Ideas for New Landscape Projects!

There are so many different ways to improve the landscape around your home! Sometimes it can be hard to know where to begin, so we did some thinking and made a list of landscape improvements that we enjoy. If you’d like to incorporate any of these ideas into your next landscape project, just give us a call - we’d be happy to talk through the possibilities!

Outdoor living

  • Sitting Area

  • Lounge Area

  • Cooking Area

  • Dining Patio

  • Fire Pit or Fire Table

  • Outdoor Shower

  • Hot Tub or Spa

  • Swimming Pool

  • Tiki Bar

  • Picnic Area

  • Remote Working Space

Garden Activities

  • Horse Shoes

  • Bocce Ball

  • Frisbee

  • Golf

  • Trampoline

  • Stargazing

  • Movie Viewing

  • Sleeping/Camping

  • Reading

  • Board Games

  • Eating or Drinking

  • Hosting Parties

  • Playing Music

  • Bird Watching

  • Sunbathing

  • Aerobic Exercise

  • Yoga or Meditation

Garden Features

  • Fencing and Gates

  • Driveway/Motor Court

  • Mailbox

  • Entry Courtyard

  • Walkways or Paths

  • Garden Walls

  • Steps or Staircases

  • Boulders

  • Fountains

  • Ponds or Streams

  • Bridges

  • Decks

  • Raised Beds

  • Hammock or Swing

  • Walkway Lighting

  • String Light or Lantern

  • Shade Structure

  • Arbor or Pergola

  • ADU or Storage Shed

  • Lawn (Real or Artificial)

  • Hills or Mounds

  • Rainwater Harvesting

  • Privacy Hedges

  • Fruit Trees

  • Shade Trees

Landscape Features - Specimen Oak Tree

Sometimes landscapes need a big tree to anchor the space. I had the pleasure of working with Berylwood Tree Farm on the sourcing of an 84" box Coast Live Oak for a current project - the results were great! Here's the tree before delivery, about 20' tall by 12' wide, happily doing its thing in the nursery.

BTF-Coast Live Oak.jpg

Before delivery, I prepared the planting site using a small excavator. I had the site inspected for utilities prior to beginning construction, and (luckily) encountered only smooth, clean soil. When preparing a hole for a tree this size, it's important to leave at least a foot of additional space around the tree box, so the wooden sides and metal strapping can be removed after the tree is lifted into place. The base of the hole should be leveled so the tree stands upright - sometimes this means that the soil level at the bottom of the hole will need to be adjusted to compensate for a leaning tree.

I always talk with the nursery staff to get their opinion on the amount of settling to expect from the tree's rootball - in this case, the tree should settle downward about 6 inches, which is why it's best to plant the tree high in the hole, knowing it's going to sink later!

soil excavation.jpg

Because of the tree's weight, I contracted with the nursery to have the tree lifted into place with one of their cranes. Because of the site access constraints, the tree arrived on a separate flat bed truck, which made the back and forth maneuvering easy!

bt01.jpg

After lifting it into place and back-filling with native soil, here's the final product! I selected this tree for its strong branching structure, perfect for framing the view from the upper patio toward the ocean. Stay tuned for additional project images as I continue transforming the site!

oakinstalled.jpg

Landscape Recovery: Discussions with the Santa Barbara Contractors Association

Last week I did a series of short video discussions with the Santa Barbara Contractors Association about landscape recovery in the wake of the Thomas Fire and associated mudslides. The information is useful for homeowners trying to get a handle on damage assessment, erosion control, and plant selection for hillsides. Enjoy!

(Ps. Videos don't seem to load correctly in the Firefox browser - use another one for best results!)

Silver Leaf Landscapes BBB Business Review
 
Silver Leaf Landscapes BBB Business Review
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