Landscape challenges? ‘Garden fixers’ have some savvy solutions
C laudia Schmutzler loves “challenged” landscapes. In fact, she’s come to embrace them.
“Bring it and let’s see what we can do,” said the Corona del Mar landscape designer and owner of Windsor Decks and Gardens, who calls herself the “garden fixer.”
Not all of her projects start with her scratching her head, but some have, and most of the challenges have involved physical impediments.
One of her more recent endeavors involved coming up with a solution for a hard-to-reach planter.
The structure, a focal point for an expansive property in the Emerald Bay community of Laguna Beach, extended precariously off the balcony. The only way to reach it was by navigating a narrow catwalk.
Further adding to the problem was the constant sun exposure, which made the surface extremely hot. Water from a drip system simply went through it, and nothing seemed to thrive.
“I thought, what could I do with it?” Schmutzler said. “Make it a lawn fire pit? No. In the distance is the beautiful Pacific Ocean, so I came up with the dune idea. After a lot of thought, the solution hit me like a ton of bricks at 3 a.m.”
She took white sand and some Japanese glass balls and, voila, made it a “floating sand dune,” as she dubbed it.
Another project involved a Huntington Harbor yard that had suffered with dead grass for years and an ugly and very visible electrical panel box that greeted guests and passers-by. She brought in drought-tolerant plants and painted the black wall a bright orange. Both helped masked the sight and provided alternatives to catch the eye. Grass can be good She acknowledges that Southern Californians need to conserve water, but grass is not the devil, she said.
“We’ve learned to be conservative and not waste water, but who doesn’t love a patch of lush green grass?”
She’s been known to add it to a yard to create visual impact, as well as artificial turf, something she normally shuns. But it was the best solution for one high-maintenance yard, she said.
Few Southern California homeowners have to deal with catwalk planters, but there are common problems most share. Two main instigators are water and climate.
Heavy rains caught gardeners by surprise this year, leaving some yards soaked and plants dead. Now hot, dry winds seem to be sucking the moisture out of plants faster than they can be watered.
Despite the heavy rainfall, Californians will continue to face droughts and other limits on irrigation, said Rachel Young, director of horticulture and garden operations at Descanso Gardens in La Cañada Flintridge.
“The best way to manage is by planting California-friendly plants from similar Mediterranean climates using efficient irrigation,” she said.
And when it rains, capture as much of the rainwater as possible before it runs off into the street.
Average rainfall just doesn’t exist in Southern California. Instead, she said, homeowners should focus on a 10-year average and plan accordingly.
Unfortunately, unprecedented tree deaths will continue, she said. The drought, invasive insects, overwatering, high winds and heavy rains have taken their toll.
“Have trees inspected regularly by an arborist every five years to catch issues,” she said. “By the time you notice a problem, it is often too late, but a professional may be able to find issues earlier.”
Be sure to remove dead wood from trees, add mulch, and water them deeply and infrequently so they develop deep, strong supporting roots. Realize, though, that short-lived trees such as some ornamental and fruit trees need to be replanted every 15 to 25 years.
Water remains a valuable resource, so installing xeriscape landscapes or opting for droughttolerant plants is important, said Roxanne Dean of Star Landscape Design of Long Beach.
“The cost to install xeriscape landscapes can be high and not affordable for some,” she said. “But individuals can design a plan that is within their budget and can still help with saving water and providing low maintenance. Start with smaller plants and allow them to grow.” Beat the heat — and winds High temperatures coupled with gusty dry winds can be killers as far as plants go. Both combine to dry out roots quickly. Hand-watering and soaking containers are efficient ways to help.
“Brittle dry plants will die easily in high winds,” Dean said. “Prevent this by installing sturdystemmed trees or shrubs and ornamental grasses that do well in windy areas.”
Keeping nursery stakes on through the windy season and removing them in the off-season helps, too. But stakes will retard growth if left on too long.
Maintenance of xeriscapes is difficult at first. The earth has usually been tilled and amended, providing a comfortable spot for weeds to root.
“Keeping after the weeds will pay off eventually, and in a few months you will see less and less,” she said. “Within a year, the soil around the new plants will revert back to original state and the weeds won’t take root as easily.”