3 Gardens That Draw Inspiration From Favorite Getaways
These gardens take cues from the courtyards of Rome, the calming hues of the beach and the arid beauty of the desert
With travel plans put on pause, there’s never been a better time to imagine how your yard can transport you — or to add elements that remind you of a favorite trip. The following three gardens all draw inspiration from distant places, including a terrace in Oregon inspired by the homeowners’ trip to Rome, and a serene beach-inspired backyard in Tucson, Arizona. Plants and materials appropriate to their regions make the yards look at home in their environments. Looking at these spaces, do you feel yourself just a little transported to another place?
Landscape designer Christopher Dara of Drake’s 7 Dees drew up a plan for a new dining terrace covered by a pergola, to include a cozy fire pit seating area with warm-tone stones and a small satellite deck where the homeowners could enjoy morning coffee. To help translate an Italian feeling to an Oregon garden, Dara used golden tones, such as via sand-colored decomposed granite and warm-tone wall rocks alongside limestone — a nod to the travertine limestone typically used in historic buildings in Rome.
Need a pro for your landscape design project?
Let Houzz find the best pros for you
Let Houzz find the best pros for you
The hanging baskets filled with hot-colored flowers and the sweet fragrance of jasmine wafting through the courtyard can easily make one feel transported to Italy.
See more of this Roman-inspired garden in Oregon
See more of this Roman-inspired garden in Oregon
2. Beach Style in the Desert
Location: Tucson, Arizona
Backyard size: About 1,200 square feet (111 square meters)
Designer: Elizabeth Przygoda-Montgomery of Boxhill
While most Southwestern gardens rely on a bold sunset color palette heavy on terra-cotta hues, the colors of this Tucson, Arizona, garden evoke the feeling of another place entirely. “When you walk in, you feel like you’re [at a] desert beach,” designer Elizabeth Przygoda-Montgomery of Boxhill says.
Location: Tucson, Arizona
Backyard size: About 1,200 square feet (111 square meters)
Designer: Elizabeth Przygoda-Montgomery of Boxhill
While most Southwestern gardens rely on a bold sunset color palette heavy on terra-cotta hues, the colors of this Tucson, Arizona, garden evoke the feeling of another place entirely. “When you walk in, you feel like you’re [at a] desert beach,” designer Elizabeth Przygoda-Montgomery of Boxhill says.
The color palette is limited to soft gray, white and pale blue, visually cooling down the desert backyard and emphasizing the inviting turquoise water of the newly refurbished pool. The light-colored pavers used for the patio (from local Tucson supplier Artistic Pavers) feature tiny seashells that add subtle texture — and are a charming beach-theme detail when viewed up close.
As a finishing touch to the landscape, the designer included outdoor lighting worthy of a chic beach resort. Glowing orbs dot the pool, moving slowly across the water’s surface, and soft uplights wash the perimeter walls with a subtle warmth.
See more of this beach-inspired desert garden
See more of this beach-inspired desert garden
3. Taste of the Southwest in Toronto
Location: Leslieville neighborhood of Toronto
Front yard size: 546 square feet (51 square meters)
Designer: Shelby Hallman Mailloux of Earth and Sole
While on vacation in Arizona, the owners of this Toronto home and garden fell in love with the arid beauty of the desert. Although they knew the climate and rainfall of their Canadian home were vastly different from the American Southwest’s, they hoped to capture some of the feeling of the sun-drenched desert landscape with a combination of low-water plants and chunky gravel. Landscape designer Shelby Hallman Mailloux of Earth and Sole helped the couple turn their dream into a reality.
Location: Leslieville neighborhood of Toronto
Front yard size: 546 square feet (51 square meters)
Designer: Shelby Hallman Mailloux of Earth and Sole
While on vacation in Arizona, the owners of this Toronto home and garden fell in love with the arid beauty of the desert. Although they knew the climate and rainfall of their Canadian home were vastly different from the American Southwest’s, they hoped to capture some of the feeling of the sun-drenched desert landscape with a combination of low-water plants and chunky gravel. Landscape designer Shelby Hallman Mailloux of Earth and Sole helped the couple turn their dream into a reality.
She used a plant palette rich in succulents, ornamental grasses and perennial bloomers, similar to what one might see in a desert region, but selected plants on the cold-hardy end of the spectrum. (You may also spot the very nondesert Japanese maple that the designer snuck in, which looks perfectly fitting among the rocks and other elements in soft hues.) Some of the plants include ‘Xenox’ stonecrop (Sedum telephium ‘Xenox’), ‘Autumn Fire’ stonecrop (Sedum ‘Autumn Fire’), ‘Silver Brocade’ artemesia (Artemesia stellariana ‘Silver Brocade’), purple-blooming ‘May Night’ sage (Salvia ‘May Night’) and ‘Northwind’ switchgrass (Panicum virgatum ‘Northwind’).
New prefab Cor-Ten steel planters add a rich, warm rust tone often seen in the Southwest, and a layer of gravel mulch spread over all the planting beds beautifully suits the desert theme.
See more of this Southwest-inspired garden
More on Houzz
Browse more landscape design ideas
Work with a landscape designer near you
Shop for products for your outdoor space
See more of this Southwest-inspired garden
More on Houzz
Browse more landscape design ideas
Work with a landscape designer near you
Shop for products for your outdoor space
Location: Hillsboro, Oregon, west of Portland
Backyard size: 2,600 square feet (242 square meters)
Designer: Drake’s 7 Dees
After returning from a holiday in Rome, the owners of this Oregon home felt inspired to bring into their everyday lives some of the Italian lifestyle elements they had come to appreciate. Enjoying meals outside on an inviting terrace with cafe lights glowing overhead was high on the list.