Beauty can come from the most unlikely places. Flowers grow up from cow manure, butterflies emerge from shriveled brown chrysalides and stunning adults can surface from surly, awkward teenagers. The environment has little room for waste, and recycling life from decay is the name of the game in the natural world.

Problematic side yard

One Kenmore couple clearly employed this philosophy on their own backyard. After experiencing a series of minor home setbacks over the course of five years, they turned each problem into a solution with the help of local gardening gurus, Berg's Landscaping.

It began in November of 2003, when a drainage problem in the lower west side of their mid-century rambler spurred them to work from the outside in. After calling on Master Builders Association member, Berg's Landscaping for backup, they asked for a landscaping solution to their watery woes. Berg's diverted the source of the water and set about creating a wholly new side yard environment.

Problem solved

They began by spending time indoors looking out, to get a feel for the view, then crafted a plan to give the space a Northwest feel with Asian flare. Berg's built a series of seven-foot, decorative wood screens with offset panels, then added a combination of spot and path lights to create a relationship from the inside to the outside. A paver patio was laid to anchor the area, while feathery textured plantings were placed to create depth of field. Hinoki Cypress, Japanese Maples and Heavenly Bamboo all took residence, adding a serene quality to the yard.