This project was an extensive redo of a private residence covering an acre in San Roque. The garden mimics its owner’s personality.  Landscape architectural elements included new garden walls, parking areas, patio reconfigurations, wrought iron railings and gates, a garbage garage for waste bins, and a hen-house/garden shed.  The entry walkway and patio were actually too large and felt awkward.  This was solved by reducing the width, including a hedge, in order to create a private patio, and adding bold Flax in large planters at the front door.  The back patio was too cut off.  A sweet simple arch through the wall solved the problem and added a beautiful sight line into and out of the patio.

The goals of the planting plan were to have lots of color, be attractive to birds, bees and butterflies, and have roses for cutting while working with mature existing plants that were uncovered and salvaged after decades of neglect.  Mature Washingtonia palms, Medusa aloes, Acacia trees and trumpet vines that trail along the entry wall served to direct the design (as well as some old fashioned landscape plants we rarely see today).  The home was a classic Santa Barbara red-tile-roof home being brought into the 21st century and I wanted the landscape design to reflect this concept as well.  This was accomplished by using a huge variety of plant materials grouped together to be classic and historic while also being up-to-date and sassy.  Like its owner, this garden is adventurous and spectacularly bold.  It was essential that the garden have lots of color, texture and form and most of all, lots of life.