Old Roots, New Rooms: Reimagining a Backyard in Oxford, Mississippi's Historic District

The Challenge: Making the Most of a Difficult Backyard

In the historic district of Oxford, Mississippi, a recently constructed home presented Landscape Services, Inc. with an opportunity… and a challenge.

The property’s backyard had significant changes in elevation, making it nearly unusable. At the front of the property, the team was tasked with designing a parking court. But beyond the home, much of the backyard was left underutilized. The homeowners wanted to reclaim that space and create a landscape that offered both open lawn and garden areas.

Landscape architect Ellen Harrison faced the tough task of designing a backyard that offered multiple uses while respecting the charm of the surrounding historic neighborhood. Her design needed to:

• Generate usable outdoor spaces across multiple elevations
• Preserve as much open lawn as possible
• Provide areas for gardens and outdoor activities
• Create connections between the different levels of the property
• Integrate naturally with the character of the historic Oxford neighborhood

Rather than treating the changing terrain as a limitation, Harrison used it as an opportunity to create a series of distinct outdoor spaces.

The Solution: Terracing a Backyard for Outdoor Living

Harrison elected to use Rosetta Hardscapes products, crafted by local manufacturer Deep South Precast, to terrace the property and transform its challenging terrain into a series of connected outdoor rooms.

The homeowner selected Belvedere Wall for its combination of natural appearance and installation advantages. Belvedere’s deep, rich face texture is cast with architectural-grade concrete, evoking the traditional look of natural stacked fieldstone – the perfect fit for the backyard’s historic surrounds. The walls were capped with Belvedere Coping, completing the look and providing seating surfaces for those venturing to the lower tiers.

“The homeowner chose Belvedere because of the texture of the surface, the color options available, the size of the block. It wasn't big and bulky, but it still had kind of the feel of a natural stone, but with the ease of the installation of a man-made product.” –Ellen Harrison, Landscape Architect, Landscape Services, Inc.

Belvedere’s versatility was on display as it provided an understated half-wall boundary to the driveway and guided visitors to the beautiful upper level, a lawn terrace sitting adjacent to an outbuilding, and a Belvedere Fire Pit patio. The team terraced the property as it descended toward a creek, creating distinct levels while preserving as much open lawn space as possible.

The terraced design also created opportunities to use Rosetta products in different ways throughout the landscape. Irregular Steps were integrated into a more natural pathway leading through the property. Set alongside crushed pea gravel, the steps provide a casual connection between levels that complements the surrounding landscape. A separate set of Dimensional Steps leads down to an open lawn area designed for recreation. Harrison envisioned the space giving the homeowners a flexible area that could accommodate both everyday use and outdoor entertaining.

“... we also have a set of Dimensional Steps stepping down to like an open lawn area that would be perfect for croquet or just for a lawn game. ” –Harrison

The Outcome: A Connected Space with Endless Possibilities

Each transition connects the different areas of the backyard while preserving the landscape’s natural character. The completed project turns what was once a difficult, underutilized backyard into a series of functional outdoor spaces. A full complement of Rosetta solutions worked in harmony to reclaim a sloped backyard that now feels larger and more usable, with each level serving a distinct purpose.

• Belvedere Wall terraces the changing terrain while providing the look of natural stone with a manageable installation process.
• Irregular Steps create a natural-looking pathway through the landscape.
• Dimensional Steps provide a more defined transition to the open lawn area.
• The Belvedere Fire Pit offers a focal point and gathering space on the upper tier.
• Terraced lawn spaces provide room for recreation, gardening, and outdoor enjoyment.
• Multiple levels create distinct outdoor rooms while preserving the property's connection to the surrounding landscape.

The finished landscape gave the homeowners something they might otherwise have lost: usable outdoor space. By terracing the backyard rather than fighting its natural slope, Landscape Services, Inc. created a sequence of outdoor rooms that provide opportunities for gathering, recreation, gardening, and simply enjoying the landscape.