How do we make sense of a space with nothing but an expanse of turf? How should we create a garden with no constraints? The inherited backyard of this client was a broad green carpet of bluegrass with a small patio in the center. Wanting to have a more diverse garden with room to grow vegetables and water-wise plants, our team proposed a plan that married all of the client’s goals with an arrangement that made sense of the space. We included a bubbling rock that provides water for local wildlife and has become a hot spot for songbirds. To match the existing red sandstone, we included stepper paths for access through the garden as well as a breeze path that goes to the driveway. Our carpenters constructed raised beds for vegetable gardening and cut flowers. We strategically placed ornamental trees around the garden to break up the harsh architecture of the building, and as a wind-break from the west. Our plant plan was informed by the varying levels of exposure, water and aesthetic arrangement. More water tolerant plants were placed near high water areas such as the bubbling rock and the sod. The rest of the plants tolerate almost no supplemental water once they are established.