When we moved into our present home, out of every considerable number of floor to ceiling windows, sliding glass doors and French doors, the view was parched brown dirt with a few weeds but not even the weeds grew well. The first step to remedying this situation necessitated some preplanning. We took into consideration the space available on our property and its orientation with respect to sun, shade and windows.  We considered the uses we wanted to make of the space as well as the needs and desires of our children, a son ten and a daughter fourteen. A little house dog was our only pet, so pets were really not an issue.

We determined we; needed five yards. A front yard to frame the house and other buildings. An entry court to provide a certain amount of privacy from the street, to enhance the front entry and to provide a view from large windows across the front of the house. A back yard to provide a setting for entertaining. A side garden to provide a tranquil and peaceful retreat for contemplation, reading, and having coffee in the morning. In addition this garden would provide a view from three sets of floor to ceiling windows in the family room as well as three floor to ceiling, windows, one being a sliding glass door, in the master bedroom. A small garden for planting vegetables and herbs.

It was at this point we involved a landscape architect who drew the plans which our family had the fun of executing.  There were five landscape plans. A grading, staking and details plan which included walkways, paths, fences, mowing strips, pools, waterfalls, streams, patios and decks. Following is a copy of the basic blue print for the front yard and entry court.

The two yards are separated by a slump stone fence with a black wrought iron gate and insets.  All circles, pathways, mowing strips and pool are outlined with used red brick.  The pathway to the walk and front entrance are exposed aggregate.  On the West side of the front yard a concrete driveway goes to the garage and a sidewalk starting at the corner of the garage and extending along the property line  to the back alley yard.

Looking northwest at the house

Looking northeast at the house

Pool in the entry court

Following is a copy of the basic blue print for the back yard.

The patio material is red brick made in a basket weave pattern.  The patio is bounded on the lawn side by a 14 in. wide band of exposed salt and pepper aggregate as is the band around the circular pattern.  The spokes of the circle are black exposed aggregate.  The yard is screened off from the side walk,  service areas and  other gardens by a grape stake fence.  Stepping stones  through an arbor leading into the vegetable garden are 12 in. round exposed aggregate.

From the patio looking north

Under the Birch Trees

Looking from the patio west

Looking from the patio east

Following is a copy of the blue print for the secluded retreat and vegetable garden.

 

The vegetable garden is separated on the South and the West from other gardens by a grape stake fence.  On the North and East,  the property line is defined by a d 6 ft. redwood fence.  The vegetable and herb garden can be approached through an arbor  from the back yard, through a double gate on the North from the alley or down steps from the secluded retreat.  It has three raised planting beds in the central areas as well as along the surrounding fences.

(insert pictures of vegetable garden)

The property line of the secluded retreat is defined by a 6 ft. redwood  fence.  The deck, which borders the stream on one side,  is composed of 2x 6 redwood planks.  The steam and water fall are lined with mountain rocks of various kinds and sizes.  A hill, approximately 4 ft. high, bounds the stream on the North.  The waterfall flows from the summit of the hill.  All rocks used in this area were gathered on numerous family outings to the Sierra Nevada Mountains.  Most of the South and West side of this area is bounded by the house.

The next task was to determine our soil type-clay, sand, silt or loam; ph of the soil - acid, neutral or alkaline; nutrients in the soil-particularly nitrogen, potassium and phosphors.  For these tests we used  A&L Western Agriculture Laboratory whose web site is, www.al-labs-west.com.  This laboratory has a world wide customer base, a fast turnaround time of two to three days and gives an accurate detailed  report with recommendations.  We highly recommend it.  Although the different parts of the yard required varying amounts of soil amendments, in general we rototilled in to a depth of 12 in. nitrogen fortified sawdust, bone meal and blood meal.  Some areas required low salt ,weed free steer manure, others required some peat moss and still others required a little sulphur.

The next plan to consider was the watering plan.  Our arid climate requires extensive watering especially in the hot summer months.  All of our yards, including potted plants in the patio, are watered by an automated watering systems on a timer.  I highly recommend such an arrangement especially for any gardeners  in the Southwestern states.  After installing the sprinklers we found it was better of convert some areas to drip irrigation. Besides conserving water, it irrigates the root systems better, keeps water off the tops of plants and flowers and doesn’t  stain  nearby windows. 

We executed the lighting plan next.   However , some aspects of the lighting plan had to be coordinated with other plans  because of placement of wires.  Basically the lighting  plan was designed  to contribute to safety, to enhance particular  areas, plants and tress and to create certain moods. Then and only then were we ready to execute the planting plan. 
Our plantings in various yards consisted of placing large, medium and small trees in various combinations and groupings, along with shrubs, vines, perennial plants, annual flowers, bulbs, annuals and vegetables.  Much more detail on these will follow later.