Not every backyard has room for sweeping lawns and oversized patios — and honestly, that’s part of the fun. This Sierra Madre project is a perfect example of how a small space can still live large with the right layout. The homeowners wanted a pool, outdoor dining, and a place to lounge, but the yard footprint was tight and every square foot mattered. The solution...
This Arcadia backyard is a great example of what happens when you’re willing to rethink the layout instead of working around it. The homeowners loved their yard, but the pool placement never felt quite right—it sat too far out, which left the space between the house and water underused and made the backyard feel more disconnected than it needed to be. The solution was bold...
In many landscape designs, the interplay of formal or contemporary elements with informal surroundings creates a striking visual contrast. This balance between order and organic form can make the structured elements stand out more vividly against the softer, more relaxed backdrop. This particular project embodies this concept by integrating a decomposed granite path that meanders through an informal landscape of boulder walls and timber ties....
Value In this project, the simplicity of the design is one of its most appealing demeanors. The mass of the pool and hedge, combined with the expanse of grass on both sides, creates an uncluttered and elegant composition. Despite the pool being a prominent element in the yard, it does not feel overwhelming. The light color of the pool gives a sense of spaciousness, while...
Orchestration - tying it all together Just like an orchestra a conductor ties all the elements togetherThis is a good time to bring back the discussion on the 15 principles of art and their musical counter parts The principles of art in landscape design and the principles of music composition share several similarities, as both are creative fields that rely on certain foundational concepts to...
Garden View originally landscaped this 2.5-acre Pasadena property 15 years ago and has done several upgrades since. We have been maintaining this gorgeous property since the first installation. The home is constantly being upgraded by the general contractor Danny Devitis. All the credit goes to the creative genius and vision of the owner Steve Streit and the diligent work by Garden View Crews.
Asymmetrical Balance in Landscape Design Asymmetrical balance, unlike the more formal mirrored symmetry, is about creating a visually harmonious space through the thoughtful arrangement of elements with different shapes, sizes, and weights. In this project, asymmetrical balance is achieved by carefully distributing visual weight across the yard, ensuring that no single feature overpowers another and that interest is spread evenly throughout. In this example, groupings...
When the front of your house needs remodeling, landscape contractors are not typically the first place you turn for creative design and construction. The smart new owners of this home, however, recognized the important interaction between the landscape and their house, and the value of having a singular point of responsibility in that intersection. Having the same hands blend the elements of designing and building...
This yard emanates functional elegance, seamlessly blending various elements to create an inviting and sophisticated outdoor space. There is a dedicated patio seating area with a fire pit that creates a harmonious relationship with the home's living room, transitioning smoothly to the outside pool area. A BBQ and dining area align in perfect relationship with the kitchen, providing ample space to relax and use the...
An infinity pool with a great view embodies several of the 15 principles of art in landscape design, creating an aesthetic and experiential harmony that elevates the surrounding space. Here's how: Line• The edge of an infinity pool creates a strong horizontal line that seamlessly merges with the horizon, drawing the eye outward and emphasizing the expansive view.• Curved or angular shapes in the pool...
Symmetrical and Radial Balance in Landscape Design Symmetrical balance is a fundamental principle in landscape design, particularly common in Mediterranean-inspired gardens, where formal shapes and symmetry dominate. It is easy to comprehend and highly effective in creating order and predictability. Symmetry guides the observer’s eye along a central axis, providing a sense of stability and cohesion.In the illustrated example, symmetrical balance is evident in the...
This client approached us with a large backyard featuring a small, kidney-shaped pool that was both visibly and functionally outdated. The spacious backyard had served them well, as their athletic children enjoyed it for outdoor activities. While the client wanted to maintain enough lawn for sports and their large dog, they also desired more functional outdoor living spaces. They envisioned a gathering area for family...
Relationship Everything in this landscape connects and repeats, creating a balanced rhythm and a sense of harmony.The fountain begins on one side of the driveway, flows gracefully under it, and finishes downstream. The Art Deco style of the house is seamlessly reflected in all elements: the colors of the walls and structural components either match or complement the house. The square pilasters with their stepped...
This La Cañada backyard renovation is what happens when you take a slope and treat it like an opportunity instead of a limitation. Rather than trying to flatten the space or hide the grade, we leaned into it and built a layered water garden that naturally follows the downhill flow. The yard is anchored by two koi ponds connected by a stream and waterfalls, with...
Tucked into the mature trees and natural grade of La Cañada Flintridge, this backyard had the space to be special—it just needed a plan that made everything feel connected. The goal was simple: create a true “staycation” property that works for everyday life, but still feels like a destination when friends and family are over. We started by carving the yard into usable levels and...
This La Crescenta–Montrose backyard was all about creating a space that feels inviting the moment you step outside — the kind of yard that works just as well for a quiet weeknight as it does for a full patio party. The homeowners wanted a true gathering spot, but the existing yard didn’t have a natural “center.” It felt flat in some areas, awkward in others,...
This project serves as an excellent example of how to integrate various functional areas in a landscape, ensuring they relate harmoniously to each other. Situated on a long and relatively narrow lot, the property presents multiple distinct areas, yet they are skillfully tied together using a consistent palette of materials—most notably, brick paving and siding. This material unification mirrors the musical principle of repetition, where...
On this property, Garden View was responsible for building the ADU/pool house, the pergola, and the pathway connecting the pool house to the patios, landscaping walls, and planters. The existing house is a brilliant example of modern architecture.FormModern architecture is significantly about form. The philosophy behind modern architecture emphasizes simplicity, clean lines, and the purposeful use of space and materials. Key principles include:1. Form Follows...
The client envisioned a modern design, yet the house was a Ranch style. To achieve this vision, we integrated modern features into the rustic Ranch aesthetic. The rockwork, composed of stacked flagstone with large pieces, maintains the Ranch style. The straight horizontal lines of the modern fireplace use traditional materials, yet its shape is distinctly contemporary. The water features create movement reminiscent of classic streams....
The light in this project highlights various features while integrating other principles of art. It emphasizes the striking, formally placed pots and enhances the movement in water features. Up-lights on trees, casting interesting shadows against the purposely blank walls, add depth. The fire pit at the far side of the yard creates a sense of distance, while the illuminated pool adds a relaxing value to...
Back Yard: Line in Landscape Design Everything about this ultra-modern design emphasizes flow. The lines of the short walls, the grass strips in the concrete, and even the branches of the oak tree guide your eyes toward the pool, the pool house, and ultimately to the lights on the back wall. These lines then lead you outward, moving in unison to create a sense of...
Foothill properties in Pasadena come with a built-in advantage—views, privacy, mature trees—and one built-in challenge: grade. This backyard slopes the way so many lots do up against the mountains, and the homeowner didn’t want to “fight” that natural shape with something rigid or overbuilt. The goal was to create a true escape that felt like it belonged there, flowing with the land instead of flattening...
Some backyards are all about lush layers and winding paths. This Pasadena project was the opposite—in the best way. The homeowners wanted something crisp, easy to live with, and built for the way they actually spend their evenings: swimming, hosting friends, and catching a game outside with a drink in hand. So we leaned into a clean, modern layout and let the details do the...
This Pasadena project is a great example of what we love most about design-build work: taking a yard that felt tight and dated and turning it into something clean, modern, and surprisingly spacious—without fighting the architecture of the home. The challenge was clear from day one. The homeowners wanted a contemporary poolscape with a sleek look and strong lines, but the house itself is clad...
Some backyards are built around the house. This Pasadena one was built around the view. The homeowners wanted an outdoor space that felt like a getaway — somewhere they could soak, swim, cook, and sit outside at night without needing to leave home. The property already had the elevation and the sightlines, so our job was to shape everything around that “overlook” feeling and make...
Pasadena backyard with steps through the poolThis project implies movement as the steppers guide you right across the pool, separating the spa from the main pool. The steppers lead you to different areas – the doors of the house, the fire pit area, BBQ, and the sunning area next to the steps. The tire on a rope is a swing.The modern rectangles are simple forms...
Garden View did a front and backyard overhaul to this Sierra Madre, California residence. The front yard was redesigned with the entrance and shrubbery in mind, and the pool was changed from an outdated and boring brick-edged pool to a free-form pool and backyard paradise!
There is a lot going on in this yard but the chaus it is calmed by the value (masses) of water, greenery, and consistent paving and use of similar materials. Harmony in Landscape DesignThis project exemplifies harmony through its distinct and identifiable elements, making it an excellent example of how various components can work together to create a cohesive landscape. While harmony often evokes a...
The design illustrated in the pictures masterfully uses contrast through a thoughtful combination of materials, textures, and lines, enriching the visual and emotional experience. The composite deck’s textured surface sharply contrasts with the smoothness of the adjacent concrete, creating a striking juxtaposition. The deliberate intersection of the deck’s lines with the cantilevered stairs further amplifies this contrast. The stairs, angled away from a typical ninety-degree...
Every Element of Rhythm is Achieved Here1. The Beat: The palm trees and boulders, strategically placed throughout the landscape (except at the grotto), are evenly spaced and balanced, creating a consistent beat that establishes the foundational rhythm of the garden.2. Flow & Movement: The flow of the landscape directs the eye along winding paths, across lawns, and over the pool. Movement is dynamically created by...
A large hedge provides privacy and serves as an unassuming backdrop, enhancing the overall value by adding mass and scale without clutter, framing the yard, and directing your eye to the point of interest. The owners envisioned a semi-modern structured backyard to complement the architecture of their semi-modern ranch-style home. The pool, with its rectangular form, harmonizes with the steppers and the small Baja shelf,...
DISTANCEThis project guides you through different "rooms" in the yard, each leading to unique destinations. The rooms are created by the use of seat walls, which make you feel like you are in a controlled space but not enclosed. There is a deck off the house with stairs leading to the dining area. From the dining area, a path leads to a distant fire pit....
This project uses Value to project distance use of masses of dark and light colors. The mass of lighter color paving in the forefront gives way toThe large blue and darker mass of the pool then leading to the dark hills and view to the LA skyline in the distance. The infinity pool gives the sense of movement and the lines all draw your eyes...
Symmetry doesn’t have to be obvious or equal on opposite sides to produce a sense of balance and relationship. Subtle symmetry can create a subconscious feeling of harmony and order within a space. This very small backyard has a lot packed into it but does not overwhelm with complexity. Symmetry and balance are achieved through parallel lines repeated in the paving, topiary hedges, water features,...
This project is another excellent example of the benefits of a great contractor/client team relationship. The clients gave their input while respecting the opinions and expertise of the professionals. They were complimentary and grateful to every craftsman involved in bringing their vision to life. This approach coupled with appreciation is contagious, and as the project evolved, every crew member was eager to do their absolute...
This San Marino, California backyard and pool was remodeled with an eclectic style that mixed Thai and Spanish elements. Free form with pool and spa.
This pool and backyard remodel utilized five foot raised bond beams to achieve the raised waterfall spa and stacked stone walls. LED lights were used to illuminate the flagstone steps into the pool with smooth beach entry. A firepit was included for summer nights around the pool.
Symmetry is a defining feature of this yard. The pilasters on both sides of the pool, the steppers in the fountain framing the water features on the backside of the spa, and the centrally placed spa all contribute to a harmonious balance. The coined corners are consistently aligned and balanced, further enhancing the symmetry. Balance is also achieved with equal parts of hardscape, lawns, and...
Vision: The clients vision took a while to flush out. This is a relatively large backyard We started with a lawn and a place for kids to play, a decomposed dg path around the yard and a patio to hang out and dine. But it just was not resonating with them. The owner sent us a picture of a fountain that looked a little like...
Forms in landscape design can be both overt and subtle, each telling a story about the space. For instance, the coined corners of the pool, crafted from precast concrete with limestone, immediately evoke a Mediterranean, Tuscan, or Roman aesthetic. The rectangular paving and the square symmetry of the pool further reinforce these classical design cues. The house and pool were originally designed by Wallace Neff,...
Everything about this property says movement, excitement, party! Movement in landscape design encompasses both visual flow and physical change within a landscape. It may involve actual movement, such as the flow of water or the swaying of plants, or it could be an implied movement crafted by lines and forms that direct the viewer’s eye. This principle can be manifested through various elements, such as...
This West Covina backyard was designed with one non-negotiable in mind: the view stays the star. Perched above the valley, the property already had that “wow” factor—city lights at night, mountains at sunset, wide open sky in every direction. The goal was to build a complete outdoor living space that felt like a private resort, while keeping the layout clean and intentional so nothing competed...