Bluestone gravel path meanders through this drought tolerant garden full of Lavender, Rosemary, Rockrose, Sage and fruit trees Montecito landscape design
fall is here
Fall is prime planting season in Montecito and Santa Barbara, with summer heat behind us and the anticipation of winter rains, it’s the perfect time to landscape.
year-round beautiful gardens
We are in the fortunate position of being able to have beautiful gardens year round. However, they need to be designed with year-round beauty in mind. The gardens at San Ysidro Ranch are a perfect example. Regular visitors to “The Ranch” know what I am talking about, their gardens are fantastic every time of year. This doesn’t “just happen”, it is intentional. But how is it done?
The gardens at the legendary San Ysidro Ranch are possibly the best in all of Montecito in that no matter the time of year, the gardens are perfection
Five Pro Tips for a Beautiful garden year-round
This beautiful garden full of year-round color. Here it is in December! Plants such as Mexican sage, Lipstick sage, yarrow, ivy geranium all drought tolerant
a garden for every season
Here are my 5 Pro Tips to make a garden look great in every season
1. Know how your plants will look every time of the year and design with that in mind. For example, Roses are at their best in April and May and so they should be used along with plants that peak in the summer, fall and winter (unless, of course, you are creating a formal “rose garden”). Hydrangeas are great summer and fall perennials, but in winter become a bunch of sticks, so use them with something that looks good in winter and spring.
Formal rose garden design in Montecito supplemented with lavender, bearded iris, shasta daisy, alstroemeria and bordered by boxwood. This garden will be beautiful any time of year.
2. Take into account perennials that need to be cut back once a year, such as Lavender and Sages and surround them with lush greenery such as dwarf Olive trees (Little Ollie) or Texas privet, or Osmanthus.
These Oakleaf Hydrangea in Montecito are bordered on two sides by lush evergreens; Little Ollie in the front and Texas Privet behind. Done this way the garden will always look beautiful.
3. Some plants look great when in bloom or only certain times of year. Solution: Instead of making them the center of attention, put them in the background so they will be appreciated when they make their big show. The Oakleaf Hydrangea in this garden above is the perfect example as it is bordered on both sides by evergreen perennials.
Drought tolerant landscape design that provides year-round color and interest. Pittosporum, agave, aloe, calandrinia, blue spires sage, arbutus marina, Olive trees, nepeta, lavender and echium bloom at different times of the year.
4. Spring and summer blooming perennials are easy, but what about Autumn and Winter? Ivy Geranium, Rockrose, Camellias, Azaleas, Pentas, Mexican Marigold, Mexican sage, Clivia, Aloe and Birds of Paradise can all be used to brighten up a winter garden. Even Roses, if maintained correctly, can be glorious in November and December.
This glorious December garden in Montecito filled with plants that bring joy in every season, yarrow, Mexican sage, Lipstick sage and Ivy geranium are all easy care and drought tolerant.
5. Learn to enjoy a winter garden. Winter gardens in Santa Barbara can be just a beautiful as spring and summer. Not all gardens are designed to be full of color. One of my favorite gardens is a variety of different greens. This style of garden design brings calm and serenity and is an opportunity for creating shapes instead of color. Topiary gardens are a perfect example of planting that looks great in winter.
This garden design in Montecito does not depend on blooming plants to be beautiful. Plants of different shapes and shades of green make their own statement and is classic old-school design
Garden design
The moral of this story; garden design is personal. Every person is an individual and every garden is a unique reflection of that person.
Your garden is yours and only yours and that is the beauty of having a special place you can call your own.
Until next time, fill your garden with joy!
xo Lisa