San Diego Street Scape

This rental property in San Diego is one and half blocks from a public beach and gets a lot of pedestrian traffic.  This well maintained home is of hip roof design with a front courtyard patio and rose garden surrounded by a white picket fence.  The client did not want to further promote a cottage style for the 20'x 50' street scape but to blend with traditional San Diego coastal elements.  San Diego has a climate where most plants thrive, however being this close to the ocean's climatic influences, specific plants were chosen that could thrive with the salty and humid climate.  King Palms and Pygmy Date Palms were designed in groupings with natives and drought tolerant plants to add color and texture year round.  Some of the plants incorporated are ceanothus, coprosma and Autumn joy sedum along with a tapestry of stonecrop sedums.  Through the design is a dry riverbed of river rock.  Stepping pavers lead pedestrians from their parked cars to the public sidewalk.  Abundant use of bark mulch will help maintain moisture in the soil reducing irrigation frequency. The west end of the design was left without a palm grouping since the client plans to install a future driveway and parking space. This left a small imbalance in the overall design.  However, since palms are easily transplanted,  a grouping was added in phase one for this space.

Phase one of the design has been completed with installation of a drip system, baby palms and bark mulch. Palms are a regularly used plant and a San Diego icon that grow quickly.  Either side of this space consists of water thirsty lawn, with the east neighbor having tall palms.  The existing Fortnight Lily and iceplant will remain for now.

Phase two of adding the stepping stones has been done recently.  The choice was left to the client to use ready purchased concrete pavers or pour in place concrete.  The cheap and easily installed pavers was the vote. Temporarily for some color, the client added leftover geraniums from another rental unit.  The palms have been growing well over a few months time and add the wanted tropical feel.