HOW IT'S DONE
Ideas or your next landscape project
There are so many different ways to improve the landscape around your home! Sometimes it can be hard to know where to begin, so we did some thinking and made a list of landscape improvements that we enjoy. If you’d like to incorporate any of these ideas into your next landscape project, just give us a call - we’d be happy to talk through the possibilities!
Garden Styles
Outdoor living
Sitting Area
Lounge Area
Cooking Area
Dining Patio
Fire Pit or Fire Table
Outdoor Shower
Hot Tub or Spa
Swimming Pool
Tiki Bar
Picnic Area
Remote Working Space
Kids Play Area
Garden Activities
Horse Shoes
Bocce Ball
Frisbee
Golf
Swinging
Trampoline
Stargazing
Movie Viewing
Sleeping/Camping
Reading
Board Games
Eating or Drinking
Hosting Parties
Playing Music
Bird Watching
Sunbathing
Aerobic Exercise
Yoga or Meditation
Garden Features
CA Native Plants
Entry Courtyard
Walkways or Paths
Garden Walls
Steps or Staircases
Boulders
Fountains
Ponds or Streams
Bridges
Decks
Fencing and Gates
Driveway/Motor Court
Mailbox
Raised Beds
Hammock or Swing
Walkway Lighting
String Light or Lantern
Shade Structure
Arbor or Pergola
ADU or Storage Shed
Lawn (Real or Artificial)
Hills or Mounds
Rainwater Harvesting
Privacy Hedges
Fruit Trees
Shade Trees
Landscape Features - Specimen Oak Tree
Sometimes landscapes need a big tree to anchor the space. I had the pleasure of working with Berylwood Tree Farm on the sourcing of an 84" box Coast Live Oak for a current project - the results were great! Here's the tree before delivery, about 20' tall by 12' wide, happily doing its thing in the nursery.
Before delivery, I prepared the planting site using a small excavator. I had the site inspected for utilities prior to beginning construction, and (luckily) encountered only smooth, clean soil. When preparing a hole for a tree this size, it's important to leave at least a foot of additional space around the tree box, so the wooden sides and metal strapping can be removed after the tree is lifted into place. The base of the hole should be leveled so the tree stands upright - sometimes this means that the soil level at the bottom of the hole will need to be adjusted to compensate for a leaning tree.
I always talk with the nursery staff to get their opinion on the amount of settling to expect from the tree's rootball - in this case, the tree should settle downward about 6 inches, which is why it's best to plant the tree high in the hole, knowing it's going to sink later!
Because of the tree's weight, I contracted with the nursery to have the tree lifted into place with one of their cranes. Because of the site access constraints, the tree arrived on a separate flat bed truck, which made the back and forth maneuvering easy!
After lifting it into place and back-filling with native soil, here's the final product! I selected this tree for its strong branching structure, perfect for framing the view from the upper patio toward the ocean. Stay tuned for additional project images as I continue transforming the site!
Landscape Recovery: Discussions with the Santa Barbara Contractors Association
Last week I did a series of short video discussions with the Santa Barbara Contractors Association about landscape recovery in the wake of the Thomas Fire and associated mudslides. The information is useful for homeowners trying to get a handle on damage assessment, erosion control, and plant selection for hillsides. Enjoy!
(Ps. Videos don't seem to load correctly in the Firefox browser - use another one for best results!)
See our projects develop, right here!
For getting a better sense of our design and construction services, nothing beats seeing how the pieces come together. Check back regularly for updates and images of projects in the works, and let us know what you think!
cutting rough flagstone into large scale pavers