Backyard
The courtyard features California Gold gravel. The design team added a low courtyard wall, softened by more plantings, to create a sense of privacy while maintaining a connection to the street and passersby. A freestanding water feature adds a focal point to the courtyard and also minimizes the ambient noise from the street.
To maximize space in your yard, try creating different levels. This yard features a few zones, including a sunken fire pit lounge. The other side was built at a slightly higher level and is now an informal lounge spot. This beautiful project was quite complex, but a simpler idea would be to build a raised deck alongside your patio.
Water that sits on plant leaves can lead to plants contracting diseases. Powdery mildew is one of the most common diseases in summer gardens, as the fungal disease thrives in warm, humid air. To prevent mildew, avoid overhead watering, as it increases air humidity and wets plant leaves. Instead, use soaker hoses, drip emitters, or hand-water at the soil-level with a controlled nozzle. Common garden plants that shouldn’t get wet leaves include roses, tomatoes, zinnias, squash and melons. The gravel garden in the arid Southern California pictured here is in full sun (read: will quickly zap moisture) and is filled with non-mildew-prone cutting flowers, veggies and Mediterranean herbs. Morning overhead watering is just fine in this application.
You can also add a pergola as part of a larger deck or patio project, as a freestanding structure or attached to one side to your home or another structure. Use a pergola within a larger deck or patio to define the dining area or outdoor kitchen, create a conversation area or add some afternoon shade.
Low-maintenance plants such as pindo palm (Butia capitata), European fan palm (Chamaerops humilis) and wall germander (Teucrium chamaedrys ‘Prostratum’) provide a tropical poolside vibe and don’t require constant maintenance. “We always design with plants that require little water,” Corea says. Dwarf palmettos (Sabal minor) grow in a planter next to the pool. An elegant living fence of seabreeze bamboo (Bambusa malingensis) — a clumping species that will grow up to 15 feet — offers privacy and an attractive backdrop. Drip irrigation also has been incorporated throughout, so the homeowners don’t waste water due to high evaporation.
Avenida Alvarado, La Quinta, CA Mediterranean Patio, San Diego
After: A cozy outdoor living room, anchored by an expansive built-in banquette for lounging and dining, has completely transformed the space. Taking up most of the patio’s 400 square feet, the seating was designed to accommodate the couple’s grown kids and grandkids. Teak clads the banquette, warming up the patio and creating a casual yet polished vibe. The homeowners “wanted something really durable, really robust,” Scirrotto says. With the teak, “there’s a connection to boat-making that nods to the home’s coastal locale.” The cushions are custom, covered in Kravet fabric. A bluestone fire pit that runs on natural gas fits beautifully with the seating. Its wide lip can be used to rest glasses and small plates on. A custom teak cover can be placed over the fire feature when it’s not in use, allowing the piece to double as a table.
a fountain provides the relaxing sound of splashing water. The fountain is a black concrete-coated fiberglass trough that lines up with the board-formed-concrete planting beds.
Note: Bamboo is beautiful but can be invasive. In this case, the board-formed concrete beds prevent the trees from spreading.
Transitional Patio, San Francisco
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