DONNA MARTINEZ didn’t set out to create a one-of-a-kind oasis in her suburban backyard. But when she and her family moved to a small-lot subdivision in southern Orange County, CA, with houses all around, the longtime gardener felt a strong craving for privacy.
So she started planting. “I kept on planting until I couldn’t see the dirt,” she says. She began with trees, including a fast-growing Chinese flame tree, and vines like showy bougainvillea then added favorites such as geraniums, alstroemeria, and roses, attracted to their bright colors. Since the neighborhood association rules that enforced conformity in the front yard didn’t apply in the back, Donna embellished her plantings with found objects and vintage furniture snagged at bargain prices at garage sales, flea markets, and online. “I had no idea what to do with some of them when I dragged them home,” she says. “I liked them. That was all that mattered.”
Denne historien er fra July/August 2020-utgaven av This Old House Magazine.
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Denne historien er fra July/August 2020-utgaven av This Old House Magazine.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Mobile kitchen island
TOH DIY expert Jenn Largesse shows how to build a rolling kitchen cart with a butcher-block top
Bathtub tray
TOH general contractor Tom Silva and TOH host Kevin O'Connor construct a slatted zebrawood caddy to hold grooming essentials, a book, and even a glass of wine, for those who like a long soak
Navigating the rise in mortgage rates
Looking to buy—or refinance—and feeling frustrated by lenders’ sky-high interest rates? Here’s how to get the best deal
Graceful grasses
With dramatic foliage and distinctive plumes, ornamental grasses come in sizes to suit virtually any garden
A better asphalt driveway
It's long-lasting and recyclable, and it weathers extreme temperatures. You can repair small cracks and divots in asphalt, too. Here's what you need to know to get-and maintain-a great-looking asphalt driveway
Modernizing a mid-century house
A family turns to TOH to renovate a 1960 house that had been awkwardly expanded over time. Their goal: to create a contemporary, energy-efficient, open-plan home that is fully accessible for a son with mobility issues
Making a house her own
Renovating in stages over nearly two decades, a homeowner transforms a once forlorn bungalow into a cozy, very personal space
A little house that lives large
A reimagined interior and second-story addition double the living area inside a narrow shotgun house, while respecting its historical roots
Before & After: Bath Fit for a Queen Anne
Classic meets modern in this primary-suite retreat
Before & After: Kitchen Moving a wall makes it work
Grabbing a few feet from the adjacent dining room yields major layout improvements
