landscaping

The new cabana offers a place to lounge out of the sun.

A Garapa deck surrounds the backyard firepit, to form a “breakaway” spot for the family a little away from the house.

An entry nook framed in walnut is a spot to drop bags, shoes, and coats.

Lotz specified a twenty-foot-long sliding door that spans the bedroom and bathroom in the primary suite, and opens to a decorative planter bed.

Along with the sage, citrus trees irrigated by gray water from the house provide the couple with lemons and limes for mixing drinks, among other things.

They installed water-saving artificial grass on their patio for pup Moxy to enjoy.

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.

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

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

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