Before & After: Outdoor Living Retreat in Upper St. Clair, PA

This project transformed an aging backyard into a cohesive outdoor living space that blends beauty, function, and long-term sustainability.

 

Homeowners: Kim and Sean B.
Location: Upper St. Clair, PA
Landscape Designers: Maddison Perzel and Russ Bedner

 

Project Timeline

• Landscape Design Consultation: March 2024
• Phase I Design: Summer 2024
• Phase I Installation: September 2024
• Phase II Design: Winter 2025
• Phase II Installation: Spring–Summer 2025

Project Goals

• Refresh the landscape by removing overgrown and outdated plantings
• Create natural privacy with strategic screening plants
• Design a softer landscape with cool tones, whites, and calming textures
• Add landscape lighting to enhance beauty and safety after dark
• Resolve stormwater runoff that was draining toward the pool
• Update the pool hardscape for improved function and appearance
• Create a seamless flow from the deck to the pool area
• Improve access from the driveway to the backyard with new steps
• Replace the chain-link fence with a more cohesive landscape feature

Scope & Solutions

To bring the homeowners’ vision to life, our team completed the following improvements:

• Removed dead, damaged, and overgrown trees and shrubs
• Installed arborvitae to create year-round privacy
• Designed and installed a French drain system that directs stormwater to a new rain garden
• Planted a rain garden to help manage runoff while adding seasonal beauty
• Removed the existing concrete surrounding the pool
• Replaced the deck with a spacious hardscape patio
• Removed and rebuilt the existing patio and retaining wall
• Expanded the patio by repositioning the retaining wall to create more usable outdoor living space
• Replaced the aging pool with a new rectangular pool for a clean, modern aesthetic
• Extended the size of the hillside planting bed and backyard using existing boulders relocated from another area of the property
• Redesigned and replanted the hillside for improved curb appeal and easier maintenance
• Repositioned the shed to improve accessibility and functionality
• Built new steps from the driveway to the backyard and incorporated a decorative rock garden along the entrance

Plant List:

(over 180 plants total!)

Perennials

• Allium ‘Summer Beauty’
• Amsonia ‘Blue Ice’
• Baptisia ‘Plum Rosy’
• Chasmanthium latifolium (Northern Sea Oats)
• Creeping Sedum
• Gaura ‘Siskiyou Pink’
• Geranium ‘Rozanne’
• Hibiscus ‘Summerific® Valentine’s Crush’
• Lavandula ‘Sensational!’
• Lobelia ‘Starship Rose’
• Nepeta ‘Cat’s Meow’
• Phlox subulata ‘Drummond’s Pink’
• Phlox subulata ‘Emerald Blue’
• Salvia ‘Caradonna’
• Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’

Shrubs & Vines

• Clematis paniculata
• Clethra alnifolia ‘Ruby Spice’
• Clethra alnifolia ‘Summer Sparkler’
• Cornus sericea ‘Arctic Fire Red’
• Hydrangea arborescens ‘Invincibelle Lace’
• Hydrangea paniculata ‘Quick Fire Fab®’
• Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Ruby Slippers’
• Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Snow Queen’
• Pinus mugo ‘Big Tuna’
• Pinus mugo ‘Sherwood Compact’
• Rhododendron ‘Roseum Elegans’
• Rhus aromatica ‘Gro-Low’
• Syringa ‘Bloomerang® Dark Purple’
• Viburnum nudum ‘Winterthur’
• Viburnum plicatum f. tomentosum ‘Mariesii’

Trees & Evergreens

• Aesculus parviflora var. serotina (Bottlebrush Buckeye)
• Heptacodium miconioides ‘Temple of Bloom’
• Juniperus chinensis ‘Spartan’
• Thuja occidentalis ‘Smaragd’ (Emerald Green Arborvitae)
• Thuja plicata ‘Green Giant’

Customer Feedback

“What started as a project to create a more manageable landscape around our aging pool turned into a complete transformation of our outdoor space, and we couldn’t be happier!

From day one, Russ and Maddison took the time to truly understand our needs and goals. They helped us see the incredible potential our property had and showed us how to maximize every opportunity while staying mindful of our budget and timeline.

When unexpected issues came up along the way, Russ, Maddison and Jason handled each challenge with creativity and flexibility. They seamlessly adapted the design and continually found ways to incorporate features we had hoped for but initially thought weren’t possible.

We came into the project with only a general vision and very few concrete ideas. Through thoughtful planning sessions and countless conversations, Maddison created an amazing design. From the stunning hardscape to the carefully selected plants that provide beauty throughout the seasons, every detail was thoughtfully considered.

 Maddison was fully invested in our project from the earliest planning stages through the final finishing touches. Her passion, creativity, and attention to detail was wonderful!

We also can’t say enough about the incredible crew. They worked tirelessly at our home each day with exceptional skill and professionalism.

Even now, months after completion, we still walk outside and can’t believe this is our backyard. The transformation is beyond what we imagined!

This team listens, collaborates, solves problems, and delivers exceptional results. We wholeheartedly recommend the Bedner team. They created an outdoor space we’ll enjoy for years to come!”

A Backyard Designed for Living

What began as an outdated landscape with drainage challenges is now a welcoming outdoor retreat designed for everyday living and entertaining. From improved stormwater management and enhanced privacy, to a reimagined pool area and thoughtfully layered plantings, every element works together to create a landscape that’s as functional as it is beautiful.

At Bedner’s Farm & Greenhouse, we believe the best landscapes do more than improve curb appeal, they make life at home more enjoyable. Through thoughtful planning, quality craftsmanship, and plants chosen to thrive in Western Pennsylvania, we create outdoor spaces that continue to grow more beautiful with each passing season.

Whether you’re dreaming of a complete backyard transformation or looking to solve a specific landscape challenge, our landscape design-build team proudly serves homeowners throughout the South Hills of Pittsburgh with custom landscape design, installation, hardscaping, drainage solutions, outdoor lighting, and seasonal landscape maintenance.

If you’re ready to enjoy the view at home, we’d love to help create a landscape that’s uniquely yours. Book your consult today at https://www.bednersgreenhouse.com/landscaping-design/