Creating a Living Wall & Repurposing an Old Basketball Court (Ft. Thomas)

cut stone staircase hardscaping in Cincinnati

AFTER: A cut stone staircase leads to the freshly landscaped side yard. As plants grow, the new trellis will become a living wall that offers privacy from close neighbors.

John developed an excellent initial design for our outdoor space and showed a lot of flexibility and patience as we worked through more than a few design and material changes. Throughout the process John was professional and enthusiastic, and the final result fulfilled everything we wanted, executed with high quality workmanship and attention to detail. We highly recommend Our Land Organics!
— Brian

The Challenge

This Ft. Thomas couple’s landscape had been highly disturbed during a home renovation process. Now was the time to turn their yard into what they always wanted.

an old basketball court converted to native landscaping

BEFORE: An old basketball court posed a unique challenge for redesigning the backyard.

Their goals included: utilizing low-maintenance native plants, enhancing privacy, negotiating the grade change from the side to back yard, and repurposing an old basketball court on the property.

before/after hardscaping and landscaping in Cincinnati

BEFORE: A stairway led from the house with little direction or inspiration at the bottom.

AFTER: A new sidewalk invites people into the side and backyard and guides them along a pathway featuring low-maintenance native plant. Over time, the trellis will create a living wall that offer privacy from the neighbors.

The Transformation

We enhanced privacy in the tight side yard using an attractive wooden trellis. A native vine, Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia), was planted at the base; over time, it will create dense growth to create a living wall.

Native vine, virginia creeper begins to fill out the trellis

AFTER: A native vine (Virginia creeper) begins to fill out the trellis and create a living wall that enhances privacy.

The plan also took into consideration how to utilize a former basketball concrete pad by incorporating it into a new outdoor living space. A cut stone staircase and the new sidewalk make it easy to navigate the once treacherous hillside.

Low-maintenance native plants add greenery, pops of color, and cohesion to the entire landscape.

A patio and other hardscaping surrounded by native landscaping in Cincinnati

AFTER: The old basketball court has been transformed into a patio and seating area framed by native plants and a cut stone staircase that makes it easy to navigate the hillside.

The Takeaway

What’s old is made new.

This landscape offered some unique challenges in the form of an abandoned basketball court, a steep hillside, a narrow side yard, and minimal privacy.

Through creative hardscaping and native landscape design, it has transformed into a cohesive, accessible, and welcoming outdoor living space.