Are you a climbing-rose devotee who doesn’t see the buckling trellis for the pink wave of Cecile Brunner blooms drifting onto your roof? Or maybe you want to accent the front of your Craftsman with a wisteria that doesn’t look like the botanical comb-overs you see snaking across porches in many old neighborhoods. Oregon Home asked landscape designers for tips on growing plants up in style.

Are you a foodie who craves the taste of a just-off-the-vine cherry tomato? Or maybe you’re thinking about growing your own veggies to slash your grocery tab during these penny-pinching times? Oregon Home asked a longtime victory gardener, two landscape designers and a professional backyard farmer to detail how you can transform a typical backyard into your own private farmer’s market.

Got a water-waster on your street who overwaters his lawn (and driveway) so frequently that neighbors have dubbed him Old Faithful? Thinking about busting up your concrete driveway for something a little more eco-friendly? Oregon Home asked landscape architects and native garden designers about turning a manicured lawn into a more natural place.

Tired of the patch of sod next to that helicab landing concrete square of a patio that rates as your backyard? Before you schlep home new plants from your favorite nursery, do a bit of planning. Oregon Home talked with a garden designer, a landscape architect, two landscapers and a water feature designer to get to the root of what makes for a backyard makeover success.