Poolside Landscape Styles The warm sun and seemingly endless summers of Santa Barbara make having a pool almost a must for local homeowners.  And, as pools are where people want to be, it makes sense that they should be incorporated into the property as part of the home’s outdoor living area.  Therefore, considering [...]

Selecting the Right Plants for Your Poolside Landscape Nothing beats having a private pool to enjoy on a hot summer day. Pools are often a centerpiece of the Santa Barbara homeowner’s backyard, boasting beautiful paving materials, luxurious furnishings, and lush landscaping. However, pool mechanisms and the nature of swimming and sunbathing activities require [...]

From Touches to Trenches: Making Your Garden Space Shine When your garden space feels uninspired and underutilized, it might be time to consider a multi-step process to evaluate and consider design updates at every scale.  Perhaps you are satisfied with the “big picture” feel of your yard, and just need small updates to [...]

Front Yard Garden Flair It’s a common habit to save all your wildest outdoor living ideas for the backyard where only you and your guests can enjoy it.  Where our properties are the “mullet” of landscaping (all business in the front… you know), it’s hard to imagine doing anything too crazy that can [...]

Pressure or Power Wash? Whether you plan to DIY or hire out this job, it’s important first to know the difference between pressure and power washing.  But first, the similarities:  Both are generally used on surfaces that are subject to buildup of grime, especially mold, oils, salt, and general dirt and dust.  While [...]

Do This Before You Power Wash Anything When outdoor surfaces get grimy, it’s tempting to think “power wash” and then run out to rent the equipment.  But there are a number of precautions and preparations to take before hitting your deck, driveway, or house with this kind of cleaning power. Ask yourself: Power [...]

No Planter? No Problem It happens. We’re browsing at the hardware store or even the grocery store and find just the right seasonal flowers that we Cannot. Live. Without. But oh, to have to buy yet another ceramic planter or just leave it in its ugly nursery pot? Fortunately, there are many, many [...]