In the Garden

The garden is lush and holds within it a secret outdoor hot tub. Owner Megan Schoenbachler explains that if all goes according to plan, the foliage planted by the tub will form a natural screen, hiding the tub completely from sight.

Téa gets mom ready for her close-up on the curvy nature-meets-industry chaise lounge of the architects’ own design. The landscaping in front and out back is characterized by sturdy, resilient, and drought-resistant plants like bamboo and cacti, cultivated in galvanized steel planters.

Architect Ken Meffan's ten-years-in-the-making home is located in the tiny Northern California town of Rough and Ready—a term that might as aptly refer to the house itself. Though all the on-site plants are mundane home-center varieties, they grow to uncanny heights in the moist, sunny environment.

For an A. Quincy Jones house in Los Angeles, architect Cory Buckner took on the restoration, while landscape designer Jay Griffith honored the architecture with understated, low-water landscaping.

Sue waters the indoor foliage with an industrial hose hung from the ceiling.

The existing corner row house was, by far, in the worst condition, with collapsed floors and roof structure. The largest problem of the existing structures was turned into one of the greatest assets by transforming the corner building into an exterior semi-private garden space. What once had been a corner storefront has now been re-imagined into a quiet garden with custom steel railings and fence to allow for security yet transparency into the green space.

A small terrace outfitted with an H55 easy chair by Björn Hultén offers a view of the San Francisco Bay.

A spiral staircase descends from the glass deck to the rain garden, which replaced a concrete pad.

Concrete pavers lead from Azor’s back door to his backyard garden and deck. The roof’s overhang protects the home’s walls from rain.

To most eyes, Ezequiel Farca’s 1970s-style concrete home in Mexico City looked like a teardown. Even the lot itself—shallow and crammed against a steep hillside—wasn’t particularly alluring. But Farca saw through all the restraints to create a spa-like refuge in one of the world’s most energetic cities. "It’s is such a hectic place. You’re bombarded by so much information the moment you step into the streets," says Farca, who first gained prominence as a furniture and interior designer. "So we envisioned this house as a retreat, a kind of a temple." The rooftop courtyard is lined with a verdant mix of indigenous plants, including banana trees, palm trees, lion’s claw, Mexican breadfruit, and native vines. The chaise longues were designed for Farca’s EF Collection.

A view looking south toward the penthouse addition. The pergola is planted with wisteria providing a welcoming shade.

Decomposed Granite

In this garden by Flora Grubb, contemporary containers and minimal furniture help to create an eclectic, modern environment.

Elysian Landscapes modernized a classic brownstone by creating a private bi-level patio with clean, built-in seating for outdoor dining.

As the founder of one of Sydney’s leading landscape companies, Michael Bates updated the garden of his 100-year-old sandstone home in North Sydney. He augmented the existing plantings and made the spaces more functional and ready for entertaining. He chose a focused selection of plants with broad leaves.

In one area, he built a vertical wall of succulents.

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.”

These no-fuss landscaping ideas yield gardens that practically take care of themselves.