Lawn Removal in Glendale California Cottage Garden

I can't wait to watch this garden grow in. My design plan transformed it from a virtually unused space into a place where the kids can play on stumps and stones, and their parents can sit in the DG patio and have a glass of wine, say hello to neighbors, or just unwind among the sweet fragrance of Roses and Salvias .

BEFORE (Google Maps)

AFTER 
(Newly Planted)

AFTER
(Four Months after Planting)

The clients wanted a lush Mediterranean garden with Lavenders, Nepeta, Iceberg Roses, and a DG sitting area and creek bed. Layers of taller and shorter plants along the street will create some screening without shutting out the neighborhood. I convinced them to replace the original pathway which was very narrow. Photos show the yard newly planted with relatively small plants, and the same plantings four months later in early Spring. If you plant in Fall/Winter, you can see a lot of growth in Spring, especially from your perennials.

BEFORE

AFTER

AFTER
(Four Months After Planting)

We used a simple sheet mulching method to encourage soil microbes and improve soil health. The roses may take a little extra water to get established, but they will be a little more drought-tolerant growing in such healthy soil. The landscape crew trimmed existing trees before planting, and that is why the house is more exposed in the after photos. Trees will fill in quickly, in time to give shade in Summer.

AFTER DETAIL

AFTER 
Wider Path to Front Door, Newly Planted

AFTER 
(Plants Filling In)

AFTER DETAIL 
(Four months after planting)

Whimsical Garden in Pasadena

The moment I met with this client, I was so impressed with her love for plants, her love for her garden and her sense of whimsy! What a fun project!

Working within a large range of plant varieties

We started with the homeowner's attempts to create an interesting border along a stepping stone path. Her concept was there, but she needed help bringing it to life.

BEFORE

AFTER

The new stone pathway is of a beautiful almost iridescent gray stone called Tumbled Idaho. We helped her get the lawn rebate, planting Ceanothus in the former lawn area.
We trimmed, relocated, and cleaned up many of her existing plants, and added some repetition of new plant selections to give some structure to all the magical variety!

BEFORE

AFTER

One of the most challenging projects I face is to start with an existing garden that the client wants to keep to some extent. You must work with existing plants, trimming them, possibly relocating them, keeping the spirit of the existing garden, while taking it up a few notches. I find that I must use the limitations of the existing garden to connect with the as yet undeveloped vision that the client has for her yard, and make that vision come to life.

From Front Lawn to Low-Maintenance Front Yard

On this project, I designed a new pathway to improve the flow from the driveway and sidewalk to the front door of the home. We opened up access to the beautiful front archway for a more direct path to the front door. We planted some wonderful drought-tolerant plants, and helped the homeowner get her lawn-removal rebate.

BEFORE: Front Lawn with no path to front door

AFTER: Pathway to Door and New Plantings

Access to the front door through the previously hidden archway makes the property more inviting, brings out the Spanish architecture, and improves access from the sidewalk and driveway. The plant material will fill in over the next 2 to 3 years, giving a lot of privacy from the sidewalk and street.

AFTER: CA Native, Carex Pansa in center of DG circle

We wanted to mix some tough tropicals with ornamental grasses and succulents. It's a fun combination that wouldn't work many places outside of SoCal! As the plants grow in, the homeowner will have a beautiful, yet private view from her front windows, and a nice buffer from the street.