Whether you are in the process of doing some landscaping in your garden or planning a complete redesign of your garden, one of the things that you should keep in mind is the regional water restriction that have been active in California for the past three years. As a landscaper I am constantly trying to advise my clients on making the correct choices of plants that do not require tons of water and also on how to optimise a garden so that it needs as little water as possible.

One of the best ways to go about this is to look at the plants, trees, flowers and shrubs that are local to your specific area. Being in California, you might worry that this may limit you considerably. Not true! At Aesthetic Gardens my team and I can help you find a surprisingly wide variety of trees, plants, shrubs and flowers that have adapted them to the specific weather and water conditions of our region.

So lets get down to business. There are various things that you can do in your garden listed here in no particular order:

1. As I mentioned already, use plants that are suited to the conditions of your specific location. Do research or get a landscaping company like us to do the planning and layout for you.
2. Be inventive. Making use of features such as rocks or weather suited ground cover (like lavender) you can keep bigger areas of your garden in permanent shade. What this does is to lower the soil temperature. When this happens, the soil will retain the water for longer, meaning the plants that you have in your garden has more time to absorb the water. Which brings us to the next point.
3. Plant trees. The common belief is that trees use up tons of water. But if you select carefully, or follow the advise of a landscaper, and pick the correct trees for this area, that statement will not be true. Trees in turn will provide plenty of shade, allowing again for the soil temperature to stay cooler. The shade that the trees will provide also creates an ideal place to plant certain flowers and plants that love the shade. The will be protected from harsh sunlight and use the minimum amount of water because of the cooled soil.
4. Plan your watering times. In my opinion the best time to do watering is early evening just before sunset. This allows the air to cool down naturally, which in turn will cool down the soil. And again, very importantly, the water will stay in the soil for longer, allowing the plants to absorb the maximum amounts.
5. Water according to instructions. Most plants do not need to be watered every day and by planning well and making sure that you have understand the instructions you should be able to cut down on water usage.
6. Keep your soil happy. As time passes, soil will compact and your plants will use up all of the minerals it needs from it. Being compact will also allow it to hold only a certain amount of water and the excess will drain quicker than what the plants can us it. Make use of fertilizer and compost as prescribed by a professional such as myself.
7. Mulch. Mulch. Mulch. I can not say this enough. By adding mulch to cover the soil at the base of your plant you are not only creating a superb looking visual effect but also taking care of your soil. The mulch will again keep the soil temperature low on warm days but also allows for much better water absorption.

And lastly but importantly, always consult a professional when you are in doubt. If you have any questions, ideas or suggestions relating to this post then please feel free to leave you comments below. I am always keen to help where I can and even more keen to learn new things.

By doing proper planning and studying the different plants you can use you will be able to have a garden that looks great all year round. To do this properly there is a couple of steps you should take. Here is a summary of what you should be doing before you start landscaping your garden for an all year round head turner.

1. Find out what type of soil is currently in your garden. This is important, as there are certain plants, shrubs and trees that only grow in specific types of soils. It is not a huge problem if you want to plant something that requires a different type of soil as that area can undergo a partial soil change to accommodate the plant. But you want to be aware of it before planting. We can provide you with the soil, the complete set up or a partial service.
2. Study the plant, shrub and tree types that will grow in your soil type as well as your regional weather conditions. While studying the plants you will also see in what seasons the look best, bloom or flower. Start making a shortlist of everything you are interested in.
3. Once you have a shortlist, make your final selection. Make sure that you get a well-balanced selection that will keep your garden looking good all year round. Keep notes on each plant, shrub or tree in your final selection like whether it needs shade or direct sunlight, watering tips and even tips for planting. The more information you have on each one, the more successful your venture will be.
4. Now you can start planning your garden. It is important to ensure that you do not plant everything that will bloom or flower at the same time, together. So ultimately you want to go for a staggered approach that allows your garden to look great all over, throughout all the seasons.
5. Once you have done your final planning you can start sourcing suppliers for your plants. When you buy, it would work better if you buy the biggest pieces first, then working to the smaller elements. Also make sure that you follow the planting and watering instructions to keep your plants happy.
6. Remember that if you are adding structures like ponds, gazebos or water features that you need to plan it together with your other plants. You do not want to end up in a situation where you want to put a big tree close to a pond that you installed the previous day, and then have to remove the pond’s foundations to get the tree into position.

And most importantly, if you are ever in doubt, consult a professional. We are trained and educated and have a passion for what we do. Look out for my future blogs in which I will start going into much more detail.

What can be frustrating is deciding what plants to plant. There are so many combinations to choose from, and all of them so lovely.

Below is a wonderful combination, perfect for container gardening or planting in the ground.

1.) La Bella Pink Snapdragon
2.) Sonnet Pink Snapdragon
3.) Delta True Blue Pansy
4.) Delta Light Blue Pansy
5.) Whisper White Diascia
6.) Snowtopia White Bacopa

When we water our gardens with a hose or sprinklers, much of the water can evaporate off, even more so when we water while the sun is out. But who wants to water at night? Netafim does. Not only will Netafim save you time, this method of delivery water to your plants will serve to increase your control of your garden, lowering the chances of fungal diseases, and benefit the quality of what you’re growing. You can use up to 50% less water than you would normally use to maintain your garden. With time, energy, water, and fertilization costs minimized, Netafim offers a whole new way of serving your garden’s varying needs.

Aesthetic Gardens proudly serves their customers with Netafim irrigation.

Below is a list of different flowering plants that have a fragrance. Gardens are often lacking this sometimes assumed quality. Be sure to check your zone requirements while choosing your favorites. Some flowers have their preferred growing locations.


Annuals:

1-Evening stock (M. longipetala)
2-Flowering tobaccos (Nicotiana alata, N. sylvestris, N. suaveolens)
3-Four-o’clock (Mirabilis jalapa and M. longiflora)
4-Fragrant amaryllis (Clidanthus fragrans)
5-Heliotrope (Heliotropium arborescens
6-Mignonette (Reseda odorata
7-Night phlox (Zaluzianskya ovata )
8-Peruvian daffodil (Hymenocallis species)
9-Petunia (Petunia).
10-Stock (Matthiola incana)
11-Sweet alyssum (Lobularia maritima)
12-Tuberose (Polianthes tuberosa)
13-Virginian stock (Malcolmia maritima)
14-Wallflowers (Erysimum asperum [biennial] and E. perofskianum)

Roses:

1-Double Delight
2-Elle
3-4th of July
4-Honey Perfume
5-Memorial Day
6-Midas Touch
7-Mr. Lincoln
8-Scentimental
9-Sheer Bliss
10-Sun Sprinkles

Perennials:

1-Achillea
2-Alyssum
3-Cardiocrinum
4-Clematis
5-Euphorbia
6-Hemerocallis
7-Lavandula
8-Malva
9-Origanum
10-Polemonium
11-Rosmarinus
12-Salvia
13-Tiarella

Taking advantage of the benefits of native plants is a simple way to cut the necessary time required by your garden and the amount of money you could spend on water and other needs your garden requires. Native plants need less attention because they grow naturally in their given climate. They are already accustomed to ground conditions and thrive with little extra attention required.

The following websites are helpful resources to determine what is native to your area.

http://www.plantnative.org/index.htm

http://www.wildflower.org/collections/

Several states have native plant societies. Search “native plant society” to locate one on a search engine.

Below are a few.

Santa Clara County-CA
http://www.cnps-scv.org/
Santa Cruz-CA
http://www.cruzcnps.org/
California
http://www.cnps.org/
Oregon
http://www.npsoregon.org/
Utah
http://www.unps.org/index.html
New Mexico
http://npsnm.unm.edu/
Nevada
http://heritage.nv.gov/nnps.htm
Arizona
http://www.aznps.com/

Watering and fertilizing your yard can be time consuming and costly.  But at the same time both are key to the success of your garden.  How might you take care of both while lowering your costs and cutting out the necessary time involved.  

Fertigation is the answer.

Fertigation combines the words irrigation and fertilization, and refers to a process which combines irrigation and fertilization into one system.  With an Netafim underground drip irrigation system, discussed in our previous post, the watering and and fertilizing of your yard can be done simultaneously during each irrigation cycle.  You also have the option of having an insecticide dispensed at the same time.

With a Netafim fertigation system installed you have no need for a lawn fertilization service, or a pest control service.  As a bonus, fertilizer and insecticide can all be done organically, which makes it safe for people and pets.  The system will not be broken by foot traffic or lawn mowers.  With an automated system in place you save time for youself or someone you would pay, and no product is wasted.  Only what is needed is fed to your yard.

Call Aesthtic Gardens today to arrange for a Netafim fertigation install today.

A water fall, a fish pond, stream, or fountain. Any of these fall into the general category of Water Feature. You might want a water feature that provides the sound of moving water. Or the serenity of a reflecting pool might be what you’re looking for.

Water can provide so many different elements into the landscape. So whether you want crashing water, quiet streams or calm stillness. Water can bring all of these elements into your garden.

The lighting of this stunning oak tree, the surrounding patio and stone retaining wall was one of the most satisfying artistic lighting projects we have had the opportunity to be involved with. The property owner provided a wide latitude for our technical and creative involvement. When we began, this estate was lit in the same way a football field is for a night game.

When the project was complete, we had created an inviting outside dining room surrounded by mystery, mood and warmth. A place to talk and laugh the night away with family and friends. Warm, soft light can completely transform a space into a quiet, beautiful, inviting place to enjoy. The most satisfying fact was looking at the newly created appearance of this landscape in the evening and enjoying it for the appearance alone. Our client took great enjoyment in the simple pleasure of looking at the beauty of their evening garden that carefully placed and properly selected landscape lighting can provide. This project allowed us to uncover a special artistic landscape opportunity that too much bright, overpowering lights had smothered. Very rewarding.

What do you want to change in your garden?
We are a landscape design company that listens. We want to hear your ideas, your concerns, your needs. Together we can create sustainable gardens that will express your vision. Learn about our process…

What do you want to change in your garden?
We are a landscape design company that listens. We want to hear your ideas, your concerns, your needs. Together we can create sustainable gardens that will express your vision. Learn about our process…