Repurposing Unused Space

What began as a retirement hobby grew into a garden that reshaped how these clients use their backyard.

The first phase started just outside the kitchen, where overgrown landscaping was taking up valuable space without adding much function. We removed the existing ornamental grasses and designed three custom cedar raised beds to fit within the footprint already available. Because we were working within an established landscape, the beds were sized specifically for the space rather than relying on our standard dimensions. The cedar was given a weathered gray finish to complement the home, while black steel edging and blue shadow stone gave the garden a clean, intentional finish.

A year later, the clients were ready for more. We added a corten steel raised bed in another part of the backyard, along with a custom trellis built from repurposed barn wood for squash and other larger crops. Between the two garden areas, an existing fire pit and seating area gives them a place to sit, enjoy the garden, and take in everything growing around them.

What was once an awkward, underused part of the yard has found a new purpose, and so has a piece of old barn wood. What started as a retirement hobby has grown right along with the space itself. It’s a fitting second chapter for a part of the property that had been waiting to become something more.