Learning from 'Before' and 'After'

Transformation in the Landscape Illustrated

This is the beautiful armillary we placed in the Secret Garden - see below.

Everyone loves ‘Before’ and ‘After’ photos. Transformation of an outdoor space is inspiring and instructive. I have a popular powerpoint talk called ‘Learning from Before and After’.

In this post I share seven ‘Before’ and ‘After’ examples of my projects with photos and explanatory tips:

Backyard Stone Terrace - Before and After

Extending living area outdoors was a concept popularized by California landscape architect, Thomas Church, in the early 20th century. In the late 1930s, the ‘California School’ of modern landscape architecture emerged and formal gardens with a central axis were thrown out in favor of usable outdoor areas for ordinary people. The goal was to integrate indoor and outdoor living. Curves and informal plantings were preferred. Church’s two books, Gardens are for People and Your Private World, served as instructive manuals on modern residential garden design.

Here, a freeform stone patio with irregular stone paving offers outdoor living space. Wider steps off the house connect indoors and outdoors. Plants beds with stone edging next to the house help the transition. I installed a drystream at the base of the steep hill to capture stormwater runoff and lead it away from the living space.

Secret Garden - Before and After

The idea of having a outdoor spot for relaxing and enjoying nature is so enticing. Frances Hodgson Burnett’s book, The Secret Garden, inspired me when I was a kid. That special garden was enclosed with tall walls and so, when I saw a client’s neglected space with a tall wall, that was the first thing I thought of. This secluded space was ripe for a secret pollinator garden!

I relocated a beautiful armillary that she owned to this garden (see first photo above). It acted as a central feature and was the star of the show. The we added a small sitting patio at the far end beneath an existing tree. Two chairs and a small table were placed there.

Pollinator and native plants were added. There was an existing Joe Pye weed and we added flowers of all kinds, including butterfly weed, annual flowers and lilies. She is an avid gardener so it just gets better and better!

Walk to the Mudroom - Before and After

A common design mistake is to break up a long walk with single steps placed several feet apart. It makes for a treacherous journey since you don’t expect a single step within a walk to a door - see photo. This is a liability hazard - the design is dangerous.