The goal for this backyard was a place to sit and listen to water, surrounded by desert plants instead of a thirsty lawn.
A circle of flagstone sets off a tiered fountain, with stepping stones leading out into decomposed granite. Boulders, cactus and desert accent plants are scattered through the granite so the yard reads as natural desert, and a row of young screening shrubs along the block wall will fill in for privacy as it grows.
A small curved patch of turf keeps a soft spot for the dog, while the rest of the yard stays low-water and low-maintenance.
