Secret City Garden

Before

Before the team set to work on Gayle's backyard the land was barren and bleak. After garden designers Danny Hills and Wayne Hughes reworked the land it became an intimate dining space surrounded by lots of greenery.

They enhanced the rundown fence running along her property line with trellises planted with cup-and-saucer vines. To make sure the space was easy to maintain, the designers put in pathways, a terrace and flower beds — eliminating any grass to mow. Paths are recycled brick laid on sand without mortar; the terrace is recycled flagstone. Perennials and easy-to-grow self seeders make up the multitude of flowering plants. The outdoor room consists of portable, colorful vintage furnishings. Old striped canvas was used for pillow covers.