Cleaning your Valves

Do you ever wonder how to and when to clean your irrigation system? You should clean your system each season throughout the year to make sure the water is flowing properly. You will need to make sure your water source is turned off before you start. To start you will need a screwdriver to remove the cover and then you will scoop out the debris, then you can turn your water back on for a few seconds to get the smaller pieces out. Following this step, you reassemble your valve and turn the water back on., and you are finished.

Quality Control

It is our job as Landscape Designers, Architects, Contractors, and Project Agents to check the quality of the materials being delivered to the job site. You can see here the plants delivered were not well rooted. These must be sent back to the nursery and replaced with new ones. Remember to always check the roots.

IG

It's a Calfornia Poppy type of day #californiapoppy #landscapes #nature

Throwback to a major renovation. The vision was implemented thanks to working with great contractors. This was before furniture installation. Benches and bollard lighting were placed in the DG. Concrete work by @consolidated.engineering.inc and landscape by @optimalandscape #landscape #landscapearchitecture #landscapedesign #concrete #construction #planting #plantingdesign #plants

Kangaroo Paw and Bunny Tail #plants #planting #plantingdesign #kangaroopaw #bunnytailgrass

Building a block retaing wall. #blockwall #retainingwall #lose all #construction #walldesign

Major throwback, this was one of my best planting designs. That Pink Muhly is one of my favorites. One thing I've learned throughout my career is you have to wing it sometimes and try new planting schemes. Also, having a great team helps! @optimalandscape #plantingdesign #plants #landscapearchitecture #landscapesketch #landscapedesign #pinkmuhly #californianativeplants #concretetabletennis #landscapecontractors

Why go small when you can go BIG. Building a BBQ #construction #building #bbqdesign #framing #design #bbqdetail #cinstructiondetail

Completed Lodi Project. This one was just about 100% per the plan. A lot of the time in rennovations there are a lot of field changes because of existing site confitions. However with this one there were minimal adjustments to the plan. #landscapearchitecture #landscapephotography #landscapedesign #multifamilydesign #rennovation #plantingdesign #planting

Residential Design | Option 1 or Option 2? #landscapesketch #landscapearchitecture #landscapedesign #design #backyarddesign

Seeding vs. New Sod

Is it possible to save your existing lawns? The answer is yes. The right time to seed is early spring or fall, so right now is perfect. To start you will need to remove weeds and old sod and loosen the soil. Following this you can use a core aerator for large areas or a digging fork for smaller areas. You will need to fill in low spots with top soil then add your seed. Selecting the right seed for the site is important. You will need a shade blend for those shady areas and I like to use a fescue blend for our Northern California climate.

Plants

Let’s take a look at the varieties in your area. I visit my local plant nurseries often, and have built a relationship with the vendors. This helps me stay in the loop on inventory and knowing what varieties work best in my area.

Drainage

One of the first things that should be considered when starting your landscape project is drainage. Understanding that water needs to flow away from critical elements such as buildings and walkways will enhance the users experience.

Irrigation

Irrigation is vital to the success of the landscape. Plants thrive on water whether they require lots or water or very little. Understanding the types of systems to use could save you money and time.