Cleator Landscape Design is pleased to be featured on Houzz.com. The very popular website has a recurring plant profile article and Cleator Landscape Design was selected to be feature in the latest issue.
Check it out
[houzz=https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/92046049/list/outdoor-plant-profile-dianella w=300]
We just wanted to share a few pictures with you of one of are latest projects. It’s a great casual seating and dinning area for an amazing beach home in Point Loma.
Take a look, and we hope you enjoy it. If you would be interested in Cleator Landscape Design helping to transform your outdoor space please contact us at 619.917.3644
Cleator Landscape Design has been awarded “Top 25 Landscape Professionals in San Diego for 2016” by Expertise
Out of the close to 700 Landscape Professionals reviewed we were in the top 25 based on Reputation, Credibility, Experience, Availability, Professionalism, and Engagement.
Please check out the link. http://www.expertise.com/ca/san-diego/landscaping
I must say that we are so honored to have received this award as it confirms that the quality of service we strive for doesn’t go unnoticed. To all that voted, thank you.
We here at Cleator Landscape Design are proud to report that we have been selected as the “Best of Houzz” for 2016. Only 3% of professionals on Houzz.com earn this prestigious award.
Please take a look at our Houzz profile and if you are interested in having Cleator Landscape Design create a amazing outdoor space for your property please feel free to contact us at 619.917.3644
For any of you who missed our article in San Diego Magazine here you go.
Also we wanted to thank all of our clients and supporters for a another great year and to a prosperous 2016. 
Cleator Landscape Design is proud to announce that we are featured in the December issue of San Diego Magazine’s “Ask the Experts” section. Please take a look as it’s an honor to be included in such a fine local magazine.
When it comes to high quality decking people often ask me the differences between Ipe, Teak and Mangaris. I thought I would help shine some light on the topic with this post.
Ipe or Brazilian Walnut are the common names for over 20 different species of Tabebuia spp. It is an amazingly dense hardwood with a beautiful dark walnut color. It’s very difficult to work with due to its dense nature but it can withstand the elements better then most anything else. It approximately eight time harder then California Redwood, meaning that it earns high marks against termites, mold, rot and even fire. But all the beauty and durability comes at a cost.
Teak or Tectona grandis is another superb choice. It often has a nice yellow brown color but can be found in a rich brown as well. It will age to a nice soft uniform gray if let untreated, but does require upkeep to prevent this color change. It is about three times softer the Ipe so working it is a bit easier but it still stands up to the elements very well.
Mangaris comes in a few varieties such as Red Mangaris or Dipterocarpaceae spp. to Diamond Mangaris which come from Intsia spp. Red Managris offer clients a beautiful red color similar to Mahogany with a very dense grain structure approaching Ipe. Diamond Mangaris with a denseness rating similar to Teak but the coloration of Ipe is another option.
I hope this post helps you make a choice when it come to which lumber is the right choice for your upcoming outdoor space.
If you would like to have Cleator Landscape Design design a custom lumber element for your property please contact us at 619.917.3644
Here in San Diego our landscapes are (or should be) an extension of our homes. With increasing temperatures and prolonged drought getting outside and finding some shade to relax is as important as ever, for we need to take stock in just how amazing nature is so we can make the strides to protect it. One great way to increase your use of your outdoor space is through outdoor seating, this vital component to outdoor living can come in many forms. A simple Adirondack chair under a Chinese Elm tree can make a simple yet strong statement, as can built in seats around a water or fire feature. No mater your style or budget everyone should incorporate some place to sit outside and enjoy nature. Here is a collection of outdoor seating that will get you excited for your own.
If you are interested in Cleator Landscape Design creating a beautiful outdoor space for your property please contact us at 619.917.3644
11 trillion gallons of water is what California needs to offset the current drought. That would take 3 years of higher then normal rainfall to offset our depleted reserves and with only about 1 year of water currently in storage its clear that we need to eliminate lawns and water thirsty plants now as in today, right now. The state has imposed numerous restrictions including limiting the number of days you can irrigate to two days and you cant water for two days after rain events. Its clear that we are in serious peril, with snow packs are all but gone, lakes and reservoir shrinking and ground water being depleted from 1200′ wells. Its going to be a nightmare when taps run dry in the coming years and we face a massive water crisis. That’s the bad news, so what can we do now in San Diego to help reduce the pressure we put on our limited water? Well when it comes to the landscape for starters no more lawns at all, none. Second is to plant low water use plants, use mulch as needed to help conserve soil moisture and install a water efficient irrigation system with a weather and rain sensor as well as capture as much rainfall as possible. If that all seems to difficult we could always reroute the entire daily output of the Amazon river basin into the state of California and let it run non stop for nearly two days to make up all the water we are missing.
If you would like to have Cleator Landscape Design create a low water use landscape for your property please contact us at 619.917.3644
Water features are a great way to tie a landscape together, but how best to do that during a drought like the one we are experiencing here in San Diego. Water features (fire elements as well) are great at bringing people into a outdoor space and helping to get them to stay and linger a while, they don’t need to be elaborate but they do need to be water conscience. Gone are the days of wild abandon when it comes to water features (think Niagara Falls in your backyard) now we want to use water sparingly. A simple recirculating basin, pump and timer connected to water tight urn or natural stone basin can do the trick. Placing such an element in the sight line from indoors or the entrance into the outdoor space along with nearby seating can help entice further exploration. Be sure to match the size and style of water feature to your home and landscape. Not only will you benefit from the addition of a water feature to your outdoor space but so will local birds.
If you are interested in having Cleator Landscape Design create a personalized outdoor space for your home, please contact us at 619.917.3644
Here in San Diego we are all aware of just how expensive home are and with such a premium we need to utilize every square inch to its maximum. So no mater the size of your yard you can transform that space from a under utilized cracked concrete slab for example into an extension of your home with some creative idea. Some quick points to remember are to envision how you want to use the space and how that would pair with your homes style. Then think about what areas you might need to open up or screen off. When it comes to plant and material selection take extra care for they need to be well thought out for each one will have a greater impact then it would in a larger landscape. Don’t forget to look to design accents that will help bring it all together with the home and help draw you into your new outdoor space. These pointers along with a handful of other(we cant give it all away) will help you in creating a small outdoor space that will live larger then it really is.
If you are interested in have Cleator Landscape Design create a outdoor living space for your property please contact us at 619.917.3644
Sometime less is more, and one way to achieve a calming feeling to your landscape is to restrain from using every color under the sun. One such technique is the monochromatic approach, were only one color or one shade of color is used. The most widely available color in landscape design obviously is green, but with all the shades of green from light greens, to gray green, blue and yellow greens and dark greens you can easily create a beautiful outdoor space that provides a relaxing mood to all the entry.
If you are interested in having Cleator Landscape Design design a custom outdoor space for your property please contact us at 619.917.3644