Full backyard renovation

For this Eagle, Idaho home, the homeowners wanted to transform their backyard into a relaxing outdoor retreat, a space that made the most of their beautiful pondside setting.

Boise Landscape Design created the landscape plans, and Hockema Landscape Design & Build brought them to life. From grading and drainage to custom stonework and planting, our team handled the full build process with precision and care.

A new paver patio extends from the home, opening into a cozy fire pit area with sweeping views of the pond. Curved garden beds filled with native grasses, evergreens, and colorful perennials soften the hardscape and create a natural transition to the shoreline. Subtle path lighting and upgraded irrigation complete the space, ensuring it’s both functional and low-maintenance.

The Process

Working from Boise Landscape Design’s plans, our build team refined details on-site to ensure perfect fit and finish, from the patio layout and edge transitions to plant placement and final grading. Every step was managed in-house to maintain consistency and craftsmanship.

The finished result feels timeless and cohesive: a peaceful backyard designed by Boise Landscape Design and built by Hockema Landscape Design & Build, perfectly suited to the Eagle lifestyle.

Building from another designer's plans

Plans on paper and grades on site never match perfectly. Building from a designer's plans means checking elevations, drainage and dimensions against the real yard before work starts, then adjusting the details so the finished space matches the intent of the design. Material choices, edge transitions and plant placement all get refined in the field, which is where build experience makes the difference.

Working beside a pond

A pondside yard has its own rules. Grading has to move water gently instead of sending runoff, soil and fertilizer straight into the pond, and the ground near the shoreline needs planting with roots that hold the bank. Native grasses and deep-rooted perennials do that well and give the edge a natural look, so the yard flows into the water instead of stopping at a hard line.

A patio and fire pit built for the view

The paver patio sits on a compacted base sized for Treasure Valley freeze-thaw, sloped so water drains away from the house. Placing the fire pit area where the patio opens toward the pond turns the view into the focal point of the evening.

Planting, irrigation and lighting

Curved beds of native grasses, evergreens and perennials give the yard color through the seasons while keeping maintenance manageable. Upgraded irrigation puts each group of plants on the right schedule, which saves water and keeps the beds healthy through hot Eagle summers. Subtle path lighting keeps the walk to the fire pit safe after dark without competing with the view.

Planning a full backyard renovation

Whether you have plans from a designer or are starting from scratch, a complete renovation works best when grading, drainage, hardscape and planting are planned together. See outdoor living, read about our work in Eagle, or contact us to start.