Yard of the Week: Outdoor Rooms in a Beautiful Low-Water Garden
A landscape designer transforms a home’s expansive lawn into a natural, plant-filled retreat for outdoor living
Homeowners Tom and Bea Schumacher dreamed of converting their conventional lawn yard in Pasadena, California, into a landscape of outdoor living rooms connected by a series of paths and naturalistic gardens. “One aesthetic I longed for is from reading ‘The Secret Garden’ as a child,” Bea Schumacher says.
Working with FormLA Landscaping, the couple overhauled their front and back yards to include multiple seating and dining areas, native and low-water plantings and a private spa retreat. The designers reimagined the space so it would thrive in the yard’s hot but somewhat shady conditions and wouldn’t require too much maintenance.
Working with FormLA Landscaping, the couple overhauled their front and back yards to include multiple seating and dining areas, native and low-water plantings and a private spa retreat. The designers reimagined the space so it would thrive in the yard’s hot but somewhat shady conditions and wouldn’t require too much maintenance.
Sun-Dappled Backyard Retreat
Before: The backyard before the redesign featured an expansive lawn — a thirsty planting choice that did little to enhance the yard or the homeowners’ outdoor living experience. “Mowing the lawn felt like a chore,” homeowner Tom Schumacher says. The space didn’t offer much more in the form of color or plantings.
The yard — with only a couple of scattered trees — provided minimal shade, little privacy and no outdoor rooms or destinations. “The biggest issue with the original space is that it lacked cool, shady seating areas,” Bea says.
Before: The backyard before the redesign featured an expansive lawn — a thirsty planting choice that did little to enhance the yard or the homeowners’ outdoor living experience. “Mowing the lawn felt like a chore,” homeowner Tom Schumacher says. The space didn’t offer much more in the form of color or plantings.
The yard — with only a couple of scattered trees — provided minimal shade, little privacy and no outdoor rooms or destinations. “The biggest issue with the original space is that it lacked cool, shady seating areas,” Bea says.
After: As part of the renovation, the homeowners requested an outdoor cooking area with a wood-burning pizza oven. “We built the outdoor kitchen around a mid-sized Italian Mugnaini wood-fired oven. It took a crane to move the oven from where it was delivered in the front, over the house and into the concrete block designed around it,” Ongwiseth says.
Concrete counters top the workspace, with wood cabinets that match the perimeter fence beneath. “The concrete table between the wood-fired oven and the grill is so useful when preparing food and toggling between the two cooking methods,” Tom says.
Concrete counters top the workspace, with wood cabinets that match the perimeter fence beneath. “The concrete table between the wood-fired oven and the grill is so useful when preparing food and toggling between the two cooking methods,” Tom says.
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The homeowners now enjoy outdoor meals on a gravel patio just off the back of the house by the outdoor kitchen. A Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia), which the couple inherited with the house, shades the space and provides a cool, breezy spot for al fresco dining.
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A satellite fire pit lounge surrounded by lush foliage draws visitors out into the garden. “We loved the feel of the fire pits outside the Arizona Biltmore hotel designed by Frank Lloyd Wright,” Tom says. Inspired by their trip, the homeowners worked with Ernsdorf Design, a cast-concrete furniture and art studio, to get their own gas-burning fire bowl.
The couple says they’ve taken full advantage of this relaxing outdoor feature. “We love the oversized comfy chairs around an earthy fire bowl for coffee in the morning and happy hour in the evening. We can listen to the birds, along with classical music and the water feature,” Tom says.
Concrete paving and gravel define the gathering spaces and connect the yard’s outdoor rooms. The team used concrete closer to the house, with gravel taking over further out in the garden. “A good example is the fire pit area. It is still clearly defined by a concrete band to form a large square area. But the main material inside this band is gravel,” Ongwiseth says.
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The couple says they’ve taken full advantage of this relaxing outdoor feature. “We love the oversized comfy chairs around an earthy fire bowl for coffee in the morning and happy hour in the evening. We can listen to the birds, along with classical music and the water feature,” Tom says.
Concrete paving and gravel define the gathering spaces and connect the yard’s outdoor rooms. The team used concrete closer to the house, with gravel taking over further out in the garden. “A good example is the fire pit area. It is still clearly defined by a concrete band to form a large square area. But the main material inside this band is gravel,” Ongwiseth says.
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The homeowners wanted a garden inspired by nature — one that wouldn’t need much additional water and wouldn’t require too much work to maintain. “We started from an understanding of the microclimate created by the site and allowed that to guide us to wonderful plants that will thrive naturally, without much hassle,” Ongwiseth says.
To create a lush, plant-filled and drought-tolerant garden, the landscape team chose a mix of local California native plants and climate-appropriate Mediterranean plants that thrive in the region’s dry, hot conditions. “The rule of thumb is that they all have to have similar water [needs] and sun and shade exposure requirements,” Ongwiseth says.
It was also important that the garden show seasonal changes throughout the year. “Colors, textures and form of the foliage and plant structure allow us to create a very dramatic tapestry of plants in our landscape. This way, you will have visual interest to enjoy year-round,” the designer says.
Read more guides about gardening with native plants
To create a lush, plant-filled and drought-tolerant garden, the landscape team chose a mix of local California native plants and climate-appropriate Mediterranean plants that thrive in the region’s dry, hot conditions. “The rule of thumb is that they all have to have similar water [needs] and sun and shade exposure requirements,” Ongwiseth says.
It was also important that the garden show seasonal changes throughout the year. “Colors, textures and form of the foliage and plant structure allow us to create a very dramatic tapestry of plants in our landscape. This way, you will have visual interest to enjoy year-round,” the designer says.
Read more guides about gardening with native plants
The couple also maintains raised beds filled with herbs and veggies. “We love having year-round supplies of oregano, sage, parsley, thyme, mint and rosemary,” Tom says, adding that they also grow French tarragon, strawberries (which their granddaughters love) and two types of chili peppers. As the landscape has matured, the homeowners have found that lettuces, herbs and other edibles that can handle the yard’s shadier conditions grow best.
The raised beds sit a little out of the way, screened from the rest of the garden with strategically planted shrubs. “Silverberry [Elaeagnus x ebbingei ‘Gilt Edge’], ceanothus and lobelia give a colorful shoulder height divider, while monardella, yarrow [Achillea millefolium], sedum and other ground covers provide flowers and color in front of the higher plantings,” Tom says.
The raised beds sit a little out of the way, screened from the rest of the garden with strategically planted shrubs. “Silverberry [Elaeagnus x ebbingei ‘Gilt Edge’], ceanothus and lobelia give a colorful shoulder height divider, while monardella, yarrow [Achillea millefolium], sedum and other ground covers provide flowers and color in front of the higher plantings,” Tom says.
Secluded Spa Lounge
Set apart from the rest of the backyard, a spa area off the homeowners’ bedroom offers a more intimate, private spot to relax. Working with FormLA and Huntington Pools, the clients got the soaking tub they wanted, as well as privacy walls, a water feature and a shelving structure to hold Bea’s collection of glassybaby votive candles.
Set apart from the rest of the backyard, a spa area off the homeowners’ bedroom offers a more intimate, private spot to relax. Working with FormLA and Huntington Pools, the clients got the soaking tub they wanted, as well as privacy walls, a water feature and a shelving structure to hold Bea’s collection of glassybaby votive candles.
Lush foliage screens and encloses the outdoor space. “Two sides of the spa have raised walls high enough to become a simple architectural backdrop and further enhance the felt sense of privacy and protection. That said, their main function is to enclose equipment,” Ongwiseth says.
At night, the spa area takes on a completely different feel, with the backlit shelves and illuminated votives creating a soft, moody glow.
Welcoming Front Yard
Before: The front yard before the renovation was also a grassy expanse. Here, the homeowners also wanted more of a garden feel, with outdoor rooms where they could sit and enjoy the neighborhood with some added privacy.
“The goal was to create a welcoming entry using a series of paths and a rich combination of plants that are enjoyed by both human and beneficial wildlife,” Ongwiseth says.
Before: The front yard before the renovation was also a grassy expanse. Here, the homeowners also wanted more of a garden feel, with outdoor rooms where they could sit and enjoy the neighborhood with some added privacy.
“The goal was to create a welcoming entry using a series of paths and a rich combination of plants that are enjoyed by both human and beneficial wildlife,” Ongwiseth says.
After: Looking toward the street from the house, you can see the new semiprivate courtyard with built-in bench that gives the homeowners a place to sit and take in the garden and neighborhood views. “We love to have morning coffee on the bench in the meditation garden. As the front garden faces east, the warmth of the morning sun is the perfect way to start the day,” Bea says.
6 Front Yards That Balance Privacy With Curb Appeal
6 Front Yards That Balance Privacy With Curb Appeal
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.
A freestanding water feature adds a focal point to the courtyard and also minimizes the ambient noise from the street.
The design preserved the homeowners’ rose collection. “Now they are glorious and delight everyone who enters the garden,” Ongwiseth says.
A planted parking strip, the area between the sidewalk and the street, features strategically placed rocks, artichoke agave (Agave parryi var. truncata), grasses, low-growing sages and rock purslane (Calandrinia spectabilis). Gravel landings provide spots for people to put their feet down as they exit their cars. “As we walk the neighborhood, we are proud to have provided as much beauty on the street side of the sidewalk as in the garden,” Bea says.
Yard at a Glance
Who lives here: Bea and Tom Schumacher
Location: Pasadena, California
Size: 4,570-square-foot (424.6-square-meter) backyard; 4,500-square-foot (418.1-square-meter) front yard; 700-square-foot (65-square-meter) parking strip
Design and build team: Isara Ongwiseth, lead designer, and John Cook, landscape installation manager, both of FormLA Landscaping
The team completed the project in two phases, with the homeowners taking on smaller outdoor projects in between. “The first phase involved transforming the backyard from a large traditional lawn with trees randomly placed throughout. We kept some of the existing trees and designed outdoor rooms around them to take advantage of the shade and privacy these trees provide,” landscape designer Isara Ongwiseth says. The front yard makeover happened in the second phase.
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