Garden By Design

Landscape Design & Construction

Low Water Garden with Decomposed Granite patio and Dymondia "lawn"
Eagle Rock -
Low Water For Work and Play
The existing back garden was a very large dirt patch, a rough flagstone paved area and a mash up of a few remaining plants. The brief from the homeowner was to create a Low Water - Low Maintenance garden that could be used as part of the Husband's Photographic Studio and as part of the Wife's Yoga Teaching area. They also needed an area for the daughter to play and for the family to relax and enjoy outdoor meals. The design and layout was left to me.
I created some very distinct areas in the new garden. We reinstalled the flagstone patio to create a outdoor studio area that could be used for both photography and as a Yoga area. We planted a Dymondia "Lawn" as a play space for the daughter and restructured the used concrete found onsite as a low seat wall along the side of the garden. The existing patio leads onto a Decomposed Granite path that meanders through the garden, around the new shade garden beds, and opens to a Decomposed Granite Patio area next to the Dymondia "lawn". It continues around to the new flagstone and gravel patio area. 
A number of large boulders were brought in and placed around the garden to create form, and retain some of the slopes.
The planting of this garden is all Low Water and Low Maintenance plants.
Some unique features of this garden are the Mexican Feather Grass "stream" that runs through the garden and the specially created "rusted" round metal veggie planter beds.
The front garden area of this home was refurbished to a low water garden, as well, and new Decomposed Granite paths and plants were added.
Flagstone and Gravel Patio
Decomposed Granite Patio and Dymondia Lawn
Feather Grass "Stream"
Low Water Planting
Custom "rusted" Veggie Planters
Low Water Front Garden
Seating Area Under Existing Trees
Autumn Color
Low Water Garden with Bluestone Path leading to Spa and Fire Pi
Pacific Palisades - 
Low Water Nature Retreat
The existing lawn in the back garden was all removed and the Bluestone patio was extended to increase the solid patio area for more useable space. The Bluestone was used to create two paths leading out into the garden area. The first leads to the circular fire pit. We built a low seat wall with the same Bluestone as a seat cap. The area was paved over with Pea Gravel. The second path leads to the Spa. We constructed a vault to drop the above-ground spa fully into the ground. We paved around the spa to make it look like it was built in. As an added feature we designed and constructed a rolling cover to go over the spa so that it could be used as a day bed. You can see photos of this below.
The planting of the garden was based on Low Water and Low Maintenance, with an emphasis on flowering plants with a natural feel.
Low voltage lights were installed to highlight plants and features of the garden at night.
Low Water Planting
Low Water Planting
Low Water Planting
Fire Pit and Seating
Front Garden - Gravel and Pot Fountain
Spa With Rolling Cover Closed
Spa With Rolling Cover Open
Spa With Rolling Cover and Running
Fire Pit and Wall Sculpture
Studio City - 
Small Yard, Big Space
The small back garden area of this home consisted of a very bad lawn and struggling plants. The neighbor's garage wall and its various materials was an eyesore.
We removed all the existing grass and most of the plants and installed a Decomposed Granite path and Patio area. the use of only one material makes the space feel much bigger and more unified. We installed a small feature fountain and new plants all around the garden to screen some of the walls. We built a small fire pit and designed and built "one of a kind" chairs as well as a couch for the fire pit area.
We painted the exposed walls with a neutral shadow color and constructed and installed a feature Wall Sculpture inpsired by an idea the homeowner showed us.
The garden is lit at night to highlight the fountain, the new trees and the wall sculpture.
Fire Pit with Bench Seating
Custom Designed and Built Seating
Low Water Planting
Decomposed Granite Patio