Our discussions with potential clients regarding backyard design often focus on what they hope their end result will be. Specifically, we want to ensure that the outcome for their yard is not only beautiful but that it matches their vision and lifestyle. Focusing our design direction...
When considering reworking your landscape or starting anew, it’s important to look at your yard ‘anchors’. There are many items that can anchor your yard. This center piece can be a hardscape like a sitting area or fireplace, it can be a pool or living...
Living in Orange County, we all know we have a relatively dry environment. However, there are many reasons your yard can experience erosion or drainage problems including improper handling of irrigation and rainwater. With autumn around the corner, now is a good to time to...
Water is a cooling, relaxing and essential element in the California Garden. While in the past several years the focus of water in our yards has been to conserve as much of it as possible due to the long standing drought, we are in a bit...
Outdoor rooms are a true California luxury thanks to our temperate climate and the minimal bug problem (ok, maybe a few pesky bugs). They can be simple or grand depending on budget or vision. Outdoor rooms with actual roofs create a year round usable room that allows...
As summer fast approaches and we move our lives outdoors, we should think about creating a cohesive approach to the way we use or would like to make use of our outdoor environments. Be they back or front yards, the discussion should begin with consideration...
Spring continues to rear its beautifully colorful head. Everywhere we turn there is a ‘superbloom’ thanks to the generous rainfall of this past winter. So as a follow-up to the previous blog post regarding irrigation it seemed natural to continue the conversation by talking about...
Despite the recent downpours, we thought a conversation with our designer, Don Kansteiner, would be a terrific way to present our views on the topics of drought and design sustainability. What is sustainable landscaping? [caption id="attachment_15371" align="alignright" width="225"] Before[/caption] As a Landscape Designer, it is exciting to establish...
February will require us to perform the balancing act of having one foot in winter and the other stepping ahead to Spring. We will continue with some of the winter pruning and storm clean up and drainage chores started in January while preparing for the...
Ready or not, 2017 is here. We hope that your holiday season was safe and enjoyable however you may have celebrated it. As we put the celebrations of the Season behind us, take down the decorations, swear off the sweets and adult beverages for a...
The New Year always seems to bring with it new possibilities. Since we are talking landscapes here, make the resolution to invest in your home’s potential. Commit to making home improvements with a green mindset; choosing local and sustainable materials whenever possible, opting for energy and...
When you consider fall and winter, you might think that there’s not much to do in the garden but there is plenty to keep us busy. Fall in particular can be quite busy as there tends to be a lot of leaf cleanup and pruning to...