Professional garden designers deserve to have a nice yard at home but usually don't get around to treating themselves to their own design work!

I waited 13 years to create a dream yard for my family.

So, don't feel too badly if you haven't tackled your landscape project yet.

 

Where's the Garden Police When You Need One?

 

Shirley Bovshow, designer co-host of garden makeover show, Garden Police.

 

As garden designer and co-host of Discovery Home channel's "Garden Police" show, I was especially embarrassed of how my yard looked during the period I was taping the show.

How ironic!

On Garden Police, my design partner, Michael Glassman and I "patrolled" the streets of Los Angeles looking for the ugliest front yard on the block and then "busted" the homeowners for design infringements.

After  the homeowners agreed to invest some "sweat equity" in their yards, Michael and I would design a new yard for them.

 

FYI- Do you recognize the copycat show, "Desperate Landscapes" on DIY?

Our show was first and I just made up a rhyme!

 

 

My yard looked worse to me than the properties we made over for the show!

 

I kept my disaster yard a secret from my co-host and producers.

Whenever a script or prop for the show had to be delivered, I always volunteered to pick it up from the studio.

There was NO way I was going to let anyone related to my show know that this Garden Police had neglected her own yard!

I feared I would be "exposed" and ridiculed!

The reality was, I was investing all my time making other peoples yards look beautiful and I had no time for my own.

 

Need I mention, "The cobbler's children have no shoes?

 

 

Shirley handpicking the tumbled stone for her new dry stack retaining wall.

 

The garden makeover projects we completed for Garden Police were "real landscape" jobs- complete with proper drainage, irrigation and construction.

Garden television makeovers are exhausting to do and as real-life landscape designers, Michael and I insisted that the yards we made over be done to professional standards, not just for "TV."

 

After the cameras stopped rolling, Michael and I would stay late into the evening at the projects to make sure everything was installed correctly.

When we weren't taping consecutive garden makeovers each week, I was working on landscape projects for my Los Angeles area clients.

 

With this over-taxed schedule, can you blame me for ignoring my own yard!!

The only time I had to work in my backyard was on weekends.

 

Typical Tract Lot Yard

 

My typical suburban tract backyard- a rectangular yard with a weed infested lawn and a boring concrete patio that offered no shade!

 

The Fantasy Yard

I longed for a "destination backyard" that reminded me of the places I visited during my honeymoon in Italy.

My list of "design must-haves" included a dynamic multi-level entertainer's yard with outdoor kitchen, dining room, living room, a new "master bedroom" outdoor spa retreat, waterfall and pond, ornamental and edible  gardens,  a firepit, fireplace and some shade structures!

The plan was to implement double duty landscape features to get the most use of our limited space.

• Patio walls function as built in seating at a comfortable 18" high
• Built in fireplace seating functions as a screen for the master bedroom above ground spa.
• Built in fire pit curved bench is also a retaining wall for the new raised gardens.
• A carefully positioned fireplace to screen an ugly view of neighbors yard.
• A landscape full of edible plants that functioned as shade plants, privacy screens and more.

Considering my yard functions as design studio and lab the challenge was integrating all these structures with style.

 

Prior to the landscape redesign, our yard was practically abandoned by the family and rarely used for five years.

With no shade structure for the patio and an unattractive garden, only our dog, Whiggy found the yard useful.

Our trash was his treasure.

 

This is what my yard used to look like.

 

Teaser Photos!

 

This is the outdoor area that I transformed into a "master bedroom spa retreat" instead of expanding my bedroom.

 

My husband enjoys the spa every morning and sometimes at night too.

Finally, the yard is being used daily!

 

Design Tip:

When a spa is located near the master bedroom it is more likely to be used than if you have to wander the length of your yard to get to it!

 

Ready to see the rest of my garden makeover transformation?

Here it is!

 

Watch the  complete slideshow, especially the before and after photos that are in the begining.

You can control the slides manually by advancing or rewinding arrows.

 

 

Susan Harris of Garden Rant blog visited me and took the following video of my yard.

 

Guess what?

I'm not embarrassed of my yard anymore!

Shirley

 

 

 

I nominate "side yards" as some of the most under-exploited areas in the landscape! What a shame, especially when every square foot of real estate is valuable, even in a down economy.  

Small, narrow yards can be perplexing to some homeowners who don't know which plants and trees work in a constricted space.

The good news is that not only can you find appropriate plants for small garden areas, you can also design a narrow yard to include walkways, sitting areas, sculpture (or garden art ), water features and  fruit trees!

Here's the proof.

Check out this "narrow side yard"  makeover  I designed for my client in Los Angeles.

 

With sustainable concepts in mind, we used lots of recycled materials.

 

The widest area in this "abandoned side yard" is 10 feet from the wall to the sliding doors, the average is 8 feet wide.

 I inherited an evergreen Pear tree, a noisy air conditioner and a used dishwasher.

Where was "Freecycle" when I needed them 5 years ago?

 

The view from the opposite direction. I had BIG plans for this underused space. All I needed was a good design plan.

 

I try to design "on site" whenever possible.

I used my up-side-down marking paint and drew a new 4-foot wide walkway and flanking garden beds that average about 2 feet deep.

 I earmarked a sitting area and lots of fruit trees!

 

We fashioned "steppingstones" from broken pieces of used and recycled concrete and mortared each individual stone to the ground.

We spaced each stone about a strides-length away (the homeowners' stride), installed tube drip irrigation between each stone, filled with some crushed pea gravel for drainage, and lots of decomposed granite to top it off.

 

After photo: The long narrow walkway is complete! The gardens include lavender, ornamental grasses, tree roses, vines and a romantic metal arch that opens to the backyard. I even included a hanging pendent light.

 

After photo: The opposite view. Scent-filled gardens, perfect for a leisurely stroll.

Who knew this "underachieving" piece of real estate could become such a valuable feature in this yard?

 

Creeping "Elfin Thyme" forms a carpet between steppingstones. Festuca o. "Elijah Blue" punctuates the cobble edging and the rest of the garden is filled with herbs and perennials.

 

The key to incorporating fruiting trees in the narrow landscape is to plant dwarf varieties (like this dwarf lemon) in containers and find a sunny corner for them. I have three more fruit trees in this narrow garden!

 

This lemon tree doesn't take up much space horizontally and is a prolific fruiter . It also functions as a focal point in this small garden bed.

We even found room for "garden art" in this cubby area beneath the evergreen Pear tree.

Small can be beautiful!

 

Did I mention the homeowner is a surfer?

This metal surfer sculpture and metal chair is fun and reflects the homeowner's personality.

Even if this chair isn't comfortable to sit on for long periods, you can see that there is plenty of room to substitute it for a more comfy one.

Don't tell me you don't have enough room to be creative!

 

We constructed a simple, recycled wood frame awning  to place above the sliding doors and add dimension to the tall, flat wall.

 The awning is home to a happy potato vine.

 

Antique, ornamental and rustic bolts lend a detail that can be appreciated from close up.

Since this yard is so narrow, everything is closeup!

 

The sound of water is a healing balm.

 As a final touch, we placed a petite fountain on the short  6 foot wall, a larger one would have been out of scale.

 

"EdenMaker" Shirley Bovshow's rule of thumb for narrow yards:

" When selecting trees for narrow areas, make sure the trunk has a narrow profile and that the lowest limbs are higher than 7 feet" so that the average size person can walk underneath it.

Sorry Kobe!

You can still create a dynamic garden in small spaces.

If you are a rose lover, opt for rose trees as they don't take up bulky horizontal space like the bush form does.

Layer your garden with perennials, bulbs, flowering ground covers and vines, or play up contrasting foliage.

You don't need a huge variety of plants to make an interesting garden!"

 

Want some more inspiration?

Visit these Garden Designer's RoundTable member blogs:

Jenny Peterson, J Peterson Garden Design Laura Livengood Schuab, Interleafings The Hegarty/Webber Partnership Susan Morrison, Blue Planet Garden Blog Susan Schlenger, Garden Design Viewpoint Carolyn Gail Choi, Sweet Home and Garden Chicago Tara Dillard, Landscape Design, Decorating Styling

And, if that's not enough, check out these great articles by David Beaulieu.

To learn more about narrow side yard design, fellow blogger David Beaulieu, the Landscaping Guide at at About.com has some great articles:

Photo Guide to Walkways

How to Build a Stone Walkway Walkways and Pathways

How to Make and Use Garden Steppingstones

Supplies for Stone Fountain Project

Varieties of Apple Trees

Ever wonder what is going on in your neighbor’s backyard when trash bins are delivered, bobcats go in and out of the yard and landscaper’s trucks seem to be a permanent fixture on the street?

Someone is getting a new landscape!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Before Photo of Front Yard

It’s natural to be a little bit curious, even nosey about what is going on next door.

I understand.

As a landscape designer in Los Angeles and garden television host, I’m used to onlookers trying to sneak a peek at the action….so I decided to do something about it!

 

Go Behind the Scenes!

I’m  inviting  you behind the construction gates of one of my projects in Calabasas, California through photo and video posts of the progress on EdenMaker TV.

There is much to learn by watching someone else’s dream garden unfold, though I will warn you,  things get dirty before they get pretty!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Grinbaum Family

 

The first project I want to share with you is the making of “Villa Gardens” for one of my favorite clients, the Grinbaum family.

I know this family well because I designed another landscape for them years ago and am familiar with their tastes and lifestyle.

They are a dream to work with because they are knowledgeable (husband Joe is a builder/contractor), have great taste, (wife Randi often suggests ideas for the design) and are so reasonable!

 

Southern California Landscape

My clients deserve the best, so I recommended the award winning landscape design/build company, Southern California Landscape to co-design the project and take charge of the construction.

 

Principal, Javier Martinez is one of the landscape industry’s best talents with detail perfect design instincts and no ego!

Now, that is a rare combination.

Javier and I  bounce ideas off each other, sometimes we agree, sometimes we don’t but the Grinbaum’s get the final word.

I’m excited about combining our design ideas and you’ll get to see the results in upcoming posts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A masonry craftsman from Southern California Landscape works on the pool makeover, replacing a tile water line with stacked stone.

 

Meet Charlie, one of the fun-loving pro’s I get to work with.

There is also another passionate contractor on the job, Charlie of Charlie’s construction who is handling the carpentry work.

Charlie is fun to work with, resourceful and gets the work done in record time.

 

What is “Villa Gardens?”

When I first saw the Grinbaum’s yard a couple of years ago, I thought, “This is a Mediterranean villa ready to happen, but not quite there.”

The house was attractive but had a forgettable quality about it.

It lacked personality and the personal signature of the homeowners who have a fondness for Italian, French and natural garden style.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lose the Topiary and “Template Design”

The classic-leaning hardscape and manicured gardens were so “un-Grinbaum.”

I knew I had to get in there and create a garden that can “shake its hair loose.”

The hardscape featured lots of cast concrete detailing- not a bad thing, just not a “Grinbaum thing.”

It will be replaced with warm, natural flagstone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Say “goodbye” to this boring, uninspired hillside.

 

The Design Plan

The core projects within the design plan include:

• New outdoor kitchen, chef’s garden and sports bar for barbecue enthusiast Joe. Yes, Joe will be watching ESPN outside.
• New covered courtyard lounge with shade garden and fountain
• New, covered “Sunset patio” located off of the formal dining room for small scale entertaining or overflow sitting.
• New custom fireplace with built-in sofa for the existing outdoor living room patio.
• Complete makeover of existing pool, spa and deck from classic design to natural design. Sculpted stone fountains spill into the pool.
• New, hillside gardens with stone and boulder accents.
• New front and backyard gardens featuring low water, low maintenance and year round color-producing perennial plants.
• The house will be painted. It is white now.
• New perimeter fence and architectural gates.
• Golf tee
• New flagstone paving in garden areas.

Follow us in our progress and pick up some design tips and ideas for your yard.

If  you are in Los Angeles and would like us to design your yard, email me through the contact form on this web site.

See you soon!

Shirley Bovshow