Earth, Wind, and Fire: The Season of Santa Ana Winds Southern Californians know all too well about the dangers of wildfire combined with the arrival of the Santa Ana winds in autumn.  These winds, originating in upland deserts well inland of our great state, are pushed down the mountains by high pressure systems, [...]

Fighting Broadleaf Weeds in Santa Barbara Mulch is an essential component part of planting bed installation.  Not only does it create a clean and finished look and a nice backdrop to showcase your plants, it is also very beneficial for their health and vitality.  Mulch provides a cover over the soil that protects [...]

Fighting Broadleaf Weeds in Santa Barbara (But it’s still pretty great.) So, what, then, is humus and why does my garden need it?  Humus (HYOO-mus) is the organic material that is left over when organic matter—resulting from the breakdown of a plant or animal—has completely decomposed, leaving a thick, dark colored substance rich [...]

Fighting Broadleaf Weeds in Santa Barbara As the name would suggest, broadleaf weeds are the ones you can really see because, well, their leaves are bigger than grassier weed varieties.  The size and shape make them the bane of lawn owners, standing out rather than blending in with the turf.  And thus, they [...]

Your Well-Designed, Drought Tolerant Landscape Living in Southern California has its challenges, especially when it comes to maintaining a green and thriving garden.  Drought conditions and watering restrictions make keeping up the lush, tropical landscape we had envisioned difficult and sometimes nearly impossible.  Enter, then, drought tolerant material.  These [...]

Best Practices for Strip Mall Landscaping It’s every homeowner’s fear to look down on their well cared for lawn and see yellow spots forming.  First, it’s just one small one, but then it grows.  Darn it.  You check the irrigation system to make sure the coverage is adequate.  And [...]

Best Practices for Strip Mall Landscaping Provide seasonal color Keeping planters filled with annuals that represent what’s currently in season gives the strip center an updated and well-maintained look.  Not only that, but it puts shoppers in the mood for whatever buying season it is (think greenery at Christmas time).  Lights in trees, [...]

Irrigation Sprinkler Head Basics Even if you aren’t designing and installing your own irrigation system, if you have one or plan to get one, it’s good policy to understand the basics of the system.  If something goes wrong, knowing which part is which will help when you call us for help in repairing [...]

Top Five Outdoor Lighting Manufacturers Serving You may already have decided to install landscape lighting for your outdoor living spaces.  But which brand is the best?  Here we compare some key points about the top five companies that offer outdoor lighting products: Malibu Landscape Lights Sadly, Malibu Lighting Corporation went out of business [...]

Trendy Patio Lights for Santa Barbara Escaping the heat of day might mean waiting until nightfall to go outside for some fresh air.  And while outdoor living at night is cozy and cool, the one element that makes it possible is having good lighting, particularly around your patio and deck areas.  Saying “patio [...]