Even by New York City standards, this West Village townhouse's backyard was extremely small at roughly 220 square feet — and oddly-shaped, too. From toe-stumping patio pavers to out-of-control vines, the space had a laundry list of problems that needed addressing.
Key Issues:
Limited functional space
Uneven patio surface with pooling issue
Unattractive and inconsistent fencing
High-maintenance weeding and care needs, due to patio construction
Overgrown, unwanted vines
No lighting
Unsightly view from the interior
Nevertheless, we saw plenty of potential and knew a smart plan would have a massive impact on the space.
The Design
We start every design project with an inspiration board that reflects the client's goals and our initial ideas. This step enables us to clarify scope of work and aesthetic direction.
Priorities:
Create a functional, beautiful, and low-maintenance space that offers beautiful views from all vantage points.
Incorporate plants without sacrificing limited ground area
Provide lighting to extend usability after dark
Build with materials and a style that is in line with the home's 1843 exterior
After a few rounds of development, we landed on a final design that checked all the boxes, and then began installation.
The Installation
First, we tackled the patio by carefully removing each brick and placing them on a temporary pallet to make way for new sublayers (gravel and sand), level correction, and compaction. We used a vibrating plate compactor to make sure everything was settled and level.
Next, we used a polymeric sand aggregate between the bricks. The sand/silica mix is great because it's somewhat permeable so it allows for drainage but prevents weeds from sprouting in the crevices.
We had two goals for the plantings: keep it low-maintenance and an incorporate evergreens. For perennials, we chose dryopteris ferns, which are evergreen to semi-evergreen; carex evergold or sedge, an evergreen grass; and heuchera, which is also semi-evergreen and has the bonus of small spikes of flowers during summer. These plants all thrive in part-shade conditions. They maintain a bit of color through the winter and soften the wood- and brick-dominated space.
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