The owners of this little cottage on a sleepy street in Santa Barbara's modest Westside had given up on their old, thirsty lawn. It was clear from visiting their home that they had bold tastes and a love of strong color combinations.

The existing flagstone path was improved, lawn and weeds cleared and the design moved forward. One key feature is the use of the upright, lacy Grevillea 'Long John' to softly screen the view of the street from their back yard patio.

The rest of the design? "Have fun," they said. We did!

(Installation by Rincon Landscapes, Santa Barbara, CA)