drought tolerant

Landscape Design San Diego

Posted on by Jeff Cleator

In San Diego’s urban setting with it’s small lots, makes use of every inch of your property can help to make it function more like a larger space. Making double duty out of your landscape elements is one way to achieve this feeling. Think of all your landscape features that could be reused or redesigned to give you the space and flexibility you need is a great way to go.

One idea is to incorporate storage under built-in seats, or allow for a sandbox to also be a firepit. Growing edible such as lemon or orange trees offer vertical height, screening and the added benefit of homegrown goodness.  Have a small yard but need a pool and a larger entertaining space, consider a rectangular pool with a metal retractable cover to act as dance floor when called for.

This kind of thinking can allow your outdoor space to move and adjust to the needs of the client at any moment. If you would like to have Cleator Landscape Design help create a multi-functional space for your property please contact us at 619.917.3644

Landscape design San Diego

Posted on by Jeff Cleator

Its now mid June and its time to tend your gardens. Most of your plants that are actively growing will benefit from a balanced fertilizer. However don’t feed or even give much water to any Mediterranean or native plants, they have evolved to handle our dry summers. But your lawn, any roses, annuals, perennials will all enjoy a nice boost.  Its also a great time to manage giant white fly, remove infected leaves and blast remain leaves with a strong blast of water to dislodge remain insects. You can also plant summers annuals  such as Gaillardia or Ratibida columnifera. Adding 2-4 inches of mulch will also help to maintain soil temp and conserve water as summer temperatures continue to rise. If you are growing tomatoes, be sure to pick off hornworms and irrigate every 5-7 days. Adding a nice layer of organic mulch around their base will also help. That’s a quick to-do list for June gardeners here is San Diego.

If you would like Cleator Landscape Design to help create a beautiful outdoor space for your property please contacts us at 619.917.3644

San Diego fire safety in your garden

Posted on by Jeff Cleator

Here in San Diego we are all very aware of the danger wildfires can pose on our dry chaparral woodlands. With many of us living along the rims and in the valleys of San Diego’s many canyon need to be well prepared and do what we can to reduce the risk of wildfires. One great place to start is in the landscape, with proper defensible space management and plant selection any homeowner can create a strong first line of defense in protection your home.

Keeping trees away from structures, planting only low fuel plants, clearing out gutters, keep plants limbs up of the ground and maintaining proper spacing are all ways one can help to mitigate the risk of wildfires.  Proper plant selection is also very important, seek out plants with low oil and high water content.  Many natives and succulents fit will into this category, plus they are often easy to maintain and beautiful.

By following simple guidelines and selecting plants based on their fire rating you can help reduce the risk that wildfires in your neighborhood.

If you would like to have Cleator Landscape Design help create a fire safe outdoor space for your property please contact us at 619.917.3644