Want a garden, but don't have much space? Here's how this SLO couple made it work
The homes in Jake and Sharyn Schaffer's San Luis Obispo condominium development look pretty similar from the outside. What lies beyond the couple’s front gate, however, is a different matter.
Their compact yet cozy courtyard garden is a colorful outdoor space brimming with personality and function.
A beige gravel path flanked by red geraniums, yellow yarrow and dwarf sweet pea shrubs winds through the garden. Meanwhile, a sheltered patio provides a comfortable spot for dining or relaxing, as well as space for barbequing.
But it’s the personal touches that steal the show.
Sharyn’s animal menagerie greets visitors the moment they enter the courtyard. Ceramic raccoons peek out of flower beds, metal peacocks show off their tail feathers and giant ant and frog sculptures perch on window ledges.
Then there are the flower pots, some of which sport fake plants. “I call them my ‘Michael’s Garden,’ ” Sharyn said, referring to the craft store where she purchased them.
According to the Schaffers, their playful garden used to be a lot more work and not much fun.
Two years ago, when they launched their garden makeover, the couple’s front patio had become overgrown with spreading agapanthus and clumping grasses with dead centers. The spray irrigation system wasted precious water.
After 27 years, their garden was due for a major overhaul.
The Schaffers hired a landscape designer to create a plan and handle installation, and gave him a budget. The landscaper took them to various nurseries to look at plants, drove them by homes to view features they were considering and spray-painted the new design in their courtyard to show how everything laid out.
Must-haves for the redesigned courtyard included a gravel path and lots of flowering plants. To keep things tidy, Jake requested a stone divider separating the entrance walkway from the flower beds, while Sharyn added an olive tree that’s up lit at night.
The entire redo took about six weeks.
First, the Schaffers had to kill off the old grass and remove almost all the existing plants – including one giant clump of agapanthus that had such extensive roots it had to be yanked out with a chain hooked to a truck. Then they replaced the existing sprinkler system with drip irrigation.
“It was a tremendous job taking everything out,” Sharyn said.
The Schaffers have continued to make changes to other parts of their landscape.
Along a narrow side yard, Jake built wooden raised beds, where he grows several tomato plants, green beans and herbs, as well as giant sunflowers for his grandkids’ enjoyment. A back patio overlooking the San Luis Obispo Country Club golf course also got a refresh with new rugs, colorful seat cushions and several flowering pots.
By taking advantage of every available outdoor area, the Schaffers show you can have it all in a small space.
Tips
- Don’t overplant to avoid pulling out plants and constant trimming.
- Check out nurseries, neighborhoods, books and the Internet for design and plant ideas.
- Make lists of desired functions and design details.