Low-Water Luxury: Inside a Designs By Sundown Xeriscape Transformation Near a South Denver Golf Course

When a couple moved into a Spanish-modern home nestled along the manicured edges of a south Denver golf course, they envisioned transforming the neglected landscape into a fresh, polished yard that felt like a natural extension of the pristine greens beyond their property line. But they didn’t want the cost or hassle of the pricey irrigation that keeps golf courses’ turf primed for play. “We all know that water is like gold in Colorado,” says Keven Winkelmann, landscape architect at Denver-based Designs By Sundown. “These clients did not want an expensive water bill, ever.”

Winkelmann and his co-worker Jeromy Montano teamed up to create a series of modern outdoor spaces designed to be enjoyed, not obsessively maintained. To extend the home’s livable footprint, they installed upper- and lower-level porcelain-stone-paver patios in the backyard and equipped them with seating areas, fire pits, and a covered outdoor kitchen and TV lounge. Stretches of Kentucky bluegrass in the front and backyards were replaced with SynLawn, an artificial turf that incorporates thatch for a realistic look and feel. “We were just going to do synthetic turf in the backyard, but after the clients saw samples of the product, they got excited and decided to use it throughout the whole project,” Winkelmann says. And a two-tiered putting green in the southeast corner of the lot allows the homeowners and their guests to test their skills before hitting the links.

A mix of piñon and Ponderosa pine trees, evergreen shrubs, and moisture-retaining vinca vines outline the perimeter of the backyard, which the team equipped with a drip irrigation system that targets the roots of each plant so precious water isn’t wasted on sidewalks or driveways. In reflection of the homeowners’ sleek style, many of the plant and rock selections—including sculptural poodle pines, Mexican beach pebble, and dwarf Korean lilac—nod to Japanese-inspired minimalism, while clusters of smooth, concrete-stone seating evoke the feeling of a Zen garden.

The one water-intensive plant the homeowner couldn’t go without? Fluffy white Annabelle hydrangeas. To grant that wish without spiking the water bill, the design team strategically planted the flowers near the house. “I’m a firm believer of putting the right plant in the right location,” Winkelmann says. “You don’t want hydrangeas in west-facing conditions where they’re getting that very hot sun. They’ll survive, but they’ll need much more water than if they’re north-facing or east-facing and getting filtered morning sun and afternoon shade.

For more details and photos, check out our Zen on the Green project.