Backyard Garden

Amazing Sloped Backyard Transformation- A Timelapse Guide



Take a look at this project we just completed in the El Cerrito Hills. This was a challenging site as a majority of the yard was sloped. The client wanted a place to hang out on top the hill to see the amazing views of the San Francisco Bay and we did just that! The redwood bench is “floating” and integrated with a steel retaining wall behind. We used redwood 6×6 timbers to create a stairway to get to the top of the hill with a steel railing. Down below on the flat areas we have a Decomposed granite patio space, a dymondia “lawn” and another bench seating area to hang out. We utilized the existing CMU wall and instead of demolishing it, we decided to stucco it to give it new life! We think it turned out great. What do you think?

▬ Contents of this video ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

0:00 – Demolition and site preparation
0:46 – Trenching for our water and electrical lines
1:05 – New concrete forms
1:31 – Grading for new patio
1:41 – Prepping for new redwood stairway
1:52 – Construction of redwood stairway
2:18 – Concrete pour and concrete finishing
2:35- CMU planter construction
2:42- Upper patio construction
3:01- lower gravel patio edging installation and continuing upper patio construction
4:16-Planting
4:48-Stucco existing walls
5:15-Weed fabric installation
6:04-Lower redwood bench installation
6:18-End result

39 Comments

  1. That garden was begging for a slide. What fun that would be and it could double as a water feature when it rains 🙂

  2. Magnifiques
    Très beau boulot !!!
    C'est quoi que vous mettez sur la bâche ?
    Des écorces ?

  3. Very well done. But to be honest I think adding the step lighting and an outdoor fireplace for this project would make it even better.

  4. First thing it needs is roots to hold that soil back. That's why trees are on either side nature knows a lot.

  5. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN GREAT IF THAT LOWER FLAT PART WAS GRASS AND A PATIO WITH SHADE AND BBQ AREA. I BELIEVE DURING HEAVY RAINS THE BARK GROUND COVER IS GOING TO RUN DOWN TOWARDS THE BOTTOM PORTION. LOOKS VERY NICE BUT VERY LITTLE USAGE FROM A LARGE AREA FOR ENTERTAINMENT FUNCTIONS.

  6. There’s not enough terracing. One good rainstorm and it’s all going to slide down the hill. I would have added a few terraces to hold everything in place.

  7. Great hardscaping but the plants are so boring. Couldn't plant some flowers or more/larger plants. It's just a hill of mulch with really nice steps

  8. This yard is a transformation but the design is so stark. It is so linear. I had hoped to see trees, a Pergola, water feature and some color. I know there is a second part and hopefully that will bring some life and joy to the area. This may seem harsh but aren't these videos posted for feedback? I mean this to be constructive.

  9. I would have made the stairs winding it’s too straight and visually boring.. huge improvement nonetheless!

  10. Работа проделана большая и многое мне нравится)) но очень расстроило такое нерациональное использование земли((( я не геолог и не ландшафтный дизайнер, но на мой вкус, надо было уравновесить подъём и сделать небольшими террасами , на них высадить больше плодовых деревьев и кустов что бы удерживать почву от сползания и получения урожая))) такой сад не потребует много ухода, но в то же время будет приносить урожай🤷🏻‍♀️ а можно было бы и грядочки сделать…))))

  11. Beautiful transformation!

    It’s frustrating to read all the negative criticism about not getting enough usable space.
    My first home had a very similar sloped backyard and it’s challenging. If you want to create a ton of usable space you’re going to have to build very high retaining walls which are very ugly.

    This owner wanted to update the yard while staying true to the natural landscape. Bravo!

  12. What a boring yard and ugly. No color and wait for all that to slide toward the house when it rains.

  13. Great job, I have a hillside home with a steep rear garden (currently an untended jungle) so this was very useful and inspirational. It does prove to me that it’s complex and challenging (but you had a retaining wall already in place) and in my case prohibitively expensive, however, it has encouraged me to get something done, even if it’s a personal job done over years. It does show that after a lot of hard work it may not yield that much useable space and there is only so much you can do with steep garden. You did an excellent job and I appreciate the design and site limitations you faced, as some people in the comments probably don’t have a hilly garden. You did a good design and good job!

  14. Awsome design of garden. Fantastic one. I would like to request you that pl upload video same one with zig zag footpath(pedestrian)

Write A Comment

Pin