Backyard Landscape Design Ideas
Waterfalls, Patios, Walkways and Pergola

This project uses many great backyard landscape design ideas.




I worked with the client fine tuning this design...even when I relocated to Virginia. It turned out beautiful. The design encompasses many features, such as a swimming pool, pond with multiple waterfalls, two bluestone patios, an outdoor pergola, walkways and steps, and lovely plantings for all season color.



Entering the backyard, one walks through an arbor which is part of the pergola structure. Flowering vines will be growing up the columns. This feature leads to a bluestone patio and joins the patio pergola. Gates are at the entry as part of the pool fencing.

In this photo, you can see the entire pergola covering the bluestone patio. The stone wall you see is the back of the custom outdoor kitchen island. The plantings soften the wall when viewing from the rear part of the yard.

When designing a pergola that you walk through, thought must go into many elements so that it works well.

1. How wide should it be?
2. How long will it extend for?
3. How far apart are the columns...and how wide.
4. How tall are the columns?
5. What does the lattice on the top look like?

As you leave the patio area, a curvilinear bluestone pathway leads to another patio, which is raised and includes spa. As you meander along this walkway, interesting foundation plants can be enjoyed.

But wait! What's on the right?? It's a pond!

To creates even more interest, a beautiful pond was added and designed so that it is tucked into the existing wood edge. There are two waterfalls, lots of plantings, and fish.

Notice how natural the pond looks, as if it was always there. Placing it partly into the woods helped to achieve this. It takes someone who has a good, artistic eye to create this effectively. The design is only part of its success. The contractor was excellent.

The second patio is actually a raised terrace. There is a large grade change from the house to the ground. A gradual transition was created with a landing porch, steps to the patio, and then steps to the yard.

Built in planters serve as protection instead of railings. When thinking about backyard landscape design ideas, consider this option for raised patios. It's much nicer.

Large pieces of fieldstone serve as steps leading down to the back yard level and lead to the swimming pool decking. This type of stone used for steps might have different names, depending on where you live. They might be known as bluestone steppers, Karney stone, or as mentioned above, just field stones.

On either side of the steps there are lovely plantings to enjoy. Notice how they are not one long flight of steps but are divided into sections for a more comfortable transition.

As you reach the bottom of the staircase, you can either go to the pool area or to another entry into the house on the lowest level. Or just venture further out and enjoy the open lawn area. The ornamental tree adds some height and additional interest to the design.

The bluestone for this project has been dry laid and set on the diagonal to make for a slightly more interesting stone pattern. This is just another nice element to add to backyard landscape design ideas.

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