Tackling a Tricky Back Yard in a North Portland-Corner Lot Can Be Extra Tough
Every once in a while I meet a client who reminds me why I love designing landscapes. This client lives on a corner lot in North Portland (zip 97217), and while her house is full of charm, the back yard? Let’s just say it had seen better days.
She wanted what so many of my clients want: a back yard that feels like an oasis. A place to dine outdoors, lounge with a book, and enjoy relaxing outside without it demanding hours of upkeep. Like many busy homeowners, she travels often, and yard work isn’t exactly her family’s favorite weekend hobby. The catch? Her existing yard had been through years of benign neglect. The weeds had the upper hand, the layout didn’t work, and the old fiercely sturdy aluminum patio cover—though practical—made the yard feel even more long and narrow than it already was. And because it is a corner lot, there is a lot of yard.
Here’s part 1 of 2 for the BEFORE on this project, and it will help you understand the process and this yard’s particular landscape design challenges.
Design First, Cleanup Later
It’s tempting to dive straight into cleanup when a property looks overwhelmed, but in this case that would’ve been wasted effort. Without a new design and a plan for watering, any new plants would not have fared well and the weeds would have been back with vengeance. My client was a little embarrassed about the state of things but she was right. Cleaning it up over and over again would have been a supreme waste of her time. So we started where I always recommend: with a thoughtful design.
Together, we explored how she wanted to use her back yard. Once we knew the dream, we could make a phased plan that gave her the oasis she was after, starting with Phase 1 — the back yard.
The Aluminum Cover Debate
The biggest design question revolved around the existing aluminum cover. Functionally, it checked all the boxes: it offered shade, privacy from the neighbor’s new two-story home just five feet from the fence, and even shelter for winter projects. But style? Well, let’s just say the fleur-de-lis posts were more “grandma’s garden” than my client’s modern taste. And the finish from 30 or maybe even 50 years ago was unattractive. And I have to say, after over 50 years, this cover probably has another 30 years — it is fiercely sturdy and well constructed.
Here’s the tricky part: while unattractive, the cover did serve a purpose. Removing it would open up the yard visually, energetically, and allow us to reimagine the space, but it also meant we’d need creative solutions for shade and privacy. The yard wasn’t wide enough to create privacy plantings and have a space for her teak table. After weighing the options, we decided on a mix of an elegant pergola, an investment umbrella for flexible shade, and interesting art screens to emphasize the dining room from the rest of the back yard.
And emotionally? Ridding the yard of this oversized and dingy cover will open up more than the space. When we get rid of something that doesn’t work, it opens up possibility, and that is something we can feel. Losing the cover will make the new landscape design feel doable.
The Takeaway
Back yards like this are among the most challenging: narrow, overlooked, and overshadowed by the practical (but unattractive) structures left behind by previous owners. But with a clear design, a phased approach, and some creative thinking, even the toughest yard spaces can transform into something welcoming, restful, and uniquely suited to the homeowner. Getting started is less daunting and doable with a landscape design from an experienced designer. The only regret I want my clients to have is that they could not have started this journey sooner.
And the best part? My client now has the backyard oasis design she wanted and a designer to help her as she moves into the installation phase.
Check back soon for part two of this story!
Get Started on Your Lanscape Design
To get started planning your own Portland backyard oasis, contact me, Carol Lindsay, at Landscape Design in a Day!
