GARDEN COURTYARDSREAR GARDENS · COURTYARDS · ENTRY GARDENS

Rear Garden Design

Transforming brownstone and townhouse rear gardens into private outdoor rooms.

New York's townhouse and brownstone stock offers some of the city's most intimate outdoor spaces — rear gardens that, when properly designed, become true extensions of the interior. We design rear gardens with the same rigor applied to rooftop terraces: precise hardscape layout, curated planting plans, drainage engineering, and lighting systems that make the space usable from spring through late autumn.

• —Custom bluestone, Belgian block, or porcelain paving layouts
• —Raised planting beds with ipe or powder-coated steel frames
• —Specimen tree selection and installation (Japanese maple, magnolia, serviceberry)
• —Low-voltage accent and path lighting systems
• —Drainage engineering and waterproofing coordination

Courtyard Garden Design

Enclosed courtyard spaces designed as architectural outdoor rooms.

Enclosed courtyards — whether between buildings, within a co-op complex, or at the base of a full-floor loft — require design thinking that accounts for limited sun, reflected heat, and the visual weight of surrounding masonry. We design courtyard gardens that use espaliered trees, shade-tolerant plantings, water features, and custom millwork to create spaces that feel expansive despite their boundaries.

• —Shade-tolerant planting palettes for north-facing and enclosed spaces
• —Espaliered magnolia, hornbeam, and fig for vertical interest
• —Custom steel planter systems and raised bed construction
• —Water feature design and installation (fountains, rills, reflecting pools)
• —Privacy screening with living hedges or custom metalwork

Entry & Stoop Garden

First-impression planting that elevates building character at street level.

The stoop and entry garden is the first thing residents and visitors see. We design entry-level planting programs that establish architectural character — combining evergreen structure, seasonal color, and curated specimen plantings to create a polished, intentional presence at the building base. Available as standalone commissions or as part of a comprehensive exterior renovation.

• —Custom iron planter design and fabrication
• —Seasonal planting compositions with spring, summer, and fall rotations
• —Evergreen structure plantings for year-round presence
• —Low-voltage accent lighting for evening presence
• —NYC DOB permit coordination for entry modifications

Terrace-Level Garden

At-grade terraces and garden-level outdoor rooms for ground-floor residences.

Ground-floor and garden-level residences in Manhattan and Brooklyn often have direct access to at-grade outdoor spaces that are neither a traditional backyard nor a rooftop terrace. We design these spaces as proper outdoor rooms — with defined zones for dining, lounging, and planting — using materials and details that match the quality of the residence above.

• —Zone planning for dining, lounge, and planting areas
• —Porcelain, ipe, or bluestone paving for at-grade and raised surfaces
• —Custom pergola and shade structure design
• —Outdoor kitchen and built-in bar integration
• —Privacy fence and screen design with climbing plant programs

Co-op Courtyard Renovation

Common-use courtyard amenity spaces designed for resident boards.

Many pre-war co-ops and condominiums have underutilized interior courtyards that could serve as genuine amenity spaces for residents. We work directly with boards and managing agents to design, permit, and construct courtyard renovations that add measurable value to the building — improving resident satisfaction, reducing maintenance burden, and enhancing the building's market position.

• —Board presentation materials and renderings
• —NYC DOB permit expediting and filing
• —Phased construction planning to minimize resident disruption
• —Irrigation and drainage system design
• —Ongoing maintenance program options post-completion

Garden Maintenance

Seasonal care programs for gardens under New York Roofscapes management.

Garden and courtyard spaces require a different maintenance approach than rooftop terraces — more intensive pruning, soil amendment, and pest management, with greater seasonal variation in care requirements. Our garden maintenance programs are designed around the specific plant palette and hardscape of each project, with scheduled visits from spring through late autumn and optional winter dormancy services.

• —Spring cleanup, pruning, and fertilization programs
• —Summer irrigation management and pest monitoring
• —Fall cutback, bulb installation, and winterization
• —Annual soil amendment and mulch programs
• —Emergency response for storm damage and plant loss

Why New York Roofscapes

Every discipline in-house. Every project under one roof.

Most garden design firms hand off construction to a separate contractor. New York Roofscapes designs, engineers, builds, and maintains every project with our own in-house team — which means the design intent is preserved through construction, and the firm that builds your garden is the same firm that maintains it.

Our ASLA-accredited landscape architects and licensed contractors bring twenty-five years of New York City project experience to every commission — including NYC DOB permit expediting, co-op and condo board presentation support, and ongoing maintenance programs.