Guest User

March 18, 2022

8 Portland Landscaping Ideas Perfect for the PNW

Guest User

March 18, 2022

Maybe it’s the photo-ready Oregon light, or the abundant Northwestern green at every turn, but something about Portland makes for exquisite landscapes.

Take a look below to see a few our favorite Yardzen landscape designs from the Portland area.

01 WOODSY MODERN

The trick with slopes is to work with them. In this modern Portland design, two decks, a hot tub, and a sunken fire pit all dodge expensive earthwork by embracing the yard’s downward descent. Crisp concrete retaining walls carve out clean boundaries and announce a decidedly modern vibe, which is fortified by blonde decking and stylish furniture in beachy neutrals.

The result is a series of spaces, each spilling into the next, that collectively form a spacious, versatile, and extremely inviting scene.

Add in some classic Pacific Northwest conifers and punctuating pockets of evergreen shrubs, ferns, and grasses, and you’ve got a woodsy modern retreat that is begging to be used.

FEATURED PLANTS

leyland cypress — LEYLAND CYPRESS

Image via Gardening Know How

COASTAL WOOD FERN

Image via iNaturalist

AUTUMN MOOR GRASS

Image via Hoffman Nursery

02 EASY BREEZY

Naturalistic masses of grasses and flowering perennials envelop this soothing backyard seating area. Oversized pavers with permeable gaps and gravel paths offer casual cool, while standing ready to deal with Portland’s frequent downpours.

A white-blooming Natchez Crape Myrtle presides over the scene, implying an outdoor room while leaving the patio’s edges free and clear to strengthen its connection with the surrounding yard. String lights offer cost-effective but charming landscape lighting to keep the outdoor entertainment going on into the night.

FEATURED PLANTS

LITTLE BUNNY DWARF FOUNTAIN GRASS

Image via Proven Winners

03 FAMILY FUN

This design is tailor-maid to provide versatile outdoor living space for the homeowners’ large family. Bar seating at the galley kitchen lets kids and guests enjoy a snack or drink while keeping the chef company, while the more formal dining zone preserves a wide path for rambunctious children to zoom between the house and lawn at a full energy-purging sprint.

Open space on the concrete patio also saves room for kids to play with wheeled toys, while providing an adaptable but attractive surface to accommodate any number of gatherings or activities.

A perimeter of trees rounds out the scene, counterbalancing the flat and open hardscape with height and softness. Smaller scenes of climate-adapted and native plants complement the rugged backdrop while punctuating key moments.

FEATURED PLANTS

Summer wine plant — SUMMER WINE

Image via Pahl’s Market

PACIFIC DOGWOOD TREE — PACIFIC DOGWOOD

Image via UCD

LITTLE REV FLAX LILY

Image via PlantMaster

04 LIGHT SHOW

Radial string lights and a fire pit light up this Portland landscape. Responding to a request for entertainment space, this design offers up a stylish and spacious patio with a massive bench big enough to welcome the whole party to enjoy the fire together.

With hardwood planks perched atop a concrete seatwall, the bench expresses a distinctly modern look, which reverberates in the oversized concrete pavers with gravel-filled gaps.

Layered rows of ornamental grasses billow softly beyond the bench, their movement contrasting compellingly with the motionless bulk of the concrete.

The string lights connect to a pergola at their opposite end, lighting the way between the fire pit and a sheltered outdoor dining space, a simple gesture that does much to activate both spaces.

FEATURED PLANTS

BLUE FESCUE plant — BLUE FESCUE

Image via Easy to Grow Bulbs

TUFTED HAIRGRASS plant — TUFTED HAIRGRASS

Image via Monticello Shop

FRUITLESS OLIVE TREE

Image via C&J Gardening Center

05 STEPPING UP

This front yard garden design dresses up a steep walkway with dense, foliage-forward planting. Plants stick to a controlled palette of silvery blues and deep greens, with limited white floral accents, a cool feel to match the shaded environment.

Along the sidewalk, a gravel-mulched parkway strip doubles as a rain garden, with Emerald Carpet Manzanita ground cover and Ice Dance Sedge helping to slow and trap water before it reaches the street.

Beginning with the rain garden, plants stair-step up in layers as they approach the house, aided by the raised planter along the front edge of the property. The clean lines of the concrete planter lend structure and a sense of intentionality to the shaggy planting.

FEATURED PLANTS

EMERALD CARPET MANZANITA

Image via The Greenhouse

CALIFORNIA GRAY RUSH

Image via Inland Valley Garden Planner

ICE DANCE SEDGE

Image via Hindsdale Nuseries

06 LIFTING UP THE LOWER TIER

A challenging tiered yard is handled adeptly in this Portland landscape design. Cooking, dining, and lounge zones spread efficiently across the lower patio, leaving plenty of space to walk and to rest.

In a gesture of material continuity, the paving portrays a gradient: solid concrete beneath the patio cover, giving way to gravel-gapped concrete pavers in the dining zone, in turn spilling on to a simple gravel walkway.

Across from the patio amenities, a fresh coat of white paint and a narrow bed of drought tolerant plants and bark mulch provide a cost-effective solution to refresh and soften an existing cinder block wall.

A focal point Japanese Maple positioned at the head of the stairs helps to activate the upper tier while tipping its hat to the homeowners’ affinity for Japanese gardens.

FEATURED PLANTS

Calamagrostis ‘Karl Foerster’ plant — KARL FOERSTER FEATHER REED GRASS

Image via Lowe’s

Penstemon ‘Holly’s White’ plant — PENSTEMON ‘HOLLY WHITE’

Image via Tennessee Native Plants

Bloodgood Japanese Maple tree — BLOODGOOD JAPANESE MAPLE

Image via Jackson & Perkins

07 FANCY DINNER

Cut stone paving and a richly-hued in-ground deck create a striking display in this upscale Lake Oswego design.

Slate gray planters with delicate Golden Goddess Bamboo beat a steady rhythm around the marquee patio, implying a boundary while maintaining long views and an open feel. Evenly spaced Snowmound Spiraea repeat the planters’ rhythm in flower beds along the back fence.

Flagstone paths weave through the lower lawn, drawing curves that indicate a more casual ambience than the linear formality of the dining patio.

Featured plantS

GOLDEN GODDESS BAMBOO

Image via Mad Man Bamboo Nursery

SNOWMOUND SPIRAEA

Image via North Shore Plant Club

08 MODERN MAGIC

Scratch mowing, fertilizing, and other pesky lawn care off this busy homeowners’ to-do list. This design skips lawn in favor of Irish Moss ground cover planting, which has the added benefit of making shady spaces look downright magical. Adding to the forest fairy tale are delicate accents of Western Sword Fern punctuating the turns along a modern paver path.

Glowing red bursts from understory superstar Forest Flame Pieris nod to Japanese garden style, as do rock accents, large and small, spaced along the water and throughout the garden.

Cool gray concrete and low-profile decking maintain broad and clear edges, allowing viewers from any part of the yard to bask in the beauty of this storybook landscape.

Featured plantS

IRISH MOSS

Image via The Spruce

Forest flame pieris plant — FOREST FLAME PIERIS

Image via Jackson & Perkins

DESIGNING A PORTLAND LANDSCAPE TAILORED TO YOUR YARD

Yardzen's award-winning online landscape design is tailored to clients in Portland and across the US. Our design process begins with understanding your space, and a discussion of your budget and vision to minimize surprises when it comes time to build.

We want to make sure our design team can personalize your yard, delivering a vision that includes what’s most important for your outdoor life and unique environment while keeping costs within range. We do this by utilizing our in-house Build Team made up of former contractors and our Pro Network of vetted professional landscapers across the country.

Ready to level up your home improvement with a professional Portland landscape design? Create your design profile or explore our design packages today!

EXPLORE DESIGN PACKAGES

Guest User

March 16, 2022

8 San Diego Landscaping Ideas Perfect for SoCal

Guest User

March 16, 2022

When it comes to landscape design, San Diego County is tough to beat.

From year-round outdoor living spaces, to California native and water wise landscaping, to all manner of cooling features from pools to pergolas to patio covers, San Diego landscape designs are some of the prettiest and most livable you’ll find in Southern California.

Below, we’ll take a closer look at a few of our favorites!

01 PRIVATE AND PLAYFUL

Top priority for this backyard design? Privacy. A row of fast-growing, low water Spartan Junipers does the trick, establishing a dense screen and crisp formal frame around the yard.

Planting softens as you approach the yard’s interior, with drought tolerant plants from the Mediterranean and South Africa like Lavender and Cape Rush mingling among native grasses and groundcovers like Purple Needlegrass and Emerald Carpet Manzanita.

A modern wood pergola defines a flexible outdoor space, cooled by breeze and dappled shade, and within spitting distance of both an outdoor kitchen and a fire pit. The result? A free-flowing space for entertaining that can adapt to a variety of group sizes and activities.

FEATURED PLANTS

Cape rush grass — CAPE RUSH

Image via Sloat Garden Center

Spartan juniper tree — SPARTAN JUNIPER

Image via Creekside Nursery

02 UPSCALE AND INVITING

Looking for maximum openness and a modern feel, these San Diego homeowners asked Yardzen to reimagine their front yard as an upscale but inviting lounge space.

A restrained material palette of wood, concrete, and oversized pavers oozes modern cool, as does the linear fire feature. Green-forward tropical planting contrasts compelling with the hardscape, with colorful accents from Bird of Paradise and Cordyline ‘Purple Tower’ adding a little levity to the scene.

The central walkway shares two broad, unobstructed edges with the dining and lounge zones, allowing for easy circulation while maxing out the perceived sense of space.

FEATURED PLANTS

Philodendron ‘Xanadu’ — CORDYLINE AUSTRALIS ‘PURPLE TOWER’

Image via Gardening Express

Bird of Paradise — BIRD OF PARADISE

Image via The Spruce

03 THE VIEW’S THE THING

Sometimes, the best landscaping idea is to simply get out of the way of what’s already there.

This design makes the most of spectacular mountain scenery by orienting the pool and hot tub to face it, and keeping plants and furnishings clear of the view.

Palm trees perched above the retaining wall cast shade and tropical vibes across the pool deck, and loom above a simple but elegant daybed that is artfully framed between two sculptural snake plants, a low maintenance succulent favorite for Southern California designs.

FEATURED PLANTS

Mexican blue palm tree — MEXICAN BLUE PALM

Image via Tanga

Snake plant — SNAKE PLANT

Image via Wikipedia

Sageleaf Rockrose — SAGELEAF ROCKROSE

Image via Dengarden

04 MINIMAL MEETS LUSH

This Encinitas side yard design makes the most of a long and slender space. A wide cantilevered bench sticks to the periphery, doling out a healthy dose of modern style while offering room for an entire party’s worth of guests to take a seat.

Picking up the theme from neighboring banana trees, a row of dense tropical planting lines the pool along the property edge. A crisp paver path interlaced with artificial turf traces the opposite edge, counterbalancing the planting’s fullness with a minimal, open feel. Yin and yang, with a pool in the middle!

FEATURED PLANTS

GIANT BIRD OF PARADISE

Image via Palmland Sydney

Golden goddess bamboo plant — GOLDEN GODDESS BAMBOO

Image via Mad Man Bamboo Nursery

SILVER SHEEN PITTOSPORUM

Image via Ricardo’s Nursery

05 SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE

Looking to accommodate both adults and children, the owners of this San Diego backyard turned to Yardzen for design ideas.

The result has something for everyone. A patch of artificial grass offers a low maintenance, flexible play space for the kids, while a rustic but stylish fire pit beneath a string light canopy gives the adults a comfortable space to lounge in, day or night. Desert succulents and California native plants lend rustic flair to balance out the upscale wood and concrete materials palette.

FEATURED PLANTS

Agave plant — QUEEN VICTORIA AGAVE

Image via Wikipedia

Canyon prince wild rye plant — CANYON PRINCE WILD RYE

Image via Flickr

beargrass plant — NOLINA MICROCARPA BEARGRASS

Image via Conservation Garden Park

06 DESERT MAKEOVER

This San Diego home’s front yard garden gets a desert makeover in this Yardzen design.

By replacing water-intensive shrubs and flowers with drought tolerant, low maintenance species, this xeriscape design scores a win for water conservation as well as style.

To ramp up the desert look, the garden design uses gravel mulch and decorative boulders, both colored to evoke the pale oranges and tans of the regional landscape.

Anchoring everything is a gorgeous Desert Museum Palo Verde, whose yellow blooms, sculptural form, and unique green branches make it one of our favorite Southern California specimen trees.

FEATURED PLANTS

Blue flame agave — BLUE FLAME AGAVE

Image via Green Acres

07 A VINE TIME INDEED

Who wouldn’t want to spend a hot afternoon lazing in this lush covered patio?

With the lilac vine canopy stealing the show, the rest of the design wisely stays simple, keeping things cost-effective by leaning on plants and furniture to establish a new vibe amid existing paving.

The hammock is a great touch, keeping the view from indoors largely clear while offering a delightful experience to would-be loungers.

Featured plantS

Lilac vine — LILAC VINE

Image via Pinterest

CASSA BLUE DIANELLA

Image via Four Seasons Nursery

MUNSTEAD ENGLISH LAVENDER

Image via Caribbean Garden Seeds

08 SMALL BUT MIGHTY

We love small yards! A good design can pack a lot of style and function into tight spaces, and this project does exactly that.

Clumping bamboo along the edges sets the tone, drawing the eye upward to expand the perceived sense of space, while providing shade, privacy, and a delightful swooshing sound when the breezes blow.

Oversized concrete pavers establish a modern feel while defining separate paths and spaces. Orderly rows of Berkeley Sedge soften the space up while maintaining the geometric feel of the paving. Each paved feature - path, fire pit, cooking station, dining zone - flows seamlessly into the next, eschewing barriers in favor of an open layout that makes the most of the available space.

Featured plantS

ALPHONSE KARR BAMBOO

Image via Bamboo Van Diemen

BERKELEY SEDGE

Image via Hoffman Nursery

PHORMIUM ‘CREAM DELIGHT’ — CREAM DELIGHT PHORMIUM

Image via Pinterest

DESIGNING A SAN DIEGO LANDSCAPE TAILORED TO YOUR YARD

Yardzen's award-winning online landscape design is tailored to clients in San Diego and across the US. Our design process begins with understanding your space, and a discussion of your budget and vision to minimize surprises when it comes time to build.

Ready to level up your home improvement with a professional San Diego landscape design? Create your design profile or explore our design packages today!

EXPLORE DESIGN PACKAGES

Guest User

March 15, 2022

A Guide to Landscaping Styles

Guest User

March 15, 2022

Outdoor style is defined by the sum of the parts. In the best designs, planting, materials, furnishings, and decorative elements all work together to collectively express a focused look and feel.

These landscape design ideas from Yardzen's world-class team of landscape architects and designers will get you thinking about your style. Are you formal or informal? Are you French Country, Moditerranean, Contemporary, or somewhere in between? See what excites you and inspires you to upgrade your yard design.

Completed Yardzen yard in Solana Beach, CA — Completed Yardzen landscape design in Solana Beach, CA

A handful of elements may indicate particular styles - modern corten planters, traditional stone fountains - but in general, style is a team effort, not something defined by individual objects.

Below we’ll share some tips for thinking about style, and describe a few fundamental outdoor styles to help you zero in on your own preferred look and feel.

HOW WE THINK ABOUT OUTDOOR STYLE

There are lots of named styles out there—new ones pop up routinely. Assigning clear definitions to them, let alone getting everyone to agree on those definitions, is tricky.

To get around this issue, we’ll first cover four key terms: modern, traditional, formal, and informal. Each of these terms has specific physical characteristics associated with them. These are generalized descriptions, but as rules of thumb, they’re useful for referring to specific, tangible design characteristics.

Modern exterior and landscape design in Austin, Texas — MODERN

**Form:** Straight lines, sharp angles
**Planting:** Few to no flowers, muted colors, emphasis on heights and textures
**Materials:** Wood, concrete, cool gray tones
**Elements:** No ornamentation. Emphasis on materiality

TRADITIONAL

**Form:** Curving lines, rounded corners
**Planting:** More flowers, brighter colors, green shrubs, and species diversity
**Materials:** Stone, brick, warmer neutral tones
**Elements:** More ornamentation

Formal back yard landscape design — FORMAL

**Planting:** Recognizable shapes and patterns, geometric groupings, straight rows, use of symmetry. Not naturalistic. Less species diversity.
**Elements:** More polished looking. More ornamentation. Refined textures: stainless steel, smooth stone, tile, finished wood.

Informal back yard landscape design — INFORMAL

**Planting:** No recognizable shapes or patterns, no straight lines. Amorphous, naturalistic groupings. More species diversity.
**Elements:** Not fancy. Humble materials. Rough around the edges. Often rougher textures - corten steel, gravel, decomposed granite, weathered wood.

THE STYLE SPECTRUM

Now think back to geometry class and the x and y axes. When thinking (or communicating) about style, try visualizing each axis as a spectrum:

On the x axis, you have modern at one end and traditional at the other.
On the y axis, you have formal at one end and informal at the other.

This framework is a simple tool to break any particular style down to definable characteristics. Is a design boxy, curvy, or somewhere in between? Is its planting loose and naturalistic, or rigid and geometric?

Most people prefer styles that fall somewhere in the middle - they could want a modern look with a few traditional accents, or formal planting with a few moments of naturalness.

The point is not to waste much time pinpointing particular styles on this framework, but to encourage you to think of style in terms of basic building blocks: what forms, materials, and elements are working together to achieve a style? If you find the fundamental pieces that work together to achieve a cohesive style, you can use them to achieve your own style goals.

By focusing on tangible, physical characteristics - straight vs. curved lines, amorphous vs geometric planting - you’ll be able to clearly express your style goals, and will be more successful in discussing style with your design team.

Diverse plantings of blue agave, lavender, grasses, flowering bushes, and evergreen shrubs

MIXING AND MATCHING

Some common landscape styles apply primarily to planting (grassland, tropical, and desert styles are a few that we’ll look at in a bit).

Planting styles like these can mix and match with styles on the modern-traditional spectrum:

a modern desert design
a traditional tropical design

You can then further modify by choosing a level of formality:

a formal modern desert design (rectangular spaces, straight concrete paths, rigid rows of succulents and desert shrubs, corten steel accents, dramatic uplighting)
an informal traditional tropical design (loose arrangements of ferns, perennials, and trees, gently arcing edges, natural stone walkways seated in deep green grasses, white rock accents)

When developing an outdoor design, you should feel free to create your own style by manipulating these three fundamental characteristics: planting style, design style, level of formality. Innovation is welcome!

PLANTING AND GARDEN STYLES

Now that we know how to think about style, let’s look at some established examples in landscape design renderings:

CONTEMPORARY STYLES

Contemporary landscaping is a reimagining of several styles, from traditional to desert. In most contemporary garden design, we see clean lines and neutral tones.

Contemporary yards tend to make use of a lot of hardscaping, which stylistically, creates eye-catching contrasts and angles, and functionally, creates an easy-to-maintain space. We love using cooler-toned hardscaping, like concrete, pea gravel, and lighter woods. Popular plants include agave, grasses, palms, and textural shrubs, like White Sage.

For furniture, consider simple pieces that mimic the clean lines of the space.

MEADOW & GRASSLAND

Grassland planting style in California back yard design

Meadow style front yard with brightly colored floral plantings

Grassland planting style has a backbone of ornamental grasses punctuated by occasional perennial accents and the odd shrub or non-flowering perennial for textural contrast. In the wild, grassland plants grow in large, swooping “drifts” (clusters of a single species), densely covering the ground and changing character with each season.

To evoke these drifts, cluster grassland plants in masses - this makes designs legible from near and far. Don’t intermix too much - the goal is fewer, more emphatic planting gestures.

Whether arranged in neat rows or loose masses, clean hardscape boundaries make striking frames for these loose plantings.

We recommend using native plant species when creating a grassland-inspired design - they’ll require the least help from you to succeed. Bouteloua gracilis, Schizachyrium scoparium, and Panicum virgatum are all excellent grasses with broad native ranges, well-suited to anchor grassland designs.

We also love mixing ornamental grasses, like Silvergrass, Lomandra, Fountain Grass, Cape Rush, Pink Muhly Grass, and Boulder Blue Fescu , to create a modern, organic look that mimics the look and feel of a warm, wild, summer meadow.

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TROPICAL

Steep tropical side yard landscape design with plunge pool

Tropical planting style features large-leafed, deep green species, and is characterized by lushness, verticality (tall palms, giant bird of paradise), and occasional bold bursts of color (Hibiscus and Bougainvillea are crowd-pleasers).

Tropical planting is dense - there shouldn’t be much open ground. It’s also layered, and fairly intermixed.

Many tropical species enjoy some shade, having adapted to life beneath tree canopies. Many also require a good deal of water, having evolved in wet climates.

When designing tropical gardens in dry climates, take care to select species with lower water demands. Drought tolerant palms (there are several), pineapple guava, and red hot pokers, along with the aforementioned bird of paradise and Bougainvillea, can all withstand dry spells.

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XERISCAPE

Small front yard botanical planting with palo verde tree using xeriscape style

Xeriscape is a landscaping style and practice that requires little to no irrigation. Xeriscape yards often contain a mix of permeable gravel or mulch and native or climate-adapted plants that will thrive in your yard with little human intervention. Xeriscape yards are super low-maintenance and great for the planet! Plus, the neutral style works beautifully with all home types.

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DESERT

Desert side yard design playing off natural palette of the landscape

Like xeriscaping, desert-style landscaping relies on permeable gravel groundcovers, like pea gravel and decomposed granite, and adds the beauty and intrigue of drought-resistant and drought tolerant plants adapted to survive in hot, dry climates. cactus, agave, and succulents. Consider adding boulders to round out the space. It’s good to note that cacti, agave, and succulents grow well in many regions outside of the arid Southwest. Check out this Sunset article to see beautiful cactus landscaping ideas in the PNW.

Many desert plants have the gravitas to hold their own as accent plants. Succulents like Agave attenuata, Echeveria elegans, or Aloe ‘Blue Flame’, along with desert favorites Red Yucca, New Mexican Privet, and Desert Museum Palo Verde, all beg to be used as accents in planting designs. Avoid putting too many of these bold species near each other - give each their own space to shine.

Plants in desert designs have more space between them. Place decorative boulders (aim for 2’ or so in length, placed individually) or limited mats of xeric groundcover (Sedum species are great) in the gaps between moments of planting.

Default to tan gravel as a mulch, colored to match the tan decomposed granite zones that are de rigueur in desert designs.

Whether structured or naturalistic, stick to a loose rhythm of planting, open space, planting when composing desert designs. Better too open than too stuffed.

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SOUTHWESTERN

Southwestern style front yard and exterior design adds regional curb appeal

Just as you might have guessed, Southwestern landscapes recall the colors, textures, and forms of America’s Southwest. A mix of warm white built-ins, gabion stone walls, and wood mingle with cactus and pea gravel, which crackles under foot, transporting you to the sun and warmth of one of our country’s most beautiful regions.

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COASTAL

Coastal yards have a relaxed, breezy feel. A mix of gravel hardscaping and billowy plants, like ornamental grasses, gives the feeling of windswept seascapes. Add rustic wood elements, like fences, steps, and edging to recall driftwood—pair lounge-worthy furniture and salty decor to complete the look.

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WEST COAST

Outdoor entertaining area with string lights and casual furnishings in backyard design

Don’t let the name fool you! This style works beautifully in any state. It embodies a feeling: warm, sunlit days fading into cool evenings around the fire pit, the faint sound of the ocean waves in the background. Dense plantings of pollinator-loving plants, like lavender, salvias, rosemary, and native grasses, give the space a warm, soft, and natural feeling.

The smooth contours of pea gravel and decomposed granite work beautifully in these yards, especially when paired with wood furniture, like Adirondack chairs—perfect for relaxing after a day in the mountains or at the beach.

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FAMILY FRIENDLY

Beautiful backyard with raised wooden deck lounge and treehouse for kids and parents to enjoy

Cottage style garden with family friendly play area

Yardzen is a company founded by the parents of two young kids, so kid-friendly (and pet-friendly) outdoor spaces are ingrained in our company’s DNA. One common misconception about family-friendly yards: they need to have plastic play structures and sandboxes. Not so fast—we love creating functional and beautiful kid-friendly spaces that encourage both the young and old to move their bodies, exercise their imagination, and interact with nature.

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EDIBLE GARDEN

Raised beds with edibles taking advantage of a sunny side yard

Backyard design with edible plantings climbing trellises and stylish beds

According to our 2020 Trends Report, edible gardens are more popular with homeowners than ever before--over 50% of our clients want some edible element in their yard, whether that’s a fruit tree, an herb garden, or raised beds.

When it comes to your yard, there are many attractive ways to incorporate edible plants. Fruit trees and herbs, like rosemary and sage, grow beautifully in many climates, and work well in pots and in the ground, mixed among your non-edible plants.

One of the best ways to get the whole family involved in growing your food is by creating raised beds, which are easy to access and maintain. Raised beds come in all shapes, sizes, and styles, including wood, stainless steel, and corten steel. And, for those of you who have farm animals, we can design chicken coops and animal pens, too!

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TRANSITIONAL

Blending traditional and contemporary styles, transitional gives a name to clients who want to borrow elements from distinct landscaping genres—and helps create compromise between partners with very different landscaping ideas.

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TRADITIONAL STYLES

“Traditional” landscaping isn’t going anywhere—it’s one of our most requested styles! A palette of whites and greens reign supreme: trimmed lawns (including sustainable alternatives), neat hedges, and shapely, white flowering plants.

Hardscaping choices tend to be simply elegant: bluestone pavers, pea gravel, and brick. Important to keep in mind: because traditional yards are orderly and pristine, they tend to require a lot of maintenance.

FORMAL TRADITIONAL

Formal traditional gardens emphasize structure and geometry. Think of estate gardens from England or France, with crisp hedges and organized rows of flowers.

Domestically, this style is commonly associated with New England and the South, though traditional formal gardens can be found virtually anywhere in the US. The common use of boxwood hedges is a nod to the traditional formal style.

Skip ornamental grasses, and lean on medium to dark green shrubs like boxwood or Pittosporum. Pro tip: save yourself maintenance work by letting these plants grow naturally rather than trimming them into a hedge.

Plant parallel lines of white or pale blue flowers like Hydrangea, and blend in green textural accents like chunky Hostas or vertical arborvitaes.

Frame windows with pyramidal evergreens or columnar shrubs, and add container plants in large decorative pots to flank doorways or punctuate the corners of outdoor spaces.

When possible, designs should anchor around a strong central axis - you’ll see a lot of straight lines, despite the design being “traditional”. Lean on symmetry, and stick to a limited material palette to express structure and control. Splurge on stone paving for key patios, then get casual with crunchy gravel for paths and seating areas that are further from the home.

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STANDARD TRADITIONAL

Standard traditional designs borrow a bit from cottage and a bit from formal traditional to create tidy but comfortable designs. Among folks with traditional tastes, this is the most commonly requested style.

You’ll see curving edges to paths and patios, a moderate amount of flower color in a relatively wide color range, and paving in warmer neutral hues, particularly in more arid regions. Natural shaped stone paths are a yes, large rectangular concrete pavers are a no.

Plant layout in this style varies with client preference. A blend of some straight rows, usually near paved spaces, along with more naturalistic placement in further reaches is commonly requested, but be careful to maintain a consistent feel in your plant layout. Ornamental grasses (which tend to evoke a modern feel) are often downplayed in favor of perennials and shrubs.

Furnishings are medium to upscale, with moderate ornamentation. Minimalist or mid-century modern pieces are not a great fit for this style. Iron or teak chairs with luxurious cushions are.

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COTTAGE GARDEN

Cottage garden style in California back yard design

English cottage gardens are one of the earliest landscaping styles, dating back to the 1400s. Often described as an informal take on the formal yard, these yards often feature a dense mix of multi-colored flowering plants.

The cottage garden style today is traditional and informal. Planting is full and highly intermixed, with loads of colorful flowers mixed among shrubs and perennials. The effect is ebullient and a bit unkempt.

More refined yards, like the one featured here, bring in the colors and blooms of traditional cottage gardens but pare down the density. Hardscape in these gardens often features organic shapes, like rounded pavers.

Plants often rush up to paved edges at shin to thigh height. Pro tip: limit plant height along paved edges - taller plants make spaces feel crowded.

Paving in cottage gardens is humble and rustic. Curving brick, roughened cobbles, gravel, or natural-shaped stone paths are common.

Furniture should be second-fiddle to planting. Tuck a bench or white wrought iron table in a corner beneath a canopy tree, with planting wrapping the edges of the space. Furniture can have ornamental flair, but should not be fancy - things fit in best when they’re a little weather-beaten.

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CRAFTSMAN

Traditional craftsman homes feature low-pitched roofs, horizontal lines, detailed woodwork, decorative elements, and colorful accents. Craftsman-style landscaping mirrors these architectural traits, and often feature a dense planting of low-lying plants that add color and texture.

Popular plants include small trees, like Japanese maples, feathery grasses, and climate-adapted, flowering shrubs. Hardscape choices often include mulch, wood decks and fences, and organically shaped pavers.

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FRENCH COUNTRY

French country yards are a sensory experience—site, smell, hearing, taste, and touch come alive in these beautiful landscapes. At the intersection of several different styles, like Rustic and Traditional, we love mixing lavender, olive, and lemon trees with lawn and hedges, like Sweet Bay (pictured here). Many different types of hardscaping work beautifully with this style, including pea gravel, decomposed granite, pavers, and cement.

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MEDITERRANEAN

Mediterranean yards make use of the organic shapes, textures, and colors of the natural world. Think warm tones, rounded edges, wood elements, stone features, and flowering plants. These yards are casual and inviting, encouraging family and friends to enjoy an evening at a farmhouse table or cook in a wood-fired oven.

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RUSTIC

Wood pergola, deck, and planting box with paved patio and large trees in rustic backyard design

Rustic yards emphasize the organic and the natural. Think: wood, mulch, gravel, and informal plantings of full, textural plants. In these yards, we took a modern approach to rustic design, featuring strong wood accents in the plants and hardscape, and combining them with more modern elements, like built-ins and concrete pavers.

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MODERN STYLES

MODITERRANEAN

Moditteranean front yard design in Fullerton, California

Moditerranean style yard design for small enclosed backyard with existing tree

The Moditerranean look was popularized by the woman who perfected modern Mediterranean style, Joanna Gaines. Moditerranean is the least modern of the modern looks. It blends traditional and modern elements - for example, a tiered stone fountain at the end of a modern paver path.

Moditerranean yards feature clean lines and neutral colors. Planting leans on cool colors and silvery greens with few, if any, flowers. Rosemary, lavender, olive trees, and the occasional Agave accent (an actual Mediterranean plant) are all staple plants.

The modernness of Moditerranean strips down a more traditional Mediterranean look and feel down to its most simple and beautiful elements. We love using greige hardscaping in these style yards—pea gravel, cement, and bluestone—and styling the space with a mix of old and new decor in woods and metals.

Furniture and decorative elements have a big impact on just how modern or traditional a Moditerranean design may feel. Wrought iron furniture? More traditional. Teak chairs with no arms? More modern. You have freedom to find your comfort zone.

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MODERN FARMHOUSE

Backyard design with pergola over seating area at a large modern farmhouse

The modern farmhouse style is great for homes with that farm-y architecture. White paint and dark trim on the home are popular choices to clean things up while still looking rustic. Modern farmhouse yards mix the rustic and traditional feel of the farmhouse with modern elements, like grasses, climate-adapted plants, angular pavers, and abundant hardscaping.

Plant densely, emphasizing grasses and perennial blooms. Keep colors relatively muted, and emphasize foliage that is in the light green, silver, pale blue spectrum. Yarrow and Russian Sage are great options to poke through ornamental grasses, with Artemisia offering some lower textural contrast.

Give planting areas clean, straight edges. Narrow mown lawn boundaries are a go-to “cue to care” to make the wilder plantings of this style feel intentional.

Plant trees for shade and focal points - Redbuds are a great option for winter interest (and good habitat plants!).

Take advantage of split rail fences or X-fences to add farmhouse charm. Burst plants through these fences - it adds to the sense of vitality. For an even more agrarian touch, use galvanized steel troughs as planters.

Paving can skew a little more modern. We love whitewashed herringbone brick for patios, and precast large concrete pavers set with gravel gaps for principal paths. Secondary paths can be simpler, paved with decomposed granite or gravel - just don’t bring DG all the way to a doorway to avoid scratching interior floors.

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MODERN MINIMAL

Modern minimal designs reduce everything to the essentials. Spaces are rectangular with broad, clear edges to maximize a sense of openness. Materials skew toward cool grays. Darker shades tend to evoke a more formal feel.

Planting is typically arranged geometrically, often with large gaps between plants. Decorative rock - blue-gray Mexican pebbles or dark gravel are popular choices - is often employed as a mulch or to fill unplanted spaces.

Pro tip → Take care when using gravel mulch, as it absorbs heat and can increase soil temperature in sunny zones.

Plants tend to be planted monolithically - a strand of a single ornamental grass species swaying in the wind next to a clean concrete edge is a classic, and attractive, move. Texture, height layering, and foliage color are the principle variables. Flowers are uncommon in this style.

Careful curation is the name of the game - less is more, in terms of variety and quantity. Materials, furnishings, and plants should all be chosen with care.

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MODERN BOHEMIAN

Outdoor dining and lounge area in modern boho backyard design

Modern bohemian designs embrace variety. Furniture is mixed and matched, with white fabric, wicker, and warm wood tones ruling the day. Accessories like container plants (get something dark and leafy), string lights, and outdoor rugs (keep them neutral) are all staples. Spaces should have a lot of “stuff”, yet still feel breezy and comfortable, and be easy to navigate.

The abiding vibe is bright, airy, and fun. Plants should seek lushness, but keep it climate appropriate. In drier regions, lean on grasses and drought tolerant perennials, as well as native ferns in shadier zones. Some species variety is ok, but don’t get too mixed.

Plant layout should lean toward the informal - arrange plants in naturalistic clusters, emphasizing height layering and textural variety to create a sequence of scenes interspersed by openness.

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DESIGNING A LANDSCAPE TAILORED TO YOUR STYLE

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

Ready to level up your home improvement with a professional landscape design? Create your design profile or explore our design packages today!

Guest User

March 11, 2022

Know Your Home Exterior Makeover Costs

Guest User

March 11, 2022

How much will it cost to improve your home’s curb appeal with an exterior renovation? The size, scope, and location of your project, not to mention the quantity and types of materials and plants used in your exterior design, all factor into a project’s bottom line.

When thinking about cost, also consider that landscaping and exterior remodels have a great return on investment—not something you can say for every home improvement project. According the the American Society of Landscape Architects, landscape improvements alone return 100-200% their cost by upping the home’s value the next time it hits the real estate market.

We’ll walk you through a few of our favorite Yardzen exterior makeovers, sharing the average costs of the most common features. It’s important to note that like any home remodeling project, these figures are approximate and subject to fluctuation depending on things like labor costs and what you diy—but they’ll give you a general idea of what to expect.

Use these prices to help you decide where you want to spend and where you want to save. As you make your material choices, remember that durability can be worth investment - a little more money up front can lead to overall savings in the long run.

EXTERIOR HOME RENOVATION COSTS

Before & After - Tulsa, OK

REPAINTING A HOME EXTERIOR

$3 - $4 PER SQUARE FOOT

High-quality paint can push your prices north of $4/SF, but the good stuff tends to offer better protection from the elements for your siding, offsetting future material maintenance or replacement costs. Need exterior paint color inspiration? Read our post on choosing exterior paint colors.

INSTALLING A NEW ROOF

$8,000 - $50,000

Roofing prices depend heavily on material selection. All prices below are for a roughly 2,000 SF roof.

asphalt tile — **ASPHALT SHINGLE**

$8,000 - $10,000
This is the most common roofing material. While affordable, it has a limited lifespan and requires more frequent repair, leading to higher cumulative lifetime costs.
Image via Gaf

premium architectural tile — **PREMIUM ARCHITECTURAL TILE**

$10,000 - $16,500
Engineered for greater durability, and commonly warrantied to 50 years - double the expected lifespan of standard asphalt tiles.
Image via Fortified Roofing

**METAL ROOFING**

*$16,000 - $34,000*
Higher up front costs for metal roofing are offset by it’s long lifespan - triple that of standard asphalt tiles - it’s need for virtually no repairs or maintenance. If you can afford the purchase price, you’ll save money in the long run by choosing metal over standard tiles.
Image via IntegriBuilt Roofing

clay and concrete tile — **CLAY & CONCRETE TILE**

$22,000 - $50,000
Super durable, but pricey. They’re also heavy, and can require additional expense to reinforce the roof structure to support the tiles’ weight.
Image via Verea Clay Tile

slate roof — **SLATE**

$24,000 - $44,000
This is the most durable roofing material, with lifespans up to 100 years. As with metal and clay/concrete, longevity and low maintenance help to offset up front costs.
Image via Royal Roof Construction

NEW SIDING

$5 - $60 PER SQUARE FOOT

Siding selection for your house exterior is an aesthetic and functional decision, and material costs vary significantly, as the square footage prices below indicate.

vinyl siding — **VINYL SIDING**

$1 - $8 per square foot
Image via All State Siding

brick siding — **BRICK**

$5 - $15 per square foot
Image via Swift Creek

natural stone siding — **NATURAL STONE**

$30 - $50 per square foot
Image via The Spruce

aluminum siding — **ALUMINUM**

$1.50 - $7 per square foot
Image via Alumtech

fiber cement and hardie board siding — FIBER CEMENT & HARDIE BOARD*

$5 - $15 per square foot
Image via RCV Roofing

stucco siding — **STUCCO**

$5 - $9 per square foot
Image via Home Depot

wood siding — **WOOD**

$8 - $12 per square foot
Image via TWP

*Fiber cement offers the look of wood with superior durability. Upfront investment in fiber cement or other more durable siding types is offset by avoiding repairs or replacement of weathered wood siding down the road.

Modern front door in San Jose, CA exterior design

NEW FRONT DOORS

$2,000 - $10,000

Don’t underestimate the impact that a new front door can have on your curb appeal. Many homeowners get new windows or doors with energy efficiency in mind, but the front door is the natural focal point of the front of the home.

Single doors occupy the lower end of the range, while folding doors fetch the highest prices. Doors are a boutique product, and their prices range as broadly as those of furniture, hardware, or lighting fixtures, but this cost range covers the most common selections we see in Yardzen projects.

LANDSCAPING INSTALLATION COSTS

Before & After - Denver, CO

LANDSCAPE DEMOLITION

$5 per square foot

This includes removal of average-sized paving, walls, structures, and other basic features.

Demolition of pools and larger paved or structural features can take longer to execute, resulting in higher total demolition expenses.

Before & After - Encinitas, CA

NEW PAVING

$15 - $60 per square foot

Paving prices vary with material, size, finish, vendor, and region. It’s also common to have different contractors bid the same paving at different prices. Here’s a quick snapshot of the spectrum.

mortar-set tile and stone paving — **MORTAR-SET TILES OR STONE PAVING**

These premium materials, including bluestone and porcelain tiles can climb even higher than $60/SF.
Image via CGI Textures

large format custom paver — **LARGE-FORMAT CUSTOM PAVERS**

Those big squares or rectangles placed with gravel or grass in the gaps? These are them. Each requires a unique mold to pour concrete into, or a custom precast order and expensive shipping and installation fees. Contractors typically prefer to pour these on site.
Image via Peacock Pavers

precast concrete paver — **PRECAST CONCRETE PAVERS**

Precast pavers occupy the low-mid through the high-mid portion of the cost spectrum. Standard pavers (brick size or thereabouts) are around $24/SF, but larger or uniquely shaped pavers (linear pavers, for example) tend to cost more. Same goes for fancy finishes.
Image via EP Henry Pavers

red bricks — **BRICKS**

Image via Historical Bricks

2x2 precast concrete paver — **2’x2’ PRECAST CONCRETE PAVERS**

A good option for achieving the look of large pavers with gaps of rock or planting on a limited budget.
Image via Savvy Heart

premium concrete slab — **PREMIUM CONCRETE SLAB**

This includes concrete with a stamped finish, or concrete with custom a color, texture, or score joint pattern.
Image via Pinterest

standard concrete slab — **STANDARD CONCRETE SLAB**

**ASPHALT**

While it’s a common driveway material, asphalt is not recommended for patios or high visibility paths.

Before & After - Carmel Valley, CA

NEW GRAVEL

$6 - $12 per square foot

decomposed granite — **DECOMPOSED GRANITE**

DG is a rustic, semi-permeable alternative to solid paving. Its popularity, and price, have gone up in recent years. $12/SF is a safe bet, but we’ve seen it quoted for less, and more.
Image via Landscape Shoppe

**GRAVEL**

Versatile, permeable, and affordable, gravel is a great building material. Note: higher-end gravel is often priced similar to river rock, closer to $10 per square foot.
Image via Renuable Resources

Before & After - Scotch Plains, NJ

NEW DECK

$65 per square foot

Wood prices are through the roof, and a wood deck can easily cost north of $65/SF. Composite decking and railing, once a premium option, is now often cheaper than a redwood or cedar deck, coming in around $65/SF. Composite offers greater durability and lower maintenance than wood, and boasts a strong sustainability pedigree (if you’re browsing composite products, we suggest TimberTech).

Before & After - Farmington Hills, MI

BUILT-IN FEATURES

retaining walls — **RETAINING WALLS**

*$50 - $150 per square foot (or $150 - $450 per linear foot of 3’ tall wall).* These prices only apply to walls at or under 3’ in height. Above 3’, permitting usually kicks in, and prices shoot up.

built-in seating — **BUILT-IN SEATING**

At $3,000 - $15,000, concrete or stone seating costs the most. Wood seating is cheaper, but cantilevered benches and other tricky design features will bring costs back up.
Image via Decoist

built-in gas fire pits — **BUILT-IN GAS FIRE PITS**

Custom fire pit costs from $5,000 - $15,000 and vary with material choice and design complexity. The work is essentially a masonry task, but costs must also include extending gas lines to the fire pit.
Image via Trendier

Before & After - Phoenix, AZ

NEW PERGOLAs

$8,000 - $25,000

We refer specifically to pergolas: four- or six-post structures with a non-solid roof, seated in concrete footings. These prices do not refer to closed-roof structures like gazebos or California rooms.

Prefab pergolas are cheaper than custom designs. Prices range widely, but typically run from $8,000 to $15,000 for an average-sized pergola, with installation and delivery included in those figures.

Lumber pergolas tend to cost the most, aluminum and fiberglass land in the middle, and small vinyl pergolas cost the least. Wood pergolas are not suitable for certain climates (Arizona, for example), and they require more maintenance, accruing a higher lifetime cost than pergolas built from more weatherproof materials.

You can purchase some low-cost prefab pergolas for $2,000 - $3,000, but be warned that installation is tricky, commonly costing up to $4,000 on top of purchase and delivery price. As pergola size or complexity increases, so does price. Complex custom builds easily reach $20,000 or higher.

Before & After - Huntington Beach, CA

OUTDOOR KITCHEN

$10,000 - $25,000

Outdoor kitchens add a whole new living space to your home, facilitating outdoor celebrations and entertaining.

Appliances are the biggest factor affecting kitchen price. Grills, cook tops, and fridges each run for a few thousand a piece. Pizza ovens in particular can add up to $10,000 to a kitchen’s price tag.

Adding appliances can also Add expenses to connect utilities like electrical for fridges, gas for grills and sewer for sinks. $10,000 is a reliable starting point. Design features and added appliances add expense to this base price.

Before & After - Austin, TX

NEW POOLS

PREFAB: $30,000 - $60,000
CUSTOM: $80,000 - $150,000

Prefab pools typically sell for $20,000 - $40,000, but delivery and installation routinely add $10,000 - $20,000 in expenses.

Above-ground pools cost less than in-ground, and site accessibility can mean the difference between a cheap and easy or a difficult and costly delivery of your prefab pool.

Custom pool pricing varies with the design, but we rarely see one installed for under $80,000. It’s safe to assume a price in the $100,000 to $150,000 range when going custom.

Before & After - Chandler, AZ

NEW SPAS

PREFAB: $6,000 - $10,000
CUSTOM: $20,000 - $30,000

Prefab fiberglass spas are the most cost-effective option when installed above ground. Any hot tub must be installed on a pad, typically a small concrete slab, and utilities must be extended to reach it.

In-ground hot tubs add excavation, drainage, and development of solutions to access the spa’s control panel to the list, generating additional expense. Custom spas, installed partially or fully beneath the ground, are essentially small custom pools, and their pricing reflects this.

Before & After - Salt Lake City, UT

LANDSCAPE LIGHTING

$2,500 - $10,000

Minimizing the extension of electrical conduit to power lighting can help to keep costs down, particularly when conditions make trenching difficult.

That said, the price of light fixtures and quantity used in a project and quantity of light fixtures are primary factors affecting lighting cost - affordable fixtures and modest light quantities will generate a lot of savings on your lighting expenses.

Potted trees in Dallas, Texas landscape design

SPECIMEN TREES

$800

This price is an average for a 24” box tree, typically the biggest size used on residential projects. That being said, tree prices very significantly by species. It’s not uncommon to see marquee trees sell for a few thousand dollars.

Discover more Cost information and Examples IN OUR guide to landscaping costs.

CREATING AN EXTERIOR DESIGN TAILORED TO YOUR NEEDS

Yardzen's award-winning online landscape and exterior design service is tailored to homeowners 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 contractors to install your new design.

Ready to have a home that makes a great first impression? Create your design profile or explore our professional landscaping and exterior design packages today!

START MY PROJECT

Guest User

March 10, 2022

Using Trees in a Modern Landscape Design

Guest User

March 10, 2022

What’s so great about trees? Glad you asked!

Trees are sustainability powerhouses, valuable real estate assets for homeowners, and landscape design Swiss Army knives. Below, we’ll look at what trees can do and suggest a few proven winners to consider for your modern back or front yard.

BENEFITS OF TREES IN A LANDSCAPE

Let’s begin with a brief tour of the benefits that trees offer.

HABITAT CREATION

Trees provide critical food, shelter, and nesting resources to a staggering array of insects and animals. They also offer life-saving refuge to migrating birds and insects. They are the foundation of ecosystems across the world.

TREES ARE CLIMATE FRIENDLY

Trees sequester CO2, reduce heat islands, and, when planted appropriately, significantly lower home energy consumption (and expenditure) on heating and cooling. According to the USDA, the net cooling effect of a young, healthy tree is equivalent to ten room-size air conditioners operating 20 hours a day.

A giant Oak tree provides extra shade in an Arizona back yard — A giant Oak tree provides extra shade in an Arizona backyard landscape design with a pergola-covered dining area and concrete pavers

SOIL ENRICHMENT AND WATER CONTROL

Tree roots enrich the soil, stabilize slopes, and reduce erosion. Below ground, roots create gaps in soil that allow it to absorb water more quickly and hold more water. On the surface, roots slow water down, coaxing it back into the soil. This process recharges groundwater supplies, reduces flooding, and blocks pollutants from entering local waterways.

IMPROVED AIR QUALITY

Leaves remove both gas and particulate pollution from the air. Areas with abundant trees also experience reductions in ground-level ozone.

Deck built around mature tree with flagstone path framed by ornamental grasses

INCREASED PROPERTY VALUE

Landscapes with trees can increase property values up to 20%, while individual mature trees are commonly appraised for values between $1,000 and $10,000.

COMMUNITY HEALTH

Abundant tree cover correlates to many health and community benefits, including faster recovery from illness, and reduced violence, crime, and stress. Trees also foster higher levels of sociability. Tree-filled neighborhoods, in short, are safer, happier, and healthier.

Trees help separate outdoor living spaces in Boston, MA back yard — Small trees help separate outdoor living spaces in a Boston, MA backyard landscape design

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VALUE OF TREES IN LANDSCAPE DESIGN

What about modern garden design - what do trees contribute?

FOCAL POINTS

Trees are unbeatable as focal points. A well positioned focal tree extends sight lines and expands the perceived sense of space in a yard.

A manicured tree hides a house and becomes the focal point of Seattle, WA back yard — A manicured tree hides a house and becomes the focal point of Seattle, WA backyard landscape design with outdoor entertaining space and fire pit

FRAMING

Flanking patios, paths, and thresholds with trees is a classic strategy for adding grandeur to a landscape.

DEFINED SPACES

Trees define outdoor spaces without resorting to the expense and spatial constraints of structural boundaries like walls, pergolas, or built-in seating. Place a tree along the edge of a space, and you’ll establish a distinct zone while maintaining a strong connection to the surrounding yard.

PRIVACY

Evergreen trees are a cost-effective, attractive privacy solution, easily extending above fences and capable of blocking upper-story neighboring views.

WIND, SUN, AND SHADE

Trees regulate the temperature of outdoor spaces by welcoming or blocking incoming winds and sunlight. Evergreen windbreaks to the north keep spaces warmer in the winter, while deciduous shade trees to the south offer summer respite and winter sun to keep outdoor spaces comfortable. Dappled light from a loose canopy is landscape gold.

IMMERSION IN NATURE

Trees bring nature to our yards - literally, by hosting wildlife, and aesthetically, through their outsized impact on the look and feel of a landscape. Even a single tree can offer a therapeutic and pleasing dose of nature, something every human needs.

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CHOOSING TREES FOR LANDSCAPING

Now let’s look at factors you should consider when choosing a tree for your yard.

SIZE

Big or little? Each has their advantages - we suggest both! We love small understory trees like dogwoods, serviceberries, and redbuds for punctuation and interest closer to the home, while larger trees like oaks, pines, and maples shine when given a little distance.

WateR REQUIREMENTS

Choose species appropriate for your climate. If you live in a dry region, you’ll want a tree that doesn’t need much water. We recommend browsing species native to your area - being adapted to the climate, they’ll require little additional irrigation once established.

Fast growing Crape Myrtle are heat tolerant, low maintenance, and provide multi-season interest in this New York City back yard design — Fast growing Crape Myrtle are heat tolerant, low maintenance, and provide multi-season interest for this New York City back yard design

EVERGREEN VS. DECIDUOUS

Evergreens are low maintenance, attractive, and reliable for year-round privacy, shade, and shelter from winds, but do not dismiss deciduous trees. Some of the most gorgeous and ecologically valuable trees are deciduous. Yes, leaf drop will happen, but that’s often easily managed. Deciduous trees offer dynamic displays, as well as increased winter light and, often, fall color. Our advice: plant a mix of evergreen and deciduous species.

NEARBY HARDSCAPING

Some trees’ roots can uplift paving or damage foundations. Others have fruit or leaves that stain paving. If you’re planting near hardscape or structures, choose species with low root damage or stain potential.

Tree-filled retaining wall creates additional privacy for swimming pool area in Dallas, TX back yard — Tree-filled retaining wall creates additional privacy for swimming pool area in Dallas, TX backyard landscape design

UNDERGROUND UTILITIES

Before you plant, determine where underground utilities are buried in your yard (your public works department should offer a free service to flag utility locations). Avoid planting trees too close to underground utilities or drainage pipes.

HABITAT VALUE

For those interested in supporting wildlife, you can achieve a lot simply by choosing to plant certain tree species. Among natives, keystone species like oaks, cherries, plums, and willows offer the vast majority of habitat value. The simple decision to include high-value species in your landscape contributes significantly to your local ecosystem. Want to learn more? Check out the National Wildlife Federation’s Native Plant Finder, which lists trees per zip code in order of how many species they support.

Juniperus virginiana 'Narrow Eastern Red Cedar’ line the fence of a Denver, CO back yard — Juniperus virginiana 'Narrow Eastern Red Cedar’ line the fence of a Denver, CO backyard design

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OUR FAVORITE TREES FOR MODERN YARDS

Below, we’ve listed a few of our favorite trees for use in modern landscape designs across the US. Some of these prefer the West, others the East, South, or North, but most have broad ranges in which they thrive. More to the point, they’re all proven winners in residential landscape designs.

Oak tree — OAKS

Reigning champs of habitat, oaks support 897 species of caterpillars across the US (compare that to zero species supported by Crape Myrtles).
Oaks are also gorgeous, and icons of California and Texas landscapes, among many other parts of the country. Quercus agrifolia is immensely popular in California’s Bay Area, while Q. virginiana and Q. phellos are staples in the South and Southeast. The Bur Oak is native across a large range of the US, and the Chinkapin oak is a hit in Colorado landscapes. Our advice: talk to your local nursery to find the best oaks for your region - there are many to choose from.
Image via Native Nursery

Flowering Cercis occidentalis tree — RED BUDS

These fabulous small trees feature gorgeous magenta blooms that arrive early on bare branches. Cercis occidentalis is native to much of the West, while Cercis canadensis is native to a large swath of the eastern and central US. You can’t go wrong with either one.
Image via Visalia Delta

MAPLES

Champions of fall color with graceful winter structure, maples are an asset to any landscape. While Japanese maples are renowned for their vibrant seasonal display, red maple is also beautiful and is native to much of the eastern and central US, and has tons of cultivars available that are justifiably popular in residential landscapes. The Rocky Mountain maple, a popular choice in Colorado and other parts of its western US native range, can tolerate a little drought and looks great year round.
Image via Bower & Branch

PRUNUS (CHERRIES & PLUMS)

With creamy pink blooms and graceful structure, Prunus serrulata ‘Kwanzan’ is a riveting specimen tree. Its cousin, Prunus virginiana ‘Sucker Punch’, is another popular choice, prized for its deep purple foliage. US natives of the Prunus genus rival oaks for habitat value.
Image via Nature & Garden

MAGNOLIAS

Big leaves, big flowers, and just big in general, the Magnolia grandiflora is a southern icon bewitching enough to appear in landscapes across the country. If you are challenged for space, try the smaller ‘St. Mary’, ‘Little Gem’, or super small Teddy Bear cultivars.
Image via Trees

PINES

Tall and stately, pine trees have a powerful character-defining presence in a landscape. In the Mountain West, Ponderosa pine is a big and popular option, as is the non-native and smaller (but still big) Austrian pine.
Image via McKay Nursery

Madrone tree — ARBUTUS

This genus features the Pacific Madrone, a gorgeous and rugged tree for west coast landscapes. Madrones are particularly renowned for their rust-colored bark, and prized as evergreen specimens. The Arbutus ‘Marina’ is a popular and versatile cousin of the madrone, less rangy and more upright in habit, offering year-round shade and attractive bark and blooms.
Image via Plant Master

DOGWOODS

These understory trees/shrubs are staples for smaller yards or areas where a small tree is called for. Cornus florida boasts showy flowers and foliage, and is perhaps the most popular of its genus. Ask your local nursery for other popular dogwoods in your area.
Image via Plantopedia

Blooming serviceberry tree — SERVICEBERRIES

A go-to small specimen tree, serviceberries have a light, airy appearance, typically with multiple trunks and striking blooms. They look great all year long. Amazingly, there is at least one serviceberry species native to each US state (except Hawaii), though the northeast has a particularly strong concentration. You can find an excellent roundup of several popular species here, courtesy of the Spruce.
Image via Bower & Branch

DESERT WILLOWS

Chilopsis linearis and its many cultivars are prized as small specimen trees, particularly in Texas and the Southwest. It has beautiful flowers and structure, and is exceptionally drought tolerant.
Image via MSWN

COLORADO SPRUCES

Also known as blue spruce, Picea pungens is another fabulous conifer with striking silvery-blue needles. It’s easy to grow, and looks great alone or planted en masse. If grouping or planting in rows, allow space - this species gets pretty big.
Image via Wyoming Plant Co.

DESIGNING A MODERN LANDSCAPE TAILORED TO YOUR NEEDS

Yardzen's award-winning online landscape design service 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.

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 home improvement and curb appeal with a professional landscaping project for your yard or home exterior? Create your design profile or explore our design packages today!

START MY PROJECT

Guest User

March 7, 2022

How To Care For Roses

Guest User

March 7, 2022

Roses are red (or blue, or pink, or orange, or white, or lavender…) How can you do better than giving roses to a loved one? How about giving them roses that you grew yourself?

For millennia—actually about 5000 years—roses have been a garden staple. They remain ridiculously popular, aided and abetted by a mammoth list of species and cultivars. You can find roses in a huge assortment of colors, sizes, forms, and habits. They can be bushy shrub roses, prostrate groundcovers, or climbing vines.

Pergola with climbing light pink roses in Oregon back yard — Rose covered pergola in Oregon back yard

A quick search uncovers dozens of rose care articles: evidence of the robust rose gardener community, and, more dauntingly, of the complexity you can run into when growing roses.

Fear not! While some roses can be tricky, a great deal of them are no harder to care for than your average flowering shrub. Despite their diversity, most roses benefit from the same few basic care tips that beginners should keep in mind. We’ll dig into those below, and suggest some carefree rose varieties to set you up for growing success.

CARING FOR ROSES AND ROSE BUSHES

Retaining wall with white roses, lavender, hydrangea, and grasses in New Canaan, CT

PLANT YOUR ROSES AT THE RIGHT TIME

Plant roses in early spring after the final frost. Choose a sunny, well-draining location, and amend the soil in your rose bed with organic matter to ensure proper nutrient supply (more on soil and sun below).

PLANT ROSES IN PROPER SUN

Roses love sunlight, 6-8 hours of it per day, to be exact. This being said, don’t go overboard - protect roses from scorching afternoon sun, particularly in hotter climates. If your yard doesn’t offer full sun, you can seek out more shade-tolerant rose varieties—of which there are several (check out this roundup of shade roses from The Spruce).

White Lady Banks Climbing Rose and Hybrid Tea Rose in Los Angeles, CA back yard

PROPER DRAINAGE FOR ROSES

Roses do not like “wet feet”. Particularly if you are in dense clay soil, you’ll want to amend with organic matter to improve drainage and keep your roses happy and healthy. If your area gets a lot of rain and you're particularly concerned about drainage, digging the planting hole deep enough to add a layer of gravel at the base could help prevent wet feet as well. Planting your roses a few feet apart from one another will also improve air circulation and reduce disease.

HOW TO WATER ROSES

Roses require regular water to thrive. This means about 1” - 2” of water per week throughout the growing season. If you have quick-draining sandy soil, a little extra water will be necessary. The reverse goes for slow-draining clay soil. When you water roses, soak them deeply to encourage the roots to spread out. Take care to avoid getting leaves wet, as this can encourage mildew or other ailments. A soaker hose or drip system can help ensure water goes directly to the soil and not on your rose's leaves. Using mulch around the base of your rose plant will help retain moisture if you live in a drier environment and have sandy soil (or if you just don't want to use as much water!)

Gravel path leading to rose garden in Mill Valley, CA back yard

FERTILIZING ROSES

Fertilizer is crucial to achieving those big rose blooms, but it also helps with leaf and root development and fortifies roses’ ability to resist pests and diseases. As a general rule, apply compost or other organic fertilizer products on a monthly basis. If you’d rather skip the monthly chore, use slow-release organic fertilizer products like fertilizer spikes. Slow-release fertilizers also have the added benefit of being less likely to draw aphids to your roses, since these pests love feeding on nitrogen fertilizers.

When selecting fertilizer, always go for organic. Synthetic fertilizers contribute to pollution in groundwater and local waterways, and do not offer the long-term soil health benefits that you get from organic amendments. One note of caution on organic fertilizer: animal products like bone meal can be irresistible to dogs and other creatures. Fortunately, there are plenty of organic fertilizers out there that are pet-safe and won’t attract unwanted guests to your garden.

Different fertilizer products offer different nutrients, and the type of rose and variety of soil on your site will determine which specific fertilizers you should apply. It’s helpful to speak with your local nursery or garden professional to ensure you choose the right products, but a general all-purpose organic fertilizer is often sufficient.

Pink roses growing up wooden trellis in Oregon back yard

PRUNING YOUR ROSES

Pruning encourages new growth in roses, and can keep them healthy by improving airflow around the plant (useful for discouraging fungal diseases like powdery mildew and black spot ). Prune roses heavily in the early spring, by removing any dead, damaged, or unwanted canes. You can also trim lightly throughout the growing season.

Some species will bloom repeatedly if you deadhead them, cutting off old flowers to allow new ones to develop. Some people enjoy picking up the pruners and shears, others do not. If you fall into the latter set, seek out “self-cleaning” cultivars like the Rainbow Knock Out, which bloom repeatedly without deadheading.

OUR FAVORITE CAREFREE ROSES

There are hundreds of roses out there. To ease your search, here are a few of our no-fuss favorites:

Knock Out rose bush — KNOCK OUT

A wildly popular shrub with heaps of glowing red flowers. It resists disease better than the average rose, requires little pruning, and blooms long and often. There are many sub-varieties of Knock Out roses, but the classic is a 3’-4’ bushy shrub. [Image via HGTV]

Iceberg rose bush — ICEBERG

The most popular white rose. ‘Iceberg’ has superb disease resistance and virtually no thorns, and quickly grows to produce lush foliage and flowers with minimal fuss. [Image via Hunker]

All the rage rose bush — ALL THE RAGE

Gorgeous cut flowers that start in a peachy hue and gradually turn pink. Great disease resistance, repeated blooming, easy care. [Image via Pahl’s Market]

Flower carpet coral rose bush — FLOWER CARPET CORAL

A low-grower that makes for a vibrant ground cover. Dark green foliage and creamy, coral flowers hint at tropical coloration. If you prefer a different shade, there are many other flower carpet roses to choose from. [Image via Easy To Grow Bulbs]

hot cocoa rose bush — HOT COCOA

Truly unique, with a dusky orange-brown (and eventually purple) flower that is both weird and gorgeous. Like the rest, this one is also disease resistant and easy to care for. [Image via Rosarium Lottum]

Barbara Streisand rose bush — BARBARA STREISAND

Looking for maximum rose scent? This is your pal. The flowers are big, and fade from a lavender center to magenta edges. [Image via Jackson & Perkins]

Kiss me climbing rose bush — KISS ME

Another super (and pleasantly) fragrant rose, with large, classically pink flowers. It’s easy to grow, super disease resistant, with beautiful blooms all summer long. [Image via Melvilles]

SNOWDRIFT

Another reliable white rose, this one produces great cut flowers throughout the growing season, and works equally well in the ground or in containers. [Image via Pahl’s Market]

Peach lemonade rose bush — PEACH LEMONADE

For those who can’t settle on a single color, we present the Peach Lemonade rose. It starts yellow, and gradually changes to a deep pink, offering a gorgeous, dynamic display that lasts from early summer till late fall. [Image via OHTA]

JULIA CHILD

A champion among yellow roses, ‘Julia Child’ is heat tolerant, disease resistant, great for cut flowers, and popular with pollinators. It has a nice, buttery hue, and a licorice-tinged fragrance. [Image via Chamblee Nursery]

DESIGNING A BOTANICAL LANDSCAPE TAILORED TO YOUR NEEDS

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 home improvement and curb appeal with a professional landscaping project for your yard or home exterior? Create your design profile or explore our design packages today!

Guest User

March 4, 2022

Scandinavian Home Exterior Design in Austin

Guest User

March 4, 2022

Tucked among heritage oaks, this 1940s bungalow had a dream location, but the house and yard needed a little love. With a rental unit in the back, the owner saw room to improve the property for both themselves and their guests.

Scandinavian inspired exterior design in Austin, Texas — Scandinavian-style home achieved through exterior design in Austin, Texas

Inspired by Scandinavian home design, the owner turned to Yardzen to transform both their yard and home exterior into a stunning modern retreat. Being Austin and not Sweden, Denmark, or Finland, the design would need to be both stylish and water-wise. Being a rental property, it would also need separate zones to maintain privacy for the client and their guests when both were at home.

Take a look below to see how Yardzen achieved this client’s Nordic design vision.

A SOCIAL FRONT YARD FOR ANY OCCASION

The client’s top priority was to reimagine the underutilized front yard as a multi-functional space for lounging and entertaining. At the same time, they wanted to boost their curb appeal by giving the home and yard a modern makeover.

Yardzen focused first on the functions. To accommodate a variety of guest needs and group sizes, the design ideas settled on three highly functional zones: a dining room, a covered living room, and a sunken fire pit.

Each space has a distinct feel and offers different amenities. The lounge zone stands at the fancier end of the spectrum, shaded by a custom pergola supporting a large outdoor TV. The dining area opens itself to the air while remaining on the deck and conveniently close to the indoor kitchen. The sunken fire pit, with its crunchy gravel floor and wrap-around planting, offers a more rustic and intimate alternative to the other elevated spaces.

Wide, unobstructed edges separate each zone, allowing them to flow seamlessly into each other. The resulting impression is that of a single, highly adaptable social space, suitable for everything from family dinners, to large parties, to a moment alone with a book.

To ensure comfort and privacy from the neighbors, Yardzen threw in a fence along the property boundary, painted a muted charcoal to fade it into the background.

SCANDINAVIAN MODERN, TEXAS-STYLE

Scandinavian design merges simplicity, functionality, and craftsmanship — Scandinavian design merges simplicity, minimalism, functionality, and craftsmanship

With functions in place, Yardzen next turned to style.

To nail the look for this modern house, the exterior architectural style applies a restrained palette of natural materials and bright wood with black and white accents to both the home and the landscape that is ubiquitous in Scandinavian interior design. This material repetition links the pergola and deck with the house exterior, a canny move that dissolves the boundary between indoor and outdoor and frames the deck area as an extension of the house.

Horizontal wood paneling climbing up the A-frame front facade and gable screams Scandinavian design. Following suit, the landscape adds a modern kick of its own via oversized concrete pavers, minimalist path lights, and a monolithic block of billowy grasses wrapping around the house.

Lest we forget this is Texas Hill Country and not a chalet in Norway , the design retains patches of shaggy, naturalistic planting, a nice organic foil to the crisp lines of the hardscape.

WRAP-AROUND DECK

Yardzen next reimagined the backyard deck, an old and funky structure with multiple levels, ad hoc stairs, and weather-beaten wood.

Utilizing its existing frame, the design simplifies the deck, flattening it into a single level floor plan that offers immensely more usable space. It also extends the deck around the side of the house to join it with the front deck, creating a single shared surface wrapping three sides of the house. With this gesture, the front and back yards are linked into a single flowing experience.

Sticking with the modern Scandinavian style, a striking cable railing replaces the old wooden deck rail, maxing out the sense of openness and adding clean lines while maintaining a safe fall barrier.

With more deck area to play with, the design tucks an above-ground hot tub into a private corner near the back door, where the chilly walk back inside can be kept to a minimum.

PRIVATE SPACE FOR EVERYONE

Tall hedges help create privacy for the rental house

As a residential and rental property, the backyard needed to offer private, dedicated spaces for both the owner and visitors to the guest house, a two-story structure nestled at the back of the property.

A tall hedge of Southern Wax Myrtle does the trick, climbing high enough to block views from the back deck into the sunken guest yard. With attractive bark, a pleasant fragrance, and a tendency to attract birds and butterflies, this native shrub also brings a bit of natural beauty to liven up the spaces it divides.

A second fire pit offers guests something to do in their private outdoor space, while a shared patch of artificial turf offers a resource for visiting kids or pets in need of a romp.

SUSTAINABLE PLANTING

Native Texas and low water plants were thoughtfully chosen for this landscape design

Beyond the native hedge, native grasses also feature heavily in this design, offering drought-tolerant beauty and excellent habitat for local fauna. Texas favorites Blue Grama and Little Bluestem command center stage, and are joined by a few key accents from Beargrass, a grass-like succulent with scraggly Austin charm.

Other climate adapted non-natives like the silvery Artemisia ‘Powis Castle’ keep water demands low while reinforcing a cool-hued, texture-forward planting palette that runs throughout the design around this beautiful home.

GET STARTED WITH YOUR YARDZEN PROJECT TODAY

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.

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 with an exterior design project to achieve a Scandinavian-style dream home? Create your design profile or explore our design packages today!

GET STARTED

Kendra Poppy

March 3, 2022

13 Phoenix Landscape Design Ideas Perfect for the Southwest

Kendra Poppy

March 3, 2022

The spirit of indoor-outdoor living is strong in Phoenix and surrounding cities. From fire pits for enjoying temperate winters to pools and pergolas for hot summers, Yardzen landscape designs for the region demonstrate that homeowners want to make the most of year-round outdoor living.

Here are thirteen designs selected by our talented team of designers, featuring:

Native, climate-adapted, and pollinator-loving plants purchasable from local nurseries
Styling from our brand partners, including Crate & Barrel and Serena & Lily
Sustainable materials available to partners in Yardzen’s Pro Network of vetted contractors

Get started on your design today!

Learn more about our process in our How it Works, and explore designs in our Portfolio.

Gilbert, AZ

Scottsdale, AZ

Phoenix, AZ

Tempe, AZ

Cave Creek, AZ

Tempe, AZ

Gilbert, AZ

Tempe, AZ

Gilbert, AZ

Phoenix, AZ

Scottsdale, AZ

Phoenix, AZ

Tempe, AZ

Guest User

March 2, 2022

13 South Florida Landscape Designs We Love

Guest User

March 2, 2022

If sunshine and tropical weather are your thing, South Florida has you covered.

In this land of year-round outdoor living, landscape design can help you stay cool and comfortable through the hot season. From shade trees to pergolas, plunge pools to water features, Yardzen has done it all, helping our clients to spend more time outside in their South Florida landscapes.

Below, we'll take a look at some of our favorite South Florida landscape designs.

01 SECRET GARDEN IN SURFSIDE, FL

Some designs start from scratch, others build upon what's already there.

With an existing pool, elegant stone paving, and wrap-around privacy hedges, this South Florida yard was well on its way to being a private oasis, but it needed more: more functions, more defined spaces, more lush planting.

To do the trick, this design leans into the axis established by the pool, adding a fire pit at one end and a bistro set with vibrant turquoise chairs at the other. A modern aluminum pergola shades the bistro seating, draped in fragrant jasmine vines.

To ramp up the lushness, an array of tropical plants, from native Sword Ferns, to chunky Philodendrons, to the otherworldly Cordyline 'Torbay Dazzler', are spread across the property, adding interest to the existing planting while heightening the sense of privacy from outside world.

Don't forget the kiddos! To give them a bit of fun, a large existing tree gets a playful makeover courtesy of a platform tree house and a pair of rope swings.

FEATURED PLANTS

02 LOW-MAINTENANCE OASIS IN MIAMI, FL

Yardzen kept it clean and modern for this low-maintenance oasis. A sleek rectangular pool, spacious TimberTech deck, and versatile charcoal pergola set the stage for a variety of activities in and out of the sun, while string lights lend a hint of playfulness to a comfy lounge area. Tropical planting surrounds the scene, lending lushness that contrasts elegantly with the clean hardscaping.

To get more from their small front yard, the design provides a casual fire pit zone, perfect for an evening outdoors with friends and neighbors.

FEATURED PLANTS

03 FUNCTIONAL STYLE IN PALMETTO BAY, FL

High style and high function are the guiding lights of this design. Furnishings and plantings follow a strict palette of white, blonde, and cool grays, establishing an intentional, cohesive feel throughout the yard.

A broad and open layout allows for free-flowing circulation between a variety of spaces, from fire pit, to dining, to poolside lounging. From any corner of the yard, sightlines are luxuriously long, expanding the sense of perceived space.

The pergola is the jewel of the yard, with a delicate screen of blonde boards offering support for a gorgeous Pink Bower Vine. Elegant stone paving complements large paver walkways, whose grass-filled gaps lend nice visual contrast, not to mention pleasing foot-feel for shoeless pool-goers.

FEATURED PLANTS

04 MODERN BOHEMIAN IN ANNA MARIA, FL

Florida-friendly landscaping is the star of this show, with native Paurotis Palms towering over an understory of Cat Palms, strappy tropical perennials, and lush ground cover planting.

The hardscape tucks comfortably into this lush setting, with outdoor spaces arranged to take in the tropical view, or bask beneath it, as with a crisp row of poolside chaise lounges. Modern Bohemian styling lends charm to otherwise minimal spaces, as do colorful metal chairs, which are as durable as they are playful.

FEATURED PLANTS

Giant bird of paradise — Giant Bird of Paradise

05 OUTDOOR LIVING IN SURFSIDE, FL

This family-friendly yard packs a lot into a small space. The design offers a series of living spaces for cooking and dining, poolside lounging, playing, and relaxing, creating a highly functional space that maintains a comfortably modern feel throughout.

Robust tropical landscaping casts a verdant atmosphere across the entire yard, while also providing privacy from the neighbors.

FEATURED PLANTS

06 CLEAN LINES IN WEST PALM BEACH, FL

Palm trees, thick shrubs, and tropical perennials fill this yard's planting beds, enveloping the space in green. The pool is the marquee feature, and seating areas throughout the yard maintain a strong visual connection to it, giving the yard an open, flowing feel.

Linear lawns surrounding the pool lend softness to the scene, while oversized pavers add an extra dash of modern style.

FEATURED PLANTS

07 A BUENA VISTA IN HIALEAH, FL

When you've got a view like this, you should use it for all its worth. This backyard landscape does exactly that, using a simple, clean lawn to create an infinity edge that seamlessly bonds the scenery with the yard.

Cooking and dining smartly tuck under a side pergola, while the covered lounge area squarely faces the water - a perfect backdrop for relaxing times with loved ones.

Low maintenance plants along the sides of the yard - including South Florida native plants - work overtime in this design, framing the vista, providing privacy from the neighbors, and lending a tropical feel throughout the space.

Featured plantS

08 BEACHY PALETTE IN MIAMI, FL

This Florida yard projects a tropical garden feel onto orderly garden beds. Rhythmic rows of leafy green planting establish a series of green walls - in one case literally, with a grid of leafy greens along a facade of vertical planks creating a striking accent wall.

Furnishings and materials stick to a beachy palette of pale neutrals and whites - as with the leafy, bloomless plants, texture is key in the hardscape and furnishings, from sun-bleached wood, to wicker furniture, to canvas cushions.

With few flowering plants, the abundant blooms of White Oleander command the front yard landscaping, offering a lovely display for the neighbors while carrying out their practical function as a privacy screen.

Featured plantS

09 XERISCAPE IN WEST PALM BEACH, FL

This South Florida garden incorporates drought-tolerant, low maintenance landscape plants to survive the dry season with little additional irrigation.

The garden design goes heavy on ornamental grasses, with succulent accents from Agave Americana. The result lends a little dry climate flair to the yard, and pairs nicely with the mixed forest of palms, pines, and oaks surrounding the property.

Featured plantS

10 LESS IS MORE IN MIAMI, FL

The paver patio steals the show in this design. Shot through with grass-filled gaps, the patio acts as a visual gradient, transitioning you from the rich green of the lawn to the cool gray of the covered concrete patio.

Palm trees and chunky container plants frame the patio, lending pleasing symmetry to the layout, while mixed plantings of dense shrubs, flowering perennials, and breezy grasses tuck into the in-between spaces to ramp up the lushness throughout the design.

Being a compact yard, the design maintains clear, long sightlines to maximize the perceived size of the space.

Featured plantS

11 PRIVATE RETREAT IN FORT LAUDERDALE, FL

This yard for a busy working couple needed to tick a few boxes: low maintenance, privacy from the neighbors, and a luxurious but orderly feel. This design succeeds on all three points.

A rich green hedge keeps things private while expressing tidy formality, as do monolithic blocks of bamboo, snake plant, and false agave. More mixed planting beds offer a nice counter-balance, softening things up without creating a mess.

With the pool dominating the center of the yard, hardscape design stays open and minimal, leaning on a palette of light colors to establish a consistent, crisply modern aesthetic.

Featured plantS

12 POCKET JUNGLE IN NAPLES, FL

This design transforms a compact yard into a lush Floridian retreat. The space-efficient pool tucks neatly in a corner, with lush tropical planting bounding it on two sides. A white pergola and elegant stone pavers establish an upscale, resort-like atmosphere.

Despite being an enclosed space, the layout remains broad and open, with only small punctuations of leafy green planting interrupting the otherwise boundary-less design. Combined with the large ceiling apertures and wide, unimpeded sides of the pergola, the space maintains an expansive feel while offering shelter from the elements.

Featured plantS

13 CLEAN AND GREEN IN PLANTATION, FL

To create an understated, elegant retreat, this design employs a limited palette of tropical plants whose repetition projects a sense of cohesiveness across the property. Plants are largely deep green, with a few floral bursts lending interest at key moments.

Hardscape stays simple and site-sensitive, with spare but comfortable furnishings and cool-toned paving maintaining a spacious, calm sensibility throughout the design. Tall planting adjacent to vertical elements like a shade sail and modern horizontal board fence establishes a theme of lushness that is hammered home by dense understory planting.

Featured plantS

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT SOUTH FLORIDA LANDSCAPING

South Florida landscape designs embrace the hot, tropical climate by including cooling features, from shade trees and pergolas to pools of all sizes. They also incorporate features to let you enjoy the cool evening hours, like hot tubs, fire pits, and bistro lighting.
Outdoor living is big in South Florida, and designs meet this demand by bringing indoor activities outside, from outdoor kitchens and dining zones, to flexible lounge areas that can be tuned to suit any activity or group size.
South Florida landscapes are at their best when they embrace the region's tropical identity. Palms, ferns and other tropical planting with deep green foliage and bold bursts of color are staples, and lend a luxurious lushness to outdoor spaces.
Hardscape materials tend toward bright colors, complementing the abundant sunshine. White stucco, bright concrete, and stone in cool gray tones are common, and contrast elegantly with deeper hues of planting.
No matter where you live, native plants are a great idea. Having evolved to thrive in the local climate, native plants typically require fewer inputs of water, fertilizer, and maintenance than species introduced from elsewhere. This translates great plant performance with less expense and fuss for homeowners.
At the same time, native plants offer unbeatable habitat value for local wildlife, and help designed landscapes feel connected to the broader regional landscape.
South Florida landscapes should pay heed to the broad temperature range, intense summer heat, and wet conditions of the region. This means picking native and climate-adapted plants with a proven record of landscape performance. It also means designing for rain by maintaining plenty of permeable surfaces to slow runoff and capture water onsite.
With such natural beauty, landscape designs should be a resource for outdoor living in any season, keeping you cool in summer, warm in winter, and able to accommodate a variety of outdoor activities, from cooking and dining, to playing, to working, to relaxing with family and friends.
Now! Any time of year is great to begin work on a landscape project.
When possible, we suggest utilizing the winter to work through the design phase - this sets you up to get on contractors’ books early in the build season, so you can have your design installed and ready to enjoy in time for summer.
If winter has passed, don’t worry, it’s never too late in the year to begin work on a landscape design project.

DESIGNING A SOUTH FLORIDA LANDSCAPE TAILORED TO YOUR NEEDS

Yardzen's award-winning online landscaping design is tailored to clients in South Florida. Our design process begins with understanding your space, and a discussion of your budget and vision to minimize surprises when it comes time to build. We want to make sure our design team can personalize your yard, delivering a vision that includes what’s most important for your outdoor life and unique environment in South Florida while keeping costs within range. We do this by utilizing our in-house Build Team made up of former contractors and our Pro Network of vetted professional landscapers across the country.

Ready to level up your home improvement with a professional landscape design? Create your design profile or explore our design packages today!

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