Creating a personal haven and gathering space
The Joy Creek Landscape team had previously renovated the front yard of this North Portland home to create a small, casual seating area, screened from pedestrians. Now the owners were ready to tackle their neglected, underused back yard.
The free-standing garage was renovated into a private workspace/studio with French doors opening onto a large gravel patio space (pavers will be installed at a later date) suitable for entertaining larger groups.
The now-defunct concrete driveway was removed several feet from the side gate and a new pathway with a backdoor landing built. Tall junipers and an evergreen magnolia were installed to screen the view of the neighbor’s home from the kitchen window and a mix of partial-shade tolerant perennials and shrubs soften the area. Another pathway connects the new patio to a new deck off the master bedroom; a small bumpout space in the pathway will give them a spot to place chairs in the garden. All turf was removed and the yard was bermed to give instant definition to the spaces. The central bed’s shrubbery will mature to screen out direct views between the two sitting spaces. Plants were selected to provide the homeowners with something interesting to look at no matter the time of year with perennials offering doses of color amongst the shrubs and ornamental grasses.
