Yard designs in Boise, Idaho

When people ask me about yard designs in Boise, they usually mean one part of the property that bugs them every day. The front yard looks like every other house on the street. The side yard is a strip of weeds and a trash can. The new-build lot came with dirt and a builder's sprinkler stub.

Each part of a yard has its own job, so each one gets its own kind of design. I'm Kabe Hockema. I've been landscaping since 2012, and I design and build yards across the Treasure Valley. Here's how I think about the most common yard types. For the bigger picture of how I work, see my landscape designer page.

Front yards that greet people

The front yard is the first thing people see and the part you walk through every day. A good front yard design does three things: it makes the front door easy to find, it gives the house a frame, and it doesn't take your whole weekend to keep up.

I start with the walk to the door. A wider path, a clear landing and a little low lighting go a long way. Then I frame the house with planting that's taller at the corners and lower under the windows. Lawn is optional. Many front yards here look better, and use less water, with a smaller lawn or none at all. A solid front walk is its own project, and walkway landscaping covers it.

Side yards that do a job

Side yards are narrow, shady on one side and baking on the other. They often hold the AC unit, the trash cans and the only gate to the backyard. Instead of fighting that, I design for it:

• A firm path wide enough to roll a trash can or a wheelbarrow.
• A screened spot for cans and tools.
• Planting that fits the light, since side yards often get shade on one side and full sun on the other.
• Drainage, since side yards often catch roof runoff.

You can see a finished one in this side yard remodel in Harris Ranch.

Small yard designs

A small yard needs fewer pieces, done well. I pick one main use, like a small patio or a garden bed, and give it the best spot. I keep paths simple, use plants that stay the right size, and repeat a few materials so the space feels calm instead of crowded. Vertical planting along fences adds green without eating up floor space.

Bare-dirt yards in new subdivisions

New builds in Meridian, Kuna, Star, Nampa and Caldwell often hand you a lot of compacted builder fill. Nothing grows well in it until it's broken up and amended. A new yard is the best chance to do things right from the start: grade for drainage, run irrigation where it belongs, and plan the patio before the lawn goes in.

If you're ready for grass, I can lay new sod as part of the build. If you'd rather skip it, that's an option too.

Water-wise yard designs

Boise summers are hot and dry, and more people want less turf and lower water bills. A water-wise yard doesn't have to be all rock. I use drought-tolerant shrubs, grasses and perennials, drip irrigation, and mulch or gravel to hold moisture in the soil. My xeriscaping page goes into the details. For a drier, rockier look, see desert landscaping.

Matching the yard to the house

A yard looks best when it fits the house. A craftsman home in the North End wants something different than a new modern build in the Eagle foothills. I pull colors from the siding and trim, match stone to any existing masonry, and keep the lines of the yard in step with the lines of the house.

Planting is a big part of that. If you want help picking and placing plants, my garden design page covers how I put beds together.

What changes the cost of a yard design

• Which parts of the yard you're redoing: front, side, back or all of it.
• How much old lawn, rock and concrete has to come out.
• Grading and drainage needs.
• Path and patio materials.
• Irrigation changes, like converting spray heads to drip.
• Plant count and size.

Yards I design around the valley

I design yards in every corner of Boise, from the Bench to Harris Ranch, and in Garden City, Eagle, Meridian, Star, Kuna, Nampa, Caldwell, Middleton and Hidden Springs. I also take projects in Sun Valley and Ketchum.

Start your yard design

If you're ready for yard designs in Boise that fit how you live and how your house looks, schedule a consultation. Tell me which part of the yard bugs you most, and we'll start there.