Bay Area Ipe-Clad Backyard Getaway

Amy Persin, a single mother of three rambunctious children, survived the renovation of her 1950 ranch-style house in Menlo Park, California, before she turned her attention to her yard. A crumbling concrete patio, its red paint faded to a garish pink, was the focal point of a rather uninviting backyard, while in the front, the Kentucky bluegrass demanded time and attention that Persin simply couldn’t spare. She turned to landscape architect Brennan Cox for help.