We loved working on this landscape plan for a back yard pool in Adel. The homeowners had great ideas for a fun space for their family to enjoy. The pool, pergola, fire pit, trampoline, and plantings all fit together to create a wonderful outdoor space. More and more clients are looking for their outdoor spaces […]

Good design solves problems. This project from a few years ago remains one of my favorite ways to solve problems. We took a lawn-heavy, pretty boring yard and designed a lush, established landscape that looks like it is SUPPOSED to be there.  Landscape Design blends the outside and inside together, so that a home is […]

Want to see a lovely transformation? This project took an absolutely stunning home with tired landscaping and created a beautiful, functional design without a lot of money, materials, or time. Quite the magic act! THE BACKGROUND Some dear friends in Adel hired Red Fern to put together a plan for their 1910 home. They were […]

We worked on a master plan for the landscape around a new construction home for clients out in the country. This property has something for everyone! We’ll start with our inspiration board and plant palette. For plants, were looking for grasses and other plants that have lovely movement and fit in the prairie-inspired surroundings. Of […]

WHAT EVEN IS AN OUTDOOR KITCHEN? In Iowa, we are cooped up half the year. While the weather is pleasant, we want to be outside as much as possible.  I get a lot of questions about outdoor kitchen design – what’s needed? How do you plan? To help you get started, I want to teach […]

Let’s start with the front yard on this fun project.  This is really a case of “business in the front, party in the back”!!  The front yard plantings are lovely, but the real fun happens when we get to the back yard. Here in the front we have a great mix of colors and textures […]

We put together a plan for a great couple in Pleasant Hill.  This project focused on both the front yard’s curb appeal and privacy in the back yard. Building on what they already had in the landscape, we created a retreat from busy life and shelter from the noisy main road near their home. The […]

The wonderful couple that approached me about this project was not afraid of hard work OR plants. They bought this house from a plantsman, and they saw how everything had slipped away from its former glory. While they didn’t want to re-create the same exact look that the previous owner had created, they did want […]

Adding an outdoor gathering area is a great way to bring your party outside and increase the living area of your home.  Choosing how big or small to make it can be intimidating.  The quick answer?  Well, you can always use more space.  Bigger is often better for outdoor seating areas, and it’s hard to […]