Archive for Privacy

Creating Small City Backyard Retreats in Portland

Why Experience Matters in Backyard Landscape Design

I was pleased to share the before photos of this Portland backyard garden retreat with you earlier this year in this blog post. Today, I’m thrilled to reveal some after photos—and tell a few stories along the way about how thoughtful design and careful decision-making transform tricky city backyards into personal retreats.

A view of the first door in this backyard retreat landscaping project.
This small city backyard is almost ready for the new porch and steps to the sunroom.
Under construction, this backyard landscaping project was a puzzle.
The rotting old deck was removed and Cascade Fence and Deck crew were careful not to damage the bark on the prized shade tree.  Before new porch w dining deck and bar.

The Challenge: Two Doors, Two Sets of Stairs, and One Big Puzzle

When I first met my clients Rich and his family, we discussed their small city backyard—a space hemmed in by two sets of stairs, two doors opening to the garden, and a beautiful but (seemingly) in-the-way spring-flowering magnolia.

Having two doors in a small backyard always makes planning your “movement”—the flow from space to space—a bit of a puzzle. But as an experienced designer, I see these challenges as opportunities to create clever, intimate spaces that truly work for my clients’ lives.

Experience Pays Off: Putting Trees First

Without the mature magnolia, the design might have missed that “magic.” Honestly, if we’d lost the tree, I would have had to approach the entire project differently—and the cost to recreate this kind of shade and presence? Astronomical! My clients are dedicated to their tree and consult pros for its care. In a space like this, that’s invaluable.

A big part of what I bring to every landscape design project is deep respect for what’s already there—especially trees. An experienced landscape designer doesn’t just plop down new features, we carefully weigh the benefits of every existing plant, evaluating what should be preserved and how best to protect those green treasures. That pays off both aesthetically and financially.

Protecting Roots, Protecting Value

This magnolia’s root flare was nearly at the base of our new deck, its roots winding through the yards on both sides. We consulted a certified arborist at Honl Tree Care for advice. We avoided raising soil grade, and—most importantly—didn’t compact the patio surface.

Compacted crushed rock is nearly the industry standard for paths and patios in Portland, but experience has taught me that breathing space for roots is paramount. Compacting soil strips out oxygen, literally suffocating roots. That’s not worth the risk to a 50-year-old magnolia.

The backyard sitting area being at ground level, rather than on a backyard deck, adds privacy and zen to this tranquil retreat.
My clients can enjoy being in their garden rather than perched above it.  This location has even more privacy than the new deck.
By using uncompressed gravel, this backyard design lets water get into the ground and nourish roots.
Steel edging butts into stone making the path part of the garden experience.

Returning Water to the Earth

Selecting the right surfaces is another place my experience really counts. In this backyard, I used a 5/8-inch crushed rock for the sitting area—without compacting it—so rainwater goes right through, back into the ground. My clients wondered about cleanup after “the great annual petal drop,” but with a broom and a little patience, it worked beautifully. Functionality, aesthetics, and environmental friendliness, all rolled into one solution.

It’s important to not change the oxygen ratio in the soil near tree roots.  Compacting the soil removes oxygen.   Adding soil over the root zone will change the oxygen ration and damage the roots ability to uptake water….After all they can’t just pick up and move their roots overnight if we change their environment.

Creating Privacy, Creating Sanctuary

A huge part of my work—and where intuition and experience play the biggest role—is understanding how to frame space for maximum comfort. By setting the conversation area down in the garden, we created privacy and a cozy, enveloping feel—a true garden “room.” This was my clients heart’s desire.

Privacy Art Screens Work to Create a Backyard Sitting Room

The screens repeat the rust color, add depth to the small city backyard and break up the horizontal lines of the fence making our sitting area feel more like its own room.  They are located to view from inside the house from the sun room and a whole bank of windows in the kitchen.

Landscape-Design-In-A-Day designed this tranquil backyard retreat.
View from the dining deck to the sunroom porch after the design was installed.
We used matching colors all around to add harmony to this small city backyard retreat.
Finished steel planters dress the house wall and welcome us to the dining deck. My client Rich treated the steel to change it from a black to this mottled rust orange which contrasts with the slate blue house body color beautifully.

To punch up visual interest and privacy, we repeated the rust color from custom-finished steel planters (shout out to Rich for his creative process using hydrogen peroxide, rock salt, and vinegar on raw steel!). He used this technique to change the planters from a basic black raw steel to the rust finish you see.  The steel screens from Home Depot echo the planters’ patina, break up the shallow yard’s horizontal lines, and make even a petite space feel layered and intentional—like a private, hidden retreat for dining, lounging, clinking glasses, or sipping coffee.

Small Details, Big Delight

Details matter: the way Brian Woodruff, (Mortar and Petal) selected and set our boulders and used steel edges for the paths is refined and quietly beautiful—simple, deliberate moments that give the space soul. The new deck’s soft, neutral tone boards isn’t boring at all,  but creates the perfect backdrop.

And a fun surprise? My clients realized, post-design, that there was room for a bar counter at the deck’s end—giving them their first-ever sit spot view into their lush, Japanese-inspired front garden. And now, even their sunroom furniture was relocated to face the garden, and wow we see there’s a new “favorite” spot at the bar for morning coffee. These delightful, unforeseen changes are the best signs that our design is a perfect fit and that our new backyard retreat is truly being lived in and loved. That’s the real reward of thoughtful, experienced design.

Ready to Love Your Tricky City Backyard?

If you have a small, challenging city backyard in the Portland area, I’d love to help you make it wonderful and welcoming—a place you’re drawn to every single day. With an experienced landscape designer, your outdoor space can become not just more functional, but an oasis that reflects your style and maximizes every inch!

Let’s talk. Contact me and let’s create the retreat you’ve been dreaming of.

P.S. The old, rotting deck is gone (thanks to the careful crew at Cascade Fence and Deck), the new porch and dining deck are in, and the  plants are growing and looking healthy. The transformation is nearly complete… and I couldn’t be happier for my clients!

 

 

Landscaping A Mixed-Use House & Office Property in Eliot Neighborhood: Part 3

Integrating Pacific Northwest Native Plants Into A Dream Garden Design

Pacific Northwest native plants, including Vine Maples, used in Eliot Neighborhood property for privacy.
Native plants (including Vine Maple trees ) accompany the pedestrian access path for the in fill homes behind Leslies home.

(Read parts one and two of this series.)

Part 3 of Leslie’s Dream Garden – Designing The Private Office Entry

While planning the lanscape design for the entrance of Leslie’s office, we put considerable thought into accessibility. Instead of adding a second path off the front walk, we used wide planting bed paver edging on both sides for symmetry. This subtle landscape design choice preserved the front yard’s elegance as a residence while providing a practical solution for access to her office.

We also retained two perfectly square boxwoods on either side of the front walk, beautifully pruned by Leslie, which added a structured element to the design and the old hydrangea.  All the other overgrown shrubs will be replaced with evergreen shrubs and multi season perennials and ground covers for a welcoming appearance year-round.

Creating a Rich Plant Palette for the Front Yard

A Winter Snowman Camellia is suitable for the pacific northwest dream garden in Eliot Neighborhood.
Winter Snowman Camellia flowers in the fall, and has a more compact shape than most.

Front yard foundation plant list: Camellia japonica ‘Winters Snowman’ is a variety that makes a perfect, small, vase-shaped shrub or small tree and it flowers in fall.

Fatsia ‘Spiders Web’ has attractive green and cream variegated leaves,  Sarcococca confusa is lovely evergreen with fragrance and  shiny dark green leaves. Hellebores, brunnera, heuchera (coral bells) specialty hens and chicks, Lithodora diffusa ‘White Star’ (sky blue flower with white eye) and other groundcovers make a tapestry of color at the front edge of the landscape.

Spiders Web plant suitable for Pacific Northwest dream garden in Eliot Neighborhood.
Fatsia japonica ‘Spiders Web’ in SE Portland clients backyard

Working with Portland Native Plants

Suitable Pacific Northwest plantings, such as Hellebore and Japanese Forest Grass were used in this Eliot Neighborhood dream garden.
Dark red flowers grace these Hellebore perennials planted with Japanese Forest grass in N.E. Portland landscape design.

The east side of the property features a pedestrian boulevard planted with native flora like vine maple, cascara tree, Oregon grape, and sword fern. We kept a lot of the existing native plants.  We wanted to add complementary species to ensure the boulevard garden looked like an extension of Leslie’s yard but the front yard was too small to add native shrubs.  Instead we added low water compatible perennials like the intense magenta flowered  hardy geranium ‘Tiny Monster,’ which blooms for two months and a blue flowering Amsonia which is fully drought tolerant.

Vaccineum ovatum, Pacific Northwest native Huckleberry in NE Portland foundation planting before Eliot neighborhood landscape design.
Before the design.  We are keeping the NW Native Huckleberry shrubs that edge the public walkway.
Pacific Northwest native, Creeping Oregon Grape was used in this Eliot Neighborhood dream garden design.
Native plants – Creeping Oregon Grape (Mahonia repens from eastern Oregon) thrives in this morning sun area without summer water in this N.E. Portland side yard.

Leslie is thrilled with the design and eagerly awaits implementation. I’m excited for her to enjoy her garden entrance to her office and to be energized by her interesting and colorful plantings.

Do You Have A Dream Garden?

Creating a dream garden takes time conversing and understanding a client’s vision so that the space available can reflect that dream. This process includes, design choices that compliment the property using hardscaping and a planting plan that delights the eye (and suits your garden care skills). This is my passion—creating custom landscape designs for small city properties.

Contact me to bring your dream garden to life.

Landscaping A Mixed-Use House & Office Property in Eliot Neighborhood: Part 1

A Garden Full of Joy in Portland Starts with Planning & Hardscaping

Eliot neighborhood Portland, OR before the hardscape landscaping shows existing old apple tree.

Before Landscape Design shows worn out patio pavers in tiny backyard NE Portland with with sweet old apple tree. (Eliot Neighborhood)

I always love designing for small city backyards.  Then there’s something incredibly rewarding about working with a repeat client—especially one like Leslie, whose vision challenges me to push my creativity and expertise. I first designed a landscape for Leslie’s North Portland home two years ago, so when she approached me with her latest project—a mixed-use investment property in the Eliot neighborhood of NE Portland—I was intrigued.  This wasn’t a typical residential landscape; our design would encompass both a residential rental home plus Leslie’s private entry office, and her dream garden surrounding it.

Let me share how we transformed this unique space, showcasing how valuable design experience, know-how and collaboration can truly create the perfect fit.

Eliot Neighborhood Portland property needed privacy in their dream landscaping design.

Creating privacy without giving up sunlight was a tricky balance for this NE Portland backyard – photo is before landscape design.

Planning A Garden Full of Joy 

Starting with the backyard, we needed to incorporate Leslie’s remodeling plans, which included adding an entry door to her private office. She envisioned a back porch or patio accessible from the kitchen’s new French doors, serving as a dining and entertaining space for her tenant. However, designing this area posed a spatial challenge due to the kitchen threshold, which sits 42 inches above the ground.

Eliot Neighborhood Portland before landscaping design for privacy.

Infill houses surround this tiny backyard before landscape design. Note vine maple and Oregon grape in foreground.

It quickly became apparent that a patio wouldn’t work; the number of stairs required would consume too much of the small yard. Instead, we designed a dining deck that both Leslie and I loved. The deck integrates an existing old apple tree with low branches that naturally adds privacy to the dining area, and its one-sided growth adds charm. This tree is not just aesthetic; it will support patio lights, adding a magical touch to evening gatherings.

Leslies Dream Garden

With the hardscape layout finalized, it was time to bring Leslie’s dream garden to life.  I shaped the planting beds and the path together. There is a minimum of 36″ walkway around the birdbath and a wider area for placing two chairs in the back corner for sitting.  I centered a birdbath on the office door and surrounded it with flowering plants that offer four seasons of interest. There is a tendency to make the paths too small when working with a tiny backyard.  36 inches is big enough to accommodate a wheelbarrow.

Continue reading about Leslie’s dream garden in our upcoming Part 2 blog.

What is Your Dream Garden?

A carefully crafted garden springs from a practical design with well-situated paths and functional spaces, paired with a planting plan that delights the eye (and suits your garden care skills). This is my passion—creating custom landscape designs for small city properties.

Contact me to bring your dream garden to life.

 

Transforming Outdoor Living Space Dreams Into Reality: Part Two

New Backyard Combines Function & Beauty in NE Portland

Weigela shrubs were incorporated into this NE Portland dream outdoor living space design.

The weigela shrubs were mature and covered the fence on the south side beautifully and these plants will stay in the new garden. Here is a close up of the flower cluster on a May day.

The custom design process of my NE Portland clients’ backyard checked off a lot of their wish list. I was also able to incorporate existing plantings into the new design. Let’s look at a few details of the transformation process and see how their outdoor living dream became a reality.

  1. Studio Space: My thinking through the use of the property and how my clients would walk to the studio was one big factor on final placement.  Setting the 12′ x 16′ studio on an angle softened the view of the structure and allowed for better use of the small yard.  We also needed a larger than typical patio without sacrificing planting areas and again the angle worked to our benefit giving us more room for the patio.  It also gave us a small very private corner garden room, with (lots of ferns) and the existing Mountain Ash tree remains in this corner.  I could imagine curious grandkids playing back there away from the grown-ups.

    Perennial Hellebore was used in the dream outdoor living space backyard design in NE Portland.

    Hellebore is a perennial that flowers in early spring. This one was still in flower late May.

  2. Curved Pathways and Dog-Friendly Zones: We designed gentle, curved pathways that connect all sitting areas and create a sense of exploration.  There are shady areas for their dog to explore or snooze in.
  3. They chose a prefabricated shed from Better Built Barns out of Salem, customizing it to become their creative studio. Choosing the pre fabricated shed saved quite a bit of money over a custom.
  4. Outdoor Cooking Area: Its amazing how tricky placing the BBQ can be.  We tried many different locations but ultimately convenience of use won out with the location near the door to the backyard.  There were many location options for the pizza oven.
  5. Privacy and Views: To address privacy concerns and improve views, we carefully planned the placement of a small berm to place a tree. The added height of the berm creates privacy from south side neighbors more quickly.
  6. Removing Laurel Hedge: Our clients gave up the old laurel hedge because it was taking so much square footage.  This change opened up a significant amount of space to add more lush plantings.  The lush plantings help balance the large faux flagstone patio paver area and second seating area.
  7. Water Management: Donna Burdick of D & J Landscape Contractors created a simple irrigation system designed for low water as part of the overall landscape installation.
  8. Faux Flagstone Patio:  We needed a larger than typical primary dining patio and to keep it looking natural my clients chose flagstone.  Donna Burdick and I looked at the possibility of using Mega-Arbel which is actually a concrete paver which loosely quotes the visual look of flagstone, (from Belgard which we have used in the past).  The color range and the ease of installation sold us all and this is the paver we used-Belgard Mega-Arbel flagstone pavers.

The Transformation Process

I introduced my clients to one of my top landscape contractors, Donna Burdick of D & J Landscape Contractors.  My clients connected with Donna and we embarked on a journey to bring our vision to life.

Construction of hardscape is pictured for the NE Portland backyard. Including a fall crape myrtle.

Photo credit: Donna Burdick, D & J Landscape Contractors. Crape myrtle showing off fall colors, crushed rock paths laid and the flagstone pavers were installed for the patio next to the house. Nothing else would happen until the studio was built.

The project kicked off with the installation of the landscape layout (paths and base for the paver patio) and the foundation slab for the studio where a few last minute nudges were made to the studio location. Once the slab-on-grade foundation was poured, the studio was installed, painted, and finalized. Donna Burdick’s team then returned to bring the planting plan to life and finish all the details.

Outdoor Living Space

California Lilac flowering in May – love that blue.

A New Lifestyle Unveiled

On a sunny April day, I came by to visit. The transformation was nothing short of spectacular. Amy was entertaining a guest in the studio, and told me how the studio was used daily and was an integral part of their daily life. The backyard was now a happy blend of function and beauty, perfectly suited to their needs.

Get Inspired

If you’re dreaming of a great backyard, one that fits all your wishes check us out. At Landscape Design In A Day, we’re passionate about turning dreams into tangible functional realities. Whether you need a dream backyard makeover, or a full property transformation, we’re here to help you get it just right.

Your dreams can also become a reality, whether large or small, when sitting down to work with me and create a beautiful outdoor living space.

Transforming Outdoor Living Space Dreams Into Reality: Part One

 

A NE Portland Backyard Makeover Design

NE Portland clients landscape dreams included a studio, lots of entertaining spaces and lush plantings.

NE Portland clients landscape dreams included a studio, lots of entertaining spaces and lush plantings.

Studio garden for entertaining in spring NE Portland in its first year. In the background a new Italian oak tree was planted for shade and privacy.  Quercus frainetto – Forest Green Oak

Transforming Dreams into Reality: A Backyard Makeover Story

My clients had a long wish list for their charming NE Portland home. For 18 years they have thought about what changes would make their backyard into a dream outdoor living space.

With plans to stay for at least another 30, they love their neighborhood and home, they decided it was time to transform their underutilized backyard into a personal paradise.

NE Portland backyard with tall grass and plantings before the outdoor living space design.

The long grass of their NE Portland backyard before the custom design for their dream outdoor living space.

The Big Wish List

They discovered Landscape Design In A Day through a web search and came to me with a comprehensive wish list. They envisioned a backyard that catered to their lifestyle and passions, with the following features:

  • A large patio or deck for entertaining.
  • A secondary seating area in the garden for relaxed conversations.
  • A hot tub and sauna (though these were cut I asked for the full wish list)
  • A studio for creative pursuits.
  • Curved pathways and room for their dog to run.
  • Shady spots for their dog to lounge.
  • Bird-friendly features to attract local wildlife.
  • Outdoor cooking amenities, like a grill and possibly an outdoor pizza oven.
  • Privacy and good views, blocking out undesirable sights.
  • Sun for edibles and herbs, alongside shade for comfort.
  • Lush planting areas with color
  • Low water usage and a better watering system with a timer, without investing in a full irrigation system.

Designing Their Dream Yard

NE Portland backyard with large flagstone patio; gravel base installed and in foreground a water feature with a drilled rock. Photo by Donna Burdick.

Backyard in NE Portland with large flagstone patio, paths and studio, gravel base installed and in foreground a water feature with a drilled rock takes its first test run. Photo by Donna Burdick  of D and J Landscape Contractors

We worked together to prioritize their wish list and right away with my first sketch we all agreed the hot tub and sauna would not fit.  There was enough room to have the studio, the entertaining area and a lush garden.  We kept the large laurel hedge (initially) because it provided so much privacy.   The need for more lush garden planting areas won out over the laurel. They also had many lush plantings that they were fond of.  Some would be re-used beautifully.  With such a small yard a lot of our time and focus went to the layout of the garden rooms.  I wanted a gracious landscape that would feel inviting and not cramped.

It took us several drawings with different locations for the studio to see that the studio at an angle was the right choice. To me it made more usable space and at first to my clients it seemed to take away square footage of the yard.  True enough there would be more square footage if the studio fit squarely into the back corner of the yard.  I was happy when I finally did the right drawing so they too could see how the angle was beneficial.

Primary and Secondary Seating Areas: We created a spacious primary patio perfect for entertaining and a secondary seating area for more intimate gatherings.

Continue reading about this dream outdoor living space in our upcoming Part Two blog that will include more details about the landscape design and plantings.

Contact me today and lets talk about starting your own landscape dream.