HAPPENINGS IN NOVEMBER

The month of November was great for video uploaidng.  I was actually on track and very proud of myself for being on top of things.  Ideas were flowing and videos were getting maid.  December may not look like that though.  I want to take some time off to have a much needed staycation and some serious planning days.  Although I want to be able to upload weekly for the entire 2026 year, that may not be feasable.    I am going to try though.  Well, let's get on with it.  

First let's talk about garden must haves.  These are 10 that I would recommend.  You do not need all 10, but worth considering.  

Now let's dive into uncommon garden ideas.  Just 5 that you may not have thought about.  You might want to.  

Moving on to seating ideas for the garden.  traditional, unique a must try in one form or another.  

Moving on to a bit of California native plant talk.  The self seeding kind.  The ones that you plant once and don't have to never worry about again.  

UPDATES AND THINGS

 I have not updated this space in a minute and don't know if I want to on a regular basis.  I am on board with using social media to promote myself, but being on every single platform is too much for me.  So I made the choice to keep Instagram and YouTube as the primary platforms I use.  That being said I don't want to fully walk away from here.  My intention is to update this place once a month or every other week with an update about what has been going on.  

In April I attended the South Coast Plaza spring garden show and made a video about the gardens that were there on display.  It was nice to see other designers takes on gardens and how to design them.  

In the last two months, I visited some gardens that I had designed and made updated videos about them.  It's fun so see how something I designed fared a year or months after it was put in.  These are just a few with more to come. 

As much as I love video taping my own designs, I also love showcasing the designs of others.  This particular one is a butterfly garden.  I had met with the owners to consult with them for an hour, but I did not do a design.  They worked with design build firm to create a their garden. 

Lastly, there is my own garden.  Just a simple update on my own.  Its weird because all I have is a 100 square foot pad of concrete that is the only garden space I have.  In fact only half of it is usable as I explain in the video.  

GRAVEL DRIVEWAY GARDEN UPDATE IN HUNTINGTON BEACH

The homeowner had already renovated the back yard years prior and was ready to tackle the front.  Given how much work she put into the back, she new that this time she did not want to do the work herself.  She was clear that she wanted a California native garden.  She also wanted to experiment with having a gravel driveway.  This is what the garden looks like after being installed for 10 months.  

HOW TO FIND YOUR IDEAL LANDSCAPE CONTRACTOR

I will always advocate for letting your landscape designer refer you to the right landscape contractor.  This means that you are going to get someone that the designer has worked with before.  The designers reputation is on the line and they would never refer you to someone that they have never worked with.  Someone that is licensed, bonded, insured and has workmen's comp.  

Now let's assume that you do not need a designer but rather a contractor.  Then what?  In this video I will share with you how to find your ideal landscape contractor.  The different sites that you can go to to find the pro that is right for your project.   

HOW A DESIGNER PLANS A DESIGN

In this video I share with you the basic ways in which a designer plans a design.  First is all about site analysis.  This is where, the designer takes account of the existing site and what is currently happening.  Secondly, is measuring the site and creating a site plan.  This step is important as no contractor can create an accurate quote without a detailed to scale plan.  

Third is drawing concept designs.  You should get at least two options to consider.  Options of what is possible for your garden.  This is followed by the fourth step of creating mood boards.  Mood boards show you images of ideas for your garden and what is possible.  What plants is the designer proposing to use.  This is a time where you will meet with the designer to go over the concept drawings and hash everything out.  

Lastly, is the final detailed drawings.  Drawings that any licensed contractor can quote and install from.  Drawings, that your HOA (if you have one) can review and approve.  I will make detailed videos of each step in the next coming months.  

5 BACK YARD IDEAS TO CONSIDER

Last week I shared with you 5 ideas to consider for your front yard.  This week I share with you 5 ideas for your back yard.  These ideas are not firm.  Just things to consider when you are renovating your garden.  I had dozens of ideas but I had rein myself in and only narrow it down to just 5.  Regardless of these ideas and anything I share with you, you have to have an idea of what you are looking for.  It's always recommended to at the least have an area to entertain.  That could be entertaining a group of friends or just a few.  

I would also suggest considering what the space will look like at different times during the day.  Do you need to be able to see clearly at night?  Perhaps some good lighting might be nice.  

 

5 FRONT YARD GARDEN IDEAS TO CONSIDER

I love a good garden renovation.  One in which you are adding value to your home and enhancing the overall look for the neighborhood.  In this video I share with the 5 things that you can do for curb appeal.  From lighting to no lawns, these ideas will make you the envy of the neighborhood.  

These are features that I consider when designing any garden.  In fact, if you apply for the turf rebate program, you will be required to have at least one or more of these features.  

5 SUSTAINABILITY FEATURES TO CONSIDER FOR YOUR GARDEN

When renovating your garden it is important to consider all possibilities.  Features that will be beneficial to the environment and overall well being of your garden.  

The first feature is a berm.  A mound created at one or a few points in the garden to create levels with plants in and around it.  This will mitigate water runoff.  

The second is a dry riverbed.  This feature creates a visually appealing feature that when it is not raining looks like a beautiful work of art.  When it does rain, the water is collected and begins to percolate into the soil.  

The third is a rain barrel.  This is perfect to connect to the gutters to collect the rain water.  The water can be used to water the garden or for just about anything.

The fourth is a rock garden in which in certain areas in the garden you would use rocks and gravel as mulch instead of wood chips.  

The last feature is a planted swale.  This feature create a divot in the center of the area that water can collect.  It is filled with rocks and gravel with other larger rocks around.  

In this video I describe these feature is greater detail with more images of what the features look like in a garden setting.

Costa Mesa Garden Makeover

This front garden in the city of Costa Mesa got a lawn gone transformation.  All the turf was removed and replaced with drought tolerant plants and a sustainability feature.  This garden is now a great place for the local birds and butterflies to hang out.  This is also a project that took part in the turf rebate program.  If you would like to participate in the turf rebate program then click here.  

IRVINE FRONT YARD TURF REBATE GARDEN

I love killing lawns.  I will design with lawn if it is adamantly desired, but I do enjoy proposing to kill them.  Drawing on paper what will go in their place.  Some drought tolerant (perhaps native) plants, a sustainability feature of some sort.  Definitely an energy efficient irrigation system.   

For this project in the city of Irvine, I did just that.  For budget reasons, we kept the existing hardscape but everything else was gone.  A few plants we kept.  The palette is a mostly native palette as the client already had two native Manzanitas that was kept.  

If you have turf that you would like to kill and take part in the rebate program then click here.  

LAKE FOREST TURF REBATE BACK YARD

This project was fun as I got to work with a lovely couple that wanted to transform their garden into a place to entertain and hangout.  They also wanted an area for their dog poppy to run around yet still have room to grow edibles.  

More explained in this video.  Enjoy!  

WHY TURF REBATE PROGRAM

If you live in Orange County and have an area or lawn you can get a rebate for transforming that space into a garden.  The Municipal Water District of Orange County is offering $3 per square foot of turf that you remove.  They are also offering a design rebate, where you get up to a $1000 of the designers fee rebated.  

In this video, I talk about the program and give you some details.  This program is great for anyone that is tired of having to maintain the lawn that in the end is a just a patch of green.  Why not take advantage of this rebate and create a garden for the local wildlife to enjoy with you.  

If you are interested then click here to apply etc. 

IRVINE DROUGHT TOLERANT TURF REBATE GARDEN

If you live in Orange County and would like to participate in the turf rebate program provided by the Municipal Water District of OC then click here.  You will get $3 per square feet of turf you remove and you also get a design rebate.  The design rebate will cover the cost of the designer up to $1000.  

For this particular project, the client wanted to remove her front lawn and replace it with drought tolerant plants.  She also wanted to make some changes to the plant palette in her back yard and interior courtyard.  

WHY KILL YOUR LAWN

I have never been a fan of lawn.  It never did anything for me visually and always seemed like a waste.  I much rather prefer the ideas of having a bountiful garden that you and the local wildlife can enjoy.  A garden that you could forage from.   

Now I get that there are some people that wish to have a space for the kids to play or dogs to run around.  But even then there are alternatives to allow for play and fun without the water sucking lawn.  I am not talking fake either.  That is a topic for a different (coming soon) video. 

If you have transformed your lawn into a garden then comment below and let me know what you have done.  

MY GARDEN TOUR OCTOBER 2025

I live in a 424 square foot condo in Orange County, CA with a 100 square feet of concrete outside my front door that is the only space I have to garden.  Sadly, only about 3/4 of that space is usable do to accessibility issues. So in this video I give you an updated tour of my garden and show you how somethings have changed.  I also share with you some things that I am thinking of for the future.  

PREPARING TO MEET WITH A DESIGNER

In this video I share with you not only where you can go to find your ideal designer but also what you can do to prepare to meet with your designer.  You want to make sure that you have gathered all the right things to ensure that you are clear intended on what you want with your garden.  Also to ensure that the designer understands what you are looking to do to your garden.  

Getting all your ducks in a row is key for any home renovation.  These tips could also apply to your interior space.  

HOW TO FIND YOUR IDEAL DESIGNER

When it comes to having your garden professionally designed, you cannot just hire anyone. You have to make sure that the person you are considering working with is qualified to do the job and is well balanced.  What I mean is that he/she/they should have some educational or real world training in landscape design.  Someone that has hopefully taken an once of time to brand themselves accordingly.  Where there online presence is unique to them and their business.  

It is also imperative that you meet with ore than one designer.  But where should you go to find your ideal designer?  In this video I share that with you and more.  

 

THE IMPORTANCE OF SITE ANALYSIS

When designing a garden it is important to do site analysis.  This is done so that the designer can understand the ins and outs of the site.  Sun/shade areas as well as any other features that may affect the design.  In this video I explain in detail.  

WHY DO I DESIGN DIGITALLY

I use a program called AutoCAD to do most of my design work.  I love it as it allows me to work quicker with greater efficiency.  It also allows me to keep my pricing more reasonable to my clients.  In this video I go into grater detail.  

CENTRAL ORANGE COUNTY GARDEN MAKEOVER

This garden in central Orange County was designed in 2021.  The install was put on hold until this year, when the project was finally finished.  The brief was simple.  Design a garden that allows room to chill out and entertain.  One in which the inground plants are California native, with room for raised edible garden beds and a composter.  

Although some of the hardscape materials changed during the installation, it still is a great project that met the needs of the homeowners.  It looks a shit ton better than it did before.  Now the local wildlife have a place to hang out and party.