outdoor living Archives - Cleator Landscape Design of San Diego

Happy new year to you all. I know that many of you have been playing around with the idea on improving your existing landscape and now is the time if you want it ready for spring and summer. It doesn’t have to be a landscape that contains all the bells and whistles as a affordable landscape design and subsequent project can still greatly improve your quality of life and increase your homes usable space. Maybe its just removing a dying water hog of a lawn and replacing it with a drought tolerant low maintenance gravel patio space with a large farmhouse table for dining al fresco, bistro lights and some hardy succulents. Or maybe its removing some tired old shrubs and replacing them with your own raised beds for growing organic food for you and your family. It doesn’t have to be a major cost and undertaking to create a fresh new feel for your landscape, its just take a simple phone call to a creative design professional who can bring some new insight to this project. Please don’t hesitate and call us today for your affordable landscape design 619 917 3644.

Well its official, spring has sprung and summer is fast approaching. So with that said its time to get out in the garden and enjoy it.

If your into growing your own food then now is the time to plant your summer vegetables such as cucumber, tomatoes, corn, artichoke and peppers among many other tastes treats. If you feel that using a little more water is acceptable if you eat the results then give bananas, cherimoyas or avocados a try. If the colors and aromas of roses are more your thing then now is the perfect time to liven up your garden with such standouts as Spanish Sunset or Cinco de Mayo roses. If you are more of the mindset that we must conserve ever last drop of water (and we should be) then plant heat loving succulents, or a nice drought tolerant shade tree to help maximize the water you use on your landscape. Solid performer such a Palo Verde or the exotic Floss Silk will cast a nice bit of dappled shade on to lower heat loving beauties such as Agave, Senecio or Echeveria.

Whatever appeals to you now is the time to get started so you can have an amazing garden for generations to come with these landscape design ideas.

If you need help designing your garden, please feel free to contact you today we would be happy to help.

Cleator Landscape Design is proud to announce that we again have been featured in San Diego Magazine. The article titled “Treasure Trove” shares the story of a beautiful Hacienda style home and its residents. We were fortunate enough to have designed the landscape with the help of landscape contractor Matt Lindholm of Lindholm Landscapes. We will share some photos of the completed project in the coming months as the beautiful yard continues to mature.

If you would like Cleator Landscape Design to design a creative outdoor space for your home, please contact us at 619.917.644

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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.

When you are in need of tile for your Spanish Revival home here is San Diego the first and only place to go is Tierra Y Fuego. They have the widest selection of tile with a Spanish influence, everything from the more traditional to slightly modern. The showroom and customer service is outstanding. The were also kind enough to showcase one of our designs on their website, its a beautiful water feature we designed for a project in Carmel Mountain. http://www.tierrayfuego.com/andaluz-tiles-ceramic-tile.html . Take a look and I am sure you will find the inspiration for your next tile project. If you would like to have Cleator Landscape Design create a tile installation for your property please contact us at 619.917.3644

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.

http://www.sandiegomagazine.com/San-Diego-Magazine/December-2015/Ask-The-Pros-Design-Secrets/The-Landscaper-Jeff-Cleator/

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 we are facing another heat wave only a month after we received more rain then ever recorded in the month of July. Things are all mixed up and if the scientist are correct we are in for even more changes. They are saying that a strong El Nino continues to build in the Pacific and its looking like Southern California will be slammed with heavier then normal winter rains. However that in no way means that we are in the clear and the drought is a thing of the past. We would need years of above average rain to offset the deficit so one strong winter is unlikely going to fix the problem, also as we know weather is never guaranteed. Here are a few scenarios that could leave us even higher and drier.

Big El Nino storms hit Southern California but miss Northern California where we store a large percentage of your states water supply in reservoirs.

The storms that due arrive are too warm and fail to increase our snowpack. Snowpacks provided 1/3 of our states water and that water is released more slowly as it melts which is better for us and the environment.

The “blob” as its been called is a huge mass of warm high pressure air that has been sitting off the west coast for years (causing our current drought) and redirecting storms away from us could block El Nino sending them east and away from us.

Despite the highly likelihood of heavier then normal rains forecaster for this winter we cant, go back to our old ways of tropical plants and large lush lawns. Southern California is a desert with a ever-growing population all trying to get their share of a dwindling water supply. We need to understand that weather patterns are changing and we need to use whatever water supply we have in a more responsible way no matter what this winter holds for us.

If you would like to have Cleator Landscape Design create a drought tolerant landscape for your property please contact us at 619.917.3644

As we entry into August here is San Diego now is a good time to take care of your mid summer landscape chores. One big chore this time of year is to check for leaks along your drip irrigation lines before your plants dry out completely and die. I also recommend that you prune all sucker growth off your deciduous fruit trees as well as giving your roses a light summer pruning to help them get ready for the coming fall weather. If you compost now would be the time to water your compost pile a bit, the dampness helps the beneficial bacterial do the dirty work, you should also be turning the pile every week or so to help speed up the process. If you still have some lawn now is the time to dethatch if the thatch is thicker then half an inch. I recommend using a dethatching mower or dethacthing rake followed by reseeding the area and add a organic fertilizer. These tips should help get you through the coming month.

If you are interested in having Cleator Landscape Design create a beautiful low maintenance outdoor space for your home 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

outdoor living

New Year New Landscape

Warm weather landscape design ideas

Cleator Landscape Design featured in San Diego Magazine

Cleator Landscape Design has been awarded “Top 25 Landscape Professionals in San Diego for 2016”

Cleator Landscape Design feature on Tierra Y Fuego

Cleator Landscape Design featured in San Diego Magazine

Ipe, Teak and Mangaris

San Diego’s El Nino is unlikely to end our drought

San Diego landscape maintenance

Outdoor seating

11 trillion gallons

Water features in drought stricken San Diego landscape designs