When Lauren Snyder and Keith Burns renovated their historic brownstone in Brooklyn’s Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood, they made a commitment to sustainability. More than half their budget, Lauren says, went to things like solar panels, upgraded insulation, energy-efficient features, and an integrated rainwater collection system that feeds into the garden. Keith, an architect, built a steel deck and cedar fence surround for the backyard.
The couple designed the landscape—gravel, bluestone, raised beds—together. “We use the outdoor space daily,” Lauren says. “Tending to the plants back there has become quite the obsession for us.” Here’s a look at the details.
Photography by Jonathan Hökklo, courtesy of Lauren Snyder and Keith Burns.
![The backyard features a Terracotta Clay Chiminea from Lowe’s, Storm Grey Fermob Sixties Armchairs, industrial outdoor string lights, and a Joraform Compost Tumbler. The copper outdoor shower is a Seletti Aquart Garden Shower that Lauren bought at GRDN in Brooklyn (a neighbor to her store, The Primary Essentials).](https://media.gardenista.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/lauren-snyder-keith-burns-bed-stuy-backyard-jonathan-hokklo-1-733x1100.jpg)
![Permeable paving of bluestone pavers and gravel is pale against the western red cedar fence.](https://media.gardenista.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/lauren-snyder-keith-burns-bed-stuy-backyard-jonathan-hokklo-2-733x1099.jpg)
![The outdoor table and bench is the Weathered Grey Portside Expandable Dining Table Set from West Elm.](https://media.gardenista.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/lauren-snyder-keith-burns-bed-stuy-backyard-jonathan-hokklo-3-733x1099.jpg)
![“We’ve always had a strong interest in plants, but never had an actual garden before this house,” says Lauren, pictured here with Keith and their dog.](https://media.gardenista.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/lauren-snyder-keith-burns-bed-stuy-brownstone-jonathan-hokklo-19-733x489.jpg)
Plans
![The architectural plan shows a view of the deck and garden. Lauren and Keith rent the garden unit to a tenant. They built the deck in a way that does not limit the amount of sunlight into the unit and created a fence to give the tenant privacy in the unit\2\17;s \10 feet of outdoor space.](https://media.gardenista.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/keith-burns-putnam-brownstone-renovation-733x489.jpg)
N.B.: See more of our favorite city gardens:
- Landscaping: 10 Classic Layouts for Townhouse Gardens
- Before & After: A Modern Townhouse Garden in Brooklyn
- Before and After: A Brooklyn Townhouse with a Double-Wide Garden
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