Plano, Texas Backyard Patio and Landscape

This Plano, Texas backyard landscape and patio began with the design process by contacting Garrison Gardens earlier this year. The homeowners knew that they wanted a larger patio with a fountain, updated landscape plantings, and a healthy lawn. Sunlight and shade played an important role in this landscape plan.

Most of the remaining lawn was thin fescue or perennial ryegrass, the bermuda grass disappeared long ago. The homeowners wanted a patio that projected out into the backyard but were not sure what type of material to construct the patio. Natural flagstone, stamped or patterned concrete, broom finished concrete, and aggregate were considered, but they ultimately decided on Pavestone pavers.

The overall goal was to create more usable patio space, a pleasant. flowing, low maintenance shade garden, with a St. Augustine lawn. The landscape edging was constructed from the same material used in the patio construction which helped unify the project.

Starting over

The challenges associated with this project began many years ago when this house was built. Because the home was constructed with a west exposure, there was race to create some shade and block the afternoon sun from entering the house. Once the shade was created, the plants that tolerated the intense sun now suffer from a lack of sunlight.

A few elements from the builders landscape package were able to be utilized. The Nellie R. Stevens Hollies that frame the house were saved along with the Live Oaks that shade the lawn. The balance of the plant material was removed to make way for the new planting areas.

Most of the plant material used in this installation was selected for its natural form, color and texture, and ease of maintenance like Spreading Plum Yew, Bloodgood Japanese Maple, Cast Iron Plant, Moon Bay Nandina, and Clara Indian Hawthorn.

Backyard Patio makeover

This landscape project began as an overgrown backyard with an aggregate concrete patio and pathways that were very dated. We discussed with the homeowner where they wanted to take the project. The original discussion focused mainly on improving the plantings and a possible makeover to the concrete.

I began with a plan that included a new layout for the patio and paths. We were able to create larger planting spaces by swing the path left to right as instead of laying it down the middle of the space. Drainage improvements was provided by C-Green and the Pavestone patio was installed by Precision Pavers in Plano.

The plant material is mostly of Asian origin. Shrubs like Gold Dust Aucuba, Cast Iron Plant, Gold Mound Spirea, Pittosporum, and Chinese Fringe Loropetalum were used. Weeping Yaupon Holly, Savannah Holly, and Red Japanese Maple were used for the vertical elements.

The homeowners were very pleased and had this to say: "We love our backyard as you did a great job! Hopefully, we can have you come back within the next couple of years to update our front yard. Every night I just want to sit out back and enjoy all of the new plants! Can't wait to see it with the new lighting you are going to do! Thank you for doing such a great job!"

Sincerely,
Pam

Front yard corner lot

This Plano residence was in need of a front facelift. A few established ornamental tree forms would be saved, but everything else needed to be renovated. The homeowner had some existing Oklahoma tumbled stone that would be used to border the new bedlines.

The new bed lines helped to capture the Red Oak on the right side of the front door. Behind the tree is a slab flagstone shortcut path with a place for a bench. The color bed on the left side of the doorway was brought out to take advantage of the sun and it also provides some visual weight to the short side of the home.

Plano Backyard

Here we have a typical 30 ft. by 40 ft. suburban Plano backyard. This homeowner need additional patio space for seating and as a children's play area. They also wanted to keep an open grass area for a multi-use space, and a perimeter planting that was attractive but easy to maintain.

The open space occupied by the grass was created by using a circular form for the planting beds. The Pavestone patio shape continues the theme using large arcs and circles.

Some of the plant selections for this project include Knock Out roses, Wax Myrtle, Anthony Waterer Spirea, Compact Nandina, Variegated Pittosporum, and Indian Hawthorn. In the shaded side area I used a Crimson Queen Japanese Maple, Gold Dust Aucuba, Cast Iron Plant, Supergreen Liriope, and some perennials like Southern Wood Fern and Hosta.

Another Zero Lot Line Home

This week we have another zero lot line yard with its own unique set of challenges. There is about 5 feet that separate this home from its neighbor. This will limit light as well as the type and sizes of plant material that can be used.

In the back yard, the homeowner wanted an all weather path from the patio to the back gate, something interesting to look at from her breakfast area window, and she wanted the a/c compressor moved away from the grill. The front yard faced North, so there will be some light issues to address, and the Asian Jasmine ground cover had to go. Again, we were looking for some visual interest in the walk-up to the front door.

To enhance the front we planted some 'Autumn Rouge' Encore Azaleas, Moon Bay Nandina, Dwarf Japanese Maple, and Spreading Plum Yew. With the back yard, PaveStone was used to construct the patio and walkway and we selected a Windmill Palm in front of the breakfast area window with Spreading Plum Yew underneath. Along the path, Supergreen Liriope, Nana Nandina, and Cross Vine help to soften the neighbors wall. A Savanna Holly tree form in the back will soften the view of the alley.

Landscape Renovation

This landscape renovation project began after a major deck remodel. The construction process severely damaged the existing landscape and irrigation system, and without water, last years drought finished what was left. We set out to keep the groundcover and original bed shape. The beds were extended on the east side, but the remaining landscape beds were left in their original form.

The idea was to keep the existing Asian Jasmine and plant widely spaced shrub groups along the deck. The central bed was larger and more open, so we created patterned shrub groups to fill the space. Once spring arrives, the thin patches in the ground cover will fill in.

We selected low maintenance shrubs for partial sun like Variegated Pittosporum, Holly Fern, Japanese Cleyera, Dwarf Yaupon Holly and Red Japanese Maple.

The wind was blowing, but we are still working!

Yesterday began as a mild 66 degree morning, but quickly turned into a blustery day. North winds reached gust over 50 miles per hour, but the crew kept on working. The schedule is quickly filling up and we need to stay on schedule.

This customer was so happy with the side yard we completed earlier in the month, they wanted their front yard revamped. They also were able to take advantage of a special January Coupon on both projects that saved the homeowner a total of $1000.00.

A Zero Lot Line

A zero lot line yard has its own set of challenges. Proper drainage is the first thing to consider, because we do not want to push storm water into the customers or neighbors home.

The next item to consider is how a person is to move through the space. A path of some sort needs to be devised. Creating a path that moves right to left or left to right creates deeper individual planting spaces and gives the illusion of a wider and shorter space. The existing trees in this yard were fortunately in a position that allowed some movement of the path.

The remaining spaces are then planted with triangulated groups of dwarf, slow growing shrubs suitable for the growing conditions. Contrasting color and texture is key to the plant selection. I try to keep things simple and not shoehorn shrubs in these small areas, only to have them outgrow the space in a short period of time.

We installed this project this week even though it was a little cool. The greater number of day before summer the better. Generally, the winter poses very few threats to a newly planted landscape, but a landscape is always at risk in the summer if there is a lack of water. So, if you are ready for your landscape project there is no sense in waiting for spring!

The White Garden

This "White" themed garden was one of our landscape projects this week. The construction of this landscape was completed over a year ago, but the owner was unsure about the plant material that was to be installed. The homeowner wanted a white themed garden, and we were able to identify several items that would provide white flowering during Spring, Summer and Fall. Also, because this garden is on rural property, the plant material needed to be drought tolerant and durable.

The roses we selected are an antique China variety named "Ducher". It is an own root 'Earth Kind' rose that will grow to about 3 ft. in height. The ornamental trees are Texas Whitebuds which are a white flowering variant of the Oklahoma redbud. Other shrubs used in the design are Wintergreen Boxwood, 'Desperado' Texas sage, and Sherwood Abelia. In about 6 to 8 weeks we will install the white flowering perennial border.

January small garden

Here is a small early January project. This customer wanted a garden outside their breakfast area for their elderly mother to look at while reading during the day.

I came up with a simple, low maintenance, colorful garden design with a flagstone path that connects the gate from the front yard to the garage. Here you can see the original condition of the area and then the placement of the plant material after the soil preparation but before installation. Irrigation and drainage modifications will be completed prior to the installation of the plant material. I'll have a photo of the completed project on my next post.