The Bathory House landscape redesign brought a clear priority to an extraordinary Las Vegas property: privacy. At the Lake Sahara castle estate owned by Zoltan Bathory, guitarist and founder of Five Finger Death Punch, Chicago Landscape of Las Vegas redesigned the landscaping throughout the front and backyard, with particular attention to the street-facing grounds.

The project combined extensive landscape removal, nearly 100 Bay Laurel shrubs, 15 Italian Cypress trees, a castle-inspired limestone entrance, fresh natural sod, and carefully placed artificial turf. Together, these elements created a greener, more enclosed setting that complements the estate’s distinctive stone architecture.

Elevated view of the castle, front lawns, Cypress trees, and perimeter hedges at Bathory House in Las Vegas.
Elevated view of the castle, front lawns, Cypress trees, and perimeter hedges.

A Landscape Designed Around Privacy and Architecture

Known as the Bathory House, this Lake Sahara estate draws on the character of a 17th-century European castle. Its towers, stone exterior, and dramatic rooflines give the property a strong architectural identity. The landscape needed to support that character while making the outdoor spaces feel more private.

For the owner, privacy was the central concern. Our approach paired dense perimeter planting with tall, narrow trees, balancing screening at the property edge with green space inside the grounds. The resulting design frames the home and creates a more defined transition between the street and the estate.

Our scope covered the landscaping across the entire property, including both the front yard and backyard. Although the construction photos focus heavily on the front, the lakeside grounds were also part of Chicago Landscape’s work.

Bathory House Landscape Redesign: Project Highlights

  • Location: Lake Sahara, The Lakes community, Las Vegas, Nevada.
  • Main objective: Increase landscape privacy while complementing the castle-inspired home.
  • Preparation: Remove much of the existing sod, shrubs, selected trees, irrigation, and portions of pavers.
  • Privacy planting: Install nearly 100 dense evergreen Bay Laurel shrubs.
  • Vertical accents: Install 15 Italian Cypress trees, approximately 30 feet tall, across the front and backyard.
  • Custom stonework: Construct a limestone entrance structure that reflects the estate’s architectural style.
  • Lawn areas: Install fresh natural sod across most lawn areas and artificial turf in selected confined spaces near the house.

Before the Redesign: Preparing for a New Landscape

The existing landscape included established trees, planting beds, lawn, and paved areas. To make room for the new design, our crew removed much of that landscaping, including sod and bushes, cut down selected trees, removed existing irrigation, and took out pavers in specific areas.

This preparation opened up the planting areas for the new privacy screen and larger trees. It also allowed the team to reshape how the lawns, planting borders, and entrance would work together.

Before the Landscape Redesign

Front yard and stone castle before the landscape redesign at Bathory House in Las Vegas.
Front yard and stone castle before the landscape redesign.
Existing front yard with mature trees and sparse ground cover at Bathory House in Las Vegas.
Existing front yard with mature trees and sparse ground cover.
Existing trees and planting areas beside the castle driveway at Bathory House in Las Vegas.
Existing trees and planting areas beside the castle driveway.
Original garden entry and planting beds before redesign at Bathory House in Las Vegas.
Original garden entry and planting beds before redesign.
Original street-facing planting beds beneath the castle windows at Bathory House in Las Vegas.
Original street-facing planting beds beneath the castle windows.

Removal and Site Preparation

Front yard during the early landscape removal phase at Bathory House in Las Vegas.
Front yard during the early landscape removal phase.
Cleared front yard with exposed soil beside the castle driveway at Bathory House in Las Vegas.
Cleared front yard with exposed soil beside the castle driveway.
Tree removal and site preparation at the front of the estate at Bathory House in Las Vegas.
Tree removal and site preparation at the front of the estate.
Front yard cleared for the new landscape installation at Bathory House in Las Vegas.
Front yard cleared for the new landscape installation.
Exposed soil in a lawn area during landscape preparation at Bathory House in Las Vegas.
Exposed soil in a lawn area during landscape preparation.
Street-side planting area during excavation and preparation at Bathory House in Las Vegas.
Street-side planting area during excavation and preparation.
Landscape work beside the lakeside patio and stone balustrade at Bathory House in Las Vegas.
Landscape work beside the lakeside patio and stone balustrade.
Lakeside backyard work area beside the estate terraces at Bathory House in Las Vegas.
Lakeside backyard work area beside the estate terraces.
Prepared soil and planting along the backyard stone boundary at Bathory House in Las Vegas.
Prepared soil and planting along the backyard stone boundary.
Removed sod laid out beside the castle wall and pathway at Bathory House in Las Vegas.
Removed sod laid out beside the castle wall and pathway.

Nearly 100 Bay Laurel Shrubs for a Living Privacy Screen

The largest planting component was the installation of nearly 100 Bay Laurel shrubs in the front yard. Their dense evergreen foliage forms the foundation of the privacy-focused design.

Instead of scattered accent plants, the shrubs create a substantial planted boundary. From the street, the greenery provides a softer foreground to the stone facade. From inside the grounds, it helps enclose the lawn and outdoor spaces.

The installation photos show the scale of this work, from staging the large plants to positioning them along the property frontage. This continuous planting is one of the defining features of the completed landscape.

Bay Laurel Privacy Planting

Large Bay Laurel shrubs staged for planting at the estate at Bathory House in Las Vegas.
Large Bay Laurel shrubs staged for planting at the estate.
Bay Laurel shrubs being installed along the street frontage at Bathory House in Las Vegas.
Bay Laurel shrubs being installed along the street frontage.
New privacy planting and exposed soil in the front yard at Bathory House in Las Vegas.
New privacy planting and exposed soil in the front yard.
Privacy shrubs installed beside the estate driveway at Bathory House in Las Vegas.
Privacy shrubs installed beside the estate driveway.
Bay Laurel privacy planting taking shape in front of the castle at Bathory House in Las Vegas.
Bay Laurel privacy planting taking shape in front of the castle.
Dense evergreen shrubs lining the street-facing property edge at Bathory House in Las Vegas.
Dense evergreen shrubs lining the street-facing property edge.

Italian Cypress Trees Add Height and Structure

Chicago Landscape also installed 15 Italian Cypress trees, approximately 30 feet tall, in the front and backyard. These tall, narrow trees bring a different shape to the design than the broad, dense shrub planting.

Their upright silhouettes complement the home’s towers and steep rooflines. Alongside the Bay Laurel screen, they create a layered landscape with both lower mass and taller vertical accents.

Italian Cypress Installation

Italian Cypress tree planted beside the curved lawn area at Bathory House in Las Vegas.
Italian Cypress tree planted beside the curved lawn area.
Prepared tree planting opening within the paved courtyard at Bathory House in Las Vegas.
Prepared tree planting opening within the paved courtyard.
Italian Cypress tree in a circular planting bed by the castle entrance at Bathory House in Las Vegas.
Italian Cypress tree in a circular planting bed by the castle entrance.

A Limestone Entrance with Castle Character

To carry the architectural theme into the landscape, our team constructed a castle-inspired entrance structure using limestone. The stone opening creates a distinct arrival point within the planted boundary.

Its materials and proportions connect the garden entrance to the home’s Old World character. The construction and finished photos show how this custom detail became part of the overall landscape composition.

Limestone Entrance: Construction and Completion

Limestone entrance structure under construction with scaffolding at Bathory House in Las Vegas.
Limestone entrance structure under construction with scaffolding.
Completed limestone garden entrance surrounded by privacy planting at Bathory House in Las Vegas.
Completed limestone garden entrance surrounded by privacy planting.
Decorative gate within the completed limestone entrance at Bathory House in Las Vegas.
Decorative gate within the completed limestone entrance.

Fresh Sod and Selective Artificial Turf

Natural grass remains an important part of this estate’s landscape. We installed new sod across most of the lawn areas, creating green space between the house, paths, and perimeter planting.

In some confined areas close to the home, we installed artificial turf instead. The owner wanted to limit lawn-watering needs immediately beside the structure as part of the effort to reduce moisture exposure near the foundation. These areas retain a green appearance without requiring routine lawn irrigation.

The choice was specific to each space: natural sod for most lawn areas and artificial turf where a different approach better suited the layout. Artificial turf is not a substitute for proper drainage or foundation waterproofing.

Lawn and Turf: Installation and Finished Views

Lawn and paved path beside the castle during the landscape project at Bathory House in Las Vegas.
Lawn and paved path beside the castle during the landscape project.
Natural lawn adjoining a bare soil area and new perimeter planting at Bathory House in Las Vegas.
Natural lawn adjoining a bare soil area and new perimeter planting.
Artificial turf installation beside a curved paved pathway at Bathory House in Las Vegas.
Artificial turf installation beside a curved paved pathway.
Natural lawn between the stone pathway and dense privacy planting at Bathory House in Las Vegas.
Natural lawn between the stone pathway and dense privacy planting.
Green lawn and perimeter hedge beside the castle facade at Bathory House in Las Vegas.
Green lawn and perimeter hedge beside the castle facade.
Finished green turf area beside the paved path and evergreen border at Bathory House in Las Vegas.
Finished green turf area beside the paved path and evergreen border.
Curved turf area surrounding an Italian Cypress planting bed at Bathory House in Las Vegas.
Curved turf area surrounding an Italian Cypress planting bed.
Lawn and privacy planting along the side of the stone castle at Bathory House in Las Vegas.
Lawn and privacy planting along the side of the stone castle.
Green turf and dense shrubs adjoining the paved courtyard at Bathory House in Las Vegas.
Green turf and dense shrubs adjoining the paved courtyard.
Completed natural lawn with a dense planted boundary beside the castle at Bathory House in Las Vegas.
Completed natural lawn with a dense planted boundary beside the castle.
Curved green space bordered by paving and evergreen shrubs at Bathory House in Las Vegas.
Curved green space bordered by paving and evergreen shrubs.

The Finished Landscape: Front Yard to Lakeside Backyard

The completed Bathory House landscape redesign brings the planting, lawn areas, and stone entrance into a cohesive setting. Dense greenery defines the property edge, Italian Cypress trees echo the architecture, and the lawns provide an open foreground within the planted boundaries.

The finished street views show the privacy planting in context. The estate photographs then widen the perspective, showing how the landscaped grounds relate to the castle and its lakeside setting. Chicago Landscape of Las Vegas completed the landscaping in both the front and backyard, giving the project continuity across the property.

Completed Front-Yard Landscape

Completed Bay Laurel privacy planting along the castle frontage at Bathory House in Las Vegas.
Completed Bay Laurel privacy planting along the castle frontage.
Dense front-yard planting framing the stone castle architecture at Bathory House in Las Vegas.
Dense front-yard planting framing the stone castle architecture.
Completed driveway entrance framed by tall privacy shrubs at Bathory House in Las Vegas.
Completed driveway entrance framed by tall privacy shrubs.

The Completed Estate: Front and Backyard

Elevated view of the castle, front lawns, Cypress trees, and perimeter hedges at Bathory House in Las Vegas.
Elevated view of the castle, front lawns, Cypress trees, and perimeter hedges.
Evening aerial view of the castle and completed front-yard landscape at Bathory House in Las Vegas.
Evening aerial view of the castle and completed front-yard landscape.
Finished lakeside backyard setting with the pool and castle exterior at Bathory House in Las Vegas.
Finished lakeside backyard setting with the pool and castle exterior.
Evening view of the lakeside estate, terraces, pool, and landscaped grounds at Bathory House in Las Vegas.
Evening view of the lakeside estate, terraces, pool, and landscaped grounds.

A Las Vegas Estate in the Spotlight

The property has attracted real estate and design coverage for its unusual castle architecture and connection to Bathory. Vesta’s feature on the estate provides additional background on the home’s transformation.

As of November 4, 2026, the public listing advertises a $28 million asking price for a compound that includes the castle estate and a neighboring residence. Listing details and availability may change.

For Chicago Landscape, the project showcases the planning and installation behind a landscape that respects a distinctive home while responding to the owner’s priorities.

Plan Your Own Landscape Redesign

Whether your priority is privacy, a more cohesive front yard, or a complete property redesign, Chicago Landscape of Las Vegas can help turn those goals into a landscape plan.

Explore our landscape design and planning services or contact our team to arrange a free, on-site project consultation.

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