Basic Design Principles

​When I visit a prospective client, I won’t be able to answer the question “What would you do with this yard?” until I get to know them a bit.  First we’ll talk about how they use (or would like to use) the space, how they want to fit in the neighborhood, what elements they like in their existing landscape, and how the design might reflect their personality or values.  This conversation usually triggers some unifying concept in my mind that I can use to inform the design.  Often restrictions placed by the client (e.g., I’m allergic to bee stings) or by the site itself will help me to narrow my selection from the vast array of native plant species available.  
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​Once I have a concept I will apply some basic concepts to create the design:

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Keep the good stuff.  Whatever is great about the site should be kept and emphasized.  It may be that established trees can provide a framework for the native plants to be installed; if these have higher water requirements, I’ll select plants that like it a bit wetter to provide a transition to areas with more drought-tolerant natives.  Maybe there’s an existing walkway or bird bath that can provide a focal point for the design.  I’ll select plants that are compatible with the feature(s) and then work outward from these areas to parts of the yard that are more of a blank slate.  

​Work with what you’ve got.  Soil type is usually the biggest restriction on species selection.  The beauty of native plants is that they are adapted to local conditions, so there are always some species suitable to the soil in your yard.  Clay soils are the most common restriction on what plants can be used, so I’ll select species that can tolerate slow drainage where I can.  There may be certain species that we really want to include, so we’ll amend the soil around those plants (it can be as simple as a two-inch mound of topsoil) to allow them to thrive.   Other factors such as shadiness, topography, or proximity to the house will also affect the plants we use.  

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​Plan for the whole year.  A common mistakes is to select showy flowering plants that will explode into color in the spring, and forget about how the garden will look in through the rest of the year.  The simplest way to avoid this trap is to include evergreen species that provide year-round greenery.  Many of these evergreen shrubs are chaparral species with attractive fruits that provide a splash of color in the fall, as well as enticing birds to visit.  Toyon, with its dark green foliage and red berries is a great example of this kind of plant.  I’ll also select shrubs that flower early in the spring (some Ceanothus species), later in the summer (lots of sunflower-like plants), or have a long blooming period (like California fuschia).   A thoughtful mix of species turns a static landscape into an ever-changing display of color and life.  

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​Think ahead.  Be patient.  It’s understandable to want a lot of green in the garden right away, but that immediate payoff can lead to an overcrowded mess in a few years.  Worse, more aggressive species can crowd out their slower-growing (and usually more desirable) neighbors.  So I consider the mature size the plant before putting them in the ground, as well as which species can be pruned and shaped.   I might include short-lived species that will provide some initial bang and then fade out as other woody species fill in the space.   I also consider the eventual structure of the garden (plant height, width, type) that won’t be apparent at planting time.  

​A native landscape will always be a dynamic and somewhat unpredictable entity.  I apply these design concepts to create a garden that’s more than an assemblage of pretty plants and is closer to a holistic community that fits together visually and ecologically.