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It’s done and already in use. I love when I get to see my designs installed and they are just how I imagined them! We have been working with a very nice couple completely redoing the outdoor spaces of their brick town house. Last week we finished the final details. It has a front garden that was part lawn and a fenced area on one side because they are the end unit. They wanted a place for shade, entertaining and gardening. The space is shared by two large A/C units. This is a big order from a small space. We accomplished it without it looking over done or chaotic by minimizing the type of materials we used and matching the clean lines and the brick of the house. We limited ourselves to brick, cedar, gravel and plants. Oh, and a nice big fountain and mirrored screen.Here is the a photo history of the project from start to finish.

Before shots!

Before Before

The design!

The plan for small garden with pergola and brick patio.

The process!

After we removed the small cement patio we put down a base of crushed concrete where the new large brick patio is going.

After we removed the small cement patio we put down a base of crushed concrete where the new larger brick patio was going.

We coat the cedar posts with roofing tar before setting them in with cement.

We coated the cedar posts with roofing tar before setting them in with cement.

We several palates of bricks delivered. They are not the exact bricks on the house. I picked a darker color with more brown and green to add contrast.

We used several cubes of bricks. They are not the exact bricks on the house. I picked a darker color with more brown and green to add contrast.

Here is a link to the bricks we used on the path and patio.

We had to build the pergola around this little roof.

We had to build the pergola around this little roof.

Checking our level as we lay the brick path.

Checking our level as we lay the brick path.

The raised vegetable and herb bed is made of slender cinder blocks so we could face it in brick.

The raised vegetable and herb bed is made of slender cinder blocks so we could face it in brick.

Becasue the space is small we used double doors for access to the A/C units.

Because the space is small we used double doors for access to the A/C units.

Finished A/C screen and access doors.

Finishing A/C screen and access doors.

Here are photos of the space completely finished.

We will start outside the fence at the sidewalk and work our way to the patio. The house is on the north east corner of the street and the patio area gets southern and western sun. There is shade from the oak trees that line the right-of-way strip.  In the front area outside the gate we got rid of the lawn that was failing and planted shade loving plants. There is Cuban gold duranta,with its beautiful lime green foliage, that will draw your eye to the gate once they have grown in and a carpet of big blue liriope where the lawn use to be.

Brick path in shady front garden.

Brick path in shady front garden.

Dwarf pittosporum flank the walk and there variegated leaves add a bit of interest in a shady space.

Dwarf pittosporum flank the walk and their variegated leaves add a bit of interest in a shady space. We came back after this photo and added dwarf mondo grass around the pittosporum.

Installing dwarf mondo grass which likes the shade and doesn't need mowing.

Installing dwarf mondo grass which likes the shade and doesn’t need mowing.

Now we enter through the gates. The space has nice clean lines and the raised bed is about 16 inches high, wide enough to sit on and plant or weed. The a/c units are contained and the back of the mirrored screen matches the a/c screen to give continuity.

The path leads you from the gate to the patio.

The path leads you from the sidewalk at the street through the gate to the patio.

We used the running bond pattern on the brick path because I like the way it leads you to your destination. On the patio we changed to herringbone pattern to jazz it up and give a bit of energy to the space. Now you can see the other side of the mirrored screen. If you missed our post on how to build a mirrored screen you should check it out. The fountain is nestled into the corner to add the element of water into a space that has a lot of hard surfaces. The fountain will also be soothing to listen too, hopefully blocking out the noise from the A/C. I designed the screen using a mirror, to separates it from the A/C units, while giving a sense of space that doesn’t really exist. It is hard to photograph but it really works when you are standing there looking at it.

View from the patio back to the gate.

View from the patio back to the gate.

Close up of the herringbone pattern.

Close up of the herringbone pattern.

View across the raised bed.

Right now the cedar is bright and reddish but in time it will fade to a subtle gray. That will blend nicely with the bricks. We planted fig ivy behind the fountain that will grow up the wall and soften the space even more. Right behind the raised bed is a small dynamite red crape myrtle, that grows to 15 feet full grown. It will add more shade on that south west corner of the patio.

View throught the fence. We left the existing crape myrtle in the corner and under-planted it with low maintenance white trailing lantana.

View through the fence. We left the existing crape myrtle in the corner and under-planted it with low maintenance white trailing lantana.

View from the side walk

View from the side walk

The pergola is designed to have a ceiling fan in the middle and the electricians finished that on Friday, but I don’t have a picture. The last few feet of the garden is gravel for their collection of potted plants. They plan to bring some on to the patio too.

View of pergola and patio from the street.

View of pergola and patio from the street.

View from across the street.

View from across the street.

The plants we added to the space are mostly southern acclimated plants that thrive in our hot humid summers but can withstand a few hard freezes. This garden is going to become even more beautiful and private as everything grows in. It is one I can drive by and check on too! We got a nice note over the weekend, from the clients, telling us they have already spent a few long evening outside enjoying the new garden. This is the most satisfying part of our job, happy clients!

If you would like any further information on this project just let us know. www.ravenscourt.us