From Bland to Beautiful

Randy Black wants a beautiful backyard that suits the traditional architecture of his house. First, he would like to improve his deck with new paint, new furniture and new plants. He'd like to spruce up all the flowerbeds and create focal points, as well as disguise the unsightly fence and wall. Finally, he wants to fill all the bare patches and replace struggling plants with shrubs and flowers that will complement the look of his house. Black wants to do all this with a budget of $15,000 for labor and materials. Which designer will be up to the challenge?

Before

Black keeps the hedges of his backyard neatly trimmed, the lawn mowed and the shrubs watered. While the space is green and tidy, he does not think it's very interesting. Up to the challenge are landscape designers Ray Guilbeau, Catherine Downes and Lois Mancuso.

After

After meeting with Randy to get a feel for his style, each designer comes up with a plan for the yard. Ray Guilbeau's design revolves around a small pond and waterfall off Black's deck. Downes uses curved lines and wide perennial beds to soften the sharp angles of the yard and deck. Mancuso creates a plan for a backyard that Black can enjoy whether he's inside or out.

After one week of reviewing the three plans, Randy Black selects Mancuso's design, and she turns his bland backyard into a comfortable and colorful private retreat. The small, enclosed backyard that Black used to avoid is now a delightful garden bursting with color.