After years of living in the same place, you may overlook the wear and tear and little flaws that make your home a bit less than perfect. Your yard is no different. An outdoor living space takes regular care, and if it’s neglected for too long, you may find it’s time for a backyard remodel.
This Portland backyard looked old and worn out. The lawn was dying, the plants were withering, and there was no area to sit and enjoy the outdoors. We set to work to transform this sad backyard into a functional and artistic space with wonderful views from inside the house.
The Portland homeowner had a backyard that was split in two by an unattractive retaining wall that was necessary but left nearly half of her yard unusable. She wanted to meld the two spaces into a beautiful and functional backyard that afforded enticing views from inside her home.
There was little in this yard that could be salvaged. While the retaining wall had to remain, the overgrown plantings, dead lawn, and small cement patio were removed to give our team an empty space to work with starting from the ground up.
Both the lower and upper halves of the yard had to be graded. The lower half had to be raised and leveled for the new patio. The upper half required grinding down a concrete curb to enable laying the new walkway. A portion of the fence was removed for equipment access.
With the groundwork complete, we turned to installing new hardscapes, plants, trees, and a water feature. Designing a structure to hide the retaining wall while providing visual interest was a priority for the homeowner and our designers.
The existing irrigation system was switched over to a drip system. We adjusted the lines to fit the new lawn’s position and shape and to accommodate the new planting along the retaining wall. We also dug a space for a galvanized tank to be used as the reservoir for the water feature.
The new patio used medium gray porcelain pavers. We added dark gray Casthon brand decorative concrete pavers in a smaller rectangular shape for a design feature. The pavers have a texture like sandpaper but are not rough, giving them and the patio added interest.
We camouflaged the retaining wall with custom black, powdered-coated steel screens sized 8’ wide by 7’ tall. The screens frame the new plants added on top of the wall, while a crushed stone walkway and a small seating area enhance the functionality of the space.
The water feature was custom designed as an art piece. The copper bowl is raised on a column with the water cascading over the bowl into an underground reservoir covered by black pebbles. The fountain serves as the visual terminus of the view through the main hall of the home.
The planting in the yard was designed to appear as if it had always been there with a focus on texture and color. Creeping Wire Vine and Creeping Jenny were placed atop the wall to cascade down and add to the camouflage. Five types of ornamental grasses completed the look.
Maintenance for this backyard will be minimal. All that’s required is regular trimming, mowing, and pruning to manage growth, occasional fertilizing to keep plants healthy, and annual inspections of the irrigation system, water features, and structures.
Addressing the unsightly retaining wall to make it less conspicuous was our biggest challenge, as it could not be removed. Too much greenery on it could impact the integrity of the concrete, and paint just wouldn’t do. We met the challenge and exceeded expectations.
Our homeowner’s yard checked all the boxes: a lawn for the kids, a lounge and dining area for friends, and a captivating view from inside the house of the water feature, framed by greenery that offers year-round appeal. This Portland yard is now a welcome retreat.
Take a look at our Before and After photos:
