Creative Combining of Hardscape Materials

This couple wanted to make their typical San Francisco backyard into something special. The yard had some nice plants but little useable space or attractive ground treatment. They had built a kidney-shaped planter with block walls as a weekend project a few years back, and they wanted to keep this. We came up with a design that used the kidney-shaped planter as a focal point. We added a lot of useable space with a bi-level concentric circular patio. By constructing the patio on two levels, we were able to keep most of the excavated soil on site instead of bringing it to the landfill. The outer circle consists of interlocking concrete pavers, while the raised inner circle is paved with natural Arizona flagstone. We enhanced the kidney planter by making another circular planter around it from matching wall blocks. The circular tree beds add interest by echoing the circle theme of the yard.