Check out Mel Brasier and James DeSantis' Own Dreamy Backyards

Mel Brasier, James DeSantis, and Garrett Magee spend their days making ordinary outdoor spaces look absolutely breathtaking, so it's no surprise that the Backyard Envy cast members have the most incredible backyards at their own homes.

While giving Architectural Digest their best backyard design tips, Mel and James showed off their own stunning, albeit different, outdoor spaces. In order to give Mel's concrete backyard in New York a softer and more lush vibe, she filled the area with a variety of greenery. While she told AD she recommends getting pots in different sizes to make the space more visually interesting, Garrett had a piece of advice for buying the plants themselves: “We recommend not just using deciduous plants.”

Mel's space, surrounded by brick, also consists of fully- furnished seating and dining areas adorned with a variety of lanterns and matching rugs. 

Over in Los Angeles, James totally revamped his outdoor space, turning what he described to AD as a "super muddy dirt pit" into a chic area with a desert vibe thanks to an abundance of cacti and succulents. To add a luxe touch to the backyard, James added pavers and eye-catching rock hardscaping. With a different feel than their typical East Coast designs, James noted that “L.A. helped us try some warmer, more tropical ideas,” as seen in the green-tiled indoor/outdoor area just steps from the backyard. 

While the idea of maintaining the volume of plants seen in Mel and James' spaces might seem daunting, the Manscapers recently gave BravoTV.com some insight into the best low-maintenance plants to grow at home in any type of space. Noting that succulents, rosemary, and lavenders "require very little water," the trio added, "Shade-loving plants like hostas and ferns require very little light, and actually thrive in low-light environments." 

Click here for more plant tips from Mel, James, and Garrett, and check out Backyard Envy on Tuesdays at 10/9c!