Hope Ranch Paradise — Montecito Landscape

New Garden Reveal

Creating this garden was such fun! It started out as a very contemporary landscape, full of spiky succulents and hardscape. The new owners hated the existing garden and made one request, to give them a park-like setting. I think we succeeded. For more inspiration and the rest of this garden click here.

Santa Barbara landscape design Hope Ranch with mountains in the distance garden full of roses flagstone paths falkia ground cover and fruit trees — Hope Ranch paradise filled with iceberg roses, fruit trees, dry stream bed, fountain and falkia ground cover

White Gardens

White gardens convey a feeling of peace and elegance. With the gray and neutral tones of the home we wanted the garden design in keeping with the uncomplicated hues and lines. The best way to create a calm, elegant vibe is with a white and green garden. For more images go to portfolio.

Hope Ranch garden with koi pond surrounded with flowering drought tolerant groundcover Olive trees, iceberg roses, pittosporum in flagstone courtyard

Lush and Drought tolerant

The challenge was this; how to create a lush, park-like setting without using thirsty lawns? The client wanted a soft ground cover that the grandkids could walk on and sit by the Koi pond and a lawn was not an option for a number of reasons, the drought being the main one. For more inspiration check out our portfolio.

olive trees, iceberg roses, pittosporum, rhaphiolepis umbellata 'minor' hedge lines the front walk Falkia groundcover — Natural flagstone walk and courtyard surrounded by Iceberg roses, pittosporum, olive trees and falkia groundcover

Drought tolerant lawn replacement

The solution was to use a drought tolerant ground cover Falkia repens. Falkia has another advantage, it thrives in sun or shade and spreads with very little water. Dense green for most of the year it flowers abundantly in the spring. Falkia can be mowed just like a lawn to keep it dense and lush. It is the perfect drought tolerant lawn replacement. The rest of the planting is simple, Olive trees, Iceberg roses, Pittosporum tobira and Raphiolepis. A simple, green and white pallet. We have lots more inspiration in our portfolio.

Hope Ranch Santa Barbara garden design with colorful rose garden garden swing, flagstone stepping stone path set in falkia groundcover with Mexican Pebble dry creek bed for drainage. A variety of fruit trees are planted along the property line — Colorful cutting garden bordered by Mexican pebble creek bed and natural flagstone stepping stones set in falkia ground cover with garden swing

Happy client the end result

The end result is a very happy client who said it best.

“We just got back to Santa Barbara and the garden is everything we wanted it to be. You accomplished it so well. Thank you.”

And that makes me very happy. It’s why we do what we do.

Until next time, fill your garden with joy! xo

Want to see the rest of the project? To see this and the rest of our portfolio Click here.