Backyard & Garden Design in the South End, Boston

The South End is the largest intact Victorian row-house district in the country, and the garden behind a bowfront brownstone is one of the best outdoor rooms in Boston — enclosed, private, shaded by neighboring buildings, and just waiting to be made usable. American Elm Landscape designs and builds these gardens from start to finish: one plan, one crew, with Allan on the job.

A South End garden is usually a small, walled rectangle reached through the house or a narrow passage, often shaded, and frequently holding water on old city soil. That's exactly the kind of space where good design and a proper base make all the difference, and it's the work we've built our name on over 37 years.

What we design and build in the South End

Rear brownstone gardens. A plan for the whole enclosed space — seating, planting, privacy and lighting — that turns a neglected back lot into a private retreat.

Brick & bluestone. The materials that fit the district, set on a properly compacted base so they stay flat and drain right. For patio-specific detail, see our South End patio page.

Planting & privacy. Shade-tolerant and climbing plantings for close-quarters gardens, and screening placed where you actually sit. See backyard privacy for city yards.

Drainage. Allan is an NDS Certified Professional Drainage Contractor. Many South End gardens sit on old fill that holds water, so moving it away from the building is part of every design. See yard drainage.

Lighting. Low-voltage lighting so an enclosed garden works after dark and feels like another room of the house.

The South End Landmark District: what actually gets reviewed

Here's the part most homeowners get wrong, and it usually works in your favor. The South End Landmark District (designated 1983) is a protected district, and the South End Landmark District Commission reviews exterior changes visible from a public way. But under the district's own standards, rear and side walls that don't directly face a public street or avenue are generally not reviewed. In plain terms: a hidden rear brownstone garden often falls outside design review, so you have real freedom back there — while a street-facing fence, gate, front areaway or anything visible from the sidewalk does need approval before you build. (The neighborhood is full of front gates that were put up without it; we don't work that way.)

We confirm exactly what applies to your address, and when a project does need the Commission, we design to the district and handle the application. More on the wider picture in our guide to patio and wall permits in Massachusetts.

Access: through the house, by hand

Most South End gardens have no vehicle access at all — everything comes in through the parlor or down a narrow side passage, by hand. That's routine for us. We stage carefully on the street, protect your floors and your neighbors, and leave the walk-through clean at the end of each day. Tight access adds to the labor on a job, and we tell you that up front.

Where we work in the South End

Across the neighborhood — the streets around Union Park and Rutland Square, and along Tremont, Columbus, Shawmut and Washington, plus the blocks toward the SoWa district. Not sure if you're in range? Ask; you very likely are.

How it works

Free design visit. We walk the garden with you, talk through how you want to use it, and check access, light, drainage and what, if anything, the Commission will expect.

Design, estimate, and approvals. You get a clear plan and a written estimate, and we prepare any Landmark District application your project needs.

We build it. One crew handles the base, drainage, hardscape, planting and lighting, with Allan overseeing the work.

You use it. We walk you through the finished garden and how to care for it.

Common questions

Does my South End garden need Landmark District approval?

It depends on what can be seen from the street. The Commission reviews exterior work visible from a public way. Under the district's own standards, rear and side walls that don't directly face a public street or avenue are generally not reviewed — so a hidden rear garden often falls outside review, while a street-facing fence, gate or front areaway does need approval. We confirm what applies to your address and handle any approval.

Can you build a rear garden behind a brownstone?

Yes. Enclosed brownstone rear gardens are one of our favorite projects, and because many aren't visible from a public way, you often have more design freedom back there than out front.

Can you work with no driveway and tight access?

Yes. Most South End gardens are reached through the house or a narrow side passage, so materials come in by hand. We stage carefully and protect your home and your neighbors.

Do you handle drainage in a South End garden?

Yes. Allan is an NDS Certified Professional Drainage Contractor, and keeping water off the building is built into every enclosed-garden design.

What does a South End garden project cost?

It depends on size, materials and access. For general numbers, see What a Small Backyard Makeover Costs in Greater Boston. Every project gets a free written estimate after we've seen the space.