Hardscape

Rocks and pebbles enhance any garden.

Japanese Fusion Garden

scale of plants overshadow house

Finer scale and open plan enhance the architecture

To update overgrown planters, we created a small scale Japanese garden using desert and drought tolerant plants, a departure from the expected.  While incorporating classic traditional elements such as a weeping maple, quince contorta and juniper procumbens adjacent to the entry, the remainder of the plants originate in Mediterranean or desert climates.  As all are drip irrigated, each receives the water it needs with no water lost to evapotransperation.

Southwest Desert in Santa Monica

Client wanted a desert garden to complete their newly remodeled Spanish bungalow.  This is the ultimate water conserving garden for Southern California.

Sculpture Garden

With a desire to show client's sculptures in a drought tolerant setting, we replaced grass with a series of curves reflecting the architecture of the house: dymondia providing a walkable surface by the street followed by echevaria and aeonium set in pebbles.  Eve discovering the apple sits in an arc of breath of heaven while the dancing ladies cavort above the purple blooms of tulbaghia silver lace.  Mexican feather grass backlights the sculpture and lines a path behind.  Pine trees sit in a bed of bark mulch where ceanothus Joyce Coulter will eventually spread a green carpet.

Mid Century Westside Oasis

 Here was this sloping square with a sudden drop –off, seven year’s growth of weeds, and the desire for a cactus garden.  With concern over the steep slope, I felt a second level of retaining wall was necessary. The weeds were cleared. The hillside contoured, and half walls built in front and on the left, left open in the middle to allow for a dry stream bed to break through.  I wanted to capture the image of a wild torrent of a  flash flood bursting the ½ wall open, leaving behind rocks where a smattering of desert plants had regrown over time.  Rocks were imported: boulders,  several pallets of smaller support rocks.  Groupings of phormeum dark delight creates a backdrop for blue agave, various aloe, puya Bolivia, senecio and a few variegated agave.  Sticks of fire light the yard up.  By the entry /driveway a pattern of barrel cactus warn away would be climbers of the wall, and agave blue glow settled in black pebbles provides ordered borders, both at the sidewalk and lining the planter below the window. 

mid-century modern update

Fireplace overshadowed flagstone terrace

smooth coat concrete updated the fireplace as back yard nears completion

Overgrown and crumbling

Harmonious colors and simplicity provide a calming oasis

Before and Afters

Retaining wall provides terracing and stability for the hillside

Buffalo grass provides a drought tolerant green run for future pets, while Pittosporum silver sheen, chosen for their black branches and shimmering leaves, are offset by the purple wall

Buffalo grass is fast becoming a southland favorite as it loves heat, requires a fraction the water of a regular lawn, and no pesticides, a big plus if you have pets or children playing and absorbing whatever is on it.  It begins as small tufts, gradually filling in to short mounds if left to itself.  Mowing will eventually result in a uniform lawn.  Unlike most grass, it thrives in the heat so looks its best in the summer when many lawns are turning brown.  

Drip irrigation is used throughout, resulting in minimal transpiration losses, a big plus here where water is in short supply.