27 Lovely Pergola Ideas from Our Design Team

A cedar pergola creates shade in a Fremont, CA backyard designed by Yardzen

As clients increasingly look to create an extension of their indoor space outdoors, we’ve seen the popularity of pergolas increase dramatically. Pergolas stand out for their ability to create distinct, functional, and adaptable outdoor spaces. With open sides and slatted ceilings, pergolas offer cooling breezes, dappled shade, and a strong sense of connection to the surrounding yard. Their open structure makes for a striking but relatively lightweight visual impact, allowing them to gracefully plug into yards of all sizes. 

Our design team put together a guide to one of Yardzen’s most-requested hardscaping features, including costs, materials, styles, alternatives, and more.

Table of Contents

• What is a pergola?

• What is the best material for a pergola?

• How do you build a pergola?

• How much do pergolas cost?

• Pergola ideas from Yardzen designs

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What is a Pergola?

Pergolas are time-tested freestanding outdoor structures, first seen in Egypt around 1400 BC, and widely used among 17th Century Romans during the Italian Renaissance. Today’s pergolas consist of posts supporting a decorative, open-structured roof (as opposed to a closed-structured roof like that of a gazebo), with no walls beneath. 

What is the point of a pergola?

The purpose of a pergola is to block harsh glare from the sun while allowing gentle light and fresh air in. A typical pergola won’t completely block sunlight, but some designs feature louvers or ceiling coverings to provide complete shade.

Pergolas establish a pleasant outdoor space that is part enclosed, part open. The ceiling above establishes an intimate feel, while the open sides maintain strong visual connections to the surrounding yard, making the space beneath the ceiling feel larger than its footprint. You’ll commonly see pergolas positioned above outdoor spaces intended for spending prolonged time, like outdoor kitchens, dining areas, or lounge zones. 

As structural items, pergolas are often focal points in a landscape design, and serve as style indicators—a modern pergola helps everything else in your yard feel a little more modern. Practically speaking, pergolas also offer infrastructure to mount a host of accessories (which we’ll review below).

What is the best material for a pergola?

The most common materials used for pergolas are wood, fiberglass, aluminum, and vinyl. 

Wooden Pergolas

Wooden pergolas are popular for their handsome appearance and natural look. Wood as a material is easy to work with—it will take any paint or stain, can be formed into decorative flourishes typical of traditional styles, and is a good option for DIY or custom builds. All of these reasons make wooden pergolas super flexible and easy to use in any style of landscape design. 

Keep in mind that wooden pergolas used to be more cost-effective, but the price of lumber is way up. Nowadays, wood is a mid-to-high priced option for pergolas.  

While wooden pergolas allow for flexibility in design, it is the least durable and most high-maintenance material. A fresh coat of paint or stain every year or two is necessary to protect wood from weathering.

Fiberglass Pergolas

Fiberglass pergolas have a smooth surface and more polished feel than wood. Like wood, fiberglass can take on any paint color, but looks best in modern vs traditional landscape designs. One benefit of fiberglass over wooden pergolas is that they are super durable and are virtually maintenance free. 

Because fiberglass is so durable, it can span much longer distances than wood—up to 26 feet in some cases, which is useful for minimizing posts as a barrier in outdoor spaces.

Fiberglass used to be a more expensive option, but is now competitively priced with wood and aluminum.

Aluminum Pergolas

Aluminum pergolas have benefits very similar to fiberglass—they are light, strong, sleek and suited to modern styles, and require almost no maintenance.  Aluminum pergolas are rust resistant and are typically powder-coated, so paint color won’t chip with wear and tear.

Vinyl Pergolas

Vinyl pergolas are the lower cost option when it comes to materials. They also tend to look lower quality because the surface is visually discernible from wood, fiberglass, or metal. Another potential drawback is that vinyl pergolas are typically limited in color—you’ll see them offered in white or light neutral colors. 

While vinyl pergolas are low maintenance, they aren’t as durable as wood, fiberglass, or metal. If longevity or flexibility in design isn’t crucial for you, but price is, a vinyl pergola may be the way to go. However, there are other low cost options to consider.

How do you build a pergola?

Installation, even for prefab or kit pergolas, is often trickier than it may seem. Posts must be anchored in the ground. For most pergolas, this means creating underground concrete footings for each post, though lighter-weight kits sometimes simply bolt posts into existing decks or concrete slabs.

Anchored posts must stand perfectly vertical with precise spacing to fit prefab beams—if you’re off by even a half-inch you must re-anchor the post. For this reason, we typically recommend having a contractor install your pergola, even for many pergola kits. Contractor installation tends to cost between $3K and $6K on top of the purchase price of the pergola, but it’s usually well worth it.

Do I need a permit for a pergola?

Sometimes pergolas require a permit, other times they do not. City code and, when applicable, HOA requirements ultimately determine if a permit is necessary. 

Permits are more commonly required when pergolas are large, attach to existing structures, or use concrete footings to secure their posts in the ground. Regions that encounter snow, strong winds, or seismic activity also tend to require permits more frequently. Solid-roofed structures are more or less certain to require a permit.

Prefabricated pergolas typically come with structural drawings that can be used when submitting for a pergola. This can generate considerable savings by cutting out the expense and hassle of hiring an engineer to produce permit drawings.

How much do pergolas cost?

Besides material, the type of pergola you buy—prefab vs. custom built—will influence its cost. In general, prefab pergolas tend to cost less than custom builds. 

With either option, don't forget the cost of professional assembly and installation needs to be considered in addition to the purchase price of the structure or materials. As mentioned above, this is typically between $3K and $6K.

Custom Pergola Cost

Custom pergolas vary widely in cost based on cost of materials at the time, size, and anything about your design that complicates the installation. Basic ones can be relatively affordable, but it’s not uncommon for a custom pergola to cost $20K all said and done. You can control costs by keeping designs clean and simple. Intricate or structurally challenging designs quickly accumulate costs via additional labor requirements.

Prefabricated Pergolas and Pergola Kit Cost

After factoring in delivery and installation, prefab aluminum, fiberglass, and wood pergolas will run from $8K to $15K for a standard sized pergola. Increasing size or adding accessories can add as much as $10K on top of this standard price range.

With the higher purchase price, you generally get a higher quality product that will be more durable and look more like a permanent landscape feature. You may also get a warranty, or the option to include accessories.

Keep in mind that kits or prefab structures that claim to be DIY-able may not actually be simple to install. Many prefab pergolas seem more appealing than a custom build at first because of their lower price tag, but require professional help to install which will add to the total cost.

Kit and Prefab Pergola Recommendations:

• The Toja Grid is a great modular option offering incredible versatility at a low price, but be aware you’ll need to purchase wood separately - the list price only covers brackets. ($260 and up)

• The aluminum pergolas by Paragon Outdoor and Bon Pergola are also solid low cost options. ($1,474.50 and up)

• Forever Redwood has a host of pergolas spanning the style spectrum, and supports sustainable forestry practices in their material sourcing. ($2,650 and up)

• Pergola Kits USA offers fiberglass and wood pergolas in a variety of styles at competitive prices. We favor their modern louvered fiberglass pergola . ($3,961 and up)

• The Pivot 6 pergola by Struxure features motorized louvers for shade control, and can accommodate a huge range of accessories. This is a higher end option, but if budget allows it is lovely.

27 Pergola Ideas for Your Landscape Design

Below are our favorite pergola ideas designed by the Yardzen team.

01 Traditional style prefab pergola

A backyard in Santa Rosa, FL designed by Yardzen

We think of pergolas as falling into two big buckets: traditional and modern. In a nutshell, traditional pergolas have decorative flourishes, modern ones do not. 

Traditional pergolas often have ceiling beams protruding out from the central pergola frame (these decorative outcroppings are called “rafter tails”). Posts can be round or square, and may feature ornamentation, be it tapering sides or thickened bases (such features do add to overall costs). Higher-end traditional pergolas may sink posts in a square bollard with a stone or masonry veneer.

A backyard in Santa Rosa, FL designed by Yardzen

These decorative features are endemic to wood pergola design, but some vinyl and fiberglass pergolas offer attractive versions of these same decorative features as seen here—just be sure to get a quality product. 

This traditional style pergola is a prefabricated vinyl structure that costs less than $3k. Gravel hardscaping and low-maintenance planting are other elements that make this backyard makeover within a strict budget.

02 Modern Bohemian Dining Area with Patio Pergola

Backyard landscape design by Yardzen

Modern pergolas are sleek and purposefully lack ornamentation. All corners are 90 degrees, and posts are square. Fiberglass and aluminum modern pergolas express a more polished feel, like the one pictured above.

03 Modern Wooden Pergola for Poolside Lounge

Backyard landscape design by Yardzen

You can skew modern pergolas to look more rustic by choosing a wood model and pairing with contemporary patio furniture.

04 Modern black pergola turns a back patio into a porch

A backyard in Laguna Niguel, CA designed by Yardzen

One of our favorite uses for a pergola in a landscape design is converting a front or back patio into a porch by adding a pergola overhead. We love this modern fire pit lounge. It’s super accessible from multiple home entrances, and matches the style of the home exterior perfectly.

A backyard in Laguna Niguel, CA designed by Yardzen

05 Modern White Pergola in a Moditerranean Backyard

Backyard landscape design by Yardzen

Modern pergolas adapt well to different design styles. White modern pergolas in particular manage to look cohesive in designs that are otherwise fairly traditional (picture rows of boxwood and Hydrangea). 

06 Front Porch Pergola Attached to the House

Front yard in San Rafael, CA designed by Yardzen

The patio-to-porch effect of an attached pergola is even more stunning in the front yard. This natural wood beauty creates aesthetic warmth and a more functional outdoor living space.

Front yard in San Rafael, CA designed by Yardzen

07 Pergola with sun shade over an outdoor living room

Backyard landscape design by Yardzen

There are ways to create full shade with a pergola. Some pergolas come with adjustable louvers, allowing you to control the level of shade beneath the ceiling. It’s also now common to add  a fabric “pergola canopy” to pergola ceilings, as seen above. 

08 Retractable canopy on a modern wood pergola

Backyard landscape design by Yardzen

You can also attach shade sails or retractable screens under the ceiling to block incoming light, but also allow in sun as needed, as seen above.

09 Hanging seating from a pergola

A backyard in Fremont, CA designed by Yardzen

A high-quality pergola can be used to hang seating! This is a super fun take on fire pit seating, conjuring the carefree vibe of porch swings that makes for an irresistible outdoor living space for friends and family to enjoy.

A backyard in Fremont, CA designed by Yardzen

10 Flowering vines create beauty and shade

Backyard landscape design by Yardzen

Historically, pergolas were used to support grape vines. You can get this look by adding vines in containers at the base of posts, and allowing them to climb and grow into the ceiling to establish a cool and lush environment.

11 Small cantilever pergola with shade curtain

A backyard in Los Gatos, CA designed by Yardzen

A cantilever pergola is a form of truncated pergola that can have as few as two posts and holds a rafter “awning” rather than a “roof”. In the photo above, the cantilever pergola is furnished with curtains and positioned with the sun to its back, allowing it to block out harsh afternoon glare. Retractable screens, an automated version of the sun pergola curtains, are also available to descend from overhead beams, blocking incoming light or wind from the side.

A backyard in Los Gatos, CA designed by Yardzen

12 Corner pergola for shading Small Spaces

Backyard landscape design render for a Yardzen client in South Pasadena, CA

Three-post or triangular pergolas are widely available in prefab options as well. This is the best pergola for small spaces like the one pictured above—they provide the right amount of shade while maintaining an open feel.

13 Cantilever pergola as a trellis in a cozy backyard

A backyard designed by Yardzen in Pacific Grove, CA

Cantilever pergolas can also provide shade via climbing plants (this is a modern take on a traditional arbor). We love this cozy backyard and can only imagine how beautiful the shade canopy will become as these flowering vines continue to grow.

14 Fire pit area with traditional wood pergola

Backyard landscape design by Yardzen

This waterfront backyard design strikes the perfect balance between traditional and contemporary with a classic decorative wooden pergola, straight hardscape lines, and planting with pops of color.

15 Fire pit area with modern louvered pergola

Backyard in Austin, TX designed by Yardzen

Fire pits can look sleek under pergolas. This modern formal backyard pairs a black metal louvered pergola with a modern concrete fire pit and formal, symmetrical green plantings. Take care to only use fire pits that are safe for use under pergolas—see the manufacturers’ instructions for the prefab fire pit that you select, and avoid wood burning fire pits beneath wood or cloth-covered pergolas. 

Backyard in Austin, TX designed by Yardzen

16 Rectangular Pergola for Multiple Distinct Outdoor Rooms

Backyard landscape design by Yardzen

One of the most common requests we get from our design clients is for multiple outdoor living spaces. Often, homeowners want to use their yard for multiple purposes—to dine, cook, lounge, and garden, for example. 

Many outdoor activities benefit from the shelter of a pergola. In the above design, a longer rectangular metal pergola uses hardscaping, planting, and thoughtful arrangement of outdoor furniture to create separate functional spaces under a single roof, allowing for several functional zones beneath a single ceiling.

17 Pergola as aN Extension of a covered porch

Backyard landscape design by Yardzen

We love this clever use of a pergola to extend the existing living space on a covered back porch. The traditional wooden structure mimics the materials in the porch roof, casting the pergola as an  extension of the home. Traditional plantings in white and green soften the sharp edges of the hardscaping and lawn.

18 Clear Polycarbonate top to winterize a pergola

Backyard in Shoreline, WA designed by Yardzen and featured in Apartment Therapy

This backyard for a Yardzen client was featured in Apartment Therapy! Our client in the Pacific Northwest wanted an alternative to a hardtop gazebo so they could use their fire pit area even in inclement weather (common in their neck of the woods). This solution is beautiful and weather-resistant.

Other pergola accessories that help create an outdoor living space for year-round use include retractable wind screens that descend from overhead beams, outdoor heaters (we like the low profile Heatstrip) that mount on overhead beams, and rotating ceiling fans, which are particularly nice in warm climates.

19 Pergola as a shade structure on a deck or balcony

Backyard landscape design by Yardzen

Pergolas aren’t limited in use to ground-level—they can add shade and style to large balconies, rooftops, or elevated decks as well. 

20 Custom built modern pergola made with mixed materials

A backyard in Corte Madera, CA designed by Yardzen

This stylish, kid-friendly backyard designed by Yardzen includes modern details like this aluminum frame pergola with beautiful custom cedar wood rafters. If you want the function of an outdoor pergola but prefab and kit options don’t match your style, custom is the way to go.

Backyard in Corte Madera, CA designed by Yardzen

21 Freestanding pergola for a tucked-away outdoor oasis

Backyard design by Yardzen

One of the benefits of using a classic freestanding pergola in your landscape design is how it can create tucked-away spaces that are more private or removed from busier and more visible areas. This design has a pergola-shaded seating area in a corner of the yard that isn’t visible from neighboring properties or the street, and is far enough from the house that it allows you to physically and mentally relax in a separate space.

22 Custom attached pergola spanning back patio and courtyard

A backyard in Scottsdale, AZ designed by Yardzen

We love how this creative design came to life for our client in Arizona. The attached pergola serves so many functions—as a shade structure for the courtyard seating and dining space,  an awning for home entrances, and a structural support for a fun hanging swing set overlooking the yard.

A backyard in Scottsdale, AZ designed by Yardzen

23 Defining an outdoor kitchen with an overhead pergola

Backyard landscape design by Yardzen

A pergola is the perfect shade structure and space-defining element for an outdoor kitchen. This modern steel frame pergola complements the concrete stone kitchen and modern furnishings.

24 String lights FOR Magical ambience

A backyard in Walnut Creek, CA designed by Yardzen

We love adding string lights to pergolas of any style, the magical effect they have on an outdoor living space from overhead is irresistible. Installing string lights around or across the ceiling is typically the most cost-effective option for landscape lighting on a pergola, but deck lights mounted to posts that can shine up or down, or both, is also an option—as this Volt light does. 

A backyard in Walnut Creek, CA designed by Yardzen

25 Arched pergola for a traditional outdoor kitchen in a lush yard

Backyard design for a Yardzen client in South Pasadena, CA

Pergolas don’t all have flat roofs—more intricate designs are available with arched or gabled rooflines that look great in traditional landscape designs and mimic the feel of a patio gazebo without the canopy cover.

26 Shade sail as a pergola alternative

Backyard in San Rafael, CA designed by Yardzen

Pergolas offer many benefits, but they aren’t for every project. If space is limited, budgets are tight, or further revisions are planned for the near future, pergolas may be too bulky, costly, or permanent to be viable. When one of these scenarios applies, there are a few alternatives, including shade sails.

Shade sails are weatherproof and uv resistant fabric squares or triangles hung to swoop gracefully above an outdoor area. They are held by steel cables connected to existing structures, or to new posts anchored securely in the ground.

A popular look is to layer two triangular sails such that one significantly overlaps the other. Shade sails range in price but typically cost a few thousands dollars after installation (new support posts tend to add about $500 per post to total costs). There are tons of shade sail manufacturers out there - we suggest asking your contractor for their preferred local vendor.

27 Umbrella as a pergola alternative

A backyard in Austin, TX designed by Yardzen

Yes, this is low tech, but umbrellas are super versatile, and can be removed when you need to increase the openness of a space. Crate and Barrel makes a lovely cantilevered umbrella—this will allow you to have shade over your dining area without a pole sticking 

It’s worth mentioning our favorite pergola alternative: trees! Trees offer a million benefits to properties, and are very effective at providing shade and implying a defined, cozy outdoor space—exactly the purpose of a pergola. Position trees at one or several corners of a space to imply boundaries and establish a room. The feel will be different than that of a pergola, but it will still be lovely. 

GET STARTED WITH YOUR LANDSCAPE DESIGN BY YARDZEN

Yardzen's award-winning online exterior and landscape design is tailored to clients in all fifty states in the US. Whether your goal is creating more functional outdoor living space or beautifying your home exterior, we can create a design that meets your needs and style preferences.

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

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

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

Ready to live better outside? Create your design profile or explore our design packages today!

In Conversation: Outdoor Living Trends with Allison Messner and Sam Toole (AZEK)

Allison Messner, Yardzen CEO & Co-Founder

Sam Toole, AZEK CMO

Yardzen’s co-founder and CEO, Allison Messner, hosted Sam Toole, CMO of AZEK, at the Yardzen offices in Sausalito to discuss the latest trends in outdoor living! Read through to learn about what these experts are noticing in the outdoor design world, including the evolving role of women in the typically male-dominated industry, and head to our Instagram to see video of the interview!

At Yardzen, we've seen a noticeable shift in homeowners orientation towards their outdoor spaces. This started before COVID as people have become aware of the benefits of being outside, and was amplified during the pandemic, as many sought refuge in their yards. I'd love to hear more about how you guys have experienced this trend.

Allison and Sam in conversation at the Yardzen offices in Sausalito, CA

Allison Messner: Over the past couple of years, well before the start of the pandemic, we've seen people ask more of their homes and their outdoor spaces– extending their living outside. We’ve seen this for a while in architecture with indoor-outdoor design flows. People know intuitively that being outside leads to wellness and that was propelled forward during the pandemic.

Sam Toole: Looking outside is one of the easiest ways to add square footage to your house– to create more livable, multipurpose space. Outdoor rooms can be used for everything, from entertaining friends to hosting your own date night.

AM: Absolutely. The yard of yesterday was slab of concrete, water guzzling grass, and a charcoal grill, and now it is so much more. Yardzen’s design team is always excited to think of new ways to help people spend more time outside in their outdoor rooms.

What is your favorite way to spend time outside? How does the “shift outdoors” presented itself in your life?

ST: We do everything outdoors. We're so lucky to live in a beautiful place [Marin]. I work outside and take as many calls as I can outside. We sit on our deck all of the time–have coffee in the morning, have dinner at night, hang out with our kids, entertain our friends. It's just our favorite room in the house.

AM: I second all of that. We’re outside as much as possible. I also love to run. I like to be out in nature. I like to exercise and play outside with my kids. It just feels good.

One of the reasons we are thrilled to partner with TimberTech is because of your industry-leading sustainability practices, from the way your products are manufactured to their incredible durability and longevity. Tell us more about Timber Tech sustainability practices and why it matters.

ST: Well, one of the most incredible things about TimberTech is that we’re part of a company called AZEK, which has a huge commitment to accelerating the use of recycled materials. Our decking is made from up to 80% recycled content. And most of that was bound for the landfill. We grind it up and put it into the core of our boards, so you get this great looking product that looks like real wood. But the inside is all filled with recycled content.

Not only do we use trash to create our boards, but as a company, we've committed to recycle a billion pounds of trash a year by 2026. We’re at over 500 million pounds a year right now, which is incredible to think about.

And, as part of our sustainability commitment, our boards are designed to last 30 and 50 years, further diverting landfill. And then, at the end of its life, it's recyclable. 

When it comes to decking, TimberTech is the most sustainable option. Some people think that wood is most sustainable because it’s a “natural” product, but it’s not. The logging industry is a leading cause of deforestation. Materials like ipe are actually really horrible for the environment because they're from the rainforest, and that has all kinds of other ramifications. So this product really is sustainable and using recycled materials really is the best thing.

AM: At Yardzen, we’re very selective with our partners. We really want to introduce our clients to great brands and great products like yours. TimberTech is leading the pack. You're setting a new standard for commitment to sustainability.

There are many synergies between Yardzen and TimberTech. One of the many similarities is our fantastic clients–homeowners who want to do their outdoor projects, right. By investing in world-class design and premium materials. I'm curious, why did you choose Yardzen as your design and build partner, Sam?

ST: We're really proud to work with Yardzen. We chose you as our partner because Yardzen elevates the whole landscaping process with best-in-class design and materials selection, putting it all together in a way that's really inspiring for the homeowner, so they can start to see the possibilities of their home.

When it comes to outdoor projects, one of the hardest things is not knowing how to get started because you can’t totally visualize it. And so it's hard to take action on it because it is going to require a lot of investment and a lot of time and research. And so you kind of just keep kicking the project down the road–oftentimes, people think about their outdoor renovation for 18 months before taking action. That’s because they just can't figure out how to get started. Yardzen makes starting that process really easy. And not only does it make it easy and simple, it also makes it really inspiring. So you feel really validated and encouraged along the way. With a big expense like landscaping, you don't want to do it again, and you don’t want to do it wrong. And to have that encouragement and validation along the way just makes it easy. Yardzen does a beautiful job of making landscaping super simple.

AM: Thank you, Sam.

What are your recommendations for homeowners who are interested in investing in a deck? What should they be thinking about?

ST: There's two things to think about when you're thinking about a deck. One is

try to get as much space as you can. You will never say your deck is too big. It’s a one-time investment that really pays off – it also adds value to your home. I made my deck too small. I really wish it were bigger.

Second is to think about your material choices. We had a wood deck put in years ago, and it seems like we are constantly sanding and refinishing it. Back then, I didn’t think of composite as an option. From what I heard, I didn’t think it would work for my house. I thought it would look like plastic and be shiny or slippery. Now that I know it’s not hot, it feels good under your feet, and it can mimic the look of any type of wood, I really wish we had a TimberTech deck. Plus, it’s no-maintenance, unlike wood. And, last but not least – no splinters!

We’re seeing more and more women enter the outdoor industry, which has historically been dominated by men. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this shift.

ST: I think there's a big shift in the outdoor building products industry. Because I think in the old days, everything outside the house was kind of considered functional, not design savvy. People thought of their deck like they thought of their gutters or their driveway–stuff you have to spend money on.

As we talked about earlier, that is now changing, as people are doing a lot more living outside – they are thinking about their outdoor living space. You're decorating it like you're decorating any other room in the house. You're thinking about the exterior of your house like your interior. It's a much more design-centered experience now than it was before. And that's bringing a lot more women to this industry.

AM: Well said. That is very near and dear to our hearts. At Yardzen, we treat your outdoor spaces to the same level of stylistic rigor that you would give your interiors. It’s living space, and you want it to be beautiful. It feels better to be in a beautiful space.

25 of the Best (Designer-Approved) Ornamental Grasses for Landscaping

Ornamental grasses are an undisputed favorite among landscape designers and homeowners alike. We get why: feathery texture, charismatic motion in the breeze, and, frequently, great tolerance of drought conditions.

Ornamental grass Variegated Flax Lily (Dianella tasmanica ‘Variegata’) flanked by Kangaroo Paws (Anigozanthos) in a front yard designed by Yardzen in Los Gatos, CA

Not all grasses are the same, though—from species to species, you’ll discover a broad range of colors, textures, heights, and habits. Look hard enough, and you’ll find a grass to meet any landscape need.

Let’s take a look now at some of the most popular ornamental grass (or grass-like) species. Afterward, we‘ll share some tips to help you start and maintain ornamental grasses in your own landscape designs.

Pink Muhly Grass / Muhlenbergia capillaris

Image courtesy of monrovia.com

Who can argue with a native grass that glows pink in the Fall? Pink Muhly (also called Gulf Muhly) is drought tolerant, though it doesn‘t mind some extra water. An early spring cut-back is standard practice to keep it looking sharp, otherwise, it’s reputed for its low maintenance requirements. Plant alone (in the ground or a container), or for a visual wallop, arrange it in a vivid, rosy row.

Prairie Dropseed / Sporobolus heterolepis

Image courtesy of prairienursery.com

Tough, long-lived, and gorgeous, Prairie Dropseed is a habitat-rich native plant in addition to being a proven landscape winner. It tolerates drought and a variety of soil types, and requires little maintenance once established. Plant it in masses, mixing in prairie perennials like coneflowers or asters for a meadow look. Added perk: its blooms smell like popcorn!

Feather Reed Grass / Calamagrostis ‘Karl Foerster’

Image courtesy of monrovia.com

One of the most popular ornamental grasses out there, the tall, slender ‘Karl Foerster’ solves many a design challenge, from vertical accenting to providing privacy. This award-winning species is a hit all over, but is particularly popular in the Mountain West. Pop it in sunny, dry locations, as a monolithic row or as a backdrop to meadow flowers.

Blue Fescue / Festuca glauca

Image courtesy of monrovia.com

This little, silvery-blue grass is a low-water hit for low masses or edging. Drawbacks? It‘s relatively short-lived, and can tend to look scraggly after a while. Cutting it back and dividing every few years can help to mitigate these issues.

Lomandra

Image courtesy of sunsetwesterngardencollection.com

Lomandra ’Breeze’ and ’Platinum Beauty’ are each evergreen grass-like perennials, extremely popular throughout both California and the Southeast. They have attractive, strappy foliage, grass-green for ‘Breeze‘ and white variegated for ‘Platinum Beauty‘. They tolerate drought and coastal salt, and can handle a bit of shade as well as full sun. For folks in California, once you know this plant, you’ll see it everywhere.

Little Bluestem / Schizachyrium scoparium

Image courtesy of whiteflowerfarm.com

We love this plant, which along with Big Bluestem, Switchgrass, and Indian Grass, is native to tallgrass prairies of the Central United States. Little Bluestem is coveted for its upright habit and its color, which goes from blue-green to a showy auburn-red in the Fall. Good for sunny, fairly dry locations. Birds love it, deer do not.

Big Bluestem / Andropogon gerardii

Image courtesy of prairienursery.com

This native tall grass can reach 6’, and is a great option for a feathery privacy screen or a tall backdrop in a meadowy planting design. Like Little Bluestem, Big Bluestem puts on a color show, proceeding from blue-green, to green, to a rusty red in the Fall. It needs some water to get started, but once established, it performs well in dry conditions.

Berkeley Sedge / Carex divulsa

Image courtesy of greenmeadowgrowers.com

Technically not a grass, this low, mounding evergreen sedge makes for a lush, undulating blanket of green when planted in groups. It likes medium water, but will tolerate a little drought once established. It‘s best in part shade, but gets by decently in brighter or darker conditions.

Maiden Grass / Miscanthus sinensis

Image courtesy of gardenia.net

Maiden Grass is big, capable of reaching up to 9’ tall and 6’ wide. Native to Asia, it prefers moist soil, and grows easily—so easily, in fact that some consider it to be mildly invasive. Be that as it may, it’s quite popular, particularly the ‘Morning Light‘ cultivar. Use it in the ground or containers. Added perk: it’s great as a dried ornamental in floral displays.

Deergrass / Muhlenbergia rigens

Image courtesy of davesgarden.com

This West Coast native grass is super adaptable, and happy with virtually no water. Its bright green color bleaches out in the Fall, and makes for attractive winter interest. The foliage is alert and upright at first, relaxing into a delicate, arching habit later in the year. Delicate flower spikes shoot up above the bulk of the grass, reaching to 5’.

Purple Fountain Grass / Pennisetum setaceum ‘Rubrum’

Image courtesy of johnson-nursery.com

Purple Fountain Grass is perennial in warmer climates, but worth growing as an annual in cooler places on account of its great color and texture. It’s a reliable "thriller" in container plantings, and is both drought tolerant and deer resistant. One warning: do not plant the straight species Pennisetum setaceum—it is invasive in many areas. For a smaller, greener alternative, try Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Little Bunny’.

Japanese Forest Grass / Hakonechloa ’Aureola’

Image courtesy of waltersgardens.com

This immensely popular ornamental grass has a graceful, mounding habit and show-stopping foliage. The variegated leaves are shiny and striped in chartreuse and grassy green. It dies back in winter, but not before a showy display of warm Fall color. It likes part shade, and needs a good bit of water. Cut it back to the ground in late winter or early spring.

Switchgrass / Panicum virgatum

Image courtesy of bluestoneperennials.com

A powerhouse native grass found across large swaths of the US, Switchgrass is tall enough to help with privacy, or to use as a delicate vertical accent. Being tall, it sways readily in a breeze. Switchgrass features wispy seed heads in late Summer and Fall, and glowing color in the Fall. It and does well in dry or wet conditions, and prefers sun or a bit of shade.

Mexican Feather Grass / Stipa tenuissima

Image courtesy of monrovia.com

This stunning species is a bit notorious. Native to the mountains of West Texas and Southern New Mexico, Mexican Feather Grass it reseeds prolifically, and is invasive outside of its native range. We‘ve seen healthy, mature specimens growing through pavement cracks. Its beauty persuades many to plant it anyway, but we advise avoiding it outside of its native range.

Pampas grass / Cortaderia selloana

Image courtesy of gardenia.net

Another tricky one, Pampas Grass is gorgeous but invasive. A very tall grass - commonly 8‘ in height, maxing out around 12‘—with robust vertical plumes, it has the makings of a fabulous accent or privacy plant, and many use it for just those purposes (we advise against doing so). The dwarf ‘Pumila’ cultivar is sterile (and therefore not invasive), making for a more ecologically responsible option. It still reaches as high as 5’, too, plenty tall to help screen views or emphasize a scene.

Mondo grass / Ophiopogon japonicus

Image courtesy of monrovia.com

This Asian-native is low and dark, and widely used as a mounding, spreading groundcover. It resists herbivory from deer and other critters, and grows densely enough to outcompete pretty much any weeds. The regular species grows up to 1’ in height, while the dwarf ‘Nana’ cultivar tops out at 6”.

New Zealand Flax / Phormium

Image courtesy of gardenista.com

Thick, pointed blades make the evergreen New Zealand Flax a ready-made accent in a variety of planting styles. Its many cultivars range in color: chartreuse (‘Yellow Wave‘), black cherry (‘Purpureum‘), magenta (‘Evening Glow’), orange (‘Apricot Queen’), and beyond. Many Phormiums get big, exceeding 4’ or even 5’ in height. Recommended for individual specimen planting, though we’ve seen rows used as a rather bulky privacy screen.

Inland Sea oats / Chasmanthium latifolium

Image courtesy of nativebackyards.com

Native to Eastern North America, this unique grass has oat-like drooping flowers and bamboo-like leaves. It spreads quickly, and should be planted en masse. Cut back in late winter, otherwise this popular species is an easy one to take care of. Good for activating shady spots.

Flax Lily / Dianella

Image courtesy of gardenista.com

There are several cultivars of this Australian grass look-alike, which has risen to popularity for for its arching, strappy leaves and minimal maintenance requirements. ’Variegata’ has white stripes on it, and is a superb accent plant in lower light settings. ‘Little Rev’ has that prized pale blue color, and can handle a bit more sun. Same goes for ‘Cassa Blue‘, which boasts good drought tolerance to boot. The variegated or darker green options, including ’Tasred’, are great for setting a tropical vibe.

Blue Grama / Bouteloua gracilis

Image courtesy of thepollennation.com

This all-star native dominated America’s shortgrass prairies. Short grass indeed: Blue Grama tops out at 14“. It’s tough as nails, withstanding cold, heat, and drought. It’s also beautiful, forming pillowy tufts of true grass-green foliage, with delicate blonde seedheads hovering above that look either like the accent above a Spanish vowel. It’s commonly included in sod blends, and is a solid option for a habitat-rich, low-water lawn replacement.

California Grey Rush / Juncus patens

Image courtesy of gardenia.net

This versatile California native is another winner to convey a tropical look on a low water budget. It’s also a solid option for dry shade conditions, though it can also handle full sun (will need a bit more water). Its unique texture—fine, upright, stiff, reedy—makes it a go-to textural accent within West Coast planting designs.

Blue Oat Grass / Helictotrichon sempervirens

Courtesy of mckaynursery.com

Dry soils intensify the pale blue color of this easy-to-grow Mediterranean grass. A great low-water option across much of the US, Blue Oat Grass is a particular favorite in the Mountain states of Colorado and Utah. It looks great in just about any aesthetic, including as a softening accent in rock gardens or desert garden designs. Common practice calls for cutting it back near winter’s end.

Lilyturf / Liriope muscari

Image courtesy of prairieblossomnursery.com

Also called Monkey Grass, Liriope is a grass look-alike (it‘s from the asparagus family) that is particularly popular as a groundcover but also prized for edging, containers, and slope stabilization. Summer brings blooms, typically lavender, but most of the year Liriope is notable for its luscious, low foliage. It’s tough and easy to grow, tolerating heat, humidity, and a bit of drought. That said, it prefers moderate water and part shade, and is not suitable for foot traffic. ‘Silvery Sunproof’ is a hit for its variegated foliage and tolerance of extra sunlight.

Tufted Hairgrass / Deschampsia cespitosa

Image courtesy of prairienursery.com

Native to broad stretches of North America, this showy species has a mounding habit with a cloud of fine-textued, hair-like flowers floating above. It starts green and transitions to gold, and sticks around for reliable winter interest. Tufted Hairgrass is good for shady spots, and requires fairly moist soil. It’s also an important habitat plant for several butterfly species.

Cape Rush / Chondropetalum tectorum

Image courtesy of gardenista.com

Cape Rush can handle wet or dry conditions, and looks downright fancy in a nice pot. We love it as a reliable fine-textured accent that, like Juncus, has an upright, rigid manner that makes it particularly striking. Large Cape Rush (C. elephantinum) will get you the same perks plus additional height. Try Cape Rush when you want an Asian or tropical look on a lower water budget.

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TIPS FOR GARDENING WITH ORNAMENTAL GRASSES

Cool-season vs. Warm-season.

Cool-season grasses grow in the spring before it gets hot, and usually maintain their color throughout the warm summer months.

• Cool-season species include: Feather Reed Grass (Calamagrostis ‘Karl Foerster’), Tufted Hairgrass (Deschampsia cespitosa), Blue Fescue (Festuca glauca), Blue Oat Grass (Helictotrichon sempervirens).

Warm-season grasses grow later, starting in late spring or early summer once the weather is warmer. They tend to go tan or brown once weather turns cold.

• Warm-season species include: Little Bluestem (Shizachyrium scoparium), Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), Japanese Forest Grass (Hakonechloa), Maiden Grass (Miscanthus), Mondo Grass (Ophiopogon).

Plant Grasses in Spring or Early Fall

Planting in Spring gives grasses a chance to establish themselves before the heat kicks in. Planting in Fall does the same with respect to winter’s cold. Avoid planting in the summer, when excess irrigation would be necessary to keep fledgling grasses alive.

Cut Grasses Back Appropriately

Cool-season grasses should be cut back in early Spring to one-third of their height (careful not to cut them too short). Warm-season grasses can be cut back all the way to the ground once their foliage goes brown, starting in the Fall.

Cutting back can improve fire safety and make for a tidier appearance, but there are also great reasons to leave warm-season grasses uncut through the winter. For one, they often make for lovely winter interest, particularly in snowy areas. The old foliage also helps to insulate the crown and roots, and provides nesting habitat for native bees and other beneficial insects.

Divide Smaller Grasses to Spread them Across the Garden

You can do this with simple hand tools, digging them up, gently dividing them by hand, and replanting them before the roots dry out. For larger grasses, the principles are the same, but the work can be tough, requiring saws or other tools to unearth and divide the plants.

Skip the Fertilizer

Most ornamental grasses don’t need any nutrient supplements beyond organic mulch like shredded leaves. They may actually respond poorly when over-fertilized.

Be Fire-Smart

Many ornamental grass species are quick to burn, particularly if their foliage is dried-out. In fire prone areas, cut back annually to keep foliage hydrated and healthy, clear out dead plant matter, and keep ornamental and other plants that are prone to burning away from structures and out from under trees where they could create fire ladders. Learn more about fire-smart landscaping from Cal Fire.

GET STARTED WITH YOUR LANDSCAPE DESIGN BY YARDZEN

Yardzen's award-winning online exterior and landscape design is tailored to clients in all fifty states in the US. Whether your goal is creating more functional outdoor living space or beautifying your home exterior, we can create a design that meets your needs and style preferences.

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

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

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

Ready to live better outside? Create your design profile or explore our design packages today!

Guide to Landscape Lighting Design: How to Light Your Yard

Any photographer, filmmaker, or theater director will tell you: lighting is crucial to composing a scene. Come nightfall, the same principle applies to landscapes. 

Contemporary style yard with landscape lighting installed for a Yardzen Client.

Lighting shapes people’s experience of the outdoors at night, ensuring safety, establishing focal points, setting a mood, and most importantly, helping people to remain outside enjoying themselves deep into the evening hours.

What are the different types of lights used in a landscape? How can you successfully include a lighting system in a landscape design?

We’ll examine these questions and more below, looking along the way at a few examples of lighting in Yardzen landscape designs.

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Types of Landscape and Outdoor Lighting

Path Lights

Perhaps the most common type of landscape lighting, path lights are shin-height, vertical fixtures that cast light downward (also called downlighting) to illuminate paths in a landscape design. 

Path lighting in a Montclair, NJ backyard designed for a Yardzen client.

Path lights aim for safe illumination along the entire length of a path. It’s ok for brightness to swell and fade a bit, but not dramatically so - for safety and ease of movement, lighting should remain relatively even and avoid sudden shifts between darkness and light. 

Path Light Tips:

• One path light every 15’ is a good rule of thumb for spacing, though brightness and distance of illumination vary from fixture to fixture (defer to manufacturers’ recommended spacing when available). 

• A light on one side is usually enough. Lights can alternate sides along the path, or stick to one edge - either option looks sharp. Paths wider than 6’ may want lights directly across from each other, but for normal paths this isn’t necessary. 

• Begin by placing a light at each end of a path. For short paths, two fixtures may be enough, but if you need more, place them at corners or at the apex of curves along the path. For straight paths, space additional fixtures evenly. 

• Avoid trip hazards. This is a biggie - kicking a light that you didn’t see hurts, and can cause a tumble. Tuck path lights into the front edge of planting areas or other adjacent spaces, safely out of the path of travel. 

• Avoid placing lights on a path edge shared with a lawn, as people may step off a path onto a lawn at any moment. If a path is surrounded by lawn, place path lights conspicuously to make them easy to avoid.

• Path lights are also decorative elements. Use them to emphasize key moments, or to mark a steady rhythm for the eye to follow. 

Looking for path light recommendations? The Westley and Feldis path lights look great across a range of styles and fade gracefully into the background during daylight hours. Both are low-voltage lighting fixtures—this is the most common option for residential lighting because they are generally easier and safer to install and don't require the help of a licensed electrician. 

Keep in mind that even if you’re using only low-voltage lighting in your landscape, you or your contractor will still need to consider the transformer used for lighting installation.

Uplights

Uplights are tiny spotlights (often incorrectly called a floodlight) that sit at the base of focal elements, directing light upward. Their effect is dramatic. 

A backyard designed by Yardzen in Menlo Park, CA with uplights to illuminate specimen trees.

Uplights are a form of accent lighting used most to commonly light up trees or other tall elements, but they can also be used to wash a fan of light along a wall or fence - a good trick to flank entrances or mark a rhythm along a back fence.

Uplight Design Tips:

• Multi-trunked specimen trees look particularly stunning with uplights. Palo Verde, Desert Willow, Dr. Hurd Manzanita, and Olives are among the many sculptural species worthy of uplighting.  

• Don’t overdo it. Too many uplights make for a messy, hyperbolic scene - when everything is highlighted, nothing is highlighted. For a clean, intentional, powerful look, limit uplighting to a small number of key focal points.

• Turn off the lights when you are done for the night. While beautiful, uplights can disrupt local ecosystems and contribute more directly to light pollution than lights that shine downward. Enjoy uplights while you are outside, but shut them off when the evening ends.

Looking for uplight recommendations? Here are a couple low-voltage options we love, in bronze and black, each available at Lamps Plus.

Recessed Lights

Recessed lighting buries the body of the light within a wall, paving, decking, or other feature, so that only the framed lens of the light is visible. They look like a small, glowing shape within the surface of a built feature.

Recessed in-ground well lights in a Bay Area backyard designed by Yardzen.

Front yard designed by Yardzen with recessed lighting in the ceiling of the covered front walkway.

Landscape designs, especially modern ones, commonly feature recessed lighting in the risers of stairs, on the face of concrete walls, or pointing upward along the edge of a deck. 

Recessed Light Tips:

• Recessed lights cannot be placed into existing concrete features - you’d have to break the concrete to get the light into it. New concrete features, on the other hand, can accommodate recessed lighting by including designated space to hold the fixture and its wiring. 

• Recessed lights work differently than path lights. In-ground recessed lights direct light upward. This is useful for indicating the edge of a deck or path, but does not cast much light across the actual walking surface.  If your aim is to light an entire path, we suggest above-ground fixtures.

Looking for recessed light recommendations? For in-ground applications, we recommend this compact well light, or, for higher traffic zones, this heavy duty aluminum light. For vertical surfaces like walls or stair risers, we love the sleek design of Luna step light by Hinkley. These fixtures are all low-voltage.

Deck Lights

Deck lights are usually mounted as downlighting on the posts of railings or pergolas where they project light downward, though some “up/down” models cast light upward as well. 

Deck lights on a modern railing from Yardzen partner TimberTech.

A backyard designed by Yardzen for an Eichler home in Castro Valley, CA with deck lighting along the sides of the deck illuminating the lower level of the yard.

As with any landscape light fixture, deck lights can be minimal, or more decorative. 

Deck Light Tips:

• Mount deck lights high up on the posts of railings to maximize the spread of their illumination.

• Deck lights can also be mounted on the underside of built features. Try deck lights under the top rail of deck railings, or even underneath built-in benches. LED strip lighting, which runs longer distances, is often a great choice for this approach. 

Looking for deck light recommendations? Try the low-voltage Nuvi Bronze Deck Light by Hinkley.

String Lights

Also called cafe, catenary, or bistro lighting, string lights are a cost effective, charming way to brighten up outdoor spaces and create ambiance.

Walnut Creek, CA backyard designed by Yardzen.

String lights plug directly into standard electrical outlets, making them a breeze to install, and convenient for use as a temporary or permanent feature in a landscape design.

String Light Tips:

• Go easy. String lights look great at night, but look like power lines during the day. Use enough to achieve the illumination and style you need, but no more. Avoid running string lights across key views, or dangling them over long distances.

• Mount string lights to existing infrastructure. Lace them along the underside of pergolas or covered patios, or hitch them to the top of fence posts or eaves.

• You can also hang lights from basic wood posts. String lights are lightweight, and require only a slender post with a firm anchor (typically a concrete footing) to support their weight. DIY types can manage this themselves with a plant container. You can also buy readymade string light pole kits, though we recommend sturdier, more permanent solutions to avoid maintenance issues down the road.

Looking for string light recommendations? We love CB2’s Edison String Lights. 

Hanging Lights

Hanging lights are a step up from string lights, and highly effective at bringing an elevated, indoor feel to outdoor spaces. 

Front yard and entryway designed by Yardzen in Walnut Creek, CA with hanging light above the front door and recessed lighting on the porch stair risers.

Because they attract attention, and because we associate them with the indoors, hanging lights have an outsized impact on the perceived style of a space. Consequently, they offer designers a simple but very effective way to ramp up the style of outdoor spaces.

Hanging Light Tips:

• Hang a single showpiece light for a more formal look. 

• For an eclectic, Bohemian feel, cluster a few fixtures together, hanging them at different heights.

• Choose a fixture to suit the scale of the space. Small space? Smaller fixture. Large space? Larger fixture, or, distribute multiple fixtures over a few key areas. 

Looking for hanging light recommendations? This Nyack bronze lantern is a showstopper, and this Quoizel Westover light works beautifully across a broad range of design styles. Those seeking a casual feel could also try this Civic hanging light, and modern aficionados will love this Capsule light.

Wall Lights

Wall lights typically mount to the wall of the house, shining down or out from well above eye level. When outdoor spaces are located adjacent to the house, wall lights can be a key source of illumination. 

Wall lights illuminate entryways and seating areas in a Santa Monica, CA backyard designed by Yardzen.

Wall lights come in a dizzying variety of styles, and go a long way toward establishing a look for both the home and its exterior spaces. 

Wall Light Tips:

• Place wall lights near exterior doors. This makes for easy wayfinding, and highlights a natural focal point.

• Wall lights are highly visible - don’t go overboard. A bright light mounted up high is a bold gesture. A few carefully placed lights will bring out the best in your home’s exterior, but, as with uplights, too many wall lights gets to be a bit over-the-top.

Looking for wall light recommendations? The Arrington is a standby, at home in numerous design styles. You can say the same for the Avani. The Double Box is stunning, with a pale brass finish that looks particularly sharp in warm climates.  Farmhouse fans will love the Gough wall light. 

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Landscape Lighting Design Tips

Invisible by Day, Attractive by Night

As a general rule, landscape lighting fixtures should come to life at night, and recede into the background during the day. It’s often best when you don’t notice the fixtures at all during daylight hours.

This rule applies mostly to path and deck light layouts, which physically intervene in people’s experience of a yard more directly than other lighting types. 

There are some exceptions to this rule. Some path lights are meant to be showy, and are positioned conspicuously for their decorative value during daylight hours. Hanging lights are almost always selected for visual impact, as are many wall lights. 

For the most part, however, landscape light fixtures feel most cohesive within a landscape design when they attract as little attention to themselves as possible during the daytime. 

For this reason, selecting understated fixtures and finding ways to de-emphasize their presence tends to be a winning strategy, directing people’s attention to the big picture design rather than little lighting details. 

No Glare

Glare occurs when lights are directed upward into people’s eyes. In addition to being uncomfortable, glare can be a safety issue with respect to limiting people’s ability to navigate paths or stairs.

Landscape lighting system selections should prioritize avoiding glare. Direct uplights away from paths or other gathering spaces, choose path lights that cast light downward, and make sure in-ground lighting keeps its light to the edges of the path of travel. 

Focal Points 

In dark landscapes, our eyes instinctively go to sources of light. 

Bearing this in mind, designers can use landscape lighting to add extra emphasis to focal points like exterior doors, specimen trees, or structural features like pergolas.

Perceived Space

Lighting can also be employed to moderate the perceived size of a landscape at night. 

By placing lights in the distance, a yard can be made to seem larger. Keeping lights close and allowing the background to remain dark will make a night landscape feel smaller.

Consistent Style

Cohesiveness is all in landscape designs. Landscapes are at their best when all their different elements work together as a harmonious whole. 

In this spirit, select landscape light fixtures that express a consistent style. Not everything needs to perfectly match, but each fixture should make sense with the others.

Lights Off at Evening’s End

We mentioned this already, but it bears repeating: enjoy your landscape lighting while you are outside, but avoid leaving lights on all night. 

By turning out the lights when they’re not in use, you can do your part to reduce light pollution and support local ecosystems.  

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Landscape Lighting in Yardzen Designs

Now that you know a bit about lighting in landscape designs, let’s take a look at some Yardzen projects for lighting inspiration.

Bremerton, WA

Minimalist path lighting, a black wall lantern, and gridded recessed ceiling lights add modern detailing to this design.

Uplights on a horizontal wood fence in the distance emphasize a material connection with the slatted wood ceiling of the covered patio.

Mill Valley, CA

Simple recessed lighting washes light along a low retaining wall.

Norman, OK

Strands of string lighting cut a 45 degree angle across this patio. The angle lends character by breaking up the squareness of the space.

Uplights emphasize the patterns in a pair of breeze block walls, while up/down wall lights and a run of string lights create a pleasant, moderate glow in the entry patio.

Evenly spaced wall and path lights pull the eye to the front entrance while boosting curb appeal.

A trio of hanging lights hammers home the elevated style established by the oversized pergola and bold furnishings.

St. George, UT

Recessed wall lights and minimalist black path lights spread like a constellation across this desert landscape design.

String lighting traces the boards of the pergola ceiling, adding an appealing glow while keeping views of the night sky clear.

San Rafael, CA

Two gestures - recessed stair lighting and parallel rows of string lights - augment this modern design with minimal intervention.

Herald, CA

Pairs of low-profile path lights illuminate this broad path. While a light on one side alone would suffice, the client opted for facing pairs to emphasize symmetry.

Altadena, CA

Two bold uplights on two large trees are all this design needs to create a dramatic, attractive scene.

Two low-slung, columnar lights tuck into a poolside planting bed, casting a low glow for calm evenings on the pool deck.

The same minimalist path lights flank a pair of basket chairs, while an uplight highlights the central tree as a sculptural focal point.

Lighting indicates corners, apexes, and other key moments along the path and patio.

El Dorado Hills, CA

Path lights with glare-blocking covers sit above a retaining wall to highlight its seat cap. Recessed lights in the stair risers also incorporate covers to direct light onto the stair treads.

Alligator, MS

A limited set of path and wall lights highlights corners and the front entry, and combines with glowing interior windows to create a dramatic but not overly-lit front facade.

Decorative lanterns cast a low glow for optimal stargazing in the open patio, while the covered patio is more brightly lit by a set of wall lights.

Decorative lanterns also mark the end of the path to the fire pit and outdoor dining zone. A square of string lights mounted to wooden posts defines the fire pit boundaries while leaving the space open to its surroundings.

A hanging wicker lamp dangles from a tree, whimsically illuminating this outdoor dining zone, with some help from ground-level lanterns.

Houston, TX

Pairs of lights tuck into notches in the paver path edges for a rhythmic, formal procession toward the front entry, while an uplight conveniently highlights the address. 

Recessed lights indicate corners in the wrap around deck stair, while string lights trace the edges of the pergola.

Denver, CO

In most cases, a light along one side is enough to safely illuminate a path. Here, path lights alternate sides, minimizing trip hazards and expense

Black wall lights and recessed ceiling lights complement the modern design style, while a pair of black lanterns revive a dull corner with a dose of style. 

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GET STARTED WITH YOUR LANDSCAPE DESIGN BY YARDZEN

Yardzen's award-winning online exterior and landscape design is tailored to homeowners in all fifty states in the US, and can include outdoor lighting design to help you live better outside, even after dark. 

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

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

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

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

Modern Concrete Paver Walkway Transforms a New Jersey Backyard

Some designs call for a head-to-toe makeover. Others require targeted problem solving and a bit of spiffing. Interior designer and homeowner Julieta Alvarez came to Yardzen seeking the latter.

Her family’s modern home in New Jersey had a lot going for their outdoor space. A beautiful deck with cable railings perched off the back door, six steps above their lower yard. A fire pit zone anchored the other end of the backyard. Large existing trees offered shade, birdsong, and general pleasantness throughout the property. 

In short: the yard had good bones. So why were they looking for a new landscape design?

The Challenges

On its way to a backyard garage, Julieta’s driveway widened, dragging a curving edge in front of her deck - much to her chagrin. 

“My main challenge was working out a pretty walkway from the deck to the garage; but without having any curves,” she said. “I wanted a modern look with straight lines.” 

She also wanted a fence, and for good reason - her current yard flowed directly into her neighbors with no separation whatsoever. A new tall fence would screen out her neighbors’ property, contain her three young children, and establish some much needed privacy.

In front and back, Julieta hoped for more, better planting, something that went beyond her existing rounded shrubs and filled in the awkward gaps in her planting beds. 

And then there was the firepit. The location was right, but the space needed definition. As Julieta explained, “I wanted to design the firepit area in a nicer way and make it an oasis with surrounding plants for privacy.” 

Julieta’s ideal design would address all of these issues, while also strengthening the sense of cohesiveness across her yard. It would also keep costs to a minimum. 

The Design

Yardzen’s design rose to these challenges.

First and foremost: the path. The design ditches the existing curving walkway with varied stepping stones in favor of a wide, straight path consisting of large concrete slab pavers set in a bed of pea gravel. Concrete paver, or “stepper” paths are one of the most popular hardscapes used for modern design styles including mid-century modern and moditerranean. Discreet black path lights tuck along the concrete slab walkway’s edges, activating the yard for nighttime use.

The Yardzen design

The Yardzen CAD designs for the backyard

The new walkway design’s ample width, which exceeds that of the stairs, allows it to absorb the driveway’s curve while maintaining a comfortable walking surface to carry people across the yard. The pavers adapt to the path’s shifting width by transitioning from parallel rows of squares at the base of the stairs to a single row of rectangles as you approach the fire pit.

A grid of the same square pavers and gravel cover the new concrete patio in the fire pit area, dramatically strengthening its definition as a distinct space. Here too, the design plays with the pavers’ dimensions: a spine of rectangles runs up the middle, while fields of squares spread off to each side. All in all, and as requested, straight lines and a modern feel define the scene.

To further emphasize the fire pit area, the design flanks its entrance with dramatic Bloodgood Japanese Maples, along with floral accents from Russian Sage and the grassy foliage of native Pennsylvania Sedge. This same Japanese Maple appears again aside the deck stairs, a bold gesture to visually link each end of the backyard.

In a similar vein, plant species are repeated throughout the design to establish a cohesive, consistent feel across the property. A blend of grasses, including native favorites Switchgrass and Little Bluestem, as well as traditional standbys like boxwood and Hydrangea, contribute to a planting palette that balances a soft, meadowy feel with an intentional, contemporary look.

To address Julieta’s fencing concerns, the design splits responsibilities between fencing and planting. 

Along the back and the western side yard of the property, the design runs an evenly spaced row of Rocky Mountain Junipers, a cold-hardy evergreen with a bold upright habit and striking blue foliage. New fencing runs behind the Junipers along the back of the yard, but to reduce expenses, the design omits fencing along the western edge. As a whole this approach looks sharp, and creates a tidy, semi-permeable privacy screen that is cost-effective and neighborly, yet still provides a comforting sense of separation from the outside world. 

The New Yard

How was Julieta’s experience getting her Yardzen design built?

“Very good,” she said. “I pretty much told the contractor to follow the renderings as best as possible and was there making sure that happened.” 

A strong design and Julieta’s collaborative attitude made for a smooth installation process. “There were a few changes we needed to make but they were minor,” she said. All in all, the contractor installed Julieta’s design efficiently and as envisioned.

Her favorite detail? “The walkway to the garage and the firepit area,” she said. We agree! Gazing down from the deck, the new path is a natural focal point that beckons people to cross the concrete steps and enjoy the lower yard, while the revitalized fire pit area pulls people in with new gravity, activating the previously underutilized back half of the yard.

DESIGNING YOUR MODERN LANDSCAPE FOR OUTDOOR LIVING

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

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

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

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

The Best Outdoor Dining Tables in 2022 (Chosen by Yardzen Clients)

Yardzen Backyard in Napa; Photo by Thomas J. Story and Styling by Chantal Lamers

The new dining out may very well mean walking home cooked dishes from the kitchen to your outdoor space. So why not add some magic to all those alfresco meals, swapping artificial lighting for fiery sunsets trailed by glowy moonlight?

As the leading national landscape design firm, we’ve been able to crowdsource (via our clients) a list of the most popular outdoor dining tables. Out of 61 dining tables available from our retail partners, the following 10 are the most-loved in our clients’ landscape designs so far in 2022 because they beautiful, durable, and easy to design around.

10 Outdoor Dining Tables Most-Loved by Our Clients

1. West Elm Portside Expandable Dining Table in Driftwood: Most Versatile Dining Table 

2. CB2 Matera Grey Dining Table: Best Minimal Dining Table

3. RH Merida Rectangular Dining Table: Best Modern Farmhouse Dining Table

4. RH Capri Teak Rectangular Extension Dining Table: Best Outdoor Furniture Collection

5. RH Balmain Teak Rectangular Dining Table: Best Moditerranean Dining Table 

6. Terrain Grove Teak Dining Table: Best Modern Bohemain Dining Table

7. Rejuvenation Ronde Teak Dining Table: Best FSC-Certified Teak Dining Table 

8. Article Ballo Dining Table: Best Metal Dining Table 

9. Rejuvenation Bayocean Rectangle Table: Best Mid-Century Style Dining Table  

10. Article Atra Concrete Dining Table: Best Concrete Dining Table 

Staff Picks:

• Lamps Plus Amazonia Klaire 7-Piece Rectangular Teak and Eucalyptus Patio Dining Set: Best Outdoor Dining Set

• Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams Sanibel Outdoor Rectangle Dining Table: Best White Dining Table

• Lulu and Georgia Gya Indoor/Outdoor Round Dining Table: Best Rattan Dining Table

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01 Portside Expandable Dining Table in Driftwood by West Elm

Used in over 219 Yardzen designs in 2022 so far

Size: Expands to seat up to 10 comfortably

Price: $1,599

The Portside Expandable Dining Table in Driftwood is our most popular with Yardzen clients! We think it’s the best patio table because it works in a variety of landscape design styles including modern farmhouse and moditerranean. Depending on styling, it could achieve a rustic or elevated aesthetic!

Clients especially love the versatility of the extendable leaves on either side—this table is perfect for a few people, or up to 10 if outdoor entertaining is your thing. The table top can also accommodate a patio umbrella if you need overhead shade.

This table is crafted from FSC-certified wood from sustainably harvested forests. The Portside collection from West Elm includes options for matching outdoor dining sets with dining chairs, benches, side tables, a console, and lounge chairs.

Portside dining set on a backyard patio design for a Yardzen client in Glendale, WI.

The Portside 7-piece outdoor dining set is one of the most popular for patios, as seen in this backyard design for our client in Escondido, CA.

The Portside 7-piece patio dining set looks at-home in a desert style landscape in a backyard design for our client in Las Vegas, NV, shown above.

Portside dining set in weathered gray on a back deck in a backyard design for a Yardzen client in Minneapolis, MN.

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02 Matera Grey Dining Table by CB2

Used in over 125 Yardzen designs in 2022 so far

Size: Seats up to 8

Price: On sale now for $594.15

Add warmth to any setting with a polished, minimal take on the everyday picnic table. This rectangular table has long planks and flush legs made of solid wood (FSC-certified Acacia wood, actually), creating an earthy, tailored look. Flank it with a couple of matching benches for a refined yet casual finish.

The Matera dining table and chairs overlook a fire pit seating area in a backyard design for our client in San Clemente, CA

The grey finish on the Matera dining table complements cool-colored landscapes like the backyard design above for our client in East Chatham, NY.

Pops of sage green and purple complement the Matera dining table and surrounding wood grain finishes of this craftsman style landscape design for our client in Walden, NY.

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03 Merida Rectangular Dining Table by RH

Used in over 80 Yardzen designs in 2022 so far

Size: Seats up to 8 (larger sizes available that seat up to 10 or 12)

Price: On final sale now for $3,668

Loved across our contemporary style landscape designs, but especially popular with clients opting for a modern farmhouse look, the Merida outdoor dining table from RH is crafted legally harvested teak wood in accordance with the Indonesia Timber Legality Assurance System. Teak has become one of the most popular materials for outdoor furniture because it’s beautiful, naturally durable, and weather-resistant. You can complete your patio dining set with dining side chairs and  armchairs from the same collection—which also includes coffee tables, a side table, sectionals, a chaise, an ottoman, a lounge chair, a sofa, and a round dining table. 

RH’s Merida teak dining table looks looks great paired with a white brick outdoor kitchen and black metal chairs in this backyard design for our client in Seattle, WA.

This backyard design for our client in Martinez, CA pairs the Merida table with dining side chairs from the same collection that have cushion covers made from Sunbrella fabric.

The Merida dining set on a gravel patio in a backyard design for our client in Verona, WI.

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04 Capri Teak Rectangular Extension Dining Table by RH

Used in over 67 Yardzen designs in 2022 so far

Size: Seats up to 10 with included extension (larger sizes available that seat up 12 with extension)

Price: $4,895

The Capri is made from the same weathered teak as the previous table in this list from RH, but has clean angles and a more refined simplicity. This table also has the added flexibility of an attached extension that folds away under the center of the tabletop—so you can easily adjust the size to suit 8 or 10 seats. The Capri collection boasts striking teak dining armchairs that really make a statement around this table or with a bistro set, and an outdoor sofa that is also very popular with our clients.

The Capri dining table and statement dining chairs on a back deck designed for our client in Dix Hills, NY.

The Capri table achieves a more casual vibe on a pergola-covered deck with stackable black metal chairs for a backyard design for our client in Riverton, UT.

The Capri dining set adds interest to traditional style on a paved patio in a landscape design for our client in Lexington, SC.

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05 Balmain Teak Rectangular Dining Table by RH

Used in over 62 Yardzen designs in 2022 so far

Size: Seats up to 8 (larger sizes available that seat up to 10)

Price: $5,795

Elevating everyday alfresco meals is easy with this sleek and minimal modern teak patio dining table. The tapered plank top over and rounded wide legs are crafted from smooth, durable teak for a bold look popular in our moditerranean style landscapes. The teak finish on this beauty from RH is available in a classic weathered look or natural teak which has a warmer hue. The Balmain is also available as a round table for smaller outdoor patio areas, and the Bailman collection includes dining armchairs, a sofa (that’s also a favorite with Yardzen clients), lounge chairs, side table, coffee table, bar & counter stool, a daybed, a chaise, and an ottoman.

The Balmain teak dining set in a moditerranean backyard design for our client in Austin, TX.

The Balmain dining set looks refined poolside in a backyard design for our client in Scarsdale, NY.

A minimal, traditional backyard design for our client in Plano, TX, seen above, lets the Balmain dining set shine as the focal point.

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06 Grove Teak Dining Table by Terrain

Used in over 48 Yardzen designs in 2022 so far

Size: Seats up to 8

Price: $2,398

The soft blonde wash and slatted top of this teak outdoor dining table lends visual interest and a bohemian organic feel with a modern bent. Keep to the table’s rustic ethos by pairing it with a couple of benches or choose chairs for a buttoned-up look. A combination of the two will feel equally balanced.

The Grove teak table and dining chairs from the same collection on a paved patio alongside a stone outdoor kitchen in a backyard design for our client in Saratoga, CA.

The Grove collection from Terrain also includes a matching bench and 3-seat sofa, as seen in this barbecue-ready design for our client in Fullerton, CA.

The Grove table, bench, and chairs complement a laid-back feel in this landscape design for another of our clients in Saratoga, CA.

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07 Ronde Teak Dining Table by Rejuvenation

Used in over 44 Yardzen designs in 2022 so far

Size: Seats up to 8

Price: $2,049

We love that this table from Rejuvenation is crafted from solid FSC-certified teak. The slatted table top design gives the table a charming rustic vibe and also allows water to easily run through the surface to avoid pooling in weather and when there’s a spill. Rejuvenation pre-treats their teak pieces with Golden Care Teak Shield, which helps prevent stains from food and drink. For teak dining tables specifically, they recommend using this product regularly since food and drink spills are a given! A matching bench from the same collection is available to complete the dining table set.

A traditional style backyard design in Newton, MA is lent a charming rustic edge from the Ronde dining table and bench.

A backyard design for our client in Ladera Ranch, CA achieves perfection in simplicity with a Ronde table on a clean paved patio.

The Ronde table also looks great in lush bohemian style landscapes as seen here in a backyard design for a client in Calistoga, CA.

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08 Ballo Dining Table by Article

Used in over 37 Yardzen designs in 2022 so far

Size: Seats 4-6 people

Price: $699

The perfect table for those  that want modern industrial, traditional classic, or Scandinavian-style patio furniture, the Ballo has a high-quality galvanized steel frame and zinc tube top, with a sleek powder-coated black matte finish. A round version of the Ballo is also available.

This contemporary backyard landscape design for our client in Minneapolis, MN is given an edge with black patio furniture including the Ballo dining table and a saturated black home exterior.

The Ballo achieves a lighter, whimsical feel alongside lush planting on a herringbone brick patio in a backyard design for our client in Beaverton, OR.

With rattan and wicker patio chairs, the Ballo achieves modern bohemian and traditional style at once on a back porch design for our client in Atlanta, GA.

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09 Bayocean Rectangle Table by Rejuvenation

Used in over 33 Yardzen designs in 2022 so far

Size: Seats up to 6 people

Price: $1,449

This mixed-material outdoor dining table from Rejuvenation has mid-century inspired design that works just as well in modern farmhouse style landscapes. The Bayocean is crafted with a honey-toned teak table top with an umbrella hole for shaded dining and a powder coated rust resistant aluminum frame.

A back deck achieves modern farmhouse vibes with a bohemian edge in this design for our client in Highland, IN.

Somewhere between mid-century and craftsman styles, this back patio design for our client in Bremerton, WA shines with the Bayocean collection dining set as the focal point.

The black and white accents paired with green planting in this landscape design create a cohesive traditional look that’s not too formal for our client in Concord, CA.

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10 Atra Concrete Dining Table by Article

Used in over 30 Yardzen designs in 2022 so far

Size: Seats 6-8 people

Price: $999

This concrete-topped beauty is the best outdoor dining table for those that love industrial-chic style (but also works in a variety of contemporary yard styles including modern bohemian). The legs are acacia wood and the table top is not actually concrete—it’s a material called polystone. Polystone is popular for a variety of outdoor living applications such as outdoor patio furniture and planters because unlike concrete, it is lightweight, crack-proof, and mold, mildew, and stain resistant. The Atra collection includes a variety of matching coffee tables and side tables.

A traditional landscape design for our client in El Dorado Hills, CA uses ample clean lines—including those on the striking concrete dining table.

Concrete dining tables can be paired with outdoor furniture and accents in many materials such as metal, teak, and rattan to create textural interest—like in this poolside design for our client in Granada Hills, CA.

The Atra dining table is given a more casual vibe with climbing greenery on a backyard balcony in the landscape design seen above for our client in San Diego, CA.

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Yardzen Staff’s Favorite Outdoor Dining Tables

Amazonia Klaire 7-Piece Rectangular Teak and Eucalyptus Patio Dining Set from Lamps Plus

Size: Seats 6

Price: On sale now for 2,395.95

This 7-piece outdoor dining set gives us dreamy coastal vibes. We love that the white resin chairs are a design statement piece, and included at an excellent price. The table is made from grade “A” reclaimed teak wood and the chairs are white resin with a teak finished 100% FSC-certified eucalyptus wood legs and base.

Sanibel Outdoor Rectangle Dining Table by Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams

Size: Seats up to 8 people (a larger size is available that seats up to 10)

Price: $3,194

The Sanibel rectangle dining table is made with hand-crafted cast aluminum also available with a zinc finish. The minimal style and functionality of low-maintenance aluminum make it a favorite for Yardzen staff that want their decor and planting, rather than their table, to do the talking. The Sanibel furniture set also includes a round dining table, dining chairs, side and cocktail tables, and poolside chaise.

Gya Indoor/Outdoor Round Dining Table by Lulu and Georgia

Size: Comfortably sits 5 people

Price: $1,895

This unique glass top rattan table can be used indoors or outdoors and look perfectly at home in either location. While it’s not one of the most universally popular dining tables in our client designs, it is perfect for modern bohemian and casual landscapes.

The Gya dining table gives perfect West Coast cool vibes in this side yard design for a client in Los Angeles, CA.

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Styling Tips for Your Outdoor Table

For casual gatherings, top a large round breadboard with nuts and dried fruit. Pair a pile of napkins with old French flatware, utilize vintage jam jars for flickering votives alongside a stack of vintage tumbler or lowball glasses. Fill oversized serving dishes (we love this piece designed by Reiko Yamamoto) fresh fruit and vegetables. Then, for the finishing touch, add a pot of herbs or pull together an easy garden-picked bouquet. Explore a few of the Yardzen team’s favorite tabletop stylings for inspiration.

CREATING A SHOPPABLE LANDSCAPE DESIGN TAILORED TO YOUR STYLE

Yardzen's award-winning online exterior and landscape design service is tailored to homeowners across the U.S.. Our design process begins with understanding your outdoor space and style—and a discussion of your budget and vision to minimize surprises when it comes time to build.

Our top-notch designers then develop a personalized vision for your yard, shared through 3D renderings, 2D plan drawings, and plant and material lists. Your design will capture the look, feel, and function you are hoping for, and will be outfitted with materials and elements from our retail partners that you or your contractor can actually purchase.

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 bring your dream yard to life? Create your design profile or explore our professional exterior, side yard, front yard, and back yard landscaping design packages today!  

Designing a Raised Bed Garden

As the cottage garden ascends to new popularity, so too does the humble raised bed.

Maybe it’s their approachable nature, their down-to-earth charm, or their contrast of geometric planters and unruly plants. Maybe people just want to grow their own food. Whatever the allure, client requests for raised bed vegetable or herb gardens are way up.

Paver pathway and gravel around farmstead raised garden beds in backyard landscape design

What exactly are raised beds? Why use them? How can we best include them in landscape designs?

We’ll dig into all of these questions, share design tips, and have a look at a few projects to give you inspiration on how to incorporate raised beds into your landscape design project.

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Table of Contents

• What are raised beds?

• Why use raised beds?

• How much do raised beds cost?

• What should I plant in a raised bed?

• Landscape Design Tips for Raised Beds

• Raised Garden Bed Ideas

• Caring for Raised Beds

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Rows of raised beds filled with herbs and vegetables in Yardzen backyard landscape design

WHAT ARE RAISED BEDS?

The classic raised bed is a basic wooden planter box, rising to shin height, with a footprint somewhere between a shipping pallet and a sheet of plywood. This describes the typical raised bed, but people have put many twists on this format. Here are the basics about raised bed design:

SIZE & SHAPE

• Most raised beds are square or rectangular, 3’-4’ in width, 6’-10’ in length, 1’-2’ in height.

• The standard raised bed sits on the ground, and does not have a bottom - think of a frame rather than an open-topped box.

• Smaller beds can rest on posts, elevated to waist height (particularly appealing to those of us with bad backs). These do have a solid bottom.

• In theory, custom beds could be designed to virtually any shape, but they tend to stay boxy and simple. U-shapes, corner pieces, tiered planters, or long, narrow strips are common variations.

California side yard filled with raised planter beds for herbs and small vegetables

MATERIAL

• Natural Wood is the most popular raised bed material. Use rot-resistant species like cedar or redwood.

• Landscape timbers are popular for a chunkier, more park-like aesthetic. Note: some people call these “railroad ties”. Actual railroad ties are usually treated with chemicals, and would not be appropriate for vegetable garden use.

• Chemically treated wood is discouraged for raised beds - some of it, like wood treated with Chromated Copper Arsenate, is outright toxic (and illegal). Today, wood is most often treated with Alkaline Copper Quaternary, which is arsenic-free and considered to be low in toxicity, but we’d still avoid it for raised beds. Our advice: stick to untreated wood, it’s the safest bet.

• Composite Lumber, like TimberTech, is attractive, sustainable, and highly durable, just be sure the product you select is intended for direct contact with soil.

• Metal is a common material for prefab beds, and is super durable, provided it is galvanized or painted to resist weathering. Livestock troughs or small stock tanks, typically made of galvanized steel, are commonly repurposed as vegetable beds (and as pools!). Trough planters are popular, durable, and widely available (just be sure to drill drainage holes in their bottom if they don’t already have them). In general, metal beds of all styles look at home in modern design styles, particularly in rustic takes on modern design.

• Plastic is cheap and light, can be super durable (depending on the type), can be free of toxins (same), but generally looks less attractive than other materials. Read the fine print, and proceed with caution.

• Cinder blocks, also called concrete masonry units (CMUs) or concrete blocks, are made from concrete and can contain fly ash, which is a byproduct from burning coal. Fly ash may contain heavy metals and other hazardous materials. It is yet unclear if any of this toxic material leaches from CMUs into garden soil. CMUs are common as a raised bed construction material, but their viability for your garden will depend on your comfort level.

You can also make raised beds using other hard materials like bricks, stone, or other materials you’d associate with retaining walls. Mortaring hard materials together makes for a permanent, higher-end bed, but costs much more than other options. Dry-stacking stone is a simpler and cheaper approach.

Raised planter beds in sloped New Jersey backyard landscape design

WHY USE RAISED BEDS?

Raised bed gardening offers several advantages for growing herbs and veggies:

• It allows for control of soil conditions. This is especially important in areas where the native soil is sandy (drains too quickly), clayey (drains too slowly), compacted, or nutrient-poor.

• The soil in raised beds warms up earlier in the spring than the surrounding soil. This extends the growing season by allowing crops to be planted sooner.

• Raised beds can discourage pests by incorporating netting, wire mesh, or weed barriers. Some claim their height alone is enough to discourage slugs.

• Raised beds can also discourage weeds by using new soil free from unwanted seeds, and (again) by utilizing landscape fabric weed barriers.
  

Raised beds also offer advantages from a broader landscape design perspective:

• Closed-bottom raised beds can be placed in areas where in-ground gardening is not possible, such as on top of hardscape. A small space and a patch of consistent sun is all you need to grow food.

• Raised beds are a great way to activate parts of a yard that would otherwise be ignored - so-called “dead zones”. As long as an area receives 6 hours or more of daily sunlight, it could be viable for a raised bed vegetable garden.

• Custom raised beds can be designed to efficiently tuck into any space, and there are plenty of prefab options to suit nooks of all shapes and sizes.

Prefab maple 4’ x 4’ resin raised garden beds in Los Angeles California backyard landscape design

HOW MUCH DO RAISED BEDS COST?

Custom Raised Beds

With the price of wood through the roof, the custom versions of the classic wooden raised planter bed cost more these days. Factoring for materials, labor, and soil, you can expect to pay around $500 for a 3’x6’x1’ bed, or $1,000 for a 4’x8’x1’ bed.

Prices for custom beds made from hard materials like brick or stone will vary, but are typically much higher than wood.

PREFAB RAISED BEDS

Prefab raised beds are cheaper than custom, and run the gamut on price, quality, size, and style.

Depending on these factors, a prefab raised bed or vegetable planter will run you anywhere from $50 to $500 or more. Typically, prices hover in the $100-$300 range for the good stuff at average sizes.

Many wood prefab planters will come as bed kits, and are typically a breeze to assemble. Prefab planters made from other materials are more likely to arrive pre-assembled.

Looking for some prefab recommendations? Here are a few of our favorites:

• Eartheasy Farmstead

• Veradek Corten 4x4

• Vego

• Olle

• Demeter

• Glantex

Three iron arbor trellis joining six raised garden beds in Montana backyard landscape design

WHAT SHOULD I PLANT IN A RAISED BED?

Be it beets, radishes, cucumbers, or kale, the world is your oyster when it comes to veggie gardening!

Season, sun exposure, and geographic location will all factor into which plants may perform best in your vegetable garden. Even more importantly, you’ll want to plant food that you enjoy eating!

Consult your local agriculture extension or nursery for guidance on what plants to include in your raised bed. They’ll also have great advice on a whole range of things, from plant spacing and garden plans to soil mixes and organic matter.

Large plot of raised garden beds in Pennsylvania backyard landscape design

LANDSCAPE DESIGN TIPS FOR RAISED BEDS

Now that we have a basic grip on raised beds, let’s look at how to design and place them in a landscape.

FULL SUN

• Herbs and veggies need sun to thrive. Place raised beds in areas that get at least 6 hours of sunlight a day.

• Pay attention to shade cast by trees, large shrubs, or structures.

• It’s tempting to utilize side yards for veggie beds, but check them for sun exposure before you add your beds. Thanks to tall fences and house walls, side yards often receive insufficient light for vegetable gardening.

Choose a good working surface

• Surround raised beds with a groundcover material that is comfortable and durable as a work surface. We suggest simple, tough materials like bark mulch, gravel, or decomposed granite.
  
  

Leave room to work

• Provide comfortable space around each raised bed. You’ll want room for some tools, a wheelbarrow, and yourself.

• We recommend a minimum of 30” of clear space around each edge.
  
  

Easy access

• It should be easy to access each part of the garden without putting your hand down on soil to brace yourself (this is a no-no - it compacts the soil).

• If you can access all sides of a planting bed, choose a dimension that allows you to easily reach at least halfway across the bed.

• If you have a narrow space and need to place your planter against a wall, consider tiered planters to make it easier to access the back row.

2’ x 4’ raised beds in Princeton, New Jersey backyard landscape design

Standard Lumber

• If you’re going custom, design to standard lumber dimensions - aim for even 1’ lengths and widths - to minimize work and waste.
  

Stay Level

• Raised beds can be embedded into slopes, but the beds themselves and their planting surfaces are best kept level. This ensures even distribution of water, and makes for a generally easier time working on the garden.
  
  

How many?

• For most of us, one or two raised beds is all you need. Remember, it does take some upkeep to grow herbs and vegetables.

• Many suggest 100 to 200 square feet of growing space per person you intend on feeding, but it’s okay - and often advisable - to start smaller and work your way up.
  
  

How tall?

• Most raised beds are around 12” tall, but for some, working on a box this close to the ground can be physically uncomfortable. If back or other joint pain is an issue, taller beds - either deeper on-ground beds or planters elevated on posts - can be a better solution.

• While taller beds can offer greater physical comfort, they do so at a cost. Beds on posts are typically smaller and offer less surface area to work with. Tall on-ground beds require more building material and soil, and end up costing more than their lower-slung cousins. Tall beds also take up more visual space in a design, and must be carefully placed to avoid creating obstacles or constricting circulation.

Suit the Space

• Choose a size, shape, and quantity of beds to comfortably fit within the space. Don’t overstuff - it makes spaces feel cluttered and uncomfortable.

• If budget allows, you can fill larger spaces using modular prefab systems or custom bed designs. Some people prefer large continuous planters, like a U-shape “keyhole” garden or single linear planter, while others opt for higher quantities of smaller planters, interspersed with gridded paths.

• Small spaces, from corner nooks to apartment balconies, are often best served by small prefab planter options.

Raised beds with trellis in sloped backyard landscape design

Get vertical

• Trellis planters bring vertical gardening into your raised beds.

• Try adding a trellis planter into the the middle of your raised bed. TerraTrellis has several stylish options.

• If you have multiple beds, you can bridge the gap between them with an arch trellis planter. A succession of these arches creates a charming, verdant tunnel that lends a storybook quality to a design (and makes for an excellent feature within a cottage garden).

• If you only have one box, turn the arch 90 degrees to span the planted surface, just make sure your plants will still receive plenty of light.
  

Have a seat

• Custom wood planters can double as built in seating without too much additional expense.

• The lowest cost approach is to simply add a comfortable seat cap atop the vertical wall of your raised bed.

• Options abound for more ambitious designs, including bench seating with backrests that double as the walls of tall planter beds.

RAISED GARDEN BED IDEAS

Now let’s take a look at some great examples of raised beds in Yardzen landscape designs.

These blonde wood vegetable beds are conveniently close to paths and side yard utility storage, and come across as an integral part of the overall planting composition.

Part of the Scene

A pair of raised beds tuck comfortably into the corner of this front yard design.

The beds’ pale color echoes the feathery grasses and wood fence behind it, lending the beds a sense of belonging in the scene.

While grass can suffer under heavy foot traffic, a little kneeling now and then to tend the garden shouldn’t hurt it. All the same, the adjacent concrete path offers a place to rest tools and garden carts, sparing the grass from the damage such heavy items could inflict.

A neat row of elevated beds couples with a trio of trees to liven up an otherwise dull facade, improving the atmosphere of the adjacent seating area in the process.

Soften the Space

Big, blank walls tend to make spaces feel lifeless and unwelcoming.

In this design, a tidily arranged cluster of tall planters joins forces with a row of small canopy trees to obscure the view of a tall white fence. The planters themselves are elevated, literally by short posts at their corners, and figuratively by the pride of place they are given in the design’s layout.

A steady clip of rustic trough planters makes a graphically compelling scene out of a gravel expanse in this design.

Rustic Rhythm

Steadily repeating design elements establish rhythm in landscape designs, leaving a breadcrumb trail for the eye to follow.

This design applies this trick via a row of rustic galvanized steel trough planters.

Lest things feel too rigid, a lemon tree pops up mid-row to add a dash of vertical punctuation.

Corten steel vegetable planters are key to the earthy color palette that dominates this design.

Color Control

This garden design sticks to a strict but lusciously organic color palette: leafy greens, rusty reds, and cool grays.

Planting avoids flowers entirely save for a few white blooms, opting instead to foreground full, shaggy texture and blanket the scene in green.

The corten steel planters, trellises, and fireplace, along with the adobe-tinged gravel and tan wicker chairs, bring warm neutrals and earthy reds to the palette.

The stone paving contrasts this warmth with bright, blue-tinged grays, a palette cleanser to balance out the richness of the other colors.

Oh yeah, and there are vegetable gardens in the middle of all this. Goes to show: veggie beds can be an integral part of a visual composition.

We used to hide our vegetable beds, but increasingly people are embracing vegetable beds as integral parts of front yard designs.

Front and Center

Vegetable beds have long been approached as utilitarian features best kept hidden out of sight.

Times are changing. Today, people are increasingly happy to pop their beds right out front yard for all the neighborhood to see, embracing them as aesthetic features as well as places for the functional work of growing food.

This design does exactly this, dropping veggie beds right into a row of foundation planting along their house’s front facade. By arranging the beds to face forthrightly street-ward, and enveloping them with the same species we see along the lawn’s sidewalk edge, the beds are presented as an intentional feature of the overall planting design.

A long and narrow planter plugs perfectly into this long and narrow side yard, taking advantage of a space that would have otherwise been underutilized.

Spiff up the Side Yard

Not all side yards can accommodate raised beds. Narrow spaces that sit between a tall fence and house receive limited sunlight - often not enough to keep herbs and veggies happy.

That said, a wide side yard is a perfect spot for a raised bed garden. From a landscape design perspective, side yards are often difficult to activate. Provided a side yard offers sufficient sunlight, raised beds are a fabulous way to take advantage of the space they offer.

This design embraces the long, narrow character of the side yard by plugging in a custom linear raised bed. Continuing the gravel from the front yard as a bed for this side yard planter to rest within helps to visually knit the two spaces, implying a single, flowing design.

Opting for two squares in place of a single rectangular planter allows for clearer circulation between the lounge zone and kids’ play lawn.

A Pair of Squares

The vegetable beds in this design are carefully orchestrated to balance separation and connection between an adults’ lounge area and a kids’ play lawn.

The planters themselves imply some separation between the two spaces, but their low height allows for clear views over their top, making it easy for parents to keep an eye on their kids. This sight line implies a connection between the two spaces, and helps both zones feel more expansive.

The choice to use two square planters in place of a single rectangle allows for direct circulation between the spaces, again straddling that line between separation and connection.

A regular rhythm of trough planters with dark green herbs assumes the role of formal foundation planting in front of a sculpted hedge.

Formal & Functional

The sculpted evergreen hedge that lines the edge of this yard is a clear nod to formal garden design.

Rather than follow the formal script with a row of boxwoods or Hydrangeas, this design subs in evenly spaced trough planters, whose matte gray finish matches the gravel beneath it.

Dark green herbs within the planters maintain the look and feel of the hedge, sticking to a consistent planting aesthetic.

The layout in this design positions the vegetable garden as a space of equal stature to the other gathering spaces.

Balanced & Substantial

Four spaces anchor to a central pool in this landscape design, each offering something unique: shade, a fire pit, sunbathing, and a vegetable garden. The arrangement and substantial scale of the garden presents it as a space that is as important as the others.

A band of ornamental planting separating the garden and the pool creates a layered composition when viewed from across the pool: the ornamentals form a low layer, while the elevated planter boxes form a taller background layer.

Planter boxes styled to match a horizontal wood fence frame this tranquil seating area while treating visitors to the aroma of fresh herbs.

A Fragrant Frame

Two horizontal board planter boxes evoke the horizontal board fence wrapping two sides of a minimalist seating space beneath a mature canopy tree.

The two boxes act like an edge to frame the seating area, yet they allow easy movement in and out of the space via the gap between the boxes.

Fragrant herbs within the boxes pile on to the dappled light and pleasing crunch of gravel underfoot to create a tranquil space rich with sensorial detail.

Raised planter bed near outdoor fire pit area in California backyard Yardzen design

CARING FOR RAISED BEDS

Looking for more nitty-gritty detail about establishing and maintaining raised beds? Read on for our responses to some of the most common questions we receive about raised beds.

• What do you put in the bottom of raised beds?

  → Wooden beds are often left open to the ground, but you can opt for hardware cloth (fine galvanized metal mesh) secured across the bottom if gophers are an issue.

  → You can also put landscape fabric across the bottom if weeds from the native soil will be a nuisance.

• Should I line a raised bed?

  → Plastic liners since will break down over time, leaving behind bits of plastic in the soil. For this reason, we do not recommend them.

• What soil should I use in raised beds?

  → Depends on what’s available to you. Vegetable garden soil should be high in organic matter content (compost), which aids in water retention and nutrient exchange.

  → Native soil on its own is too dense/heavy.

  → You can use a mix of native soil + amendment (compost).

  → Some amount of topsoil is fine, but it should be coupled with richer soil and compost to provide enough nutrient content.

  → You can also use potting soil, but this tends to be the most expensive option, and has lightweight components like perlite that tend to float to the top of the soil profile over time.

• How do you figure out how much soil you need based on the size of your bed?

  → Calculate the volume in cubic feet. Bagged soil mixes are sold by the cubic foot (or cubic yard for bulk soils). 1 cubic yard = 27 CF.

• How do you fill a raised bed?

  → Aim for soil height up to around 4-6” below the top edge of the bed (the soil will settle after filling/watering in).

  → Don’t add gravel or anything else as a layer across the bottom (this does NOT improve drainage).

• How do you irrigate a raised bed?

  → Drip irrigation is nice for ease of set up/use. Drip systems are also excellent for using water efficiently.

  → Drips systems can clog over time due to hard water. Adding an upstream decalcifier can mitigate this issue.

  → Soaker hoses are less efficient and don’t have as long of a service life. They also can clog due to hard water.

  → Hand watering requires the most time and effort. It may be meditative, but in general we recommend going for an automatic drip system instead.

• How much, long, and often should you water?

  → Depends on weather, soil type, and water needs of the plants, as well as how the water is applied (drip, hand water, etc). Anywhere from 1-3x/week is common, but you’ll want to pay attention to determine the right amount of water for your particular garden.

  → Seedlings and shallow-rooted plants need more frequent water, while deep-rooted plants (like tomatoes) can be watered more deeply and less frequently

  → Soil moisture is crucial for nutrient uptake and fruit set. If you notice an apparent nutrient deficiency or your yield is suffering, make sure the plants are adequately and consistently watered.

  → Ideally, the top of the soil should dry out slightly, but still feel cool and slightly damp if you poke your index finger into it.

  → If soil looks or feels wet, it does not need any water!

• Do raised beds needs drainage?

  → Yes, always! Drainage is crucial to avoid waterlogged soil and keep plant roots healthy.

• If using wood, do you need to seal it?

  → Sealing wood is not necessary, but can extend its lifespan.

  → Using naturally rot-resistant woods like redwood or cedar skips the need to seal.

  → If you do seal, we suggest a natural sealant like Tung Oil. Polyurethane sealants and latex paint are also supposed to be safe once cured.

• What is the best time to start a raised garden bed?

  → Any time of year!

  → Major planting times are usually late spring/early summer and fall (for warm- and cool-season crops, respectively).

  → Check your local master gardeners’ website for local planting info (recommended varieties, planting/harvest times, etc).

• Is weeding necessary?

  → Yes! Weeds compete with your crops for water and nutrients, and can harbor pests and disease.

  → To keep weeds at bay, try interplanting crops with annual flowers. This adds color, attracts pollinators, and suppresses less desirable plants from growing.

• Is fertilization necessary? How best to do this?

  → Yes - any time you harvest crops or remove plant material you are removing nutrients from the soil. Fertilizing replaces those lost nutrients.

  → You can use organic or inorganic fertilizers, but we favor organic for their reduced risk of contributing to water pollution.

  → Be sure to always follow the package directions on any fertilizer product. This is especially important when using inorganic products, which are more apt to burn plants and can contribute to water pollution if overapplied.

• How do I care for a raised garden over colder months/between seasons?

  → Check out our Fall garden checklist, which features a ton of tips for cool season gardening.

  → In mild climates, you can garden year round.

  → If letting the garden rest through the cold season and resuming in spring, don’t work the soil while it’s wet, as this can disrupt soil structure and lead to compaction.

Pre-fab raised planter beds in Indiana backyard design near swimming pool and outdoor kitchen

GET STARTED WITH YOUR LANDSCAPE DESIGN BY YARDZEN

Yardzen's award-winning online landscape and exterior design is tailored to clients in all fifty states in the US. Whether your goal is creating more functional outdoor living space or beautifying your home exterior, we can create a design that meets your needs and style preferences.

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

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

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

Ready to live better outside? Create your design profile or explore our design packages today!

Holding Space for Important Conversations on Pride

One of our core values at Yardzen is Goodness, plain and simple. Our hope is to create a community of honest, kind, and friendly people that feel comfortable bringing their whole selves to work. Part of that means we challenge ourselves to learn from each other every day, and we encourage our team to express ideas freely and bring their unique perspectives to work. The second piece is building a diverse and inclusive organization and committing to providing the best quality of life to all of our employees. 

During Pride Month, and every day, we stand in support with our LGBTQIA+ team members, clients, and partners.  Pride is a beautiful and important celebration and also a time to advocate for the equity of the LGBTQIA+ community. It’s also about having important conversations and understanding one another’s experiences – the cornerstone of building a culture of inclusivity. A diverse workforce is the best kind of workforce and it’s the only we can truly reflect the communities and homeowners that we serve. 

In the spirit of creating meaningful conversation, we turn to our Yardzen team to discuss some of their own personal journeys and perspectives on Pride and to bring light to topics that are important to furthering equity and inclusion.

Brando Thandi (He/Him)

Designer Operations Manager | Based in San Jose, CA

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Q: In the past 10 years we’ve seen an increased interest from large corporations in showing their public support for Pride Month. While the presence of this support has been a positive step, a new discussion about “Rainbow Washing,” has emerged. Can you explain what that means and how we can avoid it?

A: Every June, we see countless rainbow logos and limited edition Pride merchandise. While it’s a great step forward for human rights to see Pride so mainstream, it’s important to understand if a company’s interest in Pride is grounded in activism or simply a cash grab.

The term “Rainbow Washing” refers to the use of rainbow colors as a visual indicator of support for the LGBTQIA+ community. Consumers have been trained to assume that a rainbow logo means that an organization supports Pride, but many times it's simply a marketing trend to drive up sales. Misuse of the Pride flag and other imagery damages the community and undermines the significance of these icons. I encourage everyone to be mindful of this performative behavior and take time to research companies that you support to ensure they’re truly fighting against inequality. If you’re looking for ways to support Pride this June, I advocate looking past the rainbow and seeking out queer-owned businesses and corporations that support human rights 12 months out of the year, not just in June.

Juniper Arsenault (She/Her)

Training Specialist | Based in Eureka, CA
Photo Credit: Audrey Darke Photography

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Q: What has your experience been in changing your gender pronouns? How can we make gender pronouns part of our every day in order to build a more inclusive workplace? 

A: For me, the process of telling everyone my pronouns, and correcting those who misgender me, has been really scary. I'm naturally more introverted so putting myself out there in any way, is an anxiety point. When I got to a point in my life where I could look inward, figure out who I am, and who I want to be, it was obvious to me that I needed to live as my authentic self if I wanted to be truly happy. Well, when your true self is different from the person everyone told you that you are, it comes with a certain level of discomfort – especially when you have to tell the people that you know and love that the person they perceive you to be isn't who you really are. You end up having to reintroduce yourself to literally everyone you previously knew! 

This is where having a support system is so incredibly important. There are times that I really don't have the mental or emotional capacity to correct people that misgender me, but my wife being the super extroverted person she is, is never afraid to step in and correct people that mess up. It's nice to be able to exist so effortlessly when we're together because I know going into any situation, that should conflict arise, she is going to lead the charge in prioritizing my safety and comfort. I'd say this is the greatest gift you could give to the people in your life as you support them through their transition. It's important to be vocal in your support, but it's also important to not make a big deal about it if you mess up and need to be corrected. If you know someone that reintroduces themself with a name and pronouns that are different from how you previously knew them, the best thing you can do is practice, practice, practice! But don't just practice reciting the right name and pronouns when you're in person, work on reframing how you have ever thought of them. Retelling stories of your loved ones and taking the time and effort to say their correct name and pronouns is a really great way to rewire your brain and be supportive. 

What about if you don't know what pronouns to use for someone you're just meeting? I've found that a great way to approach these situations is to introduce yourself with your pronouns to create a safe space for those around you to do so as well. "Hello! My name is Juniper, my pronouns are she/her, nice to meet you! How should I refer to you?" Something like this, when practiced habitually, not only creates a safe environment for people to define themselves for you (instead of you defining them before you've even met), but it also encourages and normalizes the conversation. Pronoun pins are a super helpful option, as is including your pronouns in email signatures! As a final note I'd say the best thing you can do for the trans people in your life is, when you mess up, correct yourself with a "thank you" and move on without making a big deal about it.

Natalie Collar (She/Her)

Account Development Associate | Based in Boulder, CO

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Q: What does it mean for people in the LGBTQ+ community to have a “chosen family”?

A: The concept of a “chosen family” isn’t a novel one, but for the LGBTQ+ community, their chosen family is often their only family. Nearly 40% of the LGBTQ+ community are rejected by their families after coming out and expressing their true sexual orientation and/or gender identity. In other words, there are no family reunions, no Mother’s Day or Father’s Day celebrations, no invitations to weddings or family vacations. All of it gone, in a matter of seconds. This is a big reason why some folks never come out to their families.

This lack of acceptance causes all kinds of mental and emotional challenges for this community, and alternative sources of support and love are sought out via the chosen family. In many cases, chosen families are all that members of the LGBTQ+ community have for emotional support. Those friends, co-workers, neighbors, therapists, etc. show up for them in all the ways their family does not, supporting their hobbies, relationships, life goals, and so much more that people with supportive families may take for granted.

Do you have people you consider to be a part of your chosen family? Do you know anyone in the LGBTQ+ community who considers you a member of their chosen family? I encourage you all to continue accepting and supporting the LGBTQ+ people you know and love–it’s so valuable to us and sometimes all we have.

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We are incredibly grateful for our Yardzen community and the diverse identities, experiences, and points of view that enable us to carry out our mission. We are nothing without this honest and open group of people and we remain committed to holding space for these important conversations during Pride Month and every day. 

At Yardzen, we want to build diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging into everything that we do as we continue to grow. We believe that diversity helps us build the highest-performing, most resilient, most relatable, and inspiring team that Yardzen strives to have.

Our mission is to help improve our clients' quality of life by helping them spend more time in their outdoor spaces. To improve our clients' quality of life, we must remain committed to providing the best quality of life to all of our employees. An equal quality of life for all comes from an effort in building a diverse and inclusive organization that is representative of the world that we want to create.

Guide to Drought Tolerant Plants

We hear the term “drought tolerant” all the time when discussing water conservation and planting. What exactly does it mean? Why is it important?

Image via Sunset Mag

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Table of Contents

01 Where do droughts occur in the US?

02 How does drought tolerant landscaping help?

03 What does “drought tolerant” mean?

04 What makes a plant drought tolerant?

05 Are native plants drought tolerant?

06 Do I need to irrigate a drought tolerant garden?

07 Popular drought tolerant plants by region

• California

• Texas

• Southwest

• Utah and Mountain

• Mid-Atlantic

• Florida

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Where do droughts occur in the US?

Technically speaking, drought refers to a period when less precipitation falls than is typical for a region. 

In the US, drought is much more common and severe in the western half of the country. In point of fact, as the New York Times recently reported, the west is currently in the grips of an intense drought. 

The Northeast and Mid-Atlantic may not be as familiar with drought, but recent dry years have brought drought tolerance into the planting conversation in those regions as well.

Drought assessments compared to usual for the same time of year via Drought.gov

How does drought tolerant landscaping help?

Across the US, a lot of water goes to landscape irrigation. According to the EPA, on larger properties irrigation can account for up to 30% of home water use. Lawns are particularly irrigation heavy, especially in naturally arid regions.

When high water plants encounter drought, you can let them struggle and/or die, or keep them alive through intense irrigation. In either scenario you’re likely to wind up paying, either to replace your plants or for water usage. This arrangement is costly, high maintenance, and detrimental to regional water supply, particularly during times of drought. 

By opting for plants that require little water, we can meaningfully impact water consumption, and save ourselves effort and expense to boot.

Drought tolerant front yard landscape design with pavers and plantings in Austin, Texas

What does “drought tolerant” really mean?

“Drought tolerance” means exactly what it says: it refers to a plant’s ability to survive periods where precipitation is scarcer than expected. “Drought resistant” describes plants that can survive long periods of time with no water at all. So, drought resistant plants are drought tolerant, but not necessarily the other way around. The plants in this guide won’t necessarily survive long periods of time with no water, but they are not “high water” and can tolerate less water than their comfortable environment typically provides.

There is a common misconception that drought tolerant plants are limited to succulents or scraggly desert species. This is not the case! 

Across the US, you can find drought tolerant species hailing from a variety of ecosystem types, from grasslands to woodlands to coastal dunes and more. These plants come in a variety of appearances: ornamental grasses, floral perennials, dense drought tolerant shrubs, trees, and on and on. 

From a design perspective, this is great news. The wide variety of drought tolerant plants available at nurseries makes it easy to incorporate them into a wide range of planting design styles.

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Low water Artemisia plant via The Spruce

What makes a plant drought tolerant?

Drought tolerant plants have evolved a variety of adaptations that allow them to survive when water is scarce:

• Leaves and stems of some drought tolerant plants such as sedum (stonecrop) and other succulents are thick and waxy to trap moisture and reflect sunlight. Ceanothus is a lovely example of this (and a fabulous habitat plant in its native range).

• Leaves may also be small or thin to reduce the surface area through which they lose water to evaporation, as does Santolina , a lovely Mediterranean species. 

• Leaves can also be coated in small, silvery hairs, as with many Artemisia species (another great habitat plant in the West). These hairs shade the leaves and reduce their contact with hot air.

• Sometimes the plant has silvery foliage, or have a waxy coating that lends a silver hue, again to reflect heat away. Such is the case with many succulents, including Agave parryi .

• Some plants, like buckeye and valley oaks, drop their leaves early in the season to conserve their limited resources through hot and dry summers. 

• Other plants, like Panicum virgatum , have extensive, deep root systems that give them access to moisture during dry spells.
  

While these adaptations are common to many drought tolerant species, they are not a given. Remember, there’s a lot of variety out there!

Exterior landscape design by Yardzen featuring drought tolerant plants

Are native plants drought tolerant?

Not all native plants from dry or drought-prone regions are drought tolerant, but they frequently are. Having evolved to survive drought, dry region natives often require the least assistance - i.e. the least additional water or maintenance - to perform well in arid conditions.

Introduced plants can be equally drought tolerant, provided they evolved in climates that are dry. Many species from the Mediterranean, South Africa, and Australia make for water-wise selections in California’s Mediterranean climate, for example.

Some hardy plants native to temperate climates are also drought tolerant, such as Common Yarrow (achillea millefolium), which is found across the United States and beyond and also grows in poor soil.

Image via Jobe’s

Do I need to irrigate a drought tolerant garden?

Drought tolerant or not, every new plant needs regular water at first, but once established, drought tolerant plants can do well in dry conditions with minimal irrigation. This makes drought tolerant plants, and particularly drought tolerant natives, central features of many xeriscape planting designs. 

While it’s important to select drought tolerant species, it’s equally important to have a water-efficient irrigation system. Drip irrigation reduces the loss of water to evaporation or wind, and is recommended for almost all plantings except for lawns (stick with spray for lawns). Routinely inspect your irrigation system to make sure you aren’t losing water to leaks. 

Mulching around garden bed plantings can also help your landscape tolerate periods of drought by slowing runoff and water loss through evaporation.

PRO TIP → When watering drought tolerant plants, especially young ones, water occasionally and deeply. Water too frequently, and plants will develop shallower root systems that serve them poorly during dry spells. Infrequent, deep watering coaxes roots systems to expand, giving them access to more moisture when conditions are dry on the surface.

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Popular drought tolerant plants

Looking to explore some drought tolerant garden design?

Here are some of our favorite drought tolerant plants, organized by region. Species with asterisks (*) are native to the region in which they’re listed. Species in bold are particularly high performers.

Gorgeous pink flowers of the ‘Howard McMinn’ Manzanita via Sacramento Valley

FAVORITE CALIFORNIA DROUGHT TOLERANT PLANTS

• Quercus agrifolia; full sun to part shade (Oaks are fabulous habitat plants. This tree is a host plant for over 40 butterfly and moth species including California Sister (Adelpha californica) and California Oak Moth (Phryganidia californica). Note that supplemental watering in the summer is actually detrimental to this species) *

• Ceanothus 'Concha'; full sun to part shade *

• Arctostaphylos; full sun to part shade (There are many manzanitas to chose from. 'Emerald Carpet' is a great low-growing drought tolerant ground cover, useful for erosion control on hillsides. ‘Dr. Hurd’ is a lovely sculptural accent!) *

• Cercis occidentalis; part shade to full sun *

• Cistus; full sun 

• Rosmarinus officinalis; full sun

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Quercus macrocarpa ‘Burr Oak’ via PlantMaster

FAVORITE TEXAS DROUGHT TOLERANT PLANTS

• Quercus macrocarpa; full sun *

• Salvia greggii; full sun, (flowering plant attracts hummingbirds and other pollinators!) *

• Gaura lindheimeri; full sun *

• Hesperaloe parviflora; full sun, (flowering plant attracts hummingbirds and other pollinators!) *

• Leucophyllum frutescens; full sun to part shade *

• Mahonia trifoliata ; full sun to part shade *

• Dalea greggii; full sun to part shade *

• Wedelia texana; full sun to part shade *

• Agave spp.; full sun *

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Prosopis glandulosa ‘Honey Mesquite’ via CalFlora

FAVORITE SOUTHWEST DROUGHT TOLERANT PLANTS

• Chilopsis linearis; full sun *

• Fallugia paradoxa; part shade *

• Quercus gambelii; part shade (this oak produces beautiful green foliage in desert landscapes!) *

• Prospois glandulosa; full sun *

• Berlandieria lyrata; full sun to part shade *

• Acacia aneura (Mulga); full sun *

• Caesalpinia gillesii; full sun *

• Opuntia spp.; full sun *

• Agave spp.; full sun *

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Rhus trilobata 'Autumn Amber' in spring via Wikimedia

FAVORITE UTAH & MOUNTAIN DROUGHT TOLERANT PLANTS

• Quercus gambelii; part shade *

• Arctostaphylos patula; full sun to part shade *

• Arctostaphylos x coloradensis 'Panchito'; full sun *

• Penstemon strictus; full sun (flowering plant attracts hummingbirds and other pollinators!) *

• Rhus aromatica 'Gro-Low' or Rhus trilobata 'Autumn Amber'; full sun to part shade *

• Perovskia atriplicifolia; full sun *

• Potentilla fruticosa cvs.; full sun *

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Purple flowers of Baptisia australis ‘Deep Blue Indigo’ via Juniper Level Botanic Garden

FAVORITE MID-ATLANTIC DROUGHT TOLERANT PLANTS

• Baptisia australis; full sun *

• Panicum virgatum; full sun to part shade *

• Schizachyrium scoparium; full sun to part shade *

• Liatris spicata; full sun *

• Asclepias tuberosa; full sun *

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White flowers of Myrcianthes fragrans ‘Simpson’s Stopper’ via Florida Wildflower Foundation

FAVORITE FLORIDA DROUGHT TOLERANT PLANTS

• Myrcianthes fragrans; full sun to part shade *

• Aptenia 'Red Apple'; full sun to part shade

• Carissa macrocarpa; full sun *

• Clusia guttifera; full sun *

• Echinacea purpurea (Purple Coneflower); full sun to partial shade (a drought-tolerant perennial native to the midwest and south!) *

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Back yard landscape design in California featuring hardscaping and low maintenance low water plants

PRO TIP → Your local nursery will always be the best source of information as to which plants offer high performance and drought tolerance in your area - a trip to the nursery is never wasted time. Happy hunting!

GET STARTED WITH YOUR DROUGHT TOLERANT LANDSCAPE DESIGN BY YARDZEN

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

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

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

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

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