The Cliff Street Project
A Backyard Patio for Fun Family Times
Cliff Street in Southern Pines, NC
My client wanted a patio and outdoor space that her family could enjoy year-round. Life events had her considering a move, but in the end she decided to stay in the house where she raised her family and make the property everything she had always wanted it to be. As a busy professional, she hired me to help create her vision.
Slide the arrow left or right to see the before and after for this backyard garden.
The ideal patio location sat beneath a massive magnolia tree at the bottom of a sloping yard plagued by erosion.
We removed the tree, cleared years of unsuccessful drainage materials, regraded the property, and used gentle berms to redirect water while creating a welcoming approach to the patio. Because the native soil was extremely sandy, we enriched the planting beds with compost and topsoil.
The design centered on a pergola swing and custom brick firepit, complemented by stone benches with subtle lighting and space for outdoor dining.
Dwarf Gardenias and Small Globe Cryptomeria transformed exposed septic components into attractive landscape features, while mondo grass between the patio stones (gradually growing in in the picture to the right) added a soft, barefoot-friendly texture.
Some of the plants I included in this design:
