This 58th Street Landscape project began with a goal of creating large flat terraces to plant a playful and welcoming desert landscape, thus replacing a dangerous and unappealing steep slope from the porch stoop down to the sidewalk. The required elevations of these terraces led to the design of tall, reinforced retaining walls constructed of midcentury “4-high” block walls at the sidewalk, which helped to accentuate the 1950 home above. The entrance stairs from the sidewalk to the home were shifted to the far corner of the property, and a new path of pavers was created to access the driveway. Both of these new paths now allow the homeowners and visitors alike to pass through the desert scape, experiencing many different textures, flowers, and hummingbirds along the way. This new playful desert-scape was also enhanced with adjustable, colorful uplighting for a festive nighttime vibe, illuminating the playful aloe trees and cacti in a full spectrum of hues. Over time, the neighborhood passersby came to visit the new gardens, particularly enjoying the welcoming environment created by the retaining walls and the plants. A new wooden fence and gate of Brazilian hardwood Ipé was designed to provide a natural backdrop to the new array of plants and trees. Lastly, a tropical mural was created by a Brazilian artist named Eder Muniz. His lush and natural creation brought a joyful vibrancy to the project, as well as to the neighborhood. The plant and animals in the mural symbolize the protection and enrichment of the home, the family inside, and the entire neighborhood, and the visual story being told is depicting the interesting connections between salt water and fresh water environments.