What’s the first step to develop ideas for a landscape design?  Before working with a professional or going it on your own, building a landscape portfolio of ideas will help the designer visualize the look and elements that can ultimately be created.  This 'idea booklet' should contain a collection of design ideas with written notes, photos, and possibly sketches. 
     The garden booklet does not have to be fancy but should contain favorite photos and stories from magazines and books, pictures or links to internet media, and pictures you have personally taken of landscapes that show the type of outdoor environment you want to emulate. Try to include photos and pictures from your local area, and local architectural styles along with plantscapes that thrive in your community. Regional newspapers and magazines, local garden tours and shows, and simply driving local neighborhoods are especially good sources for inspiration. Add to this the wealth of photos and information available on the internet: personal websites like mine have dozens of photos of landscape photos locales in which the designer resides (my photos are all from San Diego and its surroundings).  Mix in design sites like Houzz and Pinterest and the possibilities are endless.
     It may take months of casual research, but this scrapbook of landscape ideas will show others working on the project the kind of landscapes that impress you, the types of styles and features to be included, and the quality of work expected.  A professional with creativity and training should welcome this extra work you have undertaken and then take those visual ideas, introduce new concepts, and make a plan that meets or even surpasses expectations.  If you as the homeowner decide to become the designer, the portfolio will serve as a reminder of the intent of the concept and act as a handy resource whenever choosing materials from suppliers and when conveying ideas to the contractor.  Cutting and clipping should take weeks or months, then go through your collection  and select the 10 or 12 photos that convey your ideas the best. Too many photos can be confusing – so only keep the very best examples of the look you want to achieve. Add lists of materials, including plants to be included, if you have favorites already decided, and your landscape designer has clear insight into your perfect outdoor space.

     I recently began work on a design to landscape the front yard of a La Jolla home.  The current landscape is a throw-back to an earlier era, and most of the area is currently lawn that is bordered by an imposing hedge that tops thirty feet in height.  The hedge stays for privacy.  We decided on placing the weeping tree Peppermint Willow (Agonis flexuosa) to act as a focal point in the landscape that will effectively contrast with the tall hedge.  The emphasis is on form and structure, bloom is taking a backseat in this San Diego  landscape renovation.    
     Working with flower and leaf color in the landscape has been compared to painting a picture, working with plant form to sculpting a statue. Developing the right mix of plant shapes is as important in garden design as blending color.  Each species has a basic form or structure, sometimes further enhanced or altered by selective pruning.   Plants grow in dozens of shapes: tight and compact, open and airy, drooping, upright and cylindrical,  and vase-like.  And the list goes on. 
      Plant shapes need to be purposely melded into the design to complement and contrast size, shape, and structure.  Mimicking the form of one species with another creates balance and draws the eye through the garden composition while altering or inserting opposing forms structural shapes sets up points and counterpoints that effectively draw the eye.
     The overall shape of a plant is just one component of working with form.   Leaf size, leaf density, trunk and branch structure, and bloom shape and size must be considered when mixing shapes.  Certainly some plants stand out because of their dramatic shape and, when positioned for effect, create singular impact.  Dracaena draco is a prime example with swollen a trunk and branches topped by rosettes of strap-like leaves.  It would be a waste to set this plant in amongst a group of plants that do nothing to highlight its structure, or even worse, obscure it behind other plants.  These striking plants need to be placed where they can be fully appreciated.
      Plants of imposing structure can be equally as dramatic as those with beautiful blooms, with the added benefit that the plant with the striking form adds character throughout the year and not simply until the last bloom fades.
 

     With San Diego’s water rates soaring to new heights, the phrase ‘excess water’ no longer can be used in referring to the landscape.  Why let this precious resource escape into the storm drain?  Instead, we want to capture this valuable liquid to be reused when and where needed.  
      There are two types of water reclamation in residential landscapes.  The first is passive reclamation, which is a low cost option achieved by simply grading a site to allow water to flow into strategically placed low areas.  Developing the property to mimic natural processes means setting grades for both impermeable and permeable surfaces to drain into areas where water can pool and absorb into the soil.  Design features like dry stream beds and rocky swales can be designed to passively collect and direct water to low points like seasonal ponds or bogs.  Plants that tolerate periodic flooding can then be chosen to populate areas in and around these created low places.  These naturalistic features serve a purpose while enhancing the look of a naturalistic landscape.
      Active reclamation utilizes rainwater capture systems by directing rainwater and irrigation runoff into holding tanks where it is stored and saved for future use. Rain barrels are the most common and inexpensive capture devices marketed for homeowners.  Most rain barrels have the capacity to hold one hundred gallons or more of water, and can be connected to gutter downspouts or placed underneath ‘rain chains’.    Complex rain harvest systems operate with pumps, large storage basins, and control boards that can ultimately deliver runoff to the irrigation system to be reused.  These capture systems are more feasible for large properties; possibly to be used in conjunction with gray-water systems.
     Where possible, both passive and active water reclamation can be combined with permeable paving to aid in helping trim high water bills.  In arid areas like San Diego, rainwater capture systems have become a necessity.

      Our drought concerns in San Diego have eased somewhat, at least for this year ?  Water rationing has been relaxed in the landscape with new, easier-to-achieve conservation targets?   This is good but temporary news at best.  As we know, cycles of drought always return, most likely sooner than later.  This year spells relief but next…who knows?  And even as restrictions are eased, water prices only go higher.  As one water district spokesman puts it, “we have fixed costs so don’t expect prices to drop.”  And the price increases for this year are already set; we won’t get a break.
        It will be interesting to see how the public reacts as restrictions are eased.  I am guessing that Californians will continue to save as much water as they can.  Water from the tap is expensive and it just makes economic sense to save water and hence money.  It will be an interesting year for landscape professionals; my design clients continue to ask for gardens renovated with water wise plants and water- efficient irrigation systems.  It is the way of the future, even though we are getting a temporary reprieve from the water police.
     Sustainable or so-called 'green' building practices transfer easily into the landscape and are not only good for the environment but save money as well.   In little more than a decade, 'green' building construction and planning dictates have gone from futuristic to the mainstream of architectural practice.  The future has arrived, the era of waste not and want not is here, and nowhere is that more obvious than in landscape design.  SMART controllers, evapo-transpiration rates, micro-irrigation, rain capture systems, permeable paving, and many other terms were once only stored in the vocabulary of those holding landscape architecture degrees. Homeowners are doing their homework and discovering both new and traditional eco-friendly landscape practices that make sense in their own yards. 

      Removing or reducing lawn is certainly the hottest landscape trend in San Diego.  Once the lawn is gone, we scratch our heads and ask “What now?”  How do we replace the lawn with a good alternative?  Turf plays important aesthetic and functional purposes, making it critical to thoroughly analyze exactly what will replace it.  The best ‘lawn be gone’ designs take the monochromatic turf space and turn it into a visual treat of naturalistic planting schemes, rockscapes mixed with plants, or even patio spaces and outdoor rooms.   The worst designs turn the space into a singular type of gravel or an unkempt thicket of unappealing shrubs.
      It is crucial to take time to investigate those lawn substitute designs that work, and decide what the individual space will be used for before embarking on this important design change.  Among the possibilities:

• Perennial garden.  It is wise to keep at least some of the former lawn space low so that it can visually step up to the shrubs and trees surrounding it.  Because of the work of plant hybridizers, the selection of perennials has never been better.  Who isn’t captivated by a flower garden in its prime?
  
• Meadow garden.  Ornamental grasses don’t need to be mowed while still giving rich leaf color and texture.   Most are much more drought tolerant than turf grasses.  Create a mass with a single variety or use several species, including sprinklings of perennials, as a mixed meadow. 
  
• Rock and Gravel.  More and more outdoor spaces are being created with rock and gravel pathways and patios.  Mixing different rock and gravel types into the same design scene is somewhat of an art - flagstone mixed with flowing lines of cobble and smaller rock work well together in the right proportions.  Creek beds of mixed rock and boulder will enhance the setting.  Sizable swaths of gravel should either be broken up by areas of planting or center on a feature like a fountain or statue.  Make certain to create an artistic rockscape and not a moonscape.
•  Low to medium shrubs and sub-shrubs.  Mixing shrubs together can have great appeal if done correctly, providing color and texture with year-around appeal.  There is a danger here of creating a bland seasonal mix.  Avoid the thicket look by varying heights and adding species that have either year-around appeal or working in some species that are showiest in seasons when others have lost their luster.
• Other Alternatives:  Harvest garden, traditional rock garden, artificial turf, various dry styles of Oriental gardens.  Let creativity be the guide.
   Two or more of these lawn alternative solutions can and are often combined, especially in larger spaces, for even greater effect.  The designer, whether amateur or professional, has the challenge of making it all work.  Lawn was an easy addition to the landscape,  slap down roll after roll of sod until the space was filled with a horizontal sea of green.   Developing a plan that doesn’t include lawn will take more time and thought, but rewards this investment with an interesting look that pays for itself with lowered water bills.

     It was definitely a nice surprise to see my book The New California Landscapes featured in the June issue of San Diego Home and Garden magazine.  As a labor of love, my book took nine years to produce, tackling the daunting subject of designing drought tolerant gardens specifically within the borders of California.  During the time I was writing the book, our state went through the worst drought-induced water crisis in its history, making landscaping in San Diego and throughout California a fluid and expanding subject to tackle. 
     The SD Home and Garden article following the cover shot of the book is entitled “In the Know” and reads, “Alpine-based landscape designer Steven Harbour worked for a decade on what he calls a crash course in the design of drought-tolerant outdoor spaces.  The New California Landscapes (Steven Harbour, 2015) offers techniques for planning and maintaining dynamic landscapes.  The book profiles best uses of 300 water-wise plants…”
     To preview and purchase The New California Landscapes, go to http://www.steveharbourlandscapes.com/books-and-press.html  and click on the link at the bottom of the page.

      Summer in San Diego has barely begun and yet has already had its moments of scorching heat and humidity.  The intense heat can be as hard on landscape plants as it is on us; we escape indoors to air conditioned rooms or head to the pool for a cool dip. Plants are firmly rooted in the ground and must endure each of the dog days of summer. And to the chagrin of all but the desert tortoise, the hottest period still lies ahead.  Sustained periods of heat are a sure thing in August and September, often with little or no reprieve.    It’s not only time to check that watering systems are working properly but to also take additional measures to help prized plants endure summer’s inferno.
     Here are a few tips:

• Check irrigation timers to make certain they are working properly and add a few minutes to the stations as necessary – especially for lawns.
• Add mulch to the landscape. It will cool soil temps and help reduce evaporation.
• Turn on automatic systems and inspect that all heads are operating efficiently.Since automated irrigation systems should be programmed to turn on just before dawn, we don’t typically see the heads in action.Repair or replace faulty heads.
• Check drip irrigation tubes and emitters.Turn on the drip valves and look or at least listen to make sure all are working.Otherwise you will not know if an emitter is clogged until the plant it irrigates is declining or dead.
• Most container plants need water every day or at least every other day during this period.Don’t miss a day – it can be deadly.
• Hand water plants that need a little extra to get through periods of intense head.Vegetable plants, tropicals and some sub-tropicals, most perennials, and other plants will benefit from the extra effort.Mist the foliage of plants that like wetter climates – ferns, hydrangeas, bromeliads, and tropicals love drops of water on their leaves as long as the sun is not directly hitting them.
• Hand water browning spots in the lawn.You’ll be surprised how many of those dry blotches, thought to be caused by fungus or dog urine, are simply dry and the soil cannot absorb water.If the spots remain dry, stick a spike or knife into the spots at six inch intervals so that the water can sink penetrate below the surface.

     A little extra care at this time of year will go a long way in making landscapes greener and cooler environments, outdoor spaces that will help us and our plants survive the hot days ahead.

     Fly into San Diego you can’t help but notice the number of pools and spas decorating our landscapes. Designing these areas, along with the patios, structures, and plants that go near them, come with some basic do’s and don’ts to consider.  Most of these precepts are common sense, yet it is surprising how often they are not followed.  Here are a few important guidelines in designing a pool and spa areas.

• Make a list of how the pool will be used. Swimming laps daily? Kid play? A relaxing soak in hot water while gazing at the stars? Pool games? Aesthetic value? Now design your pool dimensions based on all these qualifiers.
  
• Define a basic shape. Pools shapes vary widely. I personally prefer rectangular (rectilinear) pools and spas that offer a classic shape. As an added benefit, automatic covers fit with relative ease.
  
• Position the pool close to necessary facilities. Unless you plan to add a pool room with a kitchen and bathroom facilities, the pool area should be placed within a reasonable distance to the home.
  
• Plastic or Pebble – If the budget allows, you will be better off with a pebble type surface. Not only does it look better, it should last two to three times longer than plaster.
  
• Tile and Coping – there is a wide range available so select with care. Both need to coordinate with the other elements in the landscape as well as the home. Be sure NOT to select a flagstone or tile coping that will flake or wear down. Softer flagstones erode continually.
  
• Surface areas around the pool – Most importantly, make sure patios are of sufficient size to allow you and all your guests to enjoy a pool day. Allow for patio furniture and easy movement around that furniture.
  
• Choose a patio surface that is not slippery when wet. This is a no brainer but sometimes gets overlooked.  Stick with textured concrete, pavers, or stone patterns that provide sufficient traction when wet.
  
• Planting plans around pools should remain relatively consistent with the rest of the landscape, however the plantings should look a bit more lush. In San Diego County, drought tolerant plantings are here to stay. However a pool area is an oasis of sorts, it should have plants that look like they would naturally grow near water – big leaves, showy flowers, year-around appeal, etc.
  
• On the practical side of the planting plan, use plants that don’t shed or cast shade around your sunny pool. And be very certain not to plant trees and large shrubs with roots that may grow to potentially crack the pool liner.
  

      This basic checklist on pools and spas should give you a head-start in creating a San Diego outdoor landscape environment to enjoy and admire. 

      Removing the grass lawn has become the poster child to creating drought tolerant landscapes in San Diego.  Landscape professionals now recognize that reducing or complete removing lawn is a huge incentive to people wanting to renovate their outdoor environments. Residents who have purchased new homes on lots of bare dirt are not subscribing to the idea of the traditional lawn either.   Local governments in regions of water scarcity actively discourage the planting of lawn, actually paying homeowners to remove it.  Like the low-flow shower head of the past decade, it seems that the public has accepted the notion of little or no lawn as the new norm.
     Despite its villainous portrayal, lawn can serve both aesthetic and functional purposes.  Yet lawn alternatives do exist – from dozens of low-growing plants to rock and gravel surfaces – that make eliminating lawn from the landscape a viable option.    Some folks are even choosing to mimic the look of lawn with artificial turf – a green synthetic surface that does not require one drop of water.  Lawn has become one of the dilemmas of ethical and sustainable building:  reduce the size of the lawn or eliminate it altogether?
    Why install lawn at all? To be sure, this is an individual choice.  Turf adds a horizontal component that visually provides horizontal space, allowing plants and other landscape components to be seen.  The rich green surface is cooling to the eye.  It literally cools the temperature a few degrees on hot summer days when compared to hardscape surfaces including artificial turf.  As for function, it is a living surface that can be walked upon repeatedly.  For a family with children and dogs, lawn can be an important space for recreation and play.  And in fire prone areas, it serves as a non-flammable border around a home.
      Lawn is not going to totally disappear from most neighborhoods, even in dry regions, because it offers families with children and pets a functional surface for activity.  But those folks should  specify a few hundred square feet of turf for  the landscape plan, not the wide expanses of lawn common in the past.  Those days are gone.   The kids can walk to the local school to kick and throw a ball; the money saved on the water bill can go instead to their college fund.

      It’s the height of spring in San Diego and our gardens look as beautiful, probably more so, than at any other time of the year.  Flowering plants droop heavy with bloom, fruiting trees hold armloads of maturing summer fruits, ornamental plants sit with fresh canopies of leaves, and lawns stretch before us as verdant blankets of green.  Wouldn’t it be nice if these iconic spring scenes would last throughout the year?  They do not.  Take photos in memory because, as we know, the beauty of spring is fleeting.  As soon as the first prolonged heat spell arrives, the spring look fades much too quickly as plants brace for the summer.
     The first sign of summer heat often shows in the lawn.  Swaths of browning turf can be seen from home to home within a few days of sustained heat. The top of the soil profile dries rapidly and the tiny root systems of lawn grasses can no longer slurp moisture.  It is a sign that irrigation timers are not programmed to account for the heat, or in many cases, these irrigation systems have not been correctly designed and installed.  With patches of brown inching into the ocean of green, it is the perfect time to either replace or at least reduce the size of the lawn.  But with what?  The solutions to replacing lawns vary from landscape to landscape and can be a worthy challenge to professional designers.  If lawn alternatives test the pros, they can bewilder homeowners. 
     Solving the lawn replacement puzzle is not an easy task and there are experiments gone awry in every neighborhood to offer as proof.  And like a puzzle, there are many pieces or components that need to fit together to design an effective lawn alternative landscape.  Unlike the lawn, where thousands of the same plant blades are massed and installed as easily as carpet, the landscape without lawn often needs a mix of dozens of different elements to be effective.   Lawn provides a horizontal surface that can be used for walking and play, the landscape without lawn must take into account how to provide low surfaces not only for aesthetics  but also for pedestrian  access and use.  Removing the lawn is a no brainer but replacing it with the right mix of landscape takes time, thought, and a bit of skill.

     In the past, I have designed ‘without a net’ at the San Diego Home and Garden Show in Del Mar.   The Association of Professional Landscape Designers (APLD) annually offers clients 30 minutes of design time for the price of $30, and I have volunteered my time answering questions and preparing a few simple sketches for people. It was a fun, unusual experiment in creating instant plans for folks.
      For many of those signing up, it is their first experience working with a landscape designer,  and it has helped me gain some valuable insights on how those unfamiliar with the process view our profession. A few of the more generic questions posed at the show may help everyone in understanding what to expect from a landscape designer.
     How long does a design take from start to finish?  This depends on my backlog and, more importantly, the complexity of the design.  It generally takes a minimum of 3 weeks to develop the design, but can take 2 to 3 weeks longer depending on revisions and approvals. 
     What should I expect from the first meeting?  During the first meeting, we get to know each other and discuss mutual ideas.  We walk the site, then sit down and look at photos while exploring the range of possibilities.  From those discussions, I will determine the scope of the project and set a price for the design.
     How do you determine the cost of the design?  The price is determined by the hours that will be spent in its preparation, including meeting times.  I write a proposal that spells out the design work to be done and the price for that work.  My price is firm as long as the work does not change; other designers and landscape architects may charge by the hour and simply bill for their hours without setting a cap.
     What do I get from the process?  This is listed in the contract.  I supply the client, at minimum, with 3-5 copies of the design and, if requested, the PDF file.  I often include a color plan as well.  Also, 3-D images are available at an extra charge.  For those with HOA requirements, I supply whatever the HOA is requesting.  Since I work with a Design-Build Company, I also give clients an estimate for installation although this is technically not part of the design process.
     How do I best choose who to work with?  No one actually asked this but it is an important question.  You should learn about the designer’s qualifications and experience.  Some designers have drawn hundreds of designs while others have drawn just a few.   The landscape business has a long learning curve; it is wise to choose someone with lots of tenure.  The – go by your gut and choose someone who you can get along with during the months of design and construction.