We often have the pleasure of being invited back by clients to review the landscape we’ve designed, especially in the first few years. Usually on our visits, the plants are thriving, and all is well. We have designed your garden to be in harmony with our climate, using trees, shrubs, perennials and succulents either native...Read More

In light of the recent droughts and wildfires in California, it’s clear that our current use of water is neither environmentally sustainable nor time- and cost-effective.  Fortunately, there are many ways to lessen our individual footprints; replacing traditional lawns is one way to reduce impact in drier climates. Grass lawns are water-intensive, making them unsuitable...Read More

Furnishings play an important role in the way your outdoor spaces look, feel and most importantly, how they work. Designing environments that satisfy your needs requires understanding your space’s current and future uses. In this post, we’ll share the considerations we work through with clients when designing built-in or purchasing freestanding outdoor furniture for them....Read More

For the past few months, I’ve had the pleasure of working with the committed and energetic girls from South Pasadena Junior Girl Scout Troop 9461 on their Bronze Award, a community service project in which the entire troop decides on and commits to a project that serves their local community. Cookies for a cause! Just...Read More

Why plant a rain garden? You might assume that something with the words rain and garden next to each other does not immediately sound feasible for drought-stricken Southern California.  But rain gardens are a form of water harvesting — a way to capture and filter water that would otherwise flow into storm drains and eventually,...Read More