Two East Austin homeowners forgoed a traditional wedding and decided instead to invest in creating a beautiful outdoor space where they could tie the knot at home. Shademaker Studio and SLC worked closely together to find creative ways to make a big impact and it paid off: this garden was chosen to be featured on the Garden Conservancy’s tour.

The focal point of the space is the seating area around the fire pit. The steel arbor spans a remodeled storage container that has been re-purposed as an office and an RV that’s used as a guest room for the property.  A landscape wall frames the courtyard and divides it from the working garden, with fruit trees and native plants.

The front yard is framed by an antique fence original to the house that was refurbished to get a new life. The pathways are made from recycled brick, originally harvested on site, along with Mexican adobe bricks. Instead of a traditional lawn, the front space is ornamental Berkeley Sedge grass, which is well-adapted to our climate and adds a soft texture.