Specializing in colorful, water-conserving gardens
Ellwood Bluffs: Fiesta Brights
Ellwood Bluffs: Fiesta Brights

Santa Barbara Style Garden

In an interesting twist, the homeowners requested that all of the elements in their back yard garden coordinate with the bright striped cushions of their outdoor furniture.

So we went with warm-toned flagstone and stucco walls, terra cotta pots, red bougainvillea, orange and yellow kangaroo paw, and other plants with bright flowers or brilliant foliage.

Another consideration was their three energetic dogs, who enjoyed running along the outer walls before the landscape took shape. To direct their energy, we created a doggy racetrack — a Figure 8 lined with soft, Chinese fountain grass that they wouldn’t trample when chasing one another over the course.

We also designed three distinct areas for the humans: an outdoor kitchen with dining for eight; a casual conversation spot with a table for four, sporting those distinctive pillows; and a private patio with comfy chaises.

Out in the front yard, succulents, mulched with loose decomposed granite, reign supreme, while a quiet side yard with a bench and an arbor is devoted to sustaining butterflies and birds.