Ariss

New builds are exciting… and the backyard usually isn’t. It’s often compacted subgrade, construction mess, and a whole lot of “we’ll deal with it later.” This project was about skipping the builder-basic phase and creating a backyard that felt finished right away.

Right off the house, a cedar deck and pergola creates that easy “step outside” space—shade, warmth, and a spot that feels usable even before the gardens mature. From there, the yard breaks into clear zones: a square-cut natural stone patio for dining, a separate lounge area, and low veneer walls with clean coping that give the space structure and a little privacy without boxing it in.

The focal point is a naturalistic pond and stream/waterfall, positioned so you hear it and see it from the main sitting areas—and with a subtle overhang from the deck that gives a bit of a dock-like feel. Layered planting and a few larger perimeter trees make the whole yard feel more established, faster, and low-voltage lighting keeps it usable into the evening.

The result is a backyard that’s easy to live in, feels calm and intentional, and gets better as it fills in.

Before the Landscape Transformation

Before the landscape work, the backyard at Ariss felt like a typical new-build blank slate: rough lawn, exposed gravel, minimal outdoor living space, and no real sense of structure or destination. The areas off the back doors were usable only in the most basic way, with no defined patio zones, no shade element, and nothing yet tying the house to the yard.

The starting point had good space to work with, but it still needed layout, material contrast, and planting to turn it into a finished backyard people would actually want to spend time in.

During Construction

During construction, the Ariss backyard started to shift from a bare new-build yard into a defined outdoor living space. The cedar pergola and deck framing established the main gathering zone right off the house, while veneered walls and new patio surfaces began shaping the yard into clear seating and circulation areas.

At this stage, the structure and material palette were already doing a lot of the work, showing how the backyard would eventually feel warm, usable, and intentionally laid out before the pond, stream, and planting finished the space.

After Completion

The finished landscape transforms the property into a warm, functional retreat, with a natural swim pond, stonework, cedar features, layered planting, and spaces designed for both everyday use and entertaining.