Front Entryway Planter

The project with the curved wall at the front entry was recently completed and still needs some time to grow in. The lines leading into the front door are much softer and more inviting now with the new design. There is a small patio next to the front entry foyer that can be used for decorative furniture, a fountain or just some ornamental planters. Any of these options will work and welcome neighbors and  friends to your front door with a great first impression.

The rock garden was planted with vibrant colors over a year ago. It has had some time to grow in. This photo was taken in January

Rock Garden

after the roses in the area were pruned back so this is the winter color showing. It will be even more vibrant when  spring arrives in So Cal.

Backyard Oasis at Dusk

Looking back it has been an interesting 2011 with all the projects we worked on. We have designed and created quite a few waterfalls and several unique gardens. In particular, landscape lighting has been very popular.  We have clients who, not having had this before, comment on the surprise they experienced the first night the system turns on. The truth is that a landscape looks completely different at night since only specific items are lit and the light hits the foliage from different angles than it would during the daylight from the sun.

I have not completely masted night shots yet. But I have included one for you to see the dramatic effect lighting can create.

This project was particularly interesing in both the design aspects and the unique materials used. The lawqn looks absolutely

Simi Valley Perfect Lawn

perfect because, well, it is. It actually was made in a factory in Georgia out of things like nylon and you can literally walk on it and not realize that it isn’t the green, growing stuff that you are used to. It does have a really low water requirement (none). But, not to worry, the plants, trees and flowers are all real.

Textured Colored Concret

The driveway is done in a combination of curves with different textured concrete section. We used separate tones of concrete that match the colors in the stone, roofing material and on the house. This makes a very balanced, cohesive, and pleasing look.

I collected together a few photos of some of the more dramatic landscape features I could find to share with you.  As I was scanning through pictures of numerous projects, I came across photo after photo that represented, at least to me, the idea of client after

Northridge Outdoor Living Room with Fireplace

client who had decided that a particular new look was what they really wanted.  No one told them they couldn’t have what they wanted and it became our job to help make it a reality.  There is something refreshing in the idea that someone wants something and that person ends up getting what he or she wants.

Rock Waterfall

To me the beginning of a new year represents a chance to find some quiet moments here and there and take an undisturbed look into the future.  It kind of goes with the traditional idea of New Year’s resolutions.  I thought I would share this thought with all of our friends and clients (these are the same as far as we are concerned).

We also would like to thank you for all your wonderful support in the past and wish you a tremendous New Year.

I thought it would be appropriate to highlight a couple of recent projects that specifically address the handling of drainage and mud in the garden.

Hidden Hills Putting Green

Synthetic lawns were used on both projects. One was specifically for use as a putting green. The other was throughout the entire back yard. Handling the rabbit problem as on the the additional issues being tackled. After a rain, synthetic lawns (when properly installed over an adequate sandy base and given a drainage system) are almost immediately dry and there is no potential damage to the surface from foot traffic. This means you can walk on the “lawn” and not have squishing sounds or that sinking experience.

Both projects used mulch to cover all the planting areas as well — redwood bark in on case and black lava rock in the other. This prevents surface mud from being a problem after a rainstorm, particularly when dogs and children are involved. A proper underground drainage system also takes away any excess water before it has a chance to flood the lawn or garden areas.

This project actually began with the need to handle water that had been creeping slowly through the foundation of the house and under the floors in two separate areas.  Our job was to handle any outside water issues so that this would not continue in the future.

New Front Entry

We tackled the problem from several angles, including an underground drain pipe system around much of the house, sealing the side of the foundation and removing any water sources that were right next to the foundation, itself.  Some soil types are more susceptible to holding water and creating moisture problems than others and when the soil doesn’t naturally drain well, this can be an important area to address.

Anyway, the drainage side of the problem was handled.  There are not any

New Patio

photos of that portion of the project since drainage is the sort of project where the better the job is done, the less you see after it is all put back together.  There are, however, photos of the new brick entryway and the patio that was done earlier.

The client decided that since the area needed to be dug up anyway it was a good time to get the entry and the yard done up like they really wanted it.

Fruit Tree In Landescape

Limited space does not mean you can’t enjoy your own fruit from your very own garden. There is the option of dwarf and semidwarf trees. There are many advantages to the dwarf varieties. One is the fruit is easier to reach. Due to their height, they tend to be easier to prune or care for. The dwarf trees tend to bear fruit sooner than the regular varieties.

The rewards of your flower garden can still be seen here in Southern California even here in November.

Flower Arrangement

Bouquets of cut flowers are the perfect way to bring the warmth, fragrance and colors of your garden into your home.  Prolong the life of you bouquets with these tips.

• Use a very sharp knife to cut flowers.
• Cut the stems at an angle. This prevents the stem from sitting flat on the bottom of the vase and allows better absorption of water which will enhance the longevity of your blooms.
• Cut flowers in the cooler parts of the day, like early morning or evening.
• Choose blooms that are just about to open.
• Get the cut flowers into water as soon after cutting as possible.
• Warm water is absorbed more easily. You can let the flowers stand overnight in warm water before arranging for maximum water absorption and longevity.
• If the flowers have been out of water, recut the stems (at an angle and let stand in water).
• Arrange and enjoy!

Happy Thanksgiving! Fill your life with JOY!

Pool Make Over with new Pool Deck

The house sits on a property of about 60 acres of land almost completely planted with avocados. In addition to these testy vegetables (or fruit if you measure it by having a seed), it is also home to a few horses, three dogs, some geese and ducks, a pond full of turtles, a very large land tortoise and a few cats.

The challenge here was to provide an updated surrounding for the old swimming pool area which definitely had that motel feel. It began with removing all the old concrete decking, the brick around the pool, some constricting fencing which surrounded the pool area and a few other odds and ends. The pool got a new finish and faux rock trim to give it an updated look.

The decking area was expanded to allow for lots more furniture

New Concrete Patio and Stucco Wall

using an earth tone stone-like concrete finish. All the patio lines and stairs were done in curves which softened the look. In particular, the new wall with the curved elevation changes on top as well as sweeping layout gave the area a more relaxing feel. This also allowed an unobstructed view of the remarkable vista from the pool deck. The wall has a smooth stucco finish, suitable for sitting it also has lights which were mounted at regular intervals.

The finished look was much cleaner than what had been there before and I am told that it gets much more use.

In addition to the curving pathways, additional patios and new plantings and lawn, this project has a number of factors that were important but not visible. One of these items was the drainage. The original drainage system has been installed at least 20 years ago. It consisted of the type of drain pipe in use at the time which did not feature tightly glued connections. This allowed the numerous trees on the property to invade the system and clog it completely.  The solution consisted of a lot of concrete cutting and replacement, plus new drain pipe everywhere. The new system is designed not to have issues with roots and other debris. After the first rain, the water just disappeared. Making for a very happy homeowner and lawn.

Backyard Makeover

The new irrigation system handled the need in the past to completely soak the lawn in order to keep some the the areas from turning brown in the hotter months, which wasted water and dollars. Proper sprinkler design with overlapping coverage took care of this problem.

For a yard of this size, the old design had an amazingly small amount of usable patio space. Construction of a new, main patio involved moving the pool equipment to another location. That new patio has a lighting system that is on a remote control which can be dimmed for mood setting or turned up to allow full lighting for a dinner party.

By adding  in new planting throughout, new yard lighting, surface coating all

Walkway to Small Private Patio

the existing concrete surfaces to give them color and make them all uniform in appearance, curving pathways through the lawn areas and another small patio for relaxing out in the garden and the yard has a whole new feel.