The Gary Duff Designs Blog

Ideas That Shape the Way Long Island Lives Outdoors

Design is always evolving, and so are the ways we live outside. The Gary Duff Designs Blog shares expert insight, creative inspiration, and time-tested advice from fifty years of landscape design and construction on Long Island, NY.

Outdoor living space with custom pergola, stone patio, and waterfront views in Port Washington, NY
Landscape design featuring layered plantings and a curved stone walkway beside a historic home in Cold Spring Harbor, NY

Explore Our Outdoor Living Insights

  • Create spaces that bring comfort, beauty, and purpose to everyday life.

  • Stay ahead with fresh perspectives from our design team.

  • Discover ideas that reflect the Long Island lifestyle.

  •  Learn how to prepare, plant, and maintain for year-round impact.

  • Practical ways to protect and preserve your investment.

Every article reflects the same principles that define our work: intentional design, enduring craftsmanship, and local expertise.

Where Inspiration Meets Expertise


From patio ideas that make entertaining effortless to seasonal landscaping tips that keep your property thriving, our team brings clarity and creativity to every topic. Whether you’re dreaming, planning, or maintaining, you’ll find guidance rooted in experience and love for the craft.

Pool, Creative Lighting Design Katya Pankov Pool, Creative Lighting Design Katya Pankov

Enjoy Your Manhasset, NY Backyard Pool Long Into the Night With Outdoor Lighting

Owning a pool can change your entire outdoor lifestyle for the better. However, you can’t enjoy a pool to the fullest without some proper outdoor lighting. This summer, you can enjoy your Manhasset, NY, backyard pool long into the night with outdoor lighting. Here are some top techniques for adding ambience to your pool area.

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Gazebo, Gazebo Design, Landscape Design Katya Pankov Gazebo, Gazebo Design, Landscape Design Katya Pankov

A Gazebo Can Add a Luxurious Spot to Relax in Your Mt. Sinai and Northport, NY, Backyard

When you’re looking for ideas on how to complete your landscape design, you may want to look no further than adding a gazebo. Whether you will use it primarily to enjoy a quiet breakfast on a weekend morning or as the perfect spot for sunset watching, there are many ways a gazebo can enhance your landscape in your Mt. Sinai and Northport, NY.

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Outdoor Spaces, Masonry Katya Pankov Outdoor Spaces, Masonry Katya Pankov

5 Landscape Architecture Ideas to Create a Relaxing Outdoor Space in Manhasset and Port Washington, NY

Your backyard should be the place where you and your family can retreat to tune out the problems and stresses of the outside world. It should be a place that is specially curated to the needs and lifestyle of your family. Here are five landscape architecture ideas to create a relaxing outdoor space in Manhasset and Port Washington, NY.

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Outdoor Spaces Katya Pankov Outdoor Spaces Katya Pankov

Take Advantage of Your Large Backyard by Adding an Outdoor Kitchen to Your Landscape Design in Port Washington, NY

There are so many wonderful memories to create when you and your family can enjoy a meal together in your Port Washington, NY, backyard. When you include an outdoor kitchen in your landscape design, you can customize it to your cooking and entertaining style—in fact, no other backyard feature offers such an amazing capacity for creative expression.

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The Archive