A Backyard Space, Reimagined

From blank canvas to endless summers of grilling and bellyflops. See what a comprehensive backyard landscape design can do.

Ryan and Cara bought a new house for their growing family, but their real priority was the backyard. With three rapidly growing boys, they saw nothing but potential in the flat, blank canvas behind the home.

While they were excited about their new home and their vision for the perfect outdoor space, the couple felt overwhelmed with options. They were worried they’d pick the wrong company and be stuck in a backyard landscape design process that would be more than they bargained for. They wanted a simple, straightforward plan to craft the backyard they dreamed of when they bought the house.

That’s when they found The Site Group. For 25 years, we’ve helped thousands of families in the Miami Valley bring dreams to life in their outdoor spaces. We know how hard it can be to feel confident you’re hiring a company that won’t let you down. So we laid out the plan…

Step 1:

Dream

We sat down with Ryan and Cara and took notes. The couple shared their hopes, dreams, and hesitations with The Site Group founder and landscape architect, Dave Swearingen.

“Dave just understood our priorities,” Cara said. “He heard everything we wanted and incorporated it into his design. He even looked around inside our house and asked us to point out items that reflected our tastes and personalities’.”

Dave loves working with his clients and getting to know their families and lifestyles.

“The interiors of our homes say a lot about our personal style. I like getting to look at whether or not my clients are modern or more traditional. If I see clean lines, I try to incorporate that into the exterior design. If I see overstuffed chairs, I try to make the design more about comfort,” Dave said.

Next, our team of designers developed concept drawings that helped Ryan and Cara imagine the new backyard landscape design for their outdoor space. This greatly helped the couple make decisions about the final direction of the project, allowing them to adjust materials and design to make sure they stayed within their budget.

Design Concept Dream Featured Projects Landscape Architecture Design The SiteGroup
Dream Design Concept Featured Projects Landscape Architecture Design The SiteGroup
Dream Concept Design Featured Projects Landscape Architecture Design The SiteGroup
Step 2:

Develop

After Ryan and Cara chose their design, our implementation team took over.

“I’ve never seen a team of contractors work like that. They were there on time, they were respectful of us and our neighbors. It was actually a pleasant eight weeks,” Cara said.

Ryan likes to use his grill so much that The Site Group team took the time and effort to move it, making sure it was accessible throughout the process.

“It’s how he relaxes — we didn’t want to take that away from him for eight weeks!” Dave said.

The Pool

Since the boys were still young, Dave and our team understood that safety was a priority, as well as functionality. For this reason, we recommended installing the pool to the side of the yard, making it visible from the outdoor kitchen while also keeping a large grassy area open for ball games and tag. Additional safety features included a fence around the yard and an automatic cover for the pool. Finally, we helped the young family think through what slide option from Buckeye Pools would be most suitable for both kids and adults.

Develop The Pool Featured Projects Landscape Architecture Design The SiteGroup
Develop Outdoor Kitchen Featured Projects Landscape Architecture Design The SiteGroup

The Outdoor Kitchen

We installed an outdoor kitchen with a grill, mini-fridge, bar and seating space, along with a fireplace. The seating is under a stunning ceiling with exposed beams to allow for outdoor enjoyment, rain or shine!

The Garden

The team created the garden with raised Corten steel beds for a beautiful aesthetic as well as protection for the plants. Cara said the boys love to grab a handful of strawberries and then jump in the pool.

Bauman Featured Projects Landscape Architecture Design The SiteGroup
Step 3:

Delight

Cara smiles as she recounts how the boys soak up every moment of summer they can in their outside oasis.

They cook meals in the outdoor kitchen and watch backyard ball games from the couch. They pick fresh strawberries from the garden between swims and curl up for naps in the late afternoon sun.

Turn your backyard landscape design daydreams
into realities.

Let’s imagine what’s possible in your space.