After: Although this spot looks like a secluded garden clearing, it’s actually the area on the side of the house near the tallest tree next to the window in the previous photo. The terra-cotta walkway at the back here is in about the same location as the main path seen previously. A stacked-stone wall curves behind the seating area, helping separate it from the street.

Along with preserving the mature trees, the designer brought in plantings including ‘Superb’ grevillea (Grevillea ‘Superb’, zones 9 to 11), ‘Barbecue’ rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Barbecue’, zones 8 to 10) and sage (Salvia clevelandii ‘Winifred Gilman’, zones 8 to 11, plus S. greggi ‘Dark Dancer’, zones 7 to 10). He focused on plants with low water needs throughout the entire redesigned landscape and turned to Houzz for ideas and inspiration.

Shop for outdoor lounge furniture on Houzz