25 Favorite Yardzen Yards

For this blog post, we asked Yardzen’s designers to chose their twenty-five favorite Yardzen yards. It wasn’t an easy task—Yardzen has completed thousands of online landscape designs for homeowners throughout the United States. This is by no means an exhaustive list—we are proud of every design we create, so it was nearly impossible to choose just twenty five. So, let’s call this list a “glance” at some of Yardzen’s best work. See more in Yardzen Portfolio!

Inspired by what you see? Get started on your yard renovation today!

Small Yard for the Whole Family

Our designers transformed this small yard in the Bay Area to meet the needs of the whole two-legged and four-legged family. The covered patio creates the perfect setting for family dinners, while the grass provides a small play space for kids and pets. The fire pit and built-in bench are the parents’ favorite retreat for evenings after the family goes to bed. See more of this yard HERE.

Boho Hideaway in Seattle

Stepping into this backyard instantly transports you to a peaceful and relaxed state of mind. That’s thanks to the dense plantings of shade-loving plants, like Lady Ferns and Astilbe (the white, flowering plant dotted throughout), which create a woodsy, whimsical look. The swath of grasses in this small yard creates space for kids and dogs to play, while the gravel patio sets the scene for a relaxing evening around the fire pit. Learn more this project’s budget in our Guide to Landscaping Costs. See more of this yard HERE.

The Ultimate Southwestern Yard

This beautiful backyard in Dallas’s Highland Park transport you to the southwest with a mix of cactus, stone, woods, pea gravel, and warm whites. Learn more about the pricing for this backyard in our Guide to Landscaping Costs. Tap to scroll through the design. See more of this yard HERE.

Year-Round Outdoor Living in Winter Park, Florida

Moditerranean Getaway

This backyard is an entertainer’s dream. The built-in bar, complete with a grill, refrigerator, and ample counter space, creates the perfect setting for hosting friends and family. Several seating areas surround the bar, including a dining table and a vine-covered patio with a couch. Mediterranean plants, like lavender, agave, and olive trees, set the stage for this romantic, inviting backyard. The angularity of the plants, combined with cement pavers and gravel, adds a modern flair to this timeless, stunning yard. See more of this yard HERE.

Desert Oasis in Phoenix, Arizona

Connecticut Classic

This sloped backyard in Connecticut sets the scene for the ultimate summer vacation. Our designers used beautiful, rustic retaining walls to create a beautiful backyard entertaining space. With smart design engineering, we carved out distinct spaces to fulfill the homeowners’ priorities: a small pool, fire pit, and room for a grill. See more of this yard HERE.

Edible Yard for Entertaining in Portland

This large city backyard has space to do it all: grow vegetables, sit by the fire, relax under the shade of the pergola, and eat dinner on the deck, all surrounded by permeable, easy-to-maintain pea gravel and concrete pavers. The mix of cool-colored plants, which withstand summer heat and soak up winter rains, add a moditerranean feel to the space. (What is moditerranean? Learn more in our Guide to Landscaping Styles.)

Backyard Retreat in the City

This tiny backyard in San Francisco has SO much going for it! Our designers created the perfect city retreat by combining a built-in bench, cool-colored hardscaping, and climate-adapted plants, like lavender, grasses, flax lily, and olive trees. The outdoor dining table is perfect for those magically warm nights in the city by the bay.

Coastal Getaway in the Hamptons

Casual Elegance for a Traditional Home in Georgia

Xeriscaping for a Midcentury Modern

The owners of this mid-century home in Austin wanted their yard to reflect the style of their house. To stay true to the exterior design, we chose textural plants and arranged them in neat lines to mirror the architectural movement. Because water usage is a concern in western Texas, we selected plants like fescue, agave, and lavender, which are drought-tolerant, as well as low-maintenance. We created a walkway by edging square pavers with pea gravel—a fantastic, water-permeable solution for hardscape—and laid down more pea gravel beyond the plantings (learn more about gravel hardscaping).

Traditional Yard for an American Farmhouse

Social Front Yard in the Southwest

Tiered Yard in Austin

A multi-level yard featuring a mix of climate-adapted plants, easy-to-maintain hardscape, and cascading decks. The ideal spot to kick back with friends and enjoy a local brew. See more of this yard HERE.

Elegant Entertaining Space in Seattle

Boho Backyard

Wine Country Backyard

What was once an empty yard full of dirt and debris is transformed into a classically cool backyard in California’s wine country. Now, it’s the perfect space to enjoy the evening outside with a glass of cabernet and a slice of pizza, fresh from the wood-fired oven. The star of this backyard is the custom cooktop, including the pizza oven, a gas grill, and the Big Green Egg charcoal BBQ. Plantings include an Aspen tree and ornamental grasses, and for the patio, we included a large slab of poured concrete with linear joints that create the feel of large pavers.

Scottsdale Retreat

Modern Bohemian Backyard in Westchester

Relaxing Escape in the Bay Area

The busy owners of this Bay Area backyard wanted us to design a space for them where they could unplug and relax. Our designers incorporated design elements that encourage lounging, like a fire pit and ample seating areas. They also included plants with soothing fragrances, like lavender and sage—climate-adapted, easy-to-maintain plants that ensure this backyard always feels like a peaceful place.

Multi-Use Yard in Tempe, AZ

Space to Reconnect in the Pacific Northwest

This beautiful backyard, which sits adjacent to a canopy of evergreens, creates the ultimate outdoor space for year-round get togethers with friends and family. The fully covered patio creates a beautiful shelter from winter rains and summer sun and includes a built-in grill and cooktop, along with plenty of space for dining and entertaining. Beyond the covered patio, a built-in bench and poured concrete fire pit call for late evenings spent under the stars.

Brooklyn Backyard

Coastal Escape on Bainbridge Island

Bring the Resort Home in Belle Island, Florida

Modern Coastal Bungalow in Santa Monica

For this project in Santa Monica, CA, staff Horticulturalist, Zolene Quindoy, who holds a degree in Horticulture from UC Davis, designed a yard that meets all of the lawn replacement rebate requirements for the local municipality. The whole yard is permeable—pavers count as a permeable material as long as gravel surrounds them. Also, the plants, including Echeveria, Agave, Yarrow, and climate-adapted grasses, are all low-water.

The Social Front Yard in Southern California

Desert-Inspired Front Yard

This desert-inspired front yard in Austin would look beautiful in many of the regions we cover, from West Texas to Southern Nevada and California to the arid regions of the Pacific Northwest. A variety of low-water cactus and grasses blend beautifully with decomposed granite and rough-hewn boulders.

Craftsman with a Family Story

There is a touching story behind this newly built, modern craftsman home. The owner of this house inherited the land from his grandparents who loved to grow fruits and vegetables, and he wanted his new yard to honor their legacy, while still incorporating modern design elements to make the home feel contemporary. Throughout the yard, we made sure to keep all of the old-growth plants, like apple and cherry trees, and design around them. We added several new edibles, like grapevines along the driveway, citrus trees in the backyard, and several raised beds for vegetables and herbs. In the front, we added textural plants, like grasses and agaves, to make the yard feel fresh and modern.

A French Country Garden

This backyard transports you to the French countryside—fragrant lavender and lemon trees mingle with elegant trees that rustle in the wind. A long patch of grass beckons you to lay out a picnic blanket and enjoy some rosé on a Saturday afternoon, followed by dinner on the smooth, concrete porch and an evening spent by the fire, under the twinkling stars.

Contemporary Escape in the Woods of Woodinville, WA

Modern Rustic Backyard

This backyard is an extension of a newly-built, charcoal-colored, modern farmhouse. The homeowners wanted the backyard to reflect the mix of contemporary and country elements in their home, so our designers played with a mix of materials to complement the house. Throughout the yard, we incorporated woods—in the deck, in the furniture, and with the mulch that surrounds most of the yard—to play up the rustic features of the house. We also added more modern materials, like metal and concrete, and contemporary lines in the fire pit and pavers, to balance the yard and make it feel like a cohesive part of the exterior.

Spanish Bungalow

This front yard looks like it sprang straight from our Instagram feed—it captures so many elements of the latest design trends, including Spanish architecture, #organicmodern colors and textures, and always-trendy plants like agave and succulents. Although this yard looks and feels so contemporary, the simplicity makes it timeless.

The Sunset Magazine House

This house in Thousand Oaks is the epitome of Sunset’s west coast lifestyle. An expansive deck with built-in seating creates the ultimate setting for the best of outdoor living. The redwood deck includes a built-in hot tub and space for a farmhouse-style table. Flanking the sides of the raised patio are stucco planters filled with low-maintenance, climate-adapted plants, like Lomandra and Flax, both ornamental grass. Beyond the deck is a sprawling lawn for the family’s kids and dog. Our designer chose the Delta Bluegrass Native No-Mow sod, a drought-tolerant mix of fescues that also does well with shade (it’s our 2020 Plant of the Year!).

English Cottage Garden in the City

The English cottage garden, complete with pink flowers, abundant blooms, and traditional hedges, lands in sunny Southern California. The owners of this small backyard have big plans for a pool, a pergola, and an outdoor dining space, so our designers had to get creative with carving out individual spaces for all of those elements. Our favorite solution: a farmhouse table in the unused driveway! When you’re short on space or budget, we always recommend repurposing and thinking outside of the box.

2020 Landscape & Garden Trends

Welcome to our annual list of emerging landscape and garden trends in the goals and priorities of our clients, with plenty of our staff's creative genius sprinkled in.

ABOUT YARDZEN:

Yardzen is the leading online landscape design service. We help homeowners get beautiful and functional yards, starting with the kind of photorealistic 3D design that was previously only available for high-end commercial landscape architecture projects. By rethinking the outdoor renovation process from start to finish, we’re delivering a new experience to homeowners and contractors alike—one that’s more efficient, transparent, and affords great design to many. And we’re off to a great start: in 2019, Yardzen created more than 3% of all landscape designs in the United States.

Yardzen is in a unique position to forecast outdoor design trends. For our 2020 Outdoor Design Trends Forecast, we analyzed 12,320 individual responses to our Yardzen design profile, completed by homeowners about to embark on an outdoor renovation project. We also received information and observations from our talented design team, who hold B.A.s and M.A.s in Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, plus years in the field.

Re-wilding 

We’re all doing our part to bring native and climate-adapted plants to our yards

Re-wilding, or restoring urban and suburban yards to life-supporting habitats, is an undeniable garden trend of 2020.

What's driving it? "Our clients understand that native and climate-adapted* plants add beauty and biological benefits to their yard. Native species support critical pollinators, promote biodiversity, and in arid climates, require minimal water," says Yardzen's Design Director Kevin Lenhart, who holds an M.A. in Landscape Architecture from UC Berkeley. "A healthy landscape of native and climate-adapted plants is our ultimate goal."

Native and climate-adapted plants have another significant benefit, too: because they have learned to be successful in local biomes, they tend to be low-maintenance. "We want to make it easy for people to care for their yards because, at the end of the day, a yard full of thriving, climate-adapted plants is the best solution for our clients and for Earth."

*Climate-adapted plants are species that aren't natively found in the region but are well-adapted to the environment and play nice with native plants and animals. In California and Texas, many plants from South Africa and Australia work well.

BY THE YARDZEN NUMBERS

A whopping 91% of Yardzen clients want plants that encourage climate-helping pollinators like bees and butterflies and 76% want native or climate-adapted plants in their outdoor space.

The New Garden

Millenials are gardening, but it looks different this time around

Gardening’s popularity among American households is at an all-time high. Household spend on gardening increased from $400 (already the highest in decades) to a whopping $503 annually in 2019, driven almost entirely by people aged 23-38. “The under 40 set now occupies 29% of all gardening households. It’s a strong sign that they’re finally 'in,'" says Garden Research industry analyst Ian Baldwin.

But it’s not like it used to be. Gardens look different—they’re smaller and low-maintenance. For some people, it’s a fruit tree and an herb garden (hello, cocktail garden!), for others, it’s raised beds to encourage kids to get their hands dirty. Homeowners are longing to connect to their produce in a hyper local way, but they do’t want to give up their weekends for their zucchini.

BY THE YARDZEN NUMBERS:

Based on Yardzen’s 12,320 design profiles, 51% of prospective home renovators want fruit trees and herb gardens in their yard, and 40% want to grow vegetables and cutting flowers. People want their produce to have a story, and for that story to be their own.

Conscious Construction

A push for a lower carbon footprint is changing how we approach exterior renovation—from design decisions to demolition

As people take stock of their impact on climate change, homeowners are carefully evaluating their landscape choices with an eye toward Earth. A sustainable approach to landscaping takes many forms, from design to materials and plant selections to construction.

Construction demolition is a leading waste creator in the United States. According to the EPA, the United States creates 569 million tons of construction & demolition debris each year—more than twice the amount of municipal solid waste. At Yardzen, we are changing that.

In every project we work on, our waste-generated carbon footprint is top of mind. Wherever we can, we encourage our clients to repurpose their existing materials, like decking, stone, and even plants, working around existing elements instead of simply ripping them down and starting over.

BY THE YARDZEN NUMBERS

93% of Yardzen clients ask to retain existing elements of their yard, like decks, mature trees, and fences. Those people look to us to “make it work,” in the words of Project Manager Deanna Glory, an experienced landscape designer.

Conscious Construction Case Study

Functional Front Yard

The new back yard is the front yard, where homeowners can find a sense of community and connect with neighbors

In 2019 Yardzen saw a surging number of clients requesting patio spaces, vegetable gardens, and space for pets and kids to play, not only in the back yard where one would expect such requests but in the front yard.

"Few opportunities to socialize present themselves in many suburban American neighborhoods, where people leave in the morning, come home in the evening, and generally keep to themselves," said Yardzen co-founder Adam Messner. "But we're seeing lots of our clients resist that by asking for elements in their front yards — where neighbors might be walking by — that invite socialization."

Water Smart

What it means to be “water smart” in your landscaping continues to evolve, and it changes region by region

In arid climates, like California and West Texas, to be water smart doesn’t just mean planting drought-tolerant plants and swapping out your lawn, it also means creating permeable surfaces for water to absorb into below-ground aquifers. Many cities offer rebates to ensure that your yard makes the best use of water.

In regions like Southeast Texas, high levels of precipitation lead to frequent flooding, so to be water smart is to focus on drainage and permeability. In many cities throughout Texas, municipalities require that a property is at least 20% landscape, specifically plants and permeable hardscape, to ensure proper drainage.

Climate change is affecting water patterns the world over, but one thing is clear: water is top of mind for nearly everyone when approaching an outdoor renovation project.

BY THE YARDZEN NUMBERS

More than 87% of Yardzen clients say being water smart is important to them when thinking about their outdoor space.

SANTA MONICA CASE STUDY

For this Santa Monica project, our staff Horticulturalist, Zolene Quindoy, who holds a degree in Horticulture from UC Davis, designed a yard that meets all of the lawn replacement rebate requirements for the local municipality. The whole yard is permeable—pavers count as a permeable material as long as gravel surrounds them. Also, the plants, including Echeveria, Agave, Yarrow, and climate-adapted grasses, are all low-water.

Zen Den

An understanding that connection to nature leads to wellness is prompting the creation of outdoor relaxation spaces

In 2019 the journal Nature Scientific reported what many already knew intuitively: spending 120 minutes a week in nature, or just 17 minutes per day, can significantly boost happiness and overall well-being. There is a substantial body of research linking green spaces to lower risks of disease, mental health problems, and mortality, and better health and cognitive development in children.

Homeowners are taking note and creating their own, private green spaces, designed for wellness. Meet the Zen Den, an outdoor space purpose-designed for connectedness with nature.

BY THE YARDZEN NUMBERS

74% of Yardzen clients say that creating a space for relaxation is their primary goal for their outdoor space.

Prime Real Estate

The real estate industry is coming around to what we already knew: lives are best lived outside

The data is in and home buyers have gotten the memo. According to the AIA Home Design Trends Survey, functional outdoor space is the single top priority for home buyers. Whereas updated kitchens and bathrooms used to be a top priority, outdoor living space has overtaken interiors as the key selling point.

Many Yardzen clients and prospective clients are recent homebuyers who are looking to extend their home’s functional space by improving their yards. According to Yardzen cofounder Allison Messner, “outdoor rooms add square footage to your house. In California and Texas — where Yardzen is currently designing — our clients aspire to enjoy their yards all year long; think: all-season play, entertaining, and relaxing. There’s nothing better than enjoying the company of friends and family outside. It makes your breath deeply and put your phone down.”

BY THE NUMBERS

79% of Americans surveyed by the National Association of Landscaping Professionals say green space is important when buying a home.

Backyard Camping

The joy of the campfire comes home with the rise of the firepit

In short order, the firepit has become table stakes when it comes to choosing yard elements. Why is this? Yardzen’s Kendra Poppy, a former Sunset Magazine editor, believes “the backyard experience has become the new camping trip. We long to connect to nature, so just like a staycation, the ‘yardcation’ is a more accessible way for people to connect and relish in the joys of outdoor living—with a cozy bed waiting inside.”

BY THE YARDZEN NUMBERS

In 2019, more than 50% of the 1,500 designs created by Yardzen included a firepit at the client’s request.

Open Air Dining

The dinner table (and kitchen) has moved outside

Where people once used to gather around the kitchen island, those gatherings are moving outdoors whenever possible. According to Yardzen project manager Deanna Glory, an experienced landscape designer, “every single client wants an outdoor dining space. I can’t think of one who doesn’t. People enjoy living outdoors and want to bring their entertaining experience outside.”

In addition to outdoor dining, a full half of Yardzen clients want an outdoor kitchen. These outdoor kitchens take all shapes and sizes, from built-in BBQs to chef-style setups.

BY THE YARDZEN NUMBERS

Out of more than12,300 people polled, an outdoor dining space is the single most requested design feature.

Inside out

What’s in is now out(side). Exterior’s taking its lead from interior

The design trends we’re seeing inside have a new home outside, too.

Nod to Neutrals

According to Architectural Digest, one of their biggest trends for the 2020s is “Amped-Up Neutrals.” “Earthy colors, like off-white, tinted grays, tactile beiges, slate lavender will take center stage, reflecting a movement toward “nature and authenticity.” (AD)

This move toward a softer, subtler palette inside is also happening outside, too. No more primary colors. Your new yard is now composed of earthy neutrals: subtle greens, hints of purple, and greige. (If you have to ask, that means gray + beige). We see that reflected in many of our clients’ plant selections. The most requested plants: lavender, succulents, and native grasses.

By the Yardzen numbers:

70% of Yardzen clients want a “medium” or softer color palette in their yards, with shades of green, beige, gray, and colored foliage accents.

Statement Pieces

Interior design trends that have dominated the past few years, like statement pieces and accent walls, are making their way into outdoor spaces. Light fixtures adorning outdoor eating or living spaces that until recently would only be found indoors, large-scale planters, and stand-alone accent walls are the newest additions to the American backyard.

Built-Ins

The big interior trend of 2020 that’s making an appearance outside, too? Built-in seating. Everyone wants a banquette in their dining room, and now they want one outside, too.

Playscapes

Tired: big-box store structures

Wired: play spaces that make use of natural elements and topography

More than half of Yardzen clients say they’re designing their yard with their kids in mind. Increasingly that looks different from the play structures of yesterday.

In 2020 more people will seek to create a playscape in their yard, with elements like tree rounds for stairs, climbing walls, tree houses, trampolines, and rope swings. Often what you already have in your yard can be creatively repurposed as a foundation for your playscape.

According to Harvard faculty doctor Claire McCarthy, MD, making sure your kids get plenty of time to play outside is a simple way to help ensure their future health and success. Outdoor play boosts executive function, encourages taking risks, teaches socialization and appreciation of nature.

BY THE YARDZEN NUMBERS

Out of more than12,300 people polled, more than 48% say that their top priority for their outdoor space is creating a space to play for their kids.

Get your gravel on

The eco-friendly material is having a moment

In recent years, the ancient practice of gravel hardscaping has gone decidedly modern. Over the last thirty years, garden pioneers like Sunset magazine have touted xeriscape, composed of permeable ground covers—generally gravel—and native plants. But, the tastemakers on Instagram have taken that to a whole new level, showcasing all-gravel hardscaping, like insta-famous @casa.mami. We’re predicting that the all-gravel landscape will be a huge trend in 2020.

One of our favorite aspects of gravel is that it’s water-smart. Water-smart no longer means drought-tolerant, which it is, but it also means that the material allows water absorption—critical for capturing groundwater and preventing flooding.

Most gravel on the market is made in the U.S. and has a relatively low carbon footprint (source). For an even more sustainable material with a similar effect, consider using crushed seashells underfoot.

BY THE YARDZEN NUMBERS

Out of over 1,500 designs completed by Yardzen, 71% include gravel, ranging from decomposed granite to river rock.

🌾 2020 Plant of the Year

No-Mow Sod

People love lawn, but they’re eager to see it evolve. And evolve it is. The Yardzen 2020 Plant of the Year is a versatile ground cover that punches above its weight class. Meet No-Mow Sod from Delta Bluegrass.

Why No-Mow Sod?

Let’s start with the obvious: It’s just a beautiful grass, rich and lush. Looking at it makes you want to lay out a blanket and take a nap in the sunshine. It’s equal parts wind-swept coastal garden and tranquil meadow and, really, no matter where it’s planted it seems to look right at home.

Also, and this is the best part for many: it doesn’t need to be mowed, hence the name No-Mow Sod. You can mow it and keep it looking groomed and tidy like a traditional lawn, or you can let it exist in its perfect natural form, and if that’s your preference, it doesn’t require any maintenance. According to Stockton, CA-based Delta Bluegrass, in non-mowed areas the grass will reach a height of 8 to 10 inches and then begin to lay over on itself.

Less water, no chemicals and more

But looking further there are some impressive benefits of this mighty sod. According to Delta Bluegrass, you can “reduce your irrigation to 50% less than what you would apply to traditional areas.” That means you can switch to native grass and recoup the cost of your investment (water and maintenance) pretty darn quickly.

Also, and this is a big one: because this is a native plant it doesn’t like or need chemicals to grow and thrive, which is unlike more traditional sods. Native grasses like Delta Bluegrass No-Mow Sod control soil erosion, reduce dust, lower and cool ground temperatures, reduce noise and clean our ground water. Properly maintained native sod is one of the most cost effective and environmentally-beneficial products in urban development.

#CanYouDigIt: Landscaping Costs, Drought-Tolerant Plants, and More (Episode 1)

Yardzen introduces #CanYouDigIt, a new series on Instagram! Our Design Director, Kevin Lenhart, an M.A. in Landscape Architecture from UC Berkeley, answers YOUR landscape design questions.

Watch episode 1 in our highlights, and send us your questions for next week’s segment!

A modern take on a formal garden in this Yardzen backyard

Question: I love modern yards, and he loves formal gardens. How do we create a modern-formal garden mashup?

If you and your partner have different stylistic preferences, for example, one of you likes a modern aesthetic and the other likes a more traditional look, that is not a hopeless case. Enter the modern formal garden!

What I advise in that scenario is to start breaking each style down by the different components that represent that style and see what they have in common.

What do you see when you look at a modern design? What are the elements in there? I’m thinking concrete pavers, monolithic blocks of plantings with minimal blooms, a lot of emphasis on texture. Same thing with a formal design—what do you see there? Oftentimes you’ll see a lot of symmetry, sculpted plants, and blooms restricted to a certain color.

Once you start boiling it down to these essential elements of each style, you will start to find an overlap. You’re basically creating a Venn diagram to see where two (or more) different styles overlap. You’ll start to see what two different styles have in common. Those components will then become the building blocks of what you will base your design on.

Question: What is the average landscaping cost for the backyard?

To ask what average landscaping costs of a backyard is a tricky question. It ranges so much. (Here’s our blog post about it!) Every site is very different and what people want to get out of their designs is very different.

If you’re looking to do a landscape on the simpler end of things, you’re going to be in the $20,000-$30,000 range, and that’s going to be focused mostly on planting and hardscaping. If you have a sloped property or other property conditions that require retaining walls, that is going to drive your price up more.

In the $50,000-$60,000 range, you’re looking at design elements like pergolas, outdoor kitchens, and hot tubs, in addition to planting and hardscaping. Up around $100,000, then you’re getting more into custom elements in your design.

This is not to say that any one of these features can’t be included in a lower-budget design, but it will require some smart budgeting. If you have a small budget, but would like a more high-end element, like a pergola or kitchen, then the rest of your design will have to accommodate that by being very simple, minimal, and restrained.

I actually really enjoy working on lower-budget designs because there are some strong constraints you run up against that push you as a designer to figure out what the most essential, simple, strong moves are that you can make to create a powerful design that establishes a really strong and welcoming sense of place without having to break the bank.

A drought-tolerant backyard that is decidedly not desert-y and looks great with any style of home

Question: How does one make a drought-tolerant front yard for a 2-story New England-style house without making it look desert-y?

There is a common misconception that drought-tolerant equals a certain desert-y aesthetic. Drought-tolerant really just refers to the water requirements and climate behavior of a given plant. Drought tolerant plants in California and West Texas are adapted to do well with minimal water and to thrive with minimal care in our arid climate with hot summers.

Within that category of plants that are adapted to this climate and can tolerate low water conditions, there is a whole range of aesthetics. So, you can find shrubby bushes, that would emulate a more traditional looking plant, like a boxwood. You can find deciduous plants that have color that would be a drought-tolerant stand-in for some of the plants you would typically associate with a traditional landscape.

Question: If you can only afford to do your yard in phases, where do you start?

If you can only afford to install a design in phases, my advice to clients is to focus on how you plan to use the space and think about where the most valuable spaces will be. What are the most important uses your hoping to get out of your yard? If you can prioritize those, that will be a roadmap for how you should phase your project.

Retaining Wall Renovation Transforms a Steep Yard

In hillside and uneven yards, retaining walls help retain soil and rock to create even surfaces and prevent erosion. In this Bay Area home, retaining walls throughout the yard help create leveled spaces for playing and entertaining, but on one side of the yard, outdated construction has made the space unusable for the family who lives there.

When designing this yard, we knew that we would have to include retaining walls to mitigate the steep hillside. Still, it was our goal to make these walls work for the family: make them attractive and multi-purpose, and rethink spacing to create larger, more functional zones on the hillside.

At the top of the yard, we added board-formed cement retaining walls that serve as attractive planters. We placed these walls closer together so that they would take up less space and create more room on the lower levels. The narrow space between the planters creates a beautiful area for planting. In this case, we added ferns, which not only thrive in shaded yards but also help anchor soil and prevent erosion in hillside yards. (Read more here.)

On the other side of the hillside, we extended the retaining wall to create a larger planter box, which we filled with grasses and agave—easy-to-maintain, drought-tolerant plants that add modern lushness to the yard.

Below the planter boxes, the retaining walls become wonderfully usable spaces. One of the retaining walls doubles as a bench, similar to the built-in we created for this San Mateo, CA home. On the ground level, a hidden retaining wall serves as the base of an expansive deck, which flows into a permeable patio, composed of concrete and pea gravel—an attractive solution for drainage, which is necessary for hillside runoff.

Rethinking the existing retaining walls was the bulk of the work for this home, but the existing above-ground jacuzzi proved to be another challenge. When first discussing the backyard renovation, our clients considered removing the jacuzzi and building an in-ground hot tub, but we discouraged that idea. Why? One of our core tenets is sustainability. We believe that you shouldn’t throw something away—a tree, a fence, a hot tub—unless it’s a significant impediment to the overall design or at the end of its life. Instead, we are committed to design solutions that revitalize existing outdoor elements.

Instead of scrapping the hot tub, we used our design thinking to create a beautiful deck that encapsulates the hot tub. The wood patio serves two purposes. For one, it creates a big, usable space that works with the hillside. It also creates a beautiful enclosure for the hot tub, making it feel like an in-ground spa.

Get started on your yard renovation today!

Trend Alert: Pairing Gravel with Bold Exterior Paint

Source: @casamami

One of the hottest trends in exterior renovation is pairing gravel hardscape with bold paint colors: bright white, blue, and black. It’s the most popular aesthetic on Yardzen’s Instagram! We’re experts in all things plants and hardscape (read our guide to gravel), but selecting a paint is a whole different ball game, so we asked our friends at Paintzen to come up with a couple of gravel and paint pairings to make your yard stand out.

Source: @hommeboys

Decomposed Granite + PPG Mother of Pearl

Decomposed granite (DG) is a super fine gravel with a uniform appearance of beige or gray. Because the color of the gravel is flat and one-dimensional, Paintzen’s senior color consultant, Meghan Stewart, recommends choosing a shade of white for your exterior because it reflects light, which gives your home “life” and creates “varying shades.” Stewart recommends PPG’s Mother of Pearl, a rich hue of “sunny white” that shines in the sun, like a pearl. The contrast of the muted DG with the multi-dimensional Mother of Pearl paint is a match made in exterior heaven!

 We love the look of dramatic, architectural plants against this soft palette. Think: cactus, succulents, artichoke, and sages.

Photo by @samfroststudio // Design by @mastonstpeter

Pea Gravel + 2020 Color of the Year: PPG Chinese Porcelain

The smooth, gray pebbles of pea gravel remind us of stately mediterranean homes. To play up this oceanside, old-world feel, Stewart recommends using PPG’s 2020 Color of the Year, Chinese Porcelain. “The darker shades of indigo with their subdued navy and cobalt undertones calls to mind the sea,” she says. Blue paint is also a great option for those on the fence of staying neutral or going bold with their exterior color. “Blue holds a lot of the qualities of neutral paint colors because it can blend so well into surroundings, while still managing to make an impression.”

To complement this old-world look, we recommend mediterranean plants, like lemons, olives, and rosemary, all of which are low-water, low-maintenance plants, once established.

Black Basalt + PPG Onyx

For those homeowners who are willing to take a risk, we love the idea of doubling down on black with black basalt, a charcoal-colored stone, and PPG Onyx. According to Stewart, this pairing is “in line with the monochromatic trend we’ve been seeing lately with darker colors.” “By matching similar shades you create varying textures that create a complete look,” says Stewart.

To bring out some of the warmth of the basalt and the paint, we love the look of purple and blue plants, like salvia, lavender, and African Blue Basil.

Hardscaping 101: Decking Choices

When selecting decking material, there are several options to choose from, all with different pros and cons, including price, durability, maintenance, and sustainability (visit the Forest Stewardship Council website to learn more). Here are the most commonly used woods and composites.

Pressure-Treated Lumber

Pressure-treated lumber, generally pine, is one of the most common decking materials. It is resistant to termites, rot, and fungal decay and is often the least expensive option.

What is pressure treating? As the name implies, pressure-treated lumber is treated with chemicals under pressure (the force drives the preservative into the wood cells). In almost all use cases, there aren't any health concerns with pressure-treated wood, but it shouldn't be cut or burned. Manufacturers caution against its use in gardens because of the increased chance that it will come into contact with water and food.

To protect the wood from fading, checking, splintering, or turning soft and porous, you have to stain it and apply penetrating sealers annually. If you don't take proper care, the wood retains blemishes and stains from falling debris and leaves.

Redwood

Redwood is one of the most expensive decking materials, but it receives top marks for sustainability and beauty. If you're installing a redwood deck in California, the wood likely hasn't traveled far to get to you as nearly all redwood is harvested in CA redwood forests, meaning a lesser carbon footprint. 

High-grade redwood is naturally resistant to insects and doesn't rot, but it does require regular sealing to maintain its beauty.

See the before and after of a redwood deck transformation.

Cedar

Cedar is an excellent choice because it is well-priced (low- to mid-range) and is environmentally friendly, but it does have some notable downsides.

Cedar has a net negative greenhouse gas effect, is renewable, and biodegradable. It's produced in sustainably managed forests, so it doesn't degrade our natural forests. Cedar is also rot-resistant because the sap in the wood impedes most moisture absorption.

The big downside to cedar is that it isn't as durable as other decking choices. Under ideal conditions, it can last 15-20 years (pressure-treated wood can last up to 40 years) and is easily scratched, dented, and stained. Cedar requires regular sealing.

Hardwood

Hardwoods include ipe, camura, and tigerwood. Ipe (pictured here) is the most common hardwood (example) because of its rich brown color and its unparalleled smoothness. Hardwood tends to be the most expensive wood option, and because it's grown internationally, it has a significant carbon footprint. When buying hardwood, it is essential to make sure that it is sustainably farmed and FSC-certified.

Composite Decking

Composite decking companies include Trex, TimberTech (pictured here), and Veranda. As with all decking, there are some significant pros and cons to composite.

Composite decking has the highest up-front cost of any of the materials discussed here, although the lifetime cost is comparable to wood when you take into consideration the durability (it lasts forever) and reduced maintenance (no sealing—scrub it!).

Composites are often made of recycled materials, like waste wood and recycled plastic, making composite a good choice for sustainability-minded customers, although there are questions about whether composite decking can be recycled. 

Even though composite mimics wood, it doesn't have the same beauty or feel. One of the most significant downsides is that composite can get incredibly hot.

Reconnecting Home and Garden in a Terraced Yard

A young family creates a plan to turn their multi-level backyard into an airy entertainment space outfitted with a dining deck, lounge area, a dog run, and play set.

By Thad Orr

When Lynda Chen and her husband Aaron Epstein bought their home in San Mateo, California, in 2018, they immediately started remodeling the interior. Before they even moved into the house, they’d updated the kitchen, electrical systems, bathrooms, and interior finishes. After about 6 months of remodels, they moved into their newly renovated home knowing that the landscape was next. “We’ve been trying to recover from one big project before starting the next,” Epstein says. “It can be stressful doing renovations, so we took a break for the first half of the year to make sure we were ready for the commitment.”

The couple began their landscape project by researching on Houzz to get ideas and peruse profiles of contractors. Chen and Epstein also cross-referenced landscape contractors they liked with Yelp reviews. “We were in search of one professional to handle everything for us—from design to materials to install,” Chen says. “We wanted to be involved in the planning, but after that we wanted to just give the go-ahead and have it completed—nice and streamlined.” 

Planning the gardens was no small task since the terrace yard is small, at less than 5,000 square feet, and broken into different levels. Complicating the design are three doors off the back of the house—only one of which provides access to the garden. “There are two sliding doors that lead to a really narrow deck that’s not functional, and you can’t even access the backyard from there,” Epstein says. “We wanted to reconnect the house and garden in a seamless way. We want to walk out the back door and relax or dine in the garden.” Beyond the functional challenge of reconnecting the home and garden, the couple also wanted a variety of mixed-use spaces for lounging, dining, entertaining by a fire pit, playing with their young daughter, or letting their dog run around. 

At first, Chen and Epstein met with a few traditional landscaping companies, but since the couple didn’t have a clear vision or rendering for what they wanted, “it got confusing fast,” Epstein says. In the midst of these meetings, they came across an ad for Yardzen, and Chen filled out a design profile on the Yardzen website. “The price felt right for the detailed 3D renderings I saw on their website,” Chen says. “I felt comfortable paying the up-front fee because of the portfolio of projects they have.”

After completing their design profile, the couple had an interview with their Yardzen designer. “It was refreshing to know that there were real humans behind the designs,” Chen says. Epstein, however, was more skeptical of the online design process. He wondered how the designers could deal with the complications of their backyard and the multiple levels of the space without sending someone out to see it. “But I was blown away by the detail and thoughtful design when we received the renderings. I said, ‘wow, that’s our exact house,’” Epstein says. 

Through several half-hour long calls with their Yardzen designer, Chen and Epstein worked through some adjustments to the design they received. “The changes were minor,” Chen says. “I said to myself, ‘There’s some hope! Someone understands what we want.’” 

The backyard design features a large contemporary deck that acts as the main element used to reconnect home and garden. Each of the three doors will open onto a large deck at a consistent elevation—there’s space for dining and a bar top for more informal gatherings. At both ends of the deck, small flights of stairs lead to the middle level of the backyard. “Now we’ll be able to open the back doors, enjoy the view, and easily bring food from the house to eat out on the deck,” Epstein says. “We’ll also be able to access any area of the backyard from any of the three doors.”

A new concrete patio will be added on one side of the garden with space for lounge chairs. On the lower terrace, a fire pit area, dog run, and space for a play set will be added—all accessible by stairs on both sides of the yard. “Accessibility and safety were key,” Chen says. “We wanted our daughter to be safe in the backyard and we wanted easy access to all levels.” Though the design now features five different seating areas, each with a different purpose, they are integrated into a cohesive layout designed for ease of circulation.

The spaces are tied together through plantings as well. The planting plan features a mix of drought-tolerant plants—including a number of Bay Area natives. Before this home, Chen and Epstein had only lived in apartments or townhomes. “This was all new,” Epstein says. “And the scope of this project was much larger than anything we’d taken on in the past. Before this, we’d only hired someone to install a few bushes and a crape myrtle in a tiny planting bed. It was nice to have the Yardzen designers and their horticulturist say, ‘here’s what you should do and here’s why.’”

The design team brought up a few adjustments to overall plan, and the couple had a few additional changes of their own. “We had a design created for the entire garden because we thought we’d redo the front yard too. But seeing the plan for the backyard was so exciting that we want to focus our budget there. It’s where we spend all of our time,” Epstein says. The design team also recommended that the couple rethink the bocce court they’d originally requested because they often go unused and don’t function as multi-use spaces. Chen and Epstein agreed. Instead, they opted for a grassy dog run that also left room for the fire pit area and a children’s play set.

Equipped with a plan, Chen and Epstein are excited about moving forward, knowing that their investment in getting a detailed design will be helpful in communicating with contractors. “It’ll be nice to show contractors a picture of what we want and know that everyone is on the same page,” Epstein says. “We also know roughly what the cost should be since Yardzen provides that, too. Honestly, we had such a great experience with Yardzen I wish they’d just build the backyard for us too!” 

Lessons Learned

Homeowners Lynda Chen and Aaron Epstein share a few tips for landscape design success:

1. Plan First. Talk to Contractors Second. You can talk to someone about a deck and each person may have a different visual of what that deck looks like. It’s important to get more specific before talking to contractors. Plan out the size, materials you like, and design ideas early in the process. You can adjust with your contractor’s advice, but this way you have something to start with. It’s a good way to make sure everyone is on the same page. 

2. Focus Your Budget. Evaluate whether you need to remodel your front yard and backyard. Chen and Epstein are focusing their efforts and budget on the backyard where they’ll spend most of their time instead of splitting their budget. 

3. Create a Pinterest Board. Creating a visual board of spaces, materials, plants, planters, and other outdoor elements you like. This will help you and your significant other get on the same page regarding the style you want. It’s easy to sit in front of the computer for a few minutes and say, “we both like this, we don’t like that,” and so on. You can share your board with your design team at Yardzen.

Homeowners Aaron Epstein and Lynda Chen with their young daughter.

The rendering of Lynda Chen and Aaron Epstein’s backyard in San Mateo, California, features a new deck that wraps around the back of the home providing access to the backyard from all three doors. A cable railing system will be installed for safety around the deck. Stairs at both ends of the deck provide access to various seating areas—a lounge area at one end and a fire pit at the other.

The lounge space in this backyard will be covered with a shade fabric to provide relief from the sun. The seating is easily accessed from stairs that cascade from the deck. This space overlooks the play area and dog run for easy supervision of children and pets.

A seat bench built into a board-formed concrete retaining wall and fitted with cushions is surrounded by lush plantings. This seating will provide spots for the family to sit while their daughter and dog play on the lower level of the backyard.

A fire pit space is tucked in the back corner of the property for evening gatherings. The area is kept simple with gravel paving and a concrete fire pit.

A birds-eye view of the property shows how various outdoor spaces connect through a series of staircases. Each level of the backyard is accessible from either side of the property, making moving around the yard a breeze.

Outdoor Fall Decor Ideas That Will Inspire You to Get Outside This Season

For all of our California and Texas-based clients, fall is not only a great time to install your yard, but it’s also a great time to enjoy your yard, too! Warm days fade into cool, cozy evenings, perfect for gathering friends and family around the fire pit. Pair with a glass of wine and a cheese board, and you’ve got yourself a perfect evening. Are you inspired to throw an outdoor soiree? Here are our top tips for outdoor fall decor.

Pillows (Indoor pillows work well!)

We love pillows—they have a fantastic ability to transform any space. But, outdoor cushions can be a hassle; no matter how amazing the material (Sunbrella is excellent), they quickly accumulate dirt, dust, and mildew. If you are planning to host an outdoor event, we recommend that instead of going to the store to buy outdoor pillows, check to see what you have inside. We used a mix of big and small pillows in a white (Ikea) and a festive burnt orange (Sarah Sherman Samuel x Lulu and Georgia). These pillows live on co-founder Allison’s bed (pictured here), but since dinner guests don’t usually visit the bedroom, it’s easy to pull pillows out of hidden rooms for outdoor decor.

Flameless Candles

Have you ever tried to light birthday candles outdoors? If so, you know how hard it can be to light candles and keep them lit when contending with the wind. Flameless candles are a genius solution for outdoor entertaining. Plus, they are fire safe!

Flowers and Natural Decor

It’s easy to overlook flowers when entertaining outside; after all, nature abounds in the outdoors. Not so fast! Flowers and natural elements like gourds and pumpkins add color, texture, and delight to any outdoor space. For fall, we loved this look of proteas, daisies, and homegrown pumpkins. Design tip: alternate the size and color of your vases.

A (Small) Rug

Outdoor rugs might seem silly, but they add beautiful warmth and texture to an outdoor space. Plus, carpets are so on-trend! If you don’t want to shell out too much on a rug that will inevitably get dirty, we love the look of a small mat at the foot of a couch. (Pictured here: From the Sarah Sherman Samuel x Lulu and Georgia collection)

A Fire Table

Fire pits are a popular request amongst our clients, and we love including them in our designs because they are lovely for gathering friends and family. The one downside: fire pits can take up the space that would otherwise go to a low-profile table. Enter the fire table. Powered by propane or natural gas, they have a substantial edge to support a wine glass or small plate safely.

Outdoor Oasis in Oakland

First-time homeowners hit pause on their backyard renovation to get a cohesive plan. The result? A lush space for relaxing, entertaining, and playing with their dog. 

By Thad Orr

Homeowners Josh Saletnik and Jaron Vesely bid on nine properties before getting their current home in Oakland, California. “By the time we had the keys we were ready to start remodeling,” says Vesely. After doing some improvements inside the home, the couple began working on the landscape. “It needed help,” Vesely says. “Someone had started building things but never finished—there was a strange wood deck in the middle of the yard and an empty concrete slab where a shed should go. It was really run down.” Their first priority was fixing a patch of grass for their dog Jasmine.


As they started removing the old lawn, Saletnik and Vesely discovered it was infested with wasps. The couple immediately felt the urge to start removing everything in the backyard in order to start fresh. “In the midst of discussing what to do we both said, ‘We can’t start making random decisions and piecing the yard together. It will look like a hodgepodge mess,’” Vesely remembers. Instead of removing everything and proceeding without a plan, they decided to slow down and work on putting together a cohesive design.

Just days later, the two began searching for designers and contractors to redesign their backyard. “All the quotes were really expensive—thousands and thousands of dollars,” Vesely says. “So we kept searching and stumbled upon Yardzen.” At first skeptical about how customized the designs could be for the price, Saletnik and Vesely decided to set up a call to see if the service was a good fit. “We hopped on a call that didn’t cost anything and it turned out we were speaking with Adam Messner, one of the founders,” says Saletnik. “We were able to see other custom designs they’d done and ask questions about the entire process. It really assuaged our fears.” 

The next day, the couple bought the design package for their complete yard. “We wanted to take the leap and knew the front and backyard should coordinate,” says Vesely. “It’s also easier because you only go through the design process once.” Six days after the initial call to Yardzen, Saletnik and Vesely were submitting their design background materials that included responses to a design questionnaire, Pinterest boards, a brief description of what they wanted and several short videos of their existing yard.

“We were amazed when we got the plans back roughly two weeks later,” says Vesely. “Using the basic information we sent, they were able to create a shockingly accurate rendering of the landscape we wanted.” The homeowners were especially impressed with the communication from their design concierge throughout the process. “We never wondered what was going on,” Saletnik says. “Paula Suda, our concierge was in regular communication. Then the plan showed up and we love it. It even includes a virtual fly-through of the final design.”

With the initial design in hand, there are still a few minor adjustments that Saletnik and Vesely are making with Kevin Lenhart, the design director at Yardzen. “We want to extend a gate across the driveway so they entire yard is fenced,” Vesely says. “We also want to remove some of the spikey plants that our dog might get poked on. But that’s it.” Saletnik and Vesely’s attention has shifted to the landscape installation. “From the start, we planned on installing the project in phases,” says Saletnik. “We’ll likely spend between $30,000 to $50,000 over five years, but we’re ready to start on it now. Our designer is going to help us decide what to do first, second, third and so on.”

At the recommendation of the Yardzen team, Saletnik and Vesely kept some of the existing landscape elements such as a concrete patio and patio cover at the back of the house. They are also going to build a new shed on the existing concrete slab in the corner of the property. “We really appreciated this thoughtful approach,” Vesely says. “The design is cost-effective when it comes to hardscapes and salvaging structures that still work. The plant selections are also water-conscious.”

Though the planting will use little water once established, the look is still very lush—something the couple insisted on. “We wanted to feel like we were stepping into a natural oasis, not an overly manicured, architectural space,” says Saletnik. “This is where we’ll play with our dog, have summer barbecues, have coffee in the morning or a glass of wine at night.” With a home that’s just under 1,000 square feet and a yard that’s around 5,000 square feet, the two wanted the landscape to be an extension of the home. “We knew what we wanted in the backyard, but not what to build,” says Vesely. They knew privacy was important, but not how to get it. They knew they wanted a calming water feature and a place to hang out at night, but the specifics were elusive. Vesely says, “The backyard felt like the Wild West, but the plan is now our roadmap and we’re ready to dig in.”

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Lessons Learned

Homeowners Josh Saletnik and Jaron Vesely share a few tips for landscape design success.

1. Team Up: If you’re doing the design with a partner or spouse, make it a team effort. “We read each other’s design wish-list and sat on the couch together to edit each other’s Pinterest boards,” says Vesely. This helped tremendously because we gave Yardzen one clear, consistent message.

2. Know Your Budget: You don’t want to have a landscape design that you can’t build, so make sure your budget is clear upfront. Research and discuss with anyone your working with what various elements will cost to install.

3. Talk to Your Concierge & Designer: “Talking to the Yardzen team was important to us,” says Vesely. “It helped us affirm what we submitted in our design questionnaire and video to make sure the design team knew our top priorities and style.”


4. Look for Landscape Features to Keep: “You don’t have to rip everything out and start from scratch,” says Vesely. There are often ways to salvage and refurbish features such as concrete patios or shade structures that might be expensive to replace.

5. Keep an Open Mind: “There were elements in the design we didn’t even think of, but they fit the aesthetic,” says Saletnik. “We didn’t specifically request a wood spa in back or the hammock on the patio, but they are perfect for the mood of the backyard. Now I want both.”

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A digital view of Saletnik and Vesely’s new backyard design with a refurbished concrete patio and shade structure. New plantings are lush while still being low maintenance and waterwise.

This new pathway leads past plantings in shades of green to a new shed that will be built on an existing concrete slab.

Saletnik and Vesely wanted a synthetic lawn area for their dog, Jasmine, to play. This lawn area is at the back of the property and also makes a good spot for two lounge chairs.

A simple but beautiful concrete trough water feature at the center of the backyard adds to the oasis-like feel of the garden.

This backyard seating area and fire pit constructed using board-formed concrete and wood is the perfect space for entertaining friends or having a glass of wine in the evening.

The bird’s-eye view of Saletnik and Vesely’s backyard shows how all the elements connect. Quarter-inch mixed beach pebble is used at the center of this space and also in between poured concrete pavers knitting the spaces together visually.

The front yard of the home features the same poured-in-place concrete pavers and beach pebbles that are used in the backyard, and the plantings also coordinate. The fence will be extended with a gate across the driveway.