Small Xeriscape Garden Ideas and Designs
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Exterior Worlds Landscaping & DesignThis shade arbor, located in The Woodlands, TX north of Houston, spans the entire length of the back yard. It combines a number of elements with custom structures that were constructed to emulate specific aspects of a Zen garden. The homeowner wanted a low-maintenance garden whose beauty could withstand the tough seasonal weather that strikes the area at various times of the year. He also desired a mood-altering aesthetic that would relax the senses and calm the mind. Most importantly, he wanted this meditative environment completely shielded from the outside world so he could find serenity in total privacy.
The most unique design element in this entire project is the roof of the shade arbor itself. It features a “negative space” leaf pattern that was designed in a software suite and cut out of the metal with a water jet cutter. Each form in the pattern is loosely suggestive of either a leaf, or a cluster of leaves.
These small, negative spaces cut from the metal are the source of the structure’ powerful visual and emotional impact. During the day, sunlight shines down and highlights columns, furniture, plantings, and gravel with a blend of dappling and shade that make you feel like you are sitting under the branches of a tree.
At night, the effects are even more brilliant. Skillfully concealed lights mounted on the trusses reflect off the steel in places, while in other places they penetrate the negative spaces, cascading brilliant patterns of ambient light down on vegetation, hardscape, and water alike.
The shade arbor shelters two gravel patios that are almost identical in space. The patio closest to the living room features a mini outdoor dining room, replete with tables and chairs. The patio is ornamented with a blend of ornamental grass, a small human figurine sculpture, and mid-level impact ground cover.
Gravel was chosen as the preferred hardscape material because of its Zen-like connotations. It is also remarkably soft to walk on, helping to set the mood for a relaxed afternoon in the dappled shade of gently filtered sunlight.
The second patio, spaced 15 feet away from the first, resides adjacent to the home at the opposite end of the shade arbor. Like its twin, it is also ornamented with ground cover borders, ornamental grasses, and a large urn identical to the first. Seating here is even more private and contemplative. Instead of a table and chairs, there is a large decorative concrete bench cut in the shape of a giant four-leaf clover.
Spanning the distance between these two patios, a bluestone walkway connects the two spaces. Along the way, its borders are punctuated in places by low-level ornamental grasses, a large flowering bush, another sculpture in the form of human faces, and foxtail ferns that spring up from a spread of river rock that punctuates the ends of the walkway.
The meditative quality of the shade arbor is reinforced by two special features. The first of these is a disappearing fountain that flows from the top of a large vertical stone embedded like a monolith in the other edges of the river rock. The drains and pumps to this fountain are carefully concealed underneath the covering of smooth stones, and the sound of the water is only barely perceptible, as if it is trying to force you to let go of your thoughts to hear it.
A large piece of core-10 steel, which is deliberately intended to rust quickly, rises up like an arced wall from behind the fountain stone. The dark color of the metal helps the casual viewer catch just a glimpse of light reflecting off the slow trickle of water that runs down the side of the stone into the river rock bed.
To complete the quiet moment that the shade arbor is intended to invoke, a thick wall of cypress trees rises up on all sides of the yard, completely shutting out the disturbances of the world with a comforting wall of living greenery that comforts the thoughts and emotions.
Painted Fern Garden DesignThe existing garden had an ideal seating area in the back left corner to catch the evening sun. Unfortunately, it wasn’t particularly welcoming as it was overgrown with ivy and under an overhanging conifer. This coupled with an area of slippery, rotten decking was not a space the clients wanted to spend lots of time in.
They were looking to create a naturalistic garden to sit in, whilst sharing the space with any wildlife we could encourage in. In order to future-proof the garden, changes in level needed to be kept to a minimum. Having a pet cat, careful consideration needed to be given to the choice of plants, to be both beneficial to wildlife, and wherever possible, non-toxic to cats.
At the heart of the new garden sits a pond, with water one of the best ways of encouraging wildlife in. The turf was planted with pockets of early flowering Camassia and Fritillaria bulbs and allowed to grow long until the foliage had died right back, and over time hopefully encouraging in further species to create meadow strips.
The plant selection included Buddleja, Geranium, Nepeta, Rosemary, Sedum and Thyme, which offered something for butterflies, honeybees, hoverflies, bee-flies and long-tongued bees. A small tree, Malus ‘Admiration’ was selected for its ability to attract bees, beneficial insects and butterflies with its nectar and pollen rich flowers whilst providing a food source for birds and caterpillars. A Salix gracilistyla ‘Mount Aso’ was positioned next to the pond, and along with Hellebores, these provided a welcome early source of food for queen bumblebees and solitary mining bees.
Two seating areas were built. One was integrated into a dry-stone wall built using Purbeck stone, which in time, would create a home for various inhabitants. The second was a bug hotel. Attention was also given to hedgehogs by creating a series of hedgehog holes between the neighbouring four gardens and a hedgehog home.
A combination of autumn brown sandstone for the two patio areas was teamed with matching square setts to create a sweeping curved path linking the different spaces within the garden. The timber used for both benches and the pergola was Western Red Cedar which was allowed to silver over time. A hand thrown Cretan urn was displayed in a feature area viewed from both the house and the seating areas.
Conscious Environments Inc.A modern horizontal steel (wrought iron) gate closes off the backyard. The double gate design allows for wide access.
FormLA LandscapingCalifornia native chaparral foliage fills the petite front garden. The Western Redbud, ideal for small gardens, bring shade to the front porch and seasonal color to the garden.
Wildflower Landscape Design at K&D LandscapingWe transformed this unusable sloping side yard into a casual and modern outdoor living space. Complete with modern privacy fencing, fire bowl and an outdoor shower.
Stephanie D PooleThe meandering flagstone pathway is planted with dymondia margaretae and blue chalksticks (Senecio serpens). The blues are often punctuated with dark browns of aeonium arboreum and phormium jack spratt.
Ketti Kupper Conscious Life DesignDecomposed Granite path between Giant Sequoias leads to repurposed, reshaped and stained rear concrete slab. Micro-climate appropriate plants complete the picture. Photo by Ketti Kupper.
Ravenscourt Landscaping and Design LLCOn the side yard that people rarely use we put a herb and veg garden using 2' x 6' watering troughs set up on cinder blocks.
Mix Design GroupAFTER: New xeriscape, stucco repair, change of house color and exterior lights. A mature olive was crane transplanted into this front yard garden
Dig Your Garden Landscape DesignA cleaned up pathway with concrete pavers and Mexican pebbles transform this landscape update. To gain more usable space in this narrow landscape and update the hardscaping and overgrown garden, my design reconfigured the pathway with poured-in-place concrete pavers accented by Mexican pebbles and a stunning variety of succulents and other site-appropriate plantings that thrive in shade and part sun. We removed the tree to create a patio area large enough to fit a table and chairs for a small group. Non-invasive/clumping Bamboo was added to help screen the patio and provide privacy. Other shade to part-shade plants were included that provide a variety of textures and colors throughout the seasons. Low-voltage lighting was installed for safety and ambiance. Design and Photos: © Eileen Kelly, Dig Your Garden Landscape Design
Hinkle Landscaping and Design Co.Perovskia atriplicifolia varieties offer reliable charm to the summer garden. Drought-tolerant, fragrant, blue and wildlife friendly, it is a long-lived perennial worthy of a spot in our designs.
Bosler Earth DesignCalifornian natives, Australian, Mediterranean and succulents
Daniel Bosler Photography
Landscape ConnectionSustainable Urban Denver Colorado front yard transformation 1 year after landscape re-design.
Small Xeriscape Garden Ideas and Designs
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