Archive for boulders

Spring Landscape Transformations 2 of 3

· May 12, 2025

Hi everyone! I’m Carol Lindsay, Portland landscape designer since 1992. In those years I have seen just about every front and back yard situation you can imagine.

I’m excited to share several landscape transformations right here in NE Portland. March brought us a rare run of sunny days, and it was the perfect time to visit clients and check in on a few newly installed front and back yards. If you’re curious about how outdoor spaces transform—and maybe dreaming about your own back or front yard makeover—read on for three stories of small changes with big impact.

Lawnless front yard south of Laurelhurst in Portland with simple and well integrated hardscape design. Plants are still being installed in april of 2025.

2. Famous Trees Meet Fresh Style: The Lawnless Revolution

Before front yard landscape design with old steps and picnic table by front door w black cat on porch — *Before photo has no path from the driveway to the front door and has a lackluster front walk near Laurelhurst neighborhood in Portland.*

Another recent project had me working with some seriously committed garden lovers. These clients have a wide front yard parking strip that’s kind of a local legend thanks to its giant street trees and fascinating plant collections! When they decided to go with a lawnless landscape design—something that’s getting more popular in N.E. Portland—they called me to help make the transition stylish and sustainable.

Driveway to Front Door Walk

One challenge: they needed a new path from the driveway to the front door, but we didn’t want it to compete with the main entry path. Enter some beautiful, custom hardscape work (shoutout to Brian Woodruff of Mortar and Petal for the install!) with gorgeous boulders anchoring the path. Even with the new plants still tiny and filling in, the bones of this landscape design already feel right.

I always tell clients: you have to wait for plants to grow to get the effect of the newly installed design, but a hardscape (paths) with good flow, structure and a little drama (natural stone boulders), well, it feels good from day one.

This new landscape design was born out of the desire to prevent the waste of water on lawn. Going lawnless can have order and attractive front entry appeal with a good design. I will share more photos as this garden matures. They just got one of their anchor trees planted.

Front Yard Entry Hardscape Landscape Design uses large square concrete pavers for Path to front door of Portland bungalow south of Laurelhurst neighborhood in NE Portland — *Interesting front entry walk with access path from driveway is great to use even without all the new plants installed.*

Ready for Your Own Refresh?

I love helping people create outdoor spaces that work for their real lives, whether that means welcoming birds and pollinators, making room for pets, or just setting up a comfy spot for coffee in the sun. If you’re in NE Portland and dreaming of a change (simple or dramatic), let’s talk! I’ll be with you every step of the way, from fine-tuning the perfect design to cheering on your new plants as they grow.

Want more inspiration or a free phone chat about your yard? Drop me a message, or use my contact form and let’s make your outdoor space your new favorite place.

Happy spring, everyone!

— Carol Lindsay, specializing in city places and spaces…..Landscape Designer since 1992

P.S. If you love “before and after’s,” keep an eye out for updated photos next summer.

Categories : Before and Afters, Customer Testimonials, Deck Design, Dog and Cat Friendly Gardens, Garden Tips, Landscape Styles, Low Maintenance Landscape Examples, No lawn back yard, No Lawn Front Yards

Tags : boulders, curb appeal, flagstone in the garden, flagstone path, low maintenance landscape, No Lawn, outdoor enertaining patio, raised beds, small back yard

Spring Landscape Transformations 1 of 3

Posted by Carol

· May 6, 2025

Hi everyone! I’m Carol Lindsay, Portland landscape designer since 1992. In those years I have seen just about every front and back yard situation you can imagine.

1. Back Yard Bliss: Down to Earth (Literally!)

Deck in tiny NE Portland back yard before re design — *Before Photo Deck in tiny NE Portland (Irvington Neighborhood) back yard lacked privacy and useable space. It takes experience to make this into a back yard paradise.*

First up, I want to talk about back yard transformations. Sometimes, the design solution is crystal clear—this Irvington neighborhood landscaping project was one of those cases. My clients had an old deck that perched high above their small yard, which made the space feel kind of awkward. They spent time on the back deck but wanted something different. They wanted to feel like they were in their yard, not hovering over it. Then bad news struck – the supports for the deck were rotted and the deck had to go.

They contacted me looking for help with a small and tricky back yard transformation.

Creating Good Flow in Small City Back Yards

My extensive experience with small city back yards and understanding how to create good flow allowed me to quickly create a layout that would work well. Re designing how the two sets of stairs came down into this garden was key to the success. We (Rich & Angela, my clients) all worked together on the design and landed on a new ground-level patio that’s just the right size. Suddenly, this once-awkward back yard feels more spacious, balanced and comfortable—and the sitting area feels deliberate, not just squeezed in.

Landscape design for tiny NE Portland Irvington Neighborhood back yard includes steel planters, and stairs up to deck — *New deck, dramatic steel planters and steps bring us down to the ground level in this tiny NE Portland back yard. Cascade Fence and Deck and Mortar and Petal were installers for this design.*

Private Sitting Area and Garden Make a Beautiful View Inside and Out

Now we finally get to enjoy the plants and the dapples from the huge magnolia tree overhead in complete privacy. I loved adding thoughtful details—like a cozy seating nook and a view-focused arrangement—that make a space feel special. The steel planters along the new steps into the garden add drama and another place for plantings. The clients loved it so much, they moved all their furniture inside the house to face the new garden!

They’ve told me it’s completely changed the way they experience their home, inside and out. That’s a designer’s dream come true! Stay tuned for photos showing the planters filled and our small plantings filling in. PS My client treated the steel planters to get the rich red rust color within a few weeks instead of waiting for a few years.

Testimonial

We had a super-nice, and personal experience with Carol as we went through the design process. She listened to our needs and quickly had a strong sense of what we were trying to achieve. The final delivered drawings and planting lists are exactly what we need to move our new garden design forward.

— Rich and Angela NE Portland Irvington Neighborhood

Ready for Your Own Refresh?

Want more inspiration or a free phone chat about your yard? Drop me a message, or use my contact form and let’s make your outdoor space your new favorite place.

Happy spring, everyone!

— Carol Lindsay, specializing in city places and spaces…..Landscape Designer since 1992

P.S. If you love landscape design “before and afters,” keep an eye out for updated photos next summer.

Tags : boulders, curb appeal, flagstone in the garden, flagstone path, low maintenance landscape, No Lawn, outdoor enertaining patio, raised beds, small back yard

Transforming Outdoor Living Space Dreams Into Reality: Part Two

Posted by Landscape Design in a Day

· July 26, 2024

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.

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

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.

Categories : Backyard Office or Studio, Before and Afters, Garden Tips, No lawn back yard, Privacy, Water features

Tags : boulders, Echo Chamber Water Feature, flagstone patio, garden design with stone, Home Office Studio backyard, low water plantings, studio placement

Outdoor Living Oasis for Grant Park Backyard Part 2

Posted by Landscape Design in a Day

· August 16, 2023

Dream Cottage Garden Plantings for NE Portland Outdoor Living Space

Redbud Forest Pansy included in Grant Park Portland outdoor living space.

Redbud Forest Pansy Foliage photo by Doreen Wynja for Monrovia

Shade Trees for Small City Properties

An aside about shade trees…..Most clients these days want to invest in a shade tree given how much hotter summers in Portland are with global warming. It’s tricky to get a tree that will take the heat we are expecting that will not get too big and the tree I wanted for this garden was just too mundane for these clients who love fall color. They went with an Acer rubrum (maple) variety that will be a very large shade tree once it matures. And they consulted with their neighbor to ensure a large shade tree that would provide shade to her landscape was wanted, which it was.

A Small Tree for Full Season Interest

We also selected a ‘Forest Pansy’ Redbud, considered a small tree, to see from inside the kitchen. The tiny explosion of sizzling pink flowers on bare stems in late winter, the rich burgundy heart shaped leaf in the summer and the fall color made the Redbud an obvious choice. Plus we put it in a raised bed which greatly increases the chances of a healthy tree as Redbud can sometimes get a disease called verticillium wilt. A raised bed ensures good drainage which is something this tree must have to live a long and healthy life.

Columbine, a cottage garden plant added to outdoor living space in Grant Park.

The perfect cottage garden plant, Columbine.

Full Season Interest Plants

Annely wanted to see the seasons evolve in her new garden from the kitchen so we knew we needed a special touch of seasonal interest plants. She wanted plants to express a colorful cottage garden styling, and pictured in her head plants full of vibrant colors and unique texture combinations. While the original backyard could not accommodate Annely’s vision, the new design allow us to create the desired outcome. My then apprentice Alana Chau and installer Donna Burdick, (of D & J Landscape Contractors) were also part of the team.

Once those large structure plants were selected, the next step for us was selecting some of the shrubs. Annely was familiar with her own plant collection, and it is she who decided upon and placed all the perennials you see in these spring photos. Annely’s plants are so lovely and add so much soul to this garden. This garden is a perfect example of designing layout and hardscape for functional outdoor living spaces while claiming perfect areas for plantings. This kind of design outcome requires creating the layout while simultaneously holding the spaces and places for magical plantings.

Total backyard remake into dream outdoor living space in Grant Park.

Carol Lindsay founder of Landscape Design in a Day enjoys the perfect sit spot in the new garden oasis. Photo by Hilary Hutler

Hardscape Artistry Lies in the Hands of the Landscape Contractor

The stone work is so beautifully done and well thought out. Donna Burdick had me come and finalize the shaping of the raised bed and stone wall on site and making a few decisions about where the design had to be tweaked. This way the integrity of the design remains intact in face of many changes we were not expecting including a change about the location of the property line.

Donna and her employees put heart into the placement of the stone and walls. I could not be happier with the way she worked this space as she thoughtfully prepped and installed the hardscape, planting soil and more.

The clients added art and so you see colorful surprises throughout the design – thoughtful touches that I think add little moments of joy and surprise as the seasons changed. The final landscape design exceeded our wildest expectations! Our clients now have a spacious outdoor living area, the planting areas are maximized, the stone work and hardscape fully supports the beauty of the plants without overwhelming the garden.

Garden art added to dream outdoor living space for Grant Park backyard.

I love the simple steel heart hanging from the shared shared tree.

This small back yard space in NE Portland has been transformed into a tranquil oasis that can be shared with friends — a true example of what you can create with clients who dare to dream, imagination and the right professionals.

Looking for a true paradise in your back yard? Contact me today and we will collaborate to find the perfect landscape design for your yard. Together we can transform your outdoor space into your own garden oasis!

Categories : Before and Afters, Dramatic Flowers, Garden Tips, No lawn back yard, outdoor living, Plants I Recommend

Tags : boulders, dramatic flowers, fall color, flaggstone in the garden, garden design with stone, Hardscape Design, No Lawn, outdoor entertaining patio, small back yard

Outdoor Living Oasis for Grant Park Backyard Part 1

Posted by Carol

· August 2, 2023

Total backyard makeover in Grant Park, Portland Oregon.

Grant Park neighborhood backyard plant paradise with super comfy sitting area occupied by Carol Lindsay, Landscape Design in a Day

Design a Magical & Spacious Backyard Makeover for Outdoor Living in NE Portland’s Grant Park Neighborhood

Recently I had the pleasure of designing with Annely and Wayne, a lovely couple living in Portland’s northeast side. They wanted to turn a small and rather typical back yard into a magical outdoor living oasis. Using my collaborative Landscape Design in a Day process, we created a garden design that would bring their dream of an outdoor haven to life.

Clients Wish List for Landscape Design for Small City Back Yard

Outdoor living space backyard design includes client plants.

Our client had lots of plants waiting for their new home.

Space was pretty limited especially since their garage ate into back yard space but Annely and Wayne were not daunted and had ambitious goals for their back yard.

Annely dreamed of a covered outdoor entertainment area with comfortable seating for 6, and a lush garden of plants. She is a passionate hobby gardener, and had a large collection of plants at the ready. She had been waiting for several years to have the garden of her dreams and she had plants sitting about in pots to prove it. We also needed room for outdoor dining, cooking (to include BBQ, outdoor sink and prep area) and we needed easy access from the deep shared driveway to the back door. The groceries and daily family access to the house happened through the backyard too.

BEFORE outdoor living space design the backyard had to be cleared in Grant Park.

The newly cleared lot gives us our blank slate.

BEFORE the backyard makeover for Grant park clients in Portland

Carol and clients analyzing site conditions before design process. Photo by Alana Chau

Room for Outdoor Living with Friends

Our first step was to maximize the tiny space. We discussed possible ways to extend the small lot space, including opening up the side of the small garage to create the covered dining area, (like a casita) so the rest of the yard could be free for plantings. However, the garage storage space was too precious and a casita didn’t match their vision.

After creating multiple backyard layout drawings and more consultation and collaboration with our clients, we decided on the multi–level raised garden bed, foregoing the covered patio, and we placed a shared with the neighbor shade tree near the property line. By pushing the shade tree back, the neighbor would also get shade and we had more space for new colorful plantings.

Continue the story of our Grant Park total backyard makeover in our upcoming Part 2 blog post.

The start of Grant Park clients' outdoor living space makeover.

The patio is cut and its’ walls retained by D and J Landscape Contractors

Are you inspired to transform your own back yard into a true paradise? Contact me today and let us create the perfect landscape design for your city garden oasis. Together we can transform your outdoor space into something remarkable!

Categories : Before and Afters, Dramatic Flowers, Garden Tips, No lawn back yard, outdoor living, Plants I Recommend

Tags : boulders, dramatic flowers, fall color, flagstone in the garden, garden design with stone, Hardscape Design, No Lawn, outdoor enertaining patio, small back yard

Archive for boulders

Spring Landscape Transformations 2 of 3

2. Famous Trees Meet Fresh Style: The Lawnless Revolution

Driveway to Front Door Walk

Ready for Your Own Refresh?

Spring Landscape Transformations 1 of 3

1. Back Yard Bliss: Down to Earth (Literally!)

Creating Good Flow in Small City Back Yards

Private Sitting Area and Garden Make a Beautiful View Inside and Out

Testimonial

Ready for Your Own Refresh?

Transforming Outdoor Living Space Dreams Into Reality: Part Two

New Backyard Combines Function & Beauty in NE Portland

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