Landscape Design
Patio of the Week
Yard of the Week: Orchard and Plantings Bring a Garden to Life
A designer transforms a once-barren L.A. backyard with espaliered fruit trees, herbs and pollinator-friendly flowers
Partway through a home restoration, the owner of this property at the foot of the Hollywood Hills turned her attention to the outdoors, hiring landscape designer Akiko Komori of Yard Maven to help transform her backyard. “The homeowner envisioned a peaceful respite filled with lush greenery where she can unwind and play with her young daughter,” Komori says. The homeowner — who manages a firm that develops and invests in sustainable farms — was passionate about creating a garden that would not only look good but also be a productive space with fruit trees, vegetable beds, herbs and plenty of plants to support local pollinators.
Need a pro for your landscape design project?
Let Houzz find the best pros for you
Let Houzz find the best pros for you
Before: “As you can see from the ‘before’ photos, there was a patchy lawn in the middle, surrounded by an awkward mix of flagstone and gravel,” Komori says. “The space was open and sunny, but was uninviting.” With the goal of a more sustainable and productive garden, the homeowner agreed to lose the lawn and replace it with beds filled with climate-appropriate fruit- and flower-producing plants.
Before: While Komori completely changed the backyard plantings and pathways, she retained many of the yard’s structural elements, including a deck, a pergola, a concrete wall and wooden landings leading from the house and guest house to the garden.
The original play structure (shown in the previous photo) also stayed for the homeowner’s daughter to enjoy as a hideout within the garden.
The original play structure (shown in the previous photo) also stayed for the homeowner’s daughter to enjoy as a hideout within the garden.
After: Following three months of design and about two months start to finish for installation, the dream of the new backyard became a reality. Now, the homeowner and her daughter open the back doors of their home to what is both a beautiful, productive garden and a dynamic ecosystem. “When you step off the deck and into the garden, it feels as if you were wading into a pool of soft, plush greenery dotted with flowers,” Komori says.
Apple and citrus trees stud the planting beds amidst a meadow-like underplanting of native and introduced flowering perennials and ornamental grasses. It’s a garden that ignites the senses and delights both children and adults. The homeowner “wanted a secret-garden atmosphere for children to learn from and play in. So we took advantage of all the space we had and filled it to the brim,” the designer says.
Permeable Hardscape
Decomposed-granite paths edged by granite cobblestones curve through the space, leading from areas for outdoor entertaining into the larger garden. Here you can see a glimpse of the outdoor dining area, which sits at left under a pergola topped with a scarlet trumpet vine opposite a plum-colored Japanese maple. The homeowner and her daughter have spotted birds nesting in the trumpet vine’s branches.
Komori selected all the materials for the garden with sustainability in mind. The decomposed granite is permeable, which helps keep rainwater on-site, where it can slowly seep into the soil. Beds are topped with xerimulch. “[It’s] a finely shredded wood [not bark] mulch that breaks down over time and nourishes the soil,” Komori says. The mulch also shelters the soil from direct sun and helps prevent water loss from the new drip irrigation system, which replaced less-efficient sprinklers.
Decomposed-granite paths edged by granite cobblestones curve through the space, leading from areas for outdoor entertaining into the larger garden. Here you can see a glimpse of the outdoor dining area, which sits at left under a pergola topped with a scarlet trumpet vine opposite a plum-colored Japanese maple. The homeowner and her daughter have spotted birds nesting in the trumpet vine’s branches.
Komori selected all the materials for the garden with sustainability in mind. The decomposed granite is permeable, which helps keep rainwater on-site, where it can slowly seep into the soil. Beds are topped with xerimulch. “[It’s] a finely shredded wood [not bark] mulch that breaks down over time and nourishes the soil,” Komori says. The mulch also shelters the soil from direct sun and helps prevent water loss from the new drip irrigation system, which replaced less-efficient sprinklers.
Tall purple verbena (Verbena bonariensis) and wild rye grass (Leymus condensatus ‘Canyon Prince’) form a meadow-like understory for citrus trees.
Productive and Beautiful Plantings
The designer chose plants with valuable attributes, including fruit, flowers, fragrance, nectar and pollen, and year-round structure. For color, Komori selected a palette of flowering perennials, shrubs and trees to bloom in succession throughout the seasons. “Spring, of course, is a magical time,” she says. “Wild lilac and apple are the first to burst into bloom in this garden. Soon, the heady scent of orange and tangerine blossoms fills the air.”
Productive and Beautiful Plantings
The designer chose plants with valuable attributes, including fruit, flowers, fragrance, nectar and pollen, and year-round structure. For color, Komori selected a palette of flowering perennials, shrubs and trees to bloom in succession throughout the seasons. “Spring, of course, is a magical time,” she says. “Wild lilac and apple are the first to burst into bloom in this garden. Soon, the heady scent of orange and tangerine blossoms fills the air.”
Annuals planted for color in the black pot shown include nemesia, diascia and viola. The terra-cotta pot alongside is filled with strawberries.
Summer is when fruits and veggies, such as tomatoes, peppers, eggplants and culinary herbs, come into their own, filling the raised beds close to deck and providing months of continuous harvest. In winter, the raised beds are replanted with kale and mixed lettuces.
For long-lasting color, Komori says tall verbena (Verbena bonariensis) and Latin American fleabane (Erigeron karvinskianus) work hard in the garden. “They bloom from spring through fall in our climate, if cut back occasionally to remove spent flowers,” she says. “They complement other flowers and provide steady food for bees and butterflies.”
Summer is when fruits and veggies, such as tomatoes, peppers, eggplants and culinary herbs, come into their own, filling the raised beds close to deck and providing months of continuous harvest. In winter, the raised beds are replanted with kale and mixed lettuces.
For long-lasting color, Komori says tall verbena (Verbena bonariensis) and Latin American fleabane (Erigeron karvinskianus) work hard in the garden. “They bloom from spring through fall in our climate, if cut back occasionally to remove spent flowers,” she says. “They complement other flowers and provide steady food for bees and butterflies.”
Stonecrop (Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’) grows among a froth of Latin American fleabane (Erigeron karvinskianus) and foothill penstemon (Penstemon heterophyllus ‘Margarita BOP’).
In fall, some of the early season blooms begin to fade and others come into their own. “When chubby clusters of stonecrop flowers start popping up, you know the summer is coming to an end. Then it is all about ornamental grasses,” Komori says. “Right now, pink muhly (Muhlenbergia capillaris) is putting on its annual fireworks show.”
In fall, some of the early season blooms begin to fade and others come into their own. “When chubby clusters of stonecrop flowers start popping up, you know the summer is coming to an end. Then it is all about ornamental grasses,” Komori says. “Right now, pink muhly (Muhlenbergia capillaris) is putting on its annual fireworks show.”
Fruit Trees
Fruit trees were on the homeowner’s wish list from the start. Komori selected varieties that would thrive in the Los Angeles climate. Apples, including the varieties ‘Dorsett Golden’ and ‘Anna’, are grown as espaliers along the existing concrete wall. Citrus trees grown in the meadow include ‘Washington’ navel orange, ‘Valencia’ orange and Algerian tangerine.
“Many fruit trees grow happily in small gardens or even containers,” Komori says. “If your space is limited, you may want to look for dwarf or semidwarf varieties — as opposed to standard — which will naturally stay small.” The designer also shares that fall is a great time to plant fruit trees, as the plants can take advantage of the cooler weather and increased rainfall in winter to settle in and establish strong root systems. Come spring, they’ll be ready to push out new growth and flowers.
How to Grow 10 Favorite Fruit Trees at Home
Fruit trees were on the homeowner’s wish list from the start. Komori selected varieties that would thrive in the Los Angeles climate. Apples, including the varieties ‘Dorsett Golden’ and ‘Anna’, are grown as espaliers along the existing concrete wall. Citrus trees grown in the meadow include ‘Washington’ navel orange, ‘Valencia’ orange and Algerian tangerine.
“Many fruit trees grow happily in small gardens or even containers,” Komori says. “If your space is limited, you may want to look for dwarf or semidwarf varieties — as opposed to standard — which will naturally stay small.” The designer also shares that fall is a great time to plant fruit trees, as the plants can take advantage of the cooler weather and increased rainfall in winter to settle in and establish strong root systems. Come spring, they’ll be ready to push out new growth and flowers.
How to Grow 10 Favorite Fruit Trees at Home
Wildlife and Pollinator Attractors
The majority of the plants selected for the backyard provide food for native butterflies, bees and birds. The designer shares her short list of wildlife favorites used in this garden below.
The majority of the plants selected for the backyard provide food for native butterflies, bees and birds. The designer shares her short list of wildlife favorites used in this garden below.
- Butterflies love: Stonecrop (Sedum spp.), Latin American fleabane (Erigeron karvinskianus), tall verbena, apple, citrus and wild lilac (Ceanothus spp.)
- Hummingbirds love: Penstemon, island alumroot (Heuchera maxima), wild lilac (Ceanothus spp.) and citrus
- Bees love: Wild lilac (Ceanothus spp.), apple, citrus and rosemary
As part of the backyard renovation, Komori added a simple wood fence to hide an air conditioning unit from view and installed LED pathway lights to provide a subtle evening glow. (Areas not pictured include a sandbox with monkey bars at the end of a winding path, adjacent to the playhouse.)
While Komori assists with some seasonal maintenance, including pruning the fruit trees (late winter for apples, periodically for citrus), she reports that the homeowner and her daughter enjoy the day-to-day tending of the garden and harvesting orchard fruit, berries, vegetables, herbs and flowers.
While Komori assists with some seasonal maintenance, including pruning the fruit trees (late winter for apples, periodically for citrus), she reports that the homeowner and her daughter enjoy the day-to-day tending of the garden and harvesting orchard fruit, berries, vegetables, herbs and flowers.
While the homeowner used to frequently entertain, during COVID-19 times she and her daughter have been turning to their garden for other enjoyments. They began birdwatching there after a friend made a list of backyard birds to identify. The daughter is a big fan of bug hunting as well. This summer, she and her mother set up a tent and “went camping” in the backyard. The homeowner recently installed a bat house to attract bats to help manage mosquitos, and she plans to set up several bee hives next spring.
More on Houzz
10 Things to Consider for a Sustainable Landscape Design
Read more landscape design guides
Find a pro for your home project
Shop for outdoor products
More on Houzz
10 Things to Consider for a Sustainable Landscape Design
Read more landscape design guides
Find a pro for your home project
Shop for outdoor products
Backyard at a Glance
Who lives here: A busy professional and her young daughter
Location: Los Angeles
Size: Backyard: about 2,000 square feet (186 square meters); lot: 7,560 square feet (702 square meters)
Designer: Akiko Komori of Yard Maven
Landscape contractor: David Lightfoot
Find a landscape designer near you