Material Matters
Large slabs or small pavers? Read the pattern first
The scale of the paving changes the visual pace of an outdoor room.
The Backyards Library
A little curiosity. A better backyard.
Gardens to explore, things to grow, and ideas for the way you live outside. Browse the stories or follow a collection below.
Find a story ↓Find your next good idea.
Before You Build
Pergola or solid roof: decide what should happen overhead
Compare light, enclosure, and the view from inside the house.
The Considered Detail
Built-in seating or furniture you can move?
Compare flexibility, comfort, and the way a gathering changes size.
Material Matters
Horizontal or vertical: the rhythm of a fence
Read the boundary beside the house before deciding how its boards should run.
Material Matters
Wood or metal for the pergola frame?
Compare the visual weight and care of the complete structure.
Material Matters
How much variation should a wood-look deck have?
Read several boards together before choosing the character of the whole surface.
Material Matters
Choose the pool coping with the terrace
The edge around the water connects the pool, steps, and surrounding materials.
The Considered Detail
The most important detail may be where materials meet
Resolve the junctions before adding more finishes to the palette.
Material Matters
Choose the outdoor counter around the work it will do
The best-looking sample still needs to suit the location and cooking routine.
The Backyards Edit
What makes a courtyard feel like a room?
Use enclosure, proportion, and one strong focus to give a compact garden presence.
The Backyards Edit
Let a midcentury house set the garden’s proportions
Borrow the relationships of the architecture rather than a collection of period props.
The Garden Notebook
Give a cottage garden a clear framework
Loose planting can feel intentional when paths, edges, and focal points stay legible.