Design doesn’t need to be mystifying. In this post, we will walk you through our design process and give visual examples. 1. Initial Consultation In our initial meeting, we’ll get a preliminary understanding of your landscape needs, budget, and an initial view of the property. It’s important for clients to give as complete a list...Read More

I recently posted the image at left on Instagram, and my normally quiet followers expressed all kinds of interest about the preserved lemon recipe. This was not really a surprise, since for the past five years or more, our clients have consistently requested fruit trees and vegetable beds in their gardens. In response, we’ve developed...Read More

Thinking about integrating natives in to your garden? Go for it! Some of the benefits include: saving water, lowering maintenance, reducing pesticides and creating a wildlife-friendly garden. Native bees and other California pollinators can improve fruit set, and native birds and insects help keep your garden free of mosquitoes and plant-munching bugs. Gardening with natives also...Read More

Since early February, I’ve been stopping in my tracks to admire the soft pinks and whites of the region’s flowering trees.  When in bloom, they are unbeatable for impact in the garden.  Here are a few options that will have you swooning for many Valentine’s Days to come. (In the coming weeks, keep your eyes...Read More

California natives sometimes get a bad rap for looking “weedy,” but Manzanitas (the common name for the genus Arctostaphylos) are some of the tidiest plants around. With evergreen leaves, gorgeous red bark and tiny bell-shaped flowers, they belong in every garden.  The images below hint at the variety of forms manzanitas can take — small...Read More