A touch of old Mexico

Picking up on the theme of the couple's 1920s stucco house, which is decorated with Mexican tile wall murals, Trutza created a landscape with the feel of old Mexico. An old patio that was crammed against the house was removed and replaced with a much larger ramada-covered patio at the back of the garden. "It changed the visual focus from the back wall to the back of the house, which is a much more pleasant view," says Greenspan.

Trutza then covered the patio and walkways with used brick to give them the look of adobe. By mixing brick patterns (herringbone and running bond), he was able to direct the eye to different areas of the garden.