Few American cities can boast such a range of vintage homes as Rochester with plenty of Federal, Greek Revival and Craftsman bungalows just to name a few. These beautiful survivors deserve a quality restoration indoors and out to bring them up to 21st century standards. And that means beautiful landscapes for outdoor living with outdoor kitchens, secluded dining areas and eye-popping planting design.

Gardens have long been a big part of Rochester homes with some like the George Eastman House open to the public, with its museum of photographic history. But there are great opportunities to learn about plants and garden design with the full range of classes offered by the Rochester Civic Garden Center. To find stellar examples of New York natives and other plants that thrive there, visit Highland Botanical Park, the Lamberton Conservatory, and the University of Rochester Arboretum.

Those who live in Irondequat, just north along the shore of Lake Ontario enjoy the cooling breezes that give these homes a comfortable environment to live outdoors. This is one of Rochester's greatest suburbs where traditional homes can be significantly upgraded by expanding areas for outdoor living to provide all the amenities from a fireplace for those nippy evenings to a sheltered space for watching sports on TV while dining al fresco.

The towns of Gates Center and Brighton lie to the south of Rochester, and further inland from the lake effect. Here you'll find large lots and more contemporary homes that are ideal for family life. Expansive sports lawns, play structures, and room for large home vegetable gardens makes a new landscape well worth the effort to create safe and relaxed spaces for every member of the family.

Rochester and its local communities experience a great deal of winter snow due to the lake effect. This demands that your outdoor structures be well designed and properly installed by experienced local professionals. With such long cold winters, you'll want to spend as much time outdoors as possible when it’s warm, particularly if your house is not so large. Creating patios under cover with a fire pit or space heating can begin your outdoor season early and help it continue deep into the fall.