Archive for flagstone patio

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.

Laurelhurst Neighborhood Home Gets a New Backyard

Updated Hardscape With Existing Native Oregon Plants

Laurelhurst home landscape design creates functional space and room for plants.

Beautiful new backyard for this Laurelhurst Home

Clients Wish List

This client is a gardener extraordinaire. She had several beloved existing plants to work into the design, and a list of favorite plants.  The planting plan would be a collaborative design effort that would ensure her garden was colorful and encouraged hummingbirds and pollinators to visit.  The planting plan would be focused on summer and fall with full season interest plants situated for views from important windows.  Everything else would be for enjoying while outdoors.  She wanted her new garden to be a place that she could live in all summer and fall.

Her current backyard was not a friendly place to be in although it had beautiful plantings.  The existing sitting area was a narrow and awkward small deck.  Happily, it was old and rotting, so designing a comfortable sitting area right off the kitchen door didn’t mean removing a deck that still had years of life in it. She also wanted a bit more privacy on that upper deck.

She wanted a patio that could be multi-purpose –  seating or BBQ station or lounging with rooms for colorful plants in pots like Cuphea (Firecracker Plant).  Cuphea attracts hummingbirds like crazy in the summer and she always has a pot or two to enjoy.

Kebony Fence and gate updated teh hardscape for Laurelhurst neighborhood home.

Gate solution – Kebony instead of wood graces this Victor Vencill fence design in Laurelhurst neighborhood.

Laurelhurst home landscape design creates sitting area and room for gardeners plantsplants.

Designers Perspective

We love designing for city proprieties.  One of the challenges of the site is the short distance between the corner of the garage and the corner of the house. This is a classic spatial problem we often encounter with houses in old Portland neighborhoods like Laurelhurst.  It’s tricky for homeowners to figure out how to get a comfortable access path into the back yard without crowding out a useful back porch space.  We needed a ground level gate,  comfortable access to the garage and a big enough upper deck to accommodate a 4-person table.  The solution was a gate that opened out toward the driveway and also relocated the stairs to the house further away from this congested area.

Privacy

To create privacy for the upper deck from the neighbor’s yard, we designed a planter (flush with the deck).  Clumping bamboo will brighten the deck and provide the privacy needed.

Laurelhurst home gets creative and functional backyard landscape design

Before lower deck ate up space for plantings.

The large lower deck was ripped out and we opted for a smaller flagstone patio. The patio is at the same level as the garden and gives more space for plants, which this homeowner is keen on. The two materials also creates visual appeal by providing different colors and textures for different garden “rooms”.

Stairs Matter

Because the sliding glass door is so much higher than the backyard, 6 steps are needed to get down to ground level.  The key to increasing useful space that is more inviting is to stretch out our 6 steps and turn them.

Updated patio hardscape gets creative in Laurelhurst neighborhood, Portland, Oregon

After Design-Flagstone patio and Kebony deck creates functional space for two sitting areas.

While having stairs go straight isn’t wrong, we made a landing to easily access the stone patio on one side and the path for strolling through the lush and colorful hummingbird garden on the other.  Our client liked this simple and unique solution. If you turn right, you get to a lovely stone patio. If you turn left, you get to stroll through the beautiful hummingbird garden.

 

Laurelhurst back yard remodel before new hardscape with patio and fence.

Before – With the old deck removed, it’s easy to see how much space was wasted with the old layout.

Around the corner into the side yard, we opted for a budget friendly  low fence. We selected  Fi Bar cedar chips from Mt Scott Fuel for our path and for around the plants.  A generous helping of cedar chips makes for good weed suppression.  The plantings here will be seen from the dining room.  We used a few larger native shrubs to bring butterflies and other beneficial creatures.

Landscape design creates clients dream garden in Laurelhurst neighborhood with new fence, path and patio hardscape.

After photo-final day of installation. Notice the borrowed view of the neighbors trees.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Plants

Textural combination of lavender with an ornamental purple leaf clover

Purple Four Leaf Clover with Lavander is a happy choice for client who collects 4 leaf clovers.

The client’s must-have plants included an assortment of salvias,  natives and other pollinator plants.

Salvia Guarantica 'Black and Blue' is just one of the plants kept from the original garden in Laurelhurst neighborhood backyard garden.

One of the Homeowner’s Salvia plants – She loves to share clumps with friends and neighbors.

Her favorite salvias include S. guaranitica, S. microphylla, and S. patens.

Big native shrubs included Red-Flowering Current (Ribes sanguineum) and Dwarf Vine Maple (Acer circinatum ‘Pacific Fire’).

Besides the salvias, we added the Yuletide Camellia (Camellia sasanqua ‘Yuletide’), which is like hummingbird candy in winter. It is positioned perfectly so that the clients can see it through their sliding glass door in the winter where it will flower for months.

Installation

Large curve in path will allow room for Adirondack chairs in Laurelhurst neighborhood backyard.

Designer/Contractor Team Alana Chau, Associate Designer LDIAD with Sam from D & J Landscape Contractors.

We referred the installation of the garden to D&J Landscape Contractors .

Materials

The client introduced us to a product called Kebony – a wood that is grown sustainably and treated with a natural preservative. It is made from pine instead of the more commonly used cedar.

Kebony has been used in Europe for many years and is now available in the US. It starts as a warm brown that will take on silver tones as it ages.  The installation of the product might cost about 25% more but according to their website, it requires no maintenance and has a 30 year warranty!

The railing is stainless steel cabling by Precision Rail of Oregon.

The patios were made using irregular bluestone flagstone and compacted crushed rock.

FiBar cedar chips were used for the side yard path.

Mature Laurelhurst Backyard Plantings 3 Years Later

It’s so exciting to share these after photos of the mature colorful summer plantings.  This backyard planting plan was designed primarily for summer and fall viewing with an emphasis on pollinator plants.

The beauty of summer pollinator plants is stunning.  The bees were so busy on photo day feeding on Echinacea, Sedum, Salvia and Lavender flowers.  Yes our client is a gardener and has enjoyed taking care of her plants but appreciates our lower maintenance plant palette.

View of the colorful summer flowers from the deck in Laurelhurst back yard.

Plants are maturing and creating ample flowers for bees and color to enjoy from the new hardscape patio.

Planting plan come to life with Heuchera, Hebe, Panicle Hydrangea and grasses next to Kebony deck steps and stone patio in Portland Oregon landscape design for back yard.

The Kebony wood has aged to a beautiful silver taupe color. The mature and colorful plants create a relaxing environment.

 Plantings soften the fence on a summer day in Laurelhurst neighborhood landscape design.  Sedum Thunderhead is tall with flower heads that resemble broccoli. The hebe is low textured groundcover and the tall hydrangea with large cone shaped flowers create attractive interest for many months.

Sedum ‘Thunderhead’ is reliably upright all summer next to my favorite  low Hebe ‘Sussex Carpet’ and a Hydrangea paniculata are a great plant combo for my clients garden.

 

Contact us

Would you like to create an inviting backyard to watch the hummingbirds and relax?  We would love to work with you.  Call us at 503-223-2426 or use our contact form.