YEAR-ROUND COLOR AND OUTDOOR LIVING IN SAN FRANCISCO
When COVID first arrived, this family quickly realized how important outdoor space would become for rest, play, and everyday life at home. We transformed these compact front and back yards into beautiful, low-water, low-maintenance gardens designed for daily use by the entire family.
The front garden was redesigned with sculptural succulents, Mediterranean-climate trees, and decorative Salmon Bay pebbles, creating a warm and welcoming entry landscape with year-round diverse texture and color.
The backyard became the heart of the landscape, centered around a large Connecticut Bluestone patio designed for both dining and lounging. Custom play features for their young daughter include a cedar swing, sandbox, and chalkboard, while a California native sod lawn provides durable play space using substantially less water, less mowing, and minimal organic fertilizer compared to traditional turf.
A custom triangular pergola creates a sense of enclosure and warmth around the lounge area, helping the small garden feel intimate and comfortable, and provides structure for intimate bistro lighting.
Low-voltage landscape lighting integrated throughout both the front and back gardens adds atmosphere in the evenings and is fully controlled through an app-based system.
Fruit trees, raised vegetable beds, and low-maintenance ornamental planting surround the space, creating a productive urban garden filled with texture, seasonal interest, and family life.
