The desire to have a bit of land to call your own is not an uncommon one. However, in the Bay Area, finding our own personal outdoor space can be a challenge. Some of us live in newer housing ...

Q: It’s time to landscape my backyard, which is currently dirt. I have a 2-foot-high bluff where I’d like to put a retaining wall, but I’m uncomfortable with masonry work. I’ve seen stackable blocks ...