Take It Outside

Book excerpt: From the hosts of Bravo's Backyard Envy comes a beautifully photographed guide to converting your outdoor space into an enviable oasis, whether you have a backyard, brownstone patio, or three-season porch. Dubbed the "plantfluencers" by the New York Times, Mel Brasier, Garrett Magee, and James DeSantis, owners of the Manscapers landscaping company, do more than plant, mulch, and manicure a garden; they look at the space just as interior designers do a room, considering the aesthetics and the way people live in it. Now they show you how to apply familiar interior design principles to your outdoors, including: • Deciding on a concept to help direct the mood of your space • "Zoning" your space into functional areas, such as for lounging, cooking, or entertaining • Defining the areas with furniture and hardscaping like fencing, decking, pools, planters, pergolas, and pathways • Bringing in the green, including plants that are both functional (privacy shrubs and shade trees) and decorative (pretty perennials, climbers, and textural grasses) • Adding the finishing touches: the pillows, throws, hurricane lanterns, and other details that will make you want to linger long after sunset Plus, you'll have information on hiring a contractor and landscaper and the specific materials and plants the Manscapers love to use in their designs. No matter how big or small your exterior space, this ultimate guide to landscape design will help you bring the comfort of the indoors outside.