Redwood deck with grey stain on hill with glass railing and redwood posts.

This landscape is absolutely paradise from the containers to the bent grass and everything in between. Photo By: Jeff Kain

Helen Weis l Unique by Design Landscaping & Containers

Circular asphalt driveway with pavingstone border. Indiana sawn natural stone front steps. Red brick pillars with Indiana sawn coping and number sign. Pavingstone garage apron. Cedar hedging. Tree, shrub, and perennial plantings.

A perennial border: relaxed and colorful in all seasons. L. McGrath

Land2c This colorful bed is seen from many places in the garden, from the interior, and both entertaining terraces. The flowers supply the client with bouquets from May through frost. The Golden Locust is a focal point and has plenty of room to expand. The orange metal sculpture, Cupid's Dart by Shannon Buckner of Bent Productions, is stunning standing 6' high in the air surrounded by color enhancing plants. The orange, chartreuse, purple continues. The orange Helenium ‘Moerheim Beauty’ is especially eye-catching with the purple Russian sage and Nepeta 'Walker's Low and lavenders and the yellow yarrows and purple smoke bush. Full sun and drought tolerant perennials make for beautiful summer gardens.

The old concrete driveway was replaced with a contemporary pattern of large concrete slabs with small Mexican pebbles set in between in permeable resin. The other areas of this front landscape were transformed from a tired, water thirsty lawn into a contemporary setting with dramatic concrete pavers leading to the home's entrance. Plants for sun and part shade complete this project, just completed in February 2014. The back areas of this transformation are in a separate project: Modern Water-Side Landscape Remodel http://www.houzz.com/projects/456093/Modern-Water-Side-Landscape-Remodel---Lawn-Replaced--Novato--CA Photos: © Eileen Kelly, Dig Your Garden Landscape Design

Using the existing shell, we were able to transform the look and feel of the pool and its surroundings. Poured concrete, Trex decks, planters, and a fly-over bridge create an engaging space with intentional poolside social areas. Linda Oyama Bryan Photography

Designed by Cultivart Landscape Design, Construction and Project Management by Urban Landscaping, Photo by Peta North

The lower area of the front yard garden was dominated by a thirsty, weedy lawn and the slopes leading to the house were mostly unplanted. Stone steps were designed to take the owners and visitors to a shaded sitting area under a spreading Jacaranda tree. Foreground: Euphorbia 'Copton Ash', Snow In Summer, blue sedge, Safari conebush, Westringia 'Morning Light' and Dianella 'Cassa Blue'. Slope plantings include Torch Aloe, Pride of Madeira, Euphorbia myrsinites, Spreading Sunset Lantana, Tree aloe and Bronze Baby Newe Zealand Flax. Photo: Billy Goodnick

This ranch style house on Lake Buchanan is surrounded by lush gardens that use very little water.

In our busy lives, creating a peaceful and rejuvenating home environment is essential to a healthy lifestyle. Built less than five years ago, this Stinson Beach Modern home is your own private oasis. Surrounded by a butterfly preserve and unparalleled ocean views, the home will lead you to a sense of connection with nature. As you enter an open living room space that encompasses a kitchen, dining area, and living room, the inspiring contemporary interior invokes a sense of relaxation, that stimulates the senses. The open floor plan and modern finishes create a soothing, tranquil, and uplifting atmosphere. The house is approximately 2900 square feet, has three (to possibly five) bedrooms, four bathrooms, an outdoor shower and spa, a full office, and a media room. Its two levels blend into the hillside, creating privacy and quiet spaces within an open floor plan and feature spectacular views from every room. The expansive home, decks and patios presents the most beautiful sunsets as well as the most private and panoramic setting in all of Stinson Beach. One of the home's noteworthy design features is a peaked roof that uses Kalwall's translucent day-lighting system, the most highly insulating, diffuse light-transmitting, structural panel technology. This protected area on the hill provides a dramatic roar from the ocean waves but without any of the threats of oceanfront living. Built on one of the last remaining one-acre coastline lots on the west side of the hill at Stinson Beach, the design of the residence is site friendly, using materials and finishes that meld into the hillside. The landscaping features low-maintenance succulents and butterfly friendly plantings appropriate for the adjacent Monarch Butterfly Preserve. Recalibrate your dreams in this natural environment, and make the choice to live in complete privacy on this one acre retreat. This home includes Miele appliances, Thermadore refrigerator and freezer, an entire home water filtration system, kitchen and bathroom cabinetry by SieMatic, Ceasarstone kitchen counter tops, hardwood and Italian ceramic radiant tile floors using Warmboard technology, Electric blinds, Dornbracht faucets, Kalwall skylights throughout livingroom and garage, Jeldwen windows and sliding doors. Located 5-8 minute walk to the ocean, downtown Stinson and the community center. It is less than a five minute walk away from the trail heads such as Steep Ravine and Willow Camp.

June perennial gardens with oriental poppies, peony, iris, sweet william and viola (Johnny Jump UP) Kathleen Bassett Gardene