Portfolio

Trex deck with Mediterranean style potted plants, rustic driftwood bench, and outdoor seating against a natural pastoral landscape backdrop.

Elegant & Natural

A modern pastoral home built by Verkade Design embraces local materials & sustainability, effortlessly integrating into the landscape.

Design Features

  • 30% native plants and 80% drought tolerant plants

  • Local sourced Sonoma Rose gravel forms permeable driveway and pathways for increased water retention

  • Drip irrigation and natural mulch suppress weeds and maintain soil moisture during extreme summer heat.

Close-up of an variegated agave plant with large, green leaves arranged in a spiral pattern.
Modern pre-fab house with cedar wooden facade, herringbone brick stone walkway, and desert and Mediterranean style landscaping with native grasses, drought tolerate shrubs under a clear blue sky.
A scenic sunset landscape featuring a wooden Adirondack chair on a gravel surface, with decorative metal panels providing a privacy screen. Desert style planting with cactus and native plants provide drought tolerate, xeriscape desert design.
Aerial view of a rural estate with a house, a metal-roofed structure, gravel areas, paved road, lawn, and surrounding landscaping.
Outdoor patio with two sun lounge chairs, an umbrella, a rustic metal chiminea, and plants on a pebbled surface during sunset.
Interior view of a minimalist room with a yoga mat and pillow on the floor, a wooden bench with a cushion, and a large open doorway showing a sunset over a hilly landscape. There is a wood-burning stove outside, a wooden dining table and chairs inside, and framed geometric wall art.
Modern garden pathway with lighting at dusk, featuring potted plants and a small building illuminated in the background.
Outdoor patio with Adirondack chairs around a fire pit, surrounded by landscaped greenery, with sunlight streaming through trees in the background. A mixture of native plants, agaves, grasses and flowering perennials.

Relaxed & Chic

A conversation fire lounge, entertainment deck, sports court, and sun deck are a few highlights of this Petaluma country estate.

Design Features

  • 40% native plants, drought tolerant plants from South African, the Mediterranean and desert landscapes

  • Concrete retaining walls create structure and spaces in this steeply sloped backyard

  • Texture play and simple color palette bring modernity

Green pine branches against a gray concrete wall.
A peaceful rural scene with a dog lying on a wooden deck next to a white chair, overlooking a garden with agave plants. A driveway leads to a green pasture with grazing cattle and surrounded by white fences. Large trees and a house are visible in the background under a clear blue sky.
Excavator next to a white house with a wooden fence, playground in the background, and trees around.

Before

Backyard with modern Mediterranean style landscaping, featuring a white house, wooden deck, olive trees, shrubs, concrete paths, and seating area with Adirondack chairs around a fire pit.

After

Lush garden with diverse green plants, ferns, and small shrubs. Stone pathway meanders through the garden. Trees provide partial shade.

Lush & Modern

Simple color blocking
& fine texture foliage warms
the arrival to this modern home.

Design Features

  • 20% native plants, drought tolerant plants
    & zero annuals

  • Natural stone pathway

  • Re-purpose of existing mature trees and select perennials

Smoke bush tree shows circular arrangement of green leaves with red edges.
Modern house exterior and garage door are soften by a lush garden design.
Front yard with mulch and minimal vegetation, tree and shrubs, modern house with garage, paved driveway, small patches of snow.

Before

Lush garden with green plants and colorful foliage, next to a modern house with a wooden garage door.

After

Front entrance of modern pacific coast cabin with Yakisugi siding has tall Karl forester maiden grass providing contrasting texture.

Rustic & Wild

A Pacific North-West vacation cabin seamlessly
blends into the surrounding ridge landscape, welcoming wildlife to the sundeck.

Design Features

  • 40% native plants and deer resistant plantings

  • Floating sun deck flush with home interior provides natural flow to the outside

  • Perennials require only per year maintenance through fall pruning

Close-up of unopened flower buds with green stems and leaves in a garden setting.
Modern cabin with wooden deck and outdoor furniture surrounded by lush greenery and forest trees.
Outdoor scene with a wooden bench, tall grasses, and trees with mountains in the background.
Modern house with large windows surrounded by lush green plants and tall trees under a clear blue sky.

Sculptured
& Tiered

A sloped front lawn is replaced with 3 tiers of corten steel planters, creating a dramatic, cascading floral display.

Design Features

  • Corten steel mirrors metal trim and porch railing on house integrating the home and landscape.

  • 4 Seasonal perennials delivering continuous floral displays

  • Native drought tolerant groundcovers

Silver foliage plants against a rust-colored metal background.
Modern house exterior with stone and stucco facade, wooden porch, and landscaped garden featuring colorful flowers.

Before Rendering

Modern front yard with stone stairs and raised planters featuring ornamental grasses and flowering plants.

After

Person taking selfie in scenic landscape with green hills and setting sun; trees and plants in foreground.

If you like what you see, contact me to start your next project!

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