Dream Garden Ideas - Sunset.com

Photo by Jennifer Cheung; written by Kathleen N. Brenzel

If your dream vacation is to...Malibu

Fake a seaside resort

Bring out the striped cushions and colorful umbrellas, and let the garden take care of itself, as this one does. The deck is made of sustainable ipe wood that has weathered to a soft gray. Drought-tolerant plants need only yearly trimming and occasional watering—which leaves plenty of time to kick back on a lounge chair and bask in the sun. Design: Heather Lenkin, Lenkin Design, Pasadena (lenkindesign.com or 626/441-6655)

Photo by Jennifer Cheung; written by Kathleen N. Brenzel

Carmel

Add “tidepool” plants

Greenery that looks like sea creatures accents this patio overlooking the surf. Bronze aeonium rosettes and billowy seaweedlike maidenhair ferns embellish two freestanding metal-framed wall panels that block the view of the neighbor’s roof and provide some growing ground (chicken wire on the back and felt in front contain the potting soil). Even the tabletop’s giant seastar centerpiece adds to the coastal theme. Design: Heather Lenkin, Lenkin Design, Pasadena (lenkindesign.com or 626/441-6655)

Photo by John Granen; written by Kathleen N. Brenzel

Vancouver

Pave a trail to the coast

Give it twists and turns, then edge it with grasses, so strolling along it feels like a hike toward the water’s edge. This path winds through coppery New Zealand hair sedge (Carex tenuiculmis ‘Cappuccino’) and ‘Georgia Blue’ veronica. Miscanthus sinensis fans out at right, while bigleaf maples and Douglas firs create a view in the distance. Design: Susan Calhoun, Plantswoman Design, Bainbridge Island, WA (plantswomandesign.com or 206/842-2453)

Photo by Art Gray; written by Kathleen N. Brenzel

Maui

Add a poolside shower

A soothing spray, backed by yuccas, cycads, and other lush plants, is within easy reach of the pool in Greg Sanchez’s backyard garden. Teak boards mask plumbing, and slotted boards on the floor drain into a hidden shower pan. Design: Greg Sanchez, GDS Designs, Los Angeles (gdsdesigns.com or 323/466-4266)

Photo by Holly Lepere; written by Kathleen N. Brenzel

Yellowstone

Light a campfire

A built-in firepit is the hub of gatherings in this garden. Sandstone cobbles edge the 5-foot-diameter lava rock–topped pit, which blazes with gas-fed flames. A sandstone wall, scattered with cushions for comfort, serves as seating. Thyme and other herbs grow around the firepit and between the seat wall’s stones. Design: Margie Grace, Grace Design Associates, Santa Barbara (gracedesignassociates.com or 805/687-3569)

5 dream vacations in your own backyard

If your dream vacation is to...Malibu

Carmel

Vancouver

Maui

Yellowstone