Around the House

A section of the facade—a cross between a shoji screen and a barn door—slides open. Planter boxes contain edible varieties that fuel Mary’s culinary explorations.

#outdoor #fireplace #gas #stone #gravel #exterior #color Photo by Spencer Lowell

#outdoor #exterior #modern #design #concrete #wood #deck #outdoordining #patio #outside #indooroutdoor

Permeable hardscaping retains moisture and helps reduce the need for watering.

The Snyders’ sanctuary thrives on this balance of nature, according to Peet: “You can hear the river, but not see it, the wild grass grows on the roof, but not on the lawn.”

Bernard Trainor collaborated with architect Peter Bohlin for a pool design in the Santa Lucia Preserve. Photo by: Jason Liske. Published in the April 2013 issue of Dwell.

Another water-saving project in Menlo Park includes a rock bed with succulents.

In another section of the yard, Cooper added varying-sized circular cement stepping stones, which lead toward an elevated planter filled with California-native plants.

Native grasses spill forth from the green roof toward a stairway leading to the main level.

For the landscape design, Burnette sought to maintain the property’s natural vegetation and rocky ground surface.

Shillim Retreat, Maharashtra, India, 2012. Landscape design: Margie Ruddick. Architecture: Steven Harris Architects, Khanna Schultz, Writer Corporation. Photo: Khanna Schultz

Southwest: Steve Martino Phoenix-based landscape architect Steve Martino has unlocked the secret to successful gardening in dry desert environs: “The backbone of my career has been celebrating the desert rather than making apologies for it,” he says. His drought-tolerant designs relate to the southwestern climate and feature native plants—like the whale’s tongue agave, compass barrel cactus, and ocotillo in front of a Scottsdale midcentury house.

Architect Will Winkelman and landscape architect Todd Richardson collaborated with client JT Bullitt to design a house that blends into its surroundings in Steuben, Maine. The green roof gives the impression that "the ground just jumped onto the roof," Richardson says.

Southwest: Steve Martino The red yucca, brittlebush, and prickly pear at a Palm Springs, California, home also relate to the southwestern climate. “Native plants let your garden tap into the food chain—it becomes a habitat while connecting you to the history of a place.”

For a Jones house nearby, Buckner took on the restoration, while landscape designer Jay Griffith honored the architecture with understated, low-water landscaping.

Pavers and succulents in a yard in Malibu, California, help save water.