdrop of cool gray materials. The fire pit, aligned with the pergola and dining table, casts an inviting glow that beckons visitors to enjoy after-dinner stargazing.

Modern hardscaped area with propane bbq, dining table, and fire pit

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25 SIMPLE & EFFECTIVE

A horizontal wood fence creates a warm backdrop to this simple but cozy fire pit zone. Vines atop the fence offer softness and the rustle of leaves Spring through Fall. Flexible seating can scoot or be whisked away to adapt to various group sizes or functional needs. The deep, small-diameter concrete fire bowl allows for a proper flame while keeping everyone close.

Cozy fire pit with seating area in Yardzen backyard

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26 WATER & FIRE

With a view like this, the design just needs to get out of the way. A few Adirondacks, a welcoming circular layout, and your work is done.

Waterfront backyard with circular river rock fire pit area

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27 RUSTY REDS

A freestanding corten steel fire bowl commands the spotlight in this poolside patio. Tan decomposed granite complements the rusty red material, which is repeated poolside in a showpiece plant container.

Poolside geometric square fire pit and seating area

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28 PALM SPRINGS OASIS

This low-maintenance landscape sets a rough-hewn fire pit and a plush, oversized lounge zone at opposite ends of a central pool - shade in one direction, crackling fire and the night sky in the other. The axial layout and strong sight lines link the spaces and create a seamless, flowing feel across the yard.

Fire pit in a Yardzen client’s Palm Springs back yard

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29 MARSHMALLOW TIME

A delicate pair of aspens shimmer in the background of this casually elegant fire pit lounge. Crunchy gray decomposed granite and dense planting allude to the earthy escape of camping, while modern furnishings in warm neutrals elevate the look.

Large stone fire table surrounded by aspen trees

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29 FIRE NOOK

Space is tight in this compact yard, but a notch in a tiered deck lets visitors plunge into a cozy fire space, before or after plunging into the corner hot tub. The geometric wood-burning fire pit complements the modern deck design.

Geometric wood-burning fire pit, deck, and plunge pool in small backyard

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30 ORGANIC LINES, TRADITIONAL FEEL

Even without the putting green, this space would feel like a lovely country club pool deck. Natural stone paving and gracefully curving pool and paving edges embrace a flowing, traditional feel.

A Yardzen client’s country club-like backyard with fire pit area

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31 FOOTREST FOR THE PANORAMA

A broad, arcing bench takes in a sweeping view of this large yard. A wide rectangular fire pit lets you kick up your feet and enjoy the view.

Lounging area with large fire table overlooking a swimming pool

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32 DIY-FRIENDLY

DIY projects succeed or fail based on their complexity (and the brave installer’s experience!). Here, prefab elements, gravel groundcover, and low maintenance native and climate-adapted planting make for a relatively simple install.

Wood-burning fire bowl, seating area, and hammock in river rock yard

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33 CONSTRUCTED CANOPY

A custom cantilever pergola will soon be overtaken by lush vines, leaning over this simple wicker couch and fire pit table like a luxurious green awning. By only extending the pergola part-way over the seating, the design keeps the space feeling expansive and well-connected to the surrounding yard.

Backyard fire pit area under modern pergola built for a Yardzen client

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34 GREEN WALL

A robust hedge of West Coast native Pacific Wax Myrtle gives this cobble-floored fire patio a nice green hug, setting a verdant, cozy vibe. A potted olive tree and a handful of succulents toss in some Mediterranean flair, pairing well with the European feel of the paving.

Stone paver patio with fire ring

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35 EMBRACE THE AXIS

The landscape architecture for this long, narrow yard embraces the linear form, aligning one space after another along a common central axis, parallel to the back of the house. The fire pit glows as the terminus.

Clean lines in modern yard with fire coffee table

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36 GET TROPICAL!

A patinated fire bowl, beachy seating, low-key string lighting, and chunky green plants set a charming tropical vibe. Who wouldn’t want to hang out here?!

Casual tropical outdoor fire bowl area with privacy fence

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37 ALL IN ON BRUTALISM

Brutalist design is famed for its embrace of concrete and clean, unadorned forms. The abundance of concrete in this design establishes a unifying palette, but it also makes the teak bench and row of fruitless olives pop with intensity.

Modern round fire pit with concrete and wood built-in seating

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38 TRADITIONAL CHARM

Floral planting, sweeping curves, and a handful of Adirondacks demonstrate how the classics never go out of style.

Traditional Adirondacks on gravel surrounding black fire pit

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39 BASK IN THE SCENERY

If you’ve got a view, use it for all it’s worth! A stunning lakeside panorama sets a foolproof scene for a brick fire pit area, furnished with classic white seating to complement the nearby white picket fence.

Waterfront backyard with lawn and hardscaped fire pit and seating area

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40 THE CLASSIC YARD

Here we see how the removal of barriers enables spaces to flow seamlessly into each other. A basket weave brick patio, a patch of lawn for the kids and dog to play, and, one tier up, a well-composed array of drought tolerant grasses - that’s all there is here, and yet it all clicks together perfectly. Comfortable, approachable furnishings and a fire table with a family-friendly heat shield round out the picture.

Outdoor fire pit area with comfortable outdoor couch and club chairs in a Yardzen backyard

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41 DAPPLED LIGHT

The shade of a mature oak is hard to beat. This fire pit sets up shop beneath a mature canopy, doubling as a cool seating area by day.

Large backyard with concrete patio, sun sail over dining area, and fire pit with seating

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42 MODERN DESERT RETREAT

An expansive Joshua Tree backyard takes on the feel of a desert resort, complete with custom bench seating around an elegant stone fire pit.

Large Joshua Tree backyard with private outdoor living room

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43 FIRE WHERE YOU FANCY

A portable fire bowl lets these young homeowners set up camp wherever they please. A grid of concrete pads provides an upscale but flexible surface for entertaining. Further back, a modest-sized dining table nestles between a pair of leafy trees, achieving a cozy sense of enclosure while commanding long views of the open plan yard.

Couple enjoys wine near outdoor fire pit in their Yardzen-designed backyard in Napa, CA

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44 FUN IN THE FLOWERS

A delicate array of flowers layers up to a row of fine-leaved privacy trees, with a stone patio plunked in the middle to soak in the beauty.

Small backyard with stone paver patio and fire pit surrounded by Adirondacks, raised garden beds, and privacy fence

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45 FIXED & MOVABLE

Fun, flexible seating complements a long built-in cantilever bench in this backyard fire pit design. A potted lemon tree announces the boundary of the space while keeping circulation in and out wide open.

Backyard with ambiance from concrete fire pit and outdoor lighting

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46 SAFE & STYLISH

To keep kids safely restricted from the pool or fire pit, this young family settled on transparent glass safety fencing, which preserves views and a sense of connection between the spaces. A cluster of lush palms looms above the fire pit, while tall hedges run parallel to the pool. In either case, the ambiance is lush.

Yardzen client enjoys outdoor fire pit area in Miami backyard

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47 GREEN CURTAIN

A massive existing hedge envelops this modern backyard design. With so much green in the background, the design can lean into minimalism without becoming cold. A single focal tree, open layout, and low-slung furnishings cohere into a clear design vision.

Tall privacy hedges surrounding modern backyard with concrete pavers, fire table, and plunge pool

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48 WOODSY IN JERSEY

This newly-installed New Jersey design rings a crisp paver patio with upright evergreens and a pair of Japanese maples. In time, the space will take on the feel of a woodland clearing, albeit one with clean modern styling and a gorgeous urn-shaped fire pit.

Upright evergreens surround modern outdoor fire pit and Adirondack chairs in a Yardzen yard

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49 BIG ON BENCHES

For this big family, an extensive built-in bench was just the thing, offering space for large groups, not to mention some fun ledges for young rascals to play on. The central fire pit helps to justify the U-shape, and sets the scene for social nights outside.

Small backyard with gravel, concrete pavers, lounge seating and natural gas bbq

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50 WOODSY OPTION

Tucked beneath a stately tree canopy, this stone fire pit zone offers a rustic alternative to the more polished gathering spaces elsewhere in this large back yard.

Backyard remodel with large dining area and graveled fire pit seating

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51 CURATED MATERIALS

Knowing what to leave out of a design may be even more important than knowing what to include. This design keeps tight control on materials, sticking to a palette of white, black, and a few roughed-up grays. Even the wood looks aged like it was pulled from the ocean. The texture from the fire pit, plant containers, and seating create a pleasing contrast with the clean surface of the concrete paving and fiberglass pergola.

Modern black pergola covers outdoor fire pit lounge area in a Yardzen-designed back yard

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52 GARDEN PARTY

Situated at the end of a quiet, verdant garden path, and tucked to the side of the main action in this large backyard, the fire pit zone in this design has an air of privacy to it, like a secret garden only the lucky few know to visit. The sense of escape is a pleasant contrast to the other, highly interconnected spaces in the design.

Garden design with citrus trees, concrete pavers, and Adirondack chairs surrounding fire pit

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53 BREAK UP THE EXPANSE

Large paved expanses of a single material can feel uncomfortable and cold. The fire pit zone defines a distinct zone within the paving simply through its furnishings. This breaks up the scene into smaller, human-scaled spaces, creating a more comfortable feel across the backyard.

Large stone patio with fire pit seating, stock tank pool, and covered dining area on deck

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54 FIRE BOWLS ON DECK

This gorgeous scene uses teak furniture and a warm neutral rug to imply a room within an expansive TimberTech deck. A black fire bowl strikes a strong contrast with the furnishings and makes for a compelling visual anchor, night or day. Stainless steel cable railings are the secret sauce, preserving clear views and a sense of connection with the forested surroundings.

TimberTech deck with modern fire pit and outdoor lounge area in a Yardzen yard

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55 SET A RHTHYM

Pergola - open fire pit - pergola: the rhythm in this layout is clearly defined. Open edges and a unifying paver path allow each space to flow seamlessly into the next. With no ceiling to rely on for spatial definition, pockets of attractive, drought-tolerant planting step in to distinguish the fire pit as a zone in its own right.

Multiple outdoor living spaces created by hardscaping and pergolas

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56 POOL, PUTT, PITT

This yard is all about relaxing: a dip in the pool, a few putts on the green, or feet up with friends around the fire pit. Boxwoods, mondo grass, and a large container tree keep the planting palette centered on true-to-deep-greens to support a tranquil feel.

Traditional yard with graveled fire pit area, container tree, and swimming pool

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57 SEPARATE BY DESIGN

Safety fencing and a grade change separate the fire pit from the pool area, and that’s ok! Fire pits’ strong appeal and compatibility with rustic spaces make them well-suited to further-flung, hard-to-activate parts of a yard. This example isn’t exactly distant from the action, but even if it were, the fire pit would hold its own.

Tree-filled backyard with graveled fire pit seating area and pool

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58 OUTDOOR LIVING ROOM

A comfy sofa and matching lounge chairs surround a wide rectangular fire pit, while full planting and graceful curving edges evoke the softness of the furnishings. The hogwire fence keeps kids and dogs contained while maintaining sightlines through to the adjacent forested area.

Traditional yard with cattle fence, graveled fire pit with sofas, and barbecue

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59 TERRACE LOUNGE

A clean and simple fire pit commands a terrace in this large yard, one of several outdoor living spaces for visitors to choose from. Massed planting and abundant tree canopy establish a lush, wooded setting, which the minimal terrace design wisely cedes attention to.

Large terraced yard with multi-level outdoor living spaces

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60 CORNER POCKET

Space efficiency is a priority in small yard designs, and this one achieves it with grace. The fire pit tucks compactly but comfortably into the corner, and space is afforded for ornamental planting and a prefab water feature, which while not purely functional, play a key role in establishing a tranquil, inviting atmosphere.

Small backyard with lawn, concrete pavers, and graveled seating area with fire ring

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CREATING FIRE PIT LANDSCAPING IDEAS TAILORED TO YOUR YARD

Yardzen's award-winning online exterior and landscape design service is tailored to homeowners with both large and small yards in all fifty states in the U.S. Our design process begins with understanding your outdoor space, style, and a discussion of your budget and vision to minimize surprises when it comes time to build. 

Our top-notch designers then develop a personalized vision for your yard, shared through 3D renderings, 2D plan drawings, and plant and material lists. Your design will capture the look, feel, and function you are hoping for, all while keeping costs within range. 

Once your design is complete, we'll help you connect with a local contractor from our Pro Network of vetted professional contractors to install your new design.

Ready to enjoy some s’mores around the fire pit in the outdoor living space of your dreams? Create your design profile or explore our professional backyard landscaping and exterior design packages today!

Designing A Low-Maintenance Desert Oasis in a Tucson Backyard

What do you do with a blank slate…in the middle of the desert?  This is the question that Yardzen employee Brando and his husband Leo faced. 

Leo and Brando in their reimagined yard. From every angle, the design offers gorgeous scenic views.

Their new construction Tucson home sat smack in the middle of a stunning desert plain ringed with rugged mountains. Their yard was not completely bare, but it didn’t offer much - a few plants, some gravel, and plenty of raw earth. Functionally and aesthetically, there was room for improvement.

The “blank canvas” gets ready for pool excavation

Pool construction began as home construction was wrapping up

Deep shade and high walls in the narrow side yard made this space a low priority in the design

Carefully curated planting, including a marquee desert willow in the corner, mimics the distribution of plants in the natural landscape (and keeps water demands down).

DESERT DESIGN

One thing was certain: the design must respect the desert. “The desert views were a huge selling point,” Brando explained. “We wanted the backyard to feel immersed in that dramatic landscape.” 

Whatever design they ended up with, it had to preserve scenic views and use plants and materials that resonated with the surroundings. It also needed to take water conservation seriously. “Our dogs needed a space to play, but having a lawn was out of the question in terms of water use,” Leo said. 

A patch of artificial turf gives the pups a dedicated space while keeping water requirements low. The turf laces between travertine “steppers” to create a transitional zone linking the turf and patio.

Ornamental planting was a high priority as well, though any plants would need to thrive in hot and dry conditions. “We wanted plants to soften up the yard, but also wanted to keep water use to a minimum,” Brando said. 

Staying cool would be critical, via shaded outdoor areas and a planned new pool. “We already had designs from a pool contractor, but we needed Yardzen’s help to develop a design around that pool that felt cohesive and offered other chances to escape the heat,” explained Leo.

A tiled wall fountain adds the soothing sound of falling water to the yard, while the minimal corten fence provides a panoramic view of the desert landscape.

FORM

“We both gravitate toward modern aesthetics, and felt like our yard would need some elements of that style to authentically feel like us,” Brando said.

Square “stepper” pavers, typically built from poured concrete, are given a more traditional (and heat-resistant) twist by using travertine.

At the same time, they wanted to be sensitive to their context. “This is not a super modern neighborhood, so we wanted to be sure that our design would appeal to future buyers of the home if we were to move,” Brando said.

Landing on the right style would require a balancing act: modern but not too modern, natural but clearly designed, timeless but bold.

FUNCTION

Enough about looks - what are you going to do in your new yard? “An outdoor kitchen was our top priority, along with a comfortable area we could use for entertaining,” said Leo. Keeping things dog-friendly and low-maintenance were equally important.

The ample countertop works as both a prep surface and a casual gathering space.

So was keeping the ground cool. “I grew up in Arizona, and the wrong paving can get incredibly hot,” Brando explained. Especially near the pool, paving needed to remain comfortable for bare feet.

THE DESIGN

In function and form, Yardzen’s design skillfully navigates the detailed challenges of this project.

The pool anchors one side of the yard, the outdoor kitchen the other. A modest patch of artificial turf lines the back fence, which has a no-frills metal design that allows for clear views of the desert scenery.

A baja shelf, complete with mounted umbrella, faces the panoramic view.

The kitchen rests on a generous pad of travertine stone pavers, which extends toward the house to fill a covered patio space. The paving implies a single flowing zone, while the L-shaped kitchen and patio roof overhang maintain some level of spatial distinction.

The choice to use travertine was driven by function as much as style. “Travertine stays pretty cool in the sun, and it has warm neutral tones that look great in the desert context,” Brando said. That takes care of the hot-foot problem, not to mention keeping ground temperatures a bit cooler in the backyard.

A single pad of travertine paving creates a seamless relationship between the kitchen and covered patio.

To tick the modern box, Yardzen’s design calls for oversized “stepper” pavers, interlaced with gaps of artificial turf. 

The open layout of the yard, in which each space flows into the next, also establishes a modern feel. At the same time, the wicker lounge furnishings and creamy tones of their cushions and umbrellas appeal to a more traditional sensibility, while also replicating the tan hues of the house, paving, and surrounding landscape. 

The kitchen walks a similar line between modern and traditional style, balancing a sleek stainless steel grill and cool gray countertop with natural stone walls and counter inlays.

THE INSTALLATION

How did it go moving from the design phase into the construction of their new landscape? “Great!”, said Leo. “Yardzen quickly connected us with a local contractor, and we were able to start the installation process right away.”

Ground-breaking began with excavation of the pool

The oversized “steppers” were assembled from travertine pavers, instead of the typical poured concrete

The kitchen design called for stone finishing over a CMU structure

Prepping for a patch of poolside turf and a strip of border planting

Rebar for the custom pool

The pool design includes a baja shelf for taking in the scenic view

Before breaking ground, Brando and Leo worked directly with their contractor to make a few adjustments, adding a wall to hide pool equipment, and dialing back plant quantities a bit to help them nail their low water goals. 

Together with their contractor, Brando and Leo also opted to build their large “stepper” pavers - typically made with concrete - from the same travertine pavers used for their patio. “I love that we were able to adapt more traditional stone paving material to a modern paving design,” Leo said. 

Beyond these alterations, the yard was installed exactly as designed. “I wasn’t surprised that things went as smoothly as they did, but even so, it was amazing to see the new yard come together so quickly,” Brando said. 

The results? “We love our new yard. It lets us do all the outdoor living we’d been wanting to do, but even more importantly, it just feels like us,” Brando said. 

Light fixtures cast light downward to minimize light pollution while keeping the pool open for business after dark.

DESIGNING YOUR LOW-MAINTENANCE BACKYARD OASIS

Yardzen's award-winning online landscaping design is tailored to clients in all fifty states in the U.S. Our design process begins with understanding your space, your design ideas and aesthetic preferences, and a discussion of your budget and vision to minimize surprises when it comes time to build. 

Our top-notch designers then develop a personalized vision for your yard, shared through 3D renderings, 2D plan drawings, and plant and material lists. Your design will capture the look, feel, and function you are hoping for, all while keeping costs within range. 

Once your design is complete, we'll help you connect with a local contractor from our Pro Network of vetted professional landscapers to install your new design (if you don’t plan to diy).

Ready to level up your curb appeal or backyard landscaping with a professional design and remodel that brings your vision to life? Create your design profile or explore our design packages today!

From Lawn-Covered Landscape to Charming Low-Maintenance Backyard in Austin

Stacey and Sean Matthew enjoying their new backyard landscape, where a new concrete planter doubles as a seatback for a rustic modern bench.

THE CHALLENGES

Stacey and Sean Matthew, a pair of young Austin homeowners, sum up the challenge of their backyard in three words: “Too much grass.” 

For all its charm and beauty, Austin gets quite hot and dry—no kind of climate for the blanket of turfgrass spreading fence to fence across their backyard. “It was disheartening to use the amount of water required to keep the grass alive in such a hot climate,” Sean Matthew shared. 

Wall-to-wall grass created high demands for both water and maintenance in the couple’s existing backyard.

Water wasn’t the only drawback. “We would mow the lawn for over an hour each week, then be too tired to enjoy the outdoors,” he added.

Their expansive lawn was also a missed opportunity. Beyond a crowded covered patio and a lonely fire pit floating in the lawn, their yard lacked outdoor living amenities, despite plenty of available space.  

Looking to save water, reduce maintenance, remove lawn, and get more from their yard, the couple turned to Yardzen for help.  

Yardzen’s new backyard design adds a series of functional spaces, arranged to flow seamlessly into each other.

THE VISION

Stacey and Sean Matthew already had the bones of their design in mind. A pool was a top priority (as we said, Austin gets hot). So was a modern prefab shed to keep their lawn mower, pool equipment, and other knick-knacks out of sight but within reach.

A patch of grass would remain for their two dogs to enjoy, but overall they would slash their lawn, replacing it with gathering spaces and drought tolerant planting. “Our goal was to take the hour and a half of lawn mowing down to 20 minutes and use the other 70 minutes to jump in the pool,” Sean Matthew explained.

All told, the couple envisioned what Sean Matthew described as “an oasis, an extension of our living space where we could enjoy time with our friends and family.”

Keeping cool is a must in Austin. This design presents several options: a pergola canopy, dappled tree shade, a moveable umbrella, or a dip in the pool.

THE DESIGN

From their vision, Yardzen developed a design that nailed both the look and function Stacey and Sean Matthew had hoped for.

A pool occupies one side of the yard, framed by a drought tolerant array of succulents, grasses and silvery desert shrubs. The downsized lawn stretches along the other side, separated from the pool by a comfortable stretch of concrete pool deck. The new storage shed anchors the rear of the yard, artfully obscured by an oak tree tucked along its front. 

In a break from the client’s vision, the design sites the fire pit zone just off the pool deck, encouraging its use by keeping it close to the action. This location also capitalizes on an adjacent understory tree, which lends a shaggy softness that balances nicely with the crunchy gravel groundcover. 

To tie things together, Yardzen added a small but crucial concrete planter to the center of the yard, which sits like the hub of a wheel with spaces extending from it in all directions. The planter itself has a patina of warm neutral coloring, which beautifully complements two adjacent wood benches, arranged in an L-formation.

On the whole, spaces flow seamlessly into each other, offering easy circulation and an open, interconnected feeling throughout the yard.

A cluster of grasses and a canopy tree draw attention from the storage shed. So does the pool, whose simple, clean design suits the clients’ modern style.

THE INSTALLATION

Stacey and Sean Matthew took advantage of Yardzen’s Pro Matching service to quickly connect with a contractor to install their design. 

Working with their contractor, they made a few final adjustments before breaking ground, adding in lighting, adjusting some stone paths, and plugging in a few more drought tolerant and Texas native species (the more natives, the merrier!).  

In lieu of a separate wood cooking deck, they opted to extend their concrete pool deck space along the back of the house, strengthening the connection between cooking and poolside lounge areas. These minor alterations notwithstanding, “the spirit of the design stayed right in alignment,” said Sean Matthew.

Thanks to their pool builder coming in under budget, they were also able to extend both their pool and the surrounding concrete patio. 

The new concrete planter creates a cozy nook for intimate conversation, yet its modest scale allows enough space around it to maintain an open, interconnected feel in the yard.

THE NEW YARD

With installation now complete, Stacey and Sean Matthew are thrilled with their new yard. “We love the lush feeling of the yard and how peaceful it feels with the bubbling water of the pool,” Sean Matthew says. 

Orange patina on the pool coping and built-in planter cue off the auburn fencing, not to mention the warm neutral tones that dominate the regional landscape.

Lush indeed: drifts of tall grasses sway along the back of the pool, contrasting nicely with the structural form of Agaves and cactuses. As Sean Matthew puts it, where the old yard was “a place to mow,” their new yard is “a place to host, relax, read, be.” 

“We actually have a reason to be in the yard now,” he explains. If that isn’t testimony to the value of landscape design, we don’t know what is.

Crunchy gravel, comfy chairs, and an understory tree make for a cozy, rustic fire pit area. The zone adds value by offering a distinct experience from other gathering spaces in the yard.

DESIGNING YOUR LOW-MAINTENANCE BACKYARD FOR OUTDOOR LIVING

Yardzen's award-winning online landscaping design is tailored to clients in all fifty states in the U.S. Our design process begins with understanding your space, your design ideas and aesthetic preferences, and a discussion of your budget and vision to minimize surprises when it comes time to build. 

Our top-notch designers then develop a personalized vision for your yard, shared through 3D renderings, 2D plan drawings, and plant and material lists. Your design will capture the look, feel, and function you are hoping for, all while keeping costs within range. 

Once your design is complete, we'll help you connect with a local contractor from our Pro Network of vetted professional landscapers to install your new design (if you don’t plan to diy).

Ready to level up your curb appeal or backyard landscaping with a professional design and remodel that brings your vision to life? Create your design profile or explore our design packages today!

Meet Our Online Landscape Designers: Magdalena

Where do you look for outside inspiration when it comes to landscape design?

I take inspiration from the Mediterranean landscapes and architecture of the historic cities in the southern regions of Italy, France, Greece, etc. Centuries-old landscape design, featuring native plants and natural materials, provides a rustic and authentic ambiance that withstands the test of time. There are so many ways to incorporate these historic design ideas into modern yards.

What are your favorite elements, plants or styles to design for in a yard?

The simplicity of lines and colors, the sophisticated blend of sea, sun, stone, and fragrant plants – these are all elements that appear as my inspiration during the design process. Because of this and also because they are drought-resistant, full sun lavender, rosemary, olive trees, agave, and bougainvillea are some of my go-to plants to use in designs. Not only do they ooze an old-world charm that’s inviting and warm, but they are true survivors in the natural world.

One of Magdelena’s favorite projects to design — applying a Mediterranean style to an East Coast yard

If you could only update one element in a yard, what is your go-to, small design choice that makes a big impact?

If the yard is far from the sea or any other body of water, I would add a water feature in the form of a fountain or a pond. This small change has a great impact not only on the final look, but also on the mood of a space. Water features calm people, provide a feeling of peace and lasting balance, and as an added bonus, they offer a source of drinking water to animals and pollinators. My second go-to would be to add the element of fire – in a stand alone fire pit or outdoor fireplace – which is a symbol of warmth and gathering.

One of Magdelena’s favorite design projects featuring a stone fountain and Mediterranean style

Describe your design style in one sentence.

I like to say that I belong to the self-proclaimed wave of 3S design - Sea, Sun, and Sophistication.

Four Years of Yardzen - A Letter from our Cofounder & CEO

Yardzen cofounders, Allison and Adam Messner, and their family outside their Calistoga home

This week we’re celebrating four years of Yardzen! Looking back, I’m in awe of what this team and this community have accomplished in such a short time.

Yardzen started in 2018 in the wake of the Tubbs Fire, which destroyed our Sonoma neighborhood. When we set out to rebuild, we were confronted with the high costs and staggering inefficiencies of the landscaping process. My husband, Adam (COO), a lifelong conservationist, and I knew there had to be a better way to create a new yard for our family.

We set out to learn and build, using our home as our testing ground. From the beginning, we knew that by leveraging technology and world-class customer service, we could create a seamless landscaping solution, connecting homeowners with talented landscape designers and contractors for a more delightful experience at a fraction of the cost. Just a few years in, we’ve done exactly that, helping tens of thousands of homeowners across the country create beautiful, functional, and sustainable yards, and we’re just getting started.

In changing the way we design and build our yards, we have changed yards themselves. From the underutilized, water-guzzling lawn to habitat-supporting, multi-functional living spaces, the past couple of years have made us ask more from our outdoor spaces. I can say, without hesitation, that the American yard is forever changed – our yards have become extensions of our homes in wholly new ways, encouraging more time outside with friends and family. On average, Yardzen clients spend 40 more hours outside in their yard each month after completing their installation.

Yards are not only a space for gathering, they are a space where we can effect real change. Out of everything we’ve accomplished to date, I am most proud of the work we’ve done with Yardzen’s American Rewilding Project, our commitment to creating habitat-supporting, water-smart, responsibly-built yards throughout the United States. To date, we’ve included more than 100,000 pollinator plants and 50,000 trees in Yardzen designs, and we estimate that our yards have helped to save over a million gallons of water. 

And, as part of the American Rewilding Project, we’re passionate about funding local gardens and greenspaces to extend the impact of our work, and we’re always eager to provide grants – apply today yardzen.com/american-rewilding-project.

There is so much more that I am proud of this team and this community accomplishing. A couple more highlights over the past four years:

• Growing our phenomenal team, who I am proud to work with every day

• Partnering with exceptional companies committed to doing good in the world, like TimberTech, Crate & Barrel and Outer

• Evolving the scope of outdoor design from landscape design into exterior design

• Building technology that connects people – homeowners, designers, and contractors

• Creating a community that is passionate about sustainable outdoor design

• Educating millions of people about the benefits of outdoor living and the immense opportunity they have to do good in their yard

Yardzen is accomplishing what we set out to do in 2018 – create a seamless, end-to-end landscaping experience – and so much more. Thank you for being a part of this journey with us. We’re excited to see all that we will accomplish together in the next four years.

– Allison Messner, CEO of Yardzen

Yardzen clients outside their Larkspur, CA home

A Yardzen designed backyard in Lake Stevens, WA

Yardzen clients in their newly designed backyard in Austin, TX

Yardzen clients enjoying their new backyard in Seattle, WA

Pool Deck Design: Materials, Tips, and Inspiration

Backyard design for a Yardzen client in San Francisco, CA, featuring a TimberTech Tigerwood deck

Poolside decks balance easygoing charm with elevated design.

Their secret? Hard to say, but our money’s on the gut-level appeal of elemental materials: wood, water, maybe a bit of stone or concrete. Put these things together and you can create “wow” moments in just about any landscape style.

There’s a hitch, though...

Is it possible to use natural wood for a pool deck?

It‘s possible, but we don’t recommend it.

Wood decks struggle in the sunny, wet environment of a pool deck, and require vigilant maintenance to stay in decent condition. Some types of wood perform better than others, but all have considerable drawbacks.

What about composite pool decking?

MUCH better.

Not all composite decking is the same, but TimberTech is a superb deck material for use around swimming pools, or anywhere that moisture may be a factor. We’ll explain why in a moment.

First, let’s look a bit closer at the issues with using natural wood for pool decks.

PROBLEMS WITH WOOD POOL DECK DESIGNS

• Mold, Mildew, Rot: Moisture causes natural wood to develop mold, mildew or rot. Wood that is consistently wet—say, from pool water—is particularly at risk, as are outdoor wood structures in hot, humid climates.

  Mold and mildew can usually be cleaned away, though doing so is not always easy and often involves harsh chemicals like bleach. Once rot takes hold, wood must be replaced. In either scenario, time and expense are involved.

• Warping, Cupping, Cracking: When moisture soaks into wood and later evaporates back out, it causes the material to swell and shrink. This results in a range of damages to your deck boards, including warping, cupping, cracking, and splitting.

  Over time, exposure to UV radiation has a similar effect, gradually breaking down the structural integrity of wood decking.

• Splintering: Exposure to the elements can also lead to splintering, a particular no-no in the barefoot environment of a pool deck.

• Color Fading: As wood ages, its color fades, often turning to various shades of gray. Depending on the intensity of weathering, wood’s appearance can begin to degrade in as little as six months.

• Hot: Any material exposed to prolonged sunlight will get hot, but dark-colored hardwoods like ipe, which are favored for their resistance to moisture damage, are particularly prone to get hot to the touch. In a barefoot environment, this can be uncomfortable.

• High Maintenance: Annual treatments of paint, stain, or sealant to repel moisture and guard against UV damage can mitigate the above issues but require ongoing, meaningful investments of time and money.

  Frequently, homeowners defer deck maintenance, kick-starting the degradation process by leaving wood vulnerable to weathering.

• Frequent Repair + Replacement: Even with treatment, wood decks eventually degrade—the average deck lasts from 10 to 15 years, depending on the type of wood.

  The ease with which wood gets damaged or degraded translates to more frequent repairs and replacement, and ultimately a shorter lifespan—more expense, more work, and more waste than a longer-lasting building material.

• There’s no great wood material option:

  • Tropical hardwoods like ipe and cumaru have good natural resistance to pests and mildew (though they still require weatherproofing). They are also very hard—so much so that you must drill pilot holes before screwing them into place. This cranks up labor costs, adding to the very high purchase price of these premium materials.

    Demand for tropical hardwoods has also driven widespread illegal logging, which is linked to numerous catastrophic environmental issues. It is difficult to know for certain if tropical hardwoods have been ethically sourced.

  • Softwoods like cedar and redwood also have good natural moisture- and pest-resistance but are easier to damage than hardwoods and do still require weatherproofing. The prices for redwood and cedar have also risen considerably in recent years.

  • Pressure-Treated Lumber is softwood, often pine, imbued with chemicals to resist damage from weathering and pests. It is cheaper than the other options, but generally considered to not be attractive as a deck material and, despite the chemical treatment, is still not impervious to water damage.

WHY TIMBERTECH POOL DECKING IS DIFFERENT

Spoiler alert: TimberTech composite decking avoids all of the issues affecting wood that we just listed.

Austin, TX backyard designed by Yardzen with a plunge pool and TimberTech Slate Gray deck

Before we explain how that can be, let’s look at how TimberTech’s decking is constructed:

Cap + Core: All TimberTech decking has an outer cap surrounding an inner core. The construction of the cap and core depend on what type of TimberTech decking you use.

• Composite Decking has a core that is made from a blend of post-consumer plastics and recycled lumber. In TimberTech‘s composite boards, the core is the core is protected with a 100% polymer cap.

• Polymer Decking features a 100% polymer core (no wood), also protected with a 100% polymer cap.

The polymer cap is the secret sauce, creating a durable but highly attractive outer layer with superior resistance to weathering.

Let’s look at the specific benefits of this cap and core construction.

WHY TIMBERTECH POOL DECKING IS BETTER THAN WOOD

• Superb resistance to mold, mildew, and rot. By locking moisture out, TimberTech dodges the risk of mold, mildew, and rot. TimberTech decking can even handle standing water (though you shouldn’t let standing water linger anywhere for too long).

• No cracking, cupping, or splitting. A super strong core plus incredible moisture resistance means none of the structural degradation you get with natural wood decking. TimberTech stays perfectly intact for decades.

• No splinters. Plastic decking caps keep bare feet permanently safe by taking splinters out of the equation.

• Amazing looks, with no fading or staining. Thanks to proprietary color-blending technology, TimberTech decking beautifully recreates the look of natural wood.

  Moreover, they‘ll continue to look great for decades without fading. Their industry-leading fade and stain warranties back the claim: 50 years for the polymer decking, 30 years for the composite series.

  Tip: If you are curious to see what TimberTech looks and feels like, or would like to take a closer look at their most popular colors, you can have a free TimberTech Yardzen Samples Kit delivered directly to you!

• Stays cool. TimberTech polymer decking stays up to 30° cooler than competing boards, though like any material, it will still warm up after prolonged sun exposure.

  Sticking to light colors like French White Oak or Whitewash Cedar will go a long way toward keeping your TimberTech decking cool and comfortable.

• Slip resistant. The Alloy Armour Technology used on TimberTech decking caps provides up to 40% better slip resistance than leading competitors. For families with kids, this is a huge advantage for a pool deck.

• Bendable. TimberTech decking is easy to bend, allowing for round pool decks—a useful option when the edge of the pool is curved.

• Super low maintenance. With no need for annual weatherproofing, and none of the physical degradation that plagues natural wood decking, TimberTech requires barely any maintenance. Give it an occasional sweep or wash, otherwise forget about it.

• Longer lifespan, better value. TimberTech composite decking typically lasts 25-30 years, while polymer decking lasts up to 50—that’s two to five times the lifespan of a wood deck.

  Factor in avoided maintenance and repairs, and you get a tremendous lifetime savings relative to a wood deck.

• Less waste. Choosing a long-lasting TimberTech deck over natural wood keeps your deck on your property, and not in a landfill.

  It also prevents massive amounts of waste and scrap from entering landfills. In 2021 alone, TimberTech’s recycling program diverted about 500 million pounds of waste and scrap from landfills, up from 400 million pounds in 2020.

  Credit this to TimberTech‘s use of recycled materials to build their decking: up to 80% recycled content in their composite boards, and approximately 50% in the polymer boards, with the majority of that plastic falling into the hard-to-recycle category.

Beyond all the functional and practical ways in which TimberTech outdoes wood as a pool deck material, it bears repeating that TimberTech decking looks amazing. More to the point, it looks like real wood, and is available in a huge range of colors, making it a cinch to plug into virtually any design style.

Want to see for yourself? Order your free TimberTech Yardzen Samples Kit to receive physical samples of some of the most popular TimberTech decking colors!

COMPOSITE POOL DECK IDEAS

Now, for some inspiration!

To help you develop your pool deck design ideas, let’s take a look at some Yardzen landscape design renders created for our clients with poolside composite decks.

Tiger in the Leaves

Backyard design for a Yardzen client in San Francisco, CA, featuring a TimberTech Tigerwood deck

Texture rules the day in this San Francisco yard, where leafy green trees, privacy shrubs, and tall ornamental grasses add lushness and the swishing sound of foliage in the breeze.

Backyard design for a Yardzen client in San Francisco, CA, featuring a TimberTech Tigerwood deck

TimberTech composite decking in Tigerwood complements things with a weathered, warm hue that pairs nicely with the teak lounge furniture. Wide stairs lining the deck’s edge allow for easy movement into the lower yard, making for an open, expansive feel.

Bookend Decks

Backyard design for a Yardzen client in Chula Vista, CA with a TimberTech Pecan deck

This long and luxurious backyard pool cuts into a hillside like a watery terrace. On the uphill side: a concrete wall with custom water features. On the downhill side: another wall lined by a row of no-fuss Dianella ’Cassa Blue’, giving way to a grid of oversized concrete pavers.

Backyard design for a Yardzen client in Chula Vista, CA with a TimberTech Pecan deck

Backyard design for a Yardzen client in Chula Vista, CA with a TimberTech Pecan deck

To offset the cool grays and blues, the design bookends the pool with two TimberTech Pecan decks, a medium dark, warm-but-not-bright shade that keeps things stately while adding a kick of inviting atmosphere to the mix. Positioning the decks at either end of the long pool area only amplifies its length, lending the yard an axial grandeur. It also drives traffic along the full length of the pool, making sure every space is activated.

Small Space, Big Function

Backyard design for a Yardzen client in Washington, D.C. with a TimberTech English Walnut deck

This design packs a lot into a compact outdoor space. A fire pit, above-ground hot tub, and spacious lounge zone share long, open edges, amplifying each space‘s perceived size and making them flow seamlessly into each other.

Backyard design for a Yardzen client in Washington, D.C. with a TimberTech English Walnut deck

The TimberTech deck is compact but effective, tucking its elevated platform at the far edge of the space to minimize the impact of its height upon the adjacent lounge zone. The English Walnut shade of the decking pairs nicely with the aged brick, pale gravel, and creamy neutral cushions around it.

Hotel at Home

Backyard design for a Yardzen client in Austin, TX with a TimberTech Antique Leather deck

This backyard screams “staycation.” The in-ground pool is ringed with attractive blue tile, which complements the warm, caramel hue of the Antique Leather TimberTech decking.

Backyard design for a Yardzen client in Austin, TX with a TimberTech Antique Leather deck

In place of umbrellas, the design goes big with an all-out cabana bed. If that doesn’t feel tropical enough, a limited, lush palette of leafy green plants set a tropical vibe that extends across the full length of the yard.

Low Profile

Backyard design for a Yardzen client in Woodland Hills, CA with a TimberTech Ashwood deck

This minimalist, modern deck is both functional and stylish. Built with TimberTech composite decking in the beachy Ashwood finish, the deck climbs just high enough to meet the top of a partially submerged plunge pool, and offers just enough space to soak in some sun on a pair of chaise lounges. A natural stone path allows wet, barefoot bathers to cross the lawn without getting their feet muddy.

Set the Tone

These homeowners came to Yardzen looking to make their above-ground hot tub look like a more intentional part of their pool deck plans. The resulting design adds a low, tiered deck around the tub, using TimberTech’s Weathered Teak decking. Furnishings stick to the teak and white established by the hot tub deck.

Backyard design for a Yardzen client in Rocklin, CA with a TimberTech Weathered Teak deck

The bottom step, aligned to the paver path for a quick, comfortable walk between the tub and the house, is made extra wide to double as a slip-resistant, barefoot friendly staging area for toweling off after a soak.

GET STARTED WITH YOUR LANDSCAPE DESIGN BY YARDZEN

Yardzen's award-winning online exterior and landscape design is tailored to homeowners in all fifty states in the US, and can include composite decking designs to help you live better outside, be it around the pool or elsewhere in your yard. 

Whether your goal is creating more functional outdoor living space or beautifying your home exterior, we can create a design that meets your needs and style preferences.

Our design process begins with understanding your space, your aesthetic preferences, and a discussion of your budget and vision to minimize surprises when it comes time to build. 

Our top-notch designers then develop a personalized vision for your yard, shared through 3D renderings, 2D plan drawings, and plant and material lists. Your design will capture the look, feel, and function you are hoping for, all while keeping costs within range. 

Once your design is complete, we'll help you connect with a local contractor from our Pro Network of vetted professional landscapers to install your new design.

For clients with decking in their design, this is also order a great time to order a free TimberTech Yardzen Samples Kit to help you lock in your final decking selections.