Seattle landscape designer Scot Eckley was given a blank canvas of a backyard and instructed simply to make it magical. The homeowner spends the majority of her time traveling the country in her motor home and wanted her backyard near Puget Sound, Washington, to be easy to maintain, easy to entertain in and easy on the eyes all year round. Scot Eckley, Inc. Photos by John Granen

Garden at a Glance
Location: Seattle
Size: About 450 square feet (41.8 square meters)
Landscape designer: Scot Eckley

The decking is made of ipe wood, topped with black concrete slabs and accentuated with stainless steel accents to create a modern aesthetic. Repeating geometric shapes, such as the rectangular planter boxes and circle-patterned screen, were used throughout the space to both connect and delineate different areas of the backyard. Scot Eckley, Inc. Black concrete tiles and a stainless steel hearth provide a sleek showpiece and a great hangout spot for cool Pacific Northwest evenings.

The polished black concrete caps around the border of the deck provide a therapeutic benefit. “The dark surface absorbs heat from the sun, and the homeowner lies on top of it to help relieve her arthritis,” says Eckley.

Planters: PlantContainers.com
Scot Eckley, Inc. The outdoor dining area takes advantage of the mature bamboo trees that surround the perimeter of the yard, providing a natural privacy screen. A row of large planters filled with papyrus completes the green enclosure.

Large planter boxes: Camden Gardens Scot Eckley, Inc. A custom cedar planter box creates a screen between the backdoor and the barbecue, as well as a stunning living wall full of herbs. Stainless steel trays underneath the individual planter boxes on each shelf protect the shelves from excess water and provide a stylish accent.

Discover more ways to screen with plants and trees Scot Eckley, Inc. On the opposite side of the outdoor dining area, a staircase leads down to a Zen-like side yard. A discreet door on the side of the deck opens to a large storage area underneath the deck — an excellent place to store outdoor cushions and garden supplies.

Tip: If easily accessible, space below a deck can make for a great storage area.

That Gap Under the Deck: Hide It or Use it! Scot Eckley, Inc. The side yard is topped with permeable gravel and stepping circles filled with black beach glass. The noise created by walking on the gravel provides a security element. “The homeowner lives alone; therefore security and privacy were definitely considerations,” Eckley says.

The lone tree in the side garden is a mature Arbutus unedo with a glass sphere wrapped in a fisherman’s net hanging from a branch.

The custom aluminum ring gate seen here separates the side yard from the garage. Because it is transparent, the homeowner can see who is on the opposite side of the gate. It also allows light into what would otherwise have been a dark corner of the garden.

Here’s a close-up of the aluminum ring gate.

Discover the process Eckley used to create this one-of-a-kind gate