Cowan Family’s Backyard Oasis In our initial consultation, we learned that you have an interest in the following potential elements for your space: • Improvement to overall aesthetic • Storage areas • Outdoor dining/entertaining • Easily maintainable • Place for relaxation • Lushness and tranquility • A more open and usable space • Ground plane with soft lines and organic feel The following pages 1) present some conceptual images representing design concepts for your backyard oasis; 2) explores the pros and cons of potential materials choices; 3) present a planting plan and planting maintenance notes; 4) identify sources for products included in the design. The Vision: This concept may be developed fully or you can choose certain elements. Scale: 1”=40’
herb and vegetable gardens in containers
planting bed
folding table for dinner parties low fence
planting bed in front of fence storage benches with pillows and cushions of your choice
space for grill
low table for casual dining and a play surface for kids
2’ landing one step down
back door
tall planters with easyto-maintain plants flank either side of the doorway and stairs
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A wood deck provides an easily maintainable and level surface for play and relaxing and will help create an easy and elegant separation from the planted area in back. Big pots line the western edge of the deck and create a green wall along the fence. Perennial herbs or vegetables can easily be grown in these pots. A custom made or off the shelf corner bench provides seating for relaxing. The top will be able to flip open to provide a place to store toys and other outdoor items. Outdoor pillows and/or cushions will allow you to personalize the space.
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A low table doubles as a place to kick your feet up and a play surface for the kids.
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A 2 foot landing and a second stair down to the deck’s level will provide a smooth and safe transition between indoors and outdoors.
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Tall planter beds on either side of the door help to frame the door and the stairs and create a lush backdrop for the space. A mixture of sedums will provide year round and low maintenance greenery.
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A galvanized rain barrel placed at the bottom of the drain pipe provides a sustainable method of watering plants.
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A wood deck provides an easily maintainable and level surface for play and relaxing and will help create an easy and elegant separation from the planted area in back.
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A low cedar fence can create an open separation from the next door neighbor’s yard.
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Drought hardy grasses can be placed in front of the low fence for the length of the deck to enhance the greenery in the space.
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A rock garden with kid friendly plants creates one nook in the garden where the kids can explore.
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A mix of native shrubs, hardy perennials and low spreading groundcovers will be easy to maintain and create a pleasing backdrop to the deck area.
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Big pots line the western edge of the deck and create a green wall along the fence. Perennial herbs or vegetables can easily be grown in these pots.
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A folding table can be placed along the western fence for dinner parties and barbecues.
Elements For Your Space Below are some images that illustrate the stylistic vision and materials that could work well for your space. Pros and cons of potential ground surfaces: An Ipe surface would be the finest decking surface and would be easiest to maintain. Trex decking is another option for the deck. We find Trex to be a great product for low traffic spaces, but it tends to dent and scratch from high impact.
Ipe or other wood deck
Natural stone
Manufactured stone
Natural slate or flagstone pavers will successfully give you an organic feel. The preferred way to install these is in a sand base so that water can effectively drain. When they are installed in a concrete base, you will have trouble with cracking from freezing and thawing. It’s more difficult for natural stone to be set completely flat. Natural stone tends to increase property values better than manufactured stone.
Manufactured pavers offer a lot of choices in terms of patterns and colors and will give you a non-slip surface. They are not quite as natural looking as real stone Installation costs are more expensive than natural stone, but the material itself tends to be cheaper. Manufactured pavers can create a very flat surface for your patio.
For the backyard:
Rectangular planters with tall grasses flanking either side of the back door
Pots of your choice to line the eastern edge of the yard
Corner storage benches can create extra seating next to the back door.
These wood fencing patterns could be adapted to a “picket fence� height and would add visual interest to your backyard.
A folding table provides flexible dining space.
Planting Plan This plan calls for a combination of lush looking native plants that are easy to maintain. An ornamental tree and shrub will form the backdrop along with tall flowering perennials. Coral bells, ferns and phlox, as well as a number of spreading groundcovers will round out the front of the planting bed. The eastern fence will be ornamented with miscanthus and blue fescue, two sun loving grasses. The color palette of these plants is mixture of light green, dark green, purple and/or burgundy. North Creek Nursery, http://www.northcreeknurseries.com, is a reputable mail order supplier of most of these herbaceous species. Octoraro, http://www.octoraro.com, is a native nursery that sells Virginia sweetspire, Itea virginica
Paper bark maple, Acer griseum Maiden grass, Miscanthus sinsensis
Beard tongue, Penstemon digitalis ‘Husker Red’
Beard tongue, Maiden grass, Penstemon digitalis Miscanthus sinsensis ‘Husker Red’
Beard tongue Groundcover
Lambs ear Boulders and rocks Sedum red carpet
Sedum red carpet
Lambs ear, Stachys byzantina
Maiden grass and blue fescue, Miscanthus sinensis and Festuca glauca Scale: 1”=20’
Coral bells, Clematis Heuchera villosa “Mocha’ (growing up the pole) and hardy ferns
Sedum spp. ‘Autumn Joy’
For planter boxes, a mixture of succulents: Sedum spp. ‘Autumn Joy’ Sedum spurium ‘voodoo’ Hens and chicks Sempervirums
Plant Palette Paper bark maple, Acer griseum The paper bark maple is a slow-growing sun-loving maple that is tolerant of a variety of soil conditions. It is distinguished by it’s decorative bark and multistemmed growing habit. Alternatives: Redbud, Cercis canadensis
Virginia sweetspire, Itea virginica These shrubs bear lightly fragrant white flowers in July with brilliant reddish-purple fall color that lasts for weeks - longer than most other plants fall coloration. Sweetspire is easy to grow with no serious insect or disease problems. Alternatives: Oakleaf hydrangea, Hydrangea quercifolia
Maiden grass, Miscanthus sinsensis Maiden grass is a showy ornamental grass that is tolerant of full sun. It grows upright in clumps and blows gracefully in the wind. It provides a wonderful backdrop in a garden. Alternatives: Pink muhly grass, Muhlenbergia capillaris
Beard tongue, Penstemon digitalis ‘Husker Red’ This native plant presents brilliant white flowers against a backdrop of deep red foliage. Tough and easy to grow, it tolerates a wide variety of conditions including hot dry sites.
Sedum, ‘Autumn Joy’ Sedums are the most dependable and adaptable plant available. Flowering from August through November and evergreen in the winter, these succulents tolerate all conditions. Alternatives: Sedum, ‘Autumn Fire’
Plant Palette Coral bells, Heuchera villosa ‘Mocha’ ‘Mocha’ is a stunning coffee-colored Heuchera with rich, deep color that just intensifies in summer. Heuchera is tolerant and adaptable to hot, dry conditions and easily returns year after year. Alternatives: Heuchera, ‘Palace Purple’
Christmas fern, Polystichum acrostichoides A very familiar garden fern, native to eastern North America. Plants form a tidy, low to medium-sized clump of dark-green, leathery fronds, remaining evergreen in most regions. Tolerates summer heat and humidity. Alternatives: Japanese painted fern, Athyrium niponicum ‘Pictum’
Lambs ear, Stachys byzantina Lamb’s Ears are popular in gardens since they are very easy to grow almost anywhere and are extremely drought tolerant. They are a favorite plant of children because of their soft, inviting texture.
Creeping thyme, Thymus praecox A versatile low growing groundcover that is tolerant of all growing conditions. Additional groundcovers to add to the mix: Creeping Jenny
Blue fescue, Sedum spurium Blue fescue is a drought tolerant ornamental grass that looks great planted in clumps along with other grasses.