From Lacklustre Lawn to Neighborhood Cocktail Garden

I love any project that encourages community and this redesign does just that.

Long time neighbors are now good friends but this Edmonds couple lacked an outdoor space large enough for everyone to gather. Realizing their underutilized front garden could be the answer, these savvy homeowners set to work creating an Inspiration Board, exploring ideas to transform their default lawn and token shrubs into something more useful. By the time they contacted me to refine their vision my role was primarily talking them through the pros and cons of hardscape materials with an eye to ongoing maintenance, selecting appropriate plants and adding a few artistic touches.

Design Challenges

BEFORE: the front door wasn't easy to find and the garden had little to encourage anyone to linger

The front garden is shallow but long. Since the front door and several windows open to the front the perception was of an uncomfortably tight space, enclosed by a 6 foot cedar fence

The only way to access the front door was by walking past parked cars to the corner of the house then turning 90' to walk through the porch, all of which felt very awkward.

BEFORE: Looking back towards the driveway.

The lawn wasn't healthy and gave nothing in return for the hours of mowing and weeding. There were a few scattered shrubs but very little else.

BEFORE: mismatched fences, conflicting styles and a few random plants

An existing shed in the back garden was  highly visible and while not an eyesore it wasn't ideal if we were to use this garden for seating. Likewise the picket fence detailing of the dividing fence and gate suggested a cottage aesthetic which didn't connect visually to anything else.

Design Criteria

• No  more lawn!
• An area for neighbors to gather
• Low maintenance
• Filtered screening of the driveway from new patio
• Update the front porch 
• Improve access to the front door
• Warm colors with red as an accent 
• Existing back gate to the neighbors has to be kept

Design Solutions

Hardscape Materials

Concrete pavers are easy to keep clean and the tight joints reduces the chances of weeds growing inbetween them. The new wide entry to the front door is both practical and welcoming while the updated columns and railing read more craftsman than country. 

Since low maintenance was key, the choice of hardscape materials was important. Gravel and small sized paver blocks were considered but ultimately rejected in favor of larger format pavers with tight joints to minimize potential weed infiltration.

Tucked into a corner, the new patio is defined by a plank paver border. The capped retaining wall provides additional seating, buffet space or a staging area for lanterns

To create the illusion of a meandering path the pavers were offset as they connected the driveway, house, new patio and neighbors gate such that direct sight lines were interrupted.

The new patio and front door landing were given a subtle border of plank pavers to delineate their function from the pathway.

A large raised planter was added adjacent to the patio using capped concrete blocks. At 17" high it was perfect for additional seating if needed but when planted it also helped to partially obscure the gate to the neighbors and addressed the slight change in grade at that point.

New Garden Fence and Gate

The new cedar fence and gate afford filtered views into the back garden yet feel like an art installation within a defined garden room. The shed originally behind this fence was relocated.

The old picket fence and gate didn't marry well with the homes architecture or the new direction the homeowners were leaning towards yet this area would be highly visible from the new patio. I redesigned this as a cedar fence to match the others on the property with inset laser-cut panels to add an artistic element. This panel was also worked into the new custom gate, the overall effect being of a picture gallery rather than a utilitarian garden wall.

Plant Selection

With the homeowners preference for well spaced plantings in mind I had to reign in my 'more is more' approach….although I did allow for carpets of hardy white flowering geraniums. Having said that, everything has grown so well in just two years!

With red as the intended accent, I selected flowers and foliage to echo that, with black yellow and white for contrast besides the shades of green.

A columnar Twombley's Red Japanese maple was added to the northwest corner where space was limited, but a wider spreading Katsura Japanese maple was planted in the raised bed since its purpose was to obscure the neighbors gate with filtered screening from the branching structure.

Finishing Touches

The new cocktail garden has become a favorite spot of the homeowners and their neighbors. It feels immersed within the landscape yet it just steps away from the home

A local craftsman updated the porch railings and columns while also opening this up to the front door. The final result is a gracious entry to this lovely home, a clear pathway leading to the front door and plenty of room for neighborhood cocktails on the patio. That's my sort of garden!