Santa Barbara Canyon Modern

This was a fun project. Here was a Santa Barbara canyon home with clean, modern lines whose landscaping wasn’t doing it any favors. In the back, there was a 14-foot hedge that was hiding the most glorious view and access to the canyon. And the lawn, well; I don’t need to say any more about that. Additionally, the client was extremely sensitive to chemicals of any kind, so we had to be very “green” in our methods.

Chris’ bright idea was to take what was a flat, non-descript space and with grading create different levels and “rooms”. A shady area for a table and chairs became the client’s favorite spot for their morning brew and breakfast. Another bonus; with the removal of the hedge an Oak woodland was revealed. This natural wonderland filled with birds and wildlife could be enjoyed from the client’s morning perch.

Meandering paths of crushed stone and lush, drought tolerant plantings, provide a garden with year-round color, fragrance and a variety of textures, which will only get better with time.