DESIGN STORIES - NORTH TUSTIN GARDEN REVISITED

I designed this garden in 2013 when I was still living in Tustin and thought it would be fun to go back as I do on and off and see how things were growing.  In this case the homeowners wanted a garden that was comprised of mostly California native plants.  There is also a seating area and a path that leads from the front door to the driveway.  They were very clear of what their vision was and had also decided to the work themselves.  It was a true DIY garden, that turned out nicely. 

I started the process by doing a thorough analysis of their yard in terms of sun/shade, views etc.  I then created two concepts that reflected what would realistically work in the space, my vision and also their desired use of the space.  From there after they had approved a concept, then I created a detailed drawing and worked with them to make sure that they were DIY-ing the garden properly.  This video is what it looks like now 4+ years later.

DESIGN STORIES - KILLED THEIR LAWN IN SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO

I love killing lawns and proposing a garden that is comprised of California native and drought tolerant plants.  Now don't get me wrong if you must have lawn (with a real need) then go ahead.  But if you no longer need the lawn then consider the alternative of having a garden that bring the local birds and butterflies to you garden.

In this case I was hired by a lovely husband and wife in San Juan Capistrano to kill their lawn and design a garden that kept their existing hardscape, pool/spa and mature trees and add some new paths along with plants that were mostly native to California.

What we ended up doing is finding flagstone that was an exact match to what they existing and creating paths to move around the garden with ease, created a somewhat secret garden area and big planting areas.  We also reused all the rocks that they already had.  Ultimately this garden turned out really nice and the clients are very happy. 

This video shows you the process of installation and the final product.  Enjoy!

WHEN SHOULD YOU HIRE A LANDSCAPE DESIGNER

There is never a wrong time to plan your garden.  If you are planning on paper then you can do it anytime of the year and in fact even if you are not ready to financially install at least you can plan and have something to look forward to.   Now if you are thinking of hiring a designer then there are things you should know and be aware of before you hire the designer.  More importantly when should you hire a designer? 

The key to hiring a designer and having a design that suits your every lifestyle is to know what you want before you hire the designer.  You can take seminars, lectures and all sorts of workshops that your city or water district may offer but that should be done before you hire a designer so that once the designer gets rolling you will both be clear on design.  This video explains. 

As always you are always welcome to share, comment and like.  Now I am curious for those of you who have hired a designer or are planning to...  What is one criteria you are using to select the right designer?