Landscaping help needed:
 

Small time job but thought I’d pick the brains of you guys on what I should plant in these spaces. Southern California climate but irrigation is present already, just not being used. I might have to repair some piping.

I’m including some photos of the rest of the property to show what is present there in terms of vegetation. It’s a mix of grass, small trees and planted cactus. I’m open to all suggestions including drought/low water plants but I hate gravel or stones in place of gardens. This needs to be beautiful, about to rent this place out for good $$ and it’s in the nice part of town.

The barren garden:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1522954949.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1522954949.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1522954949.jpg

Some of these areas are in the shade either part or all of the time. Here is a shot of another part of the property:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1522955088.jpg

Maybe try some drought tolerant native plants. This place is a good start... Theodore Payne Foundation | Native California Plants

I cover everything up with snow.

Easy!

Great idea but wouldn’t work here. :)

One of my questions involved removing a stump or two that are inside of the property. There is no possibility of backing a truck in w one of those big stump-chewer deals. Can I rent a small one somewhere? Does it matter if I leave some stump underground or do I need to remove every last bit of it?

I want to DIY as much of this as possible after seeing the first estimate from a pro. :)

Paging Baz.......Mr. Baz to the off topic forum please.

In many cases you can leave the remnants of a stump behind. But assuming you don't want it to re-sprout with new shoots you may need to treat it with something to 'discourage' any new growth. I use a product called Tordon RTU available in Qts. from Amazon for $20 some dollars. You spray it right on the freshly cut top of the stump(s).

I just did a job where we had some trees cut down and after getting quotes on pulling them with an excavator I decided to just cut them down flush with the ground. One ended up where we sodded and the other 3 are in the mulch bed. All 4 covered up. But if I wanted to re-plant in those spots of course we'd have to bite the bullet and pay the excavator man.

Your site looks like it has nice potential for a facelift.

Best approach is 'less is more'.

Need more pics...:cool: and a better idea of overall position of beds in relation to home, drive, walks, patio(s), etc.

Maybe go back further when you take the pics so we get a better idea of overall context?

Are the stepping stones needed?

I wonder if a few bromeliads placed in strategic spots would do what is needed.....

Check with a local tool rental place. They have a stand behind stump grinder that does a decent job. My brother and I used one on a maple that was pretty decent size and it did the job.

Here is one option that might be a good candidate considering you have bright light, some shade, and no full sun all day.

'Black Magic' Cordyline.

They hold up very well in the landscape and have a very interesting topical appearance.

https://www.plantant.com/supplierima...1347653459.jpg

Put some of these Neoregelia 'Bossa Nova' with those Black Magics.....note the contrast you've just created = wow factor.....

https://www.bocabromeliads.com/nick/...91119_6598.JPG

After an ice storm many years ago, a guy came through my hood with one of those....lots of dumbazzes had beautiful Bradford Pears before the storm. He wasn't messing with the trees, just stumps....he just went down the streets, virtually every other house....he make a killing :).

You can also add a little color with 'Blue Daze' - a very tough little perennial - choose areas with the brightest light for best color and flowering....this blue color also really adds "visual excitement"...

https://i.pinimg.com/736x/8a/8e/92/8...c54e9510b0.jpg

Where's tabs to tell you to plant fruit trees for ww3

Here's another possible candidate that could add interest to your garden. It's called Farfugium japonicum aka Leopard Plant. They have a regular size version and a jumbo version (called 'Gigantium'). You want the regular size version for your smaller sized beds. Tolerates low light!

http://www.evergreennursery.com/file...20(Custom).JPG

Thank you, Baz!
 

I was hoping you’d see this, (as well as anyone else w some expertise). Keep ‘em coming! I’ll try to get some better pics tomorrow, it’s a beautiful place. There is one part of the dirt that will get basically zero sun because it’s under a solid portico but otherwise it all gets decent sunlight. :cool:

Not sure about the stepping stones, I’ll have to consult the boss on that. I was thinking some mulch w flowers and nice plants like you have pictured but completely open to suggestions.

We can grow lilac and jasmine here, just about anything.

Thanks again. :cool:

You're welcome, Denis....happy to make suggestions.

It's always hard to give advice just from photos but I'll pass along any ideas that come to mind.

My biggest concern is spacing of material. It's always been a huge factor for me when I plant - how far apart to plant things and how many of these to use and how many of those to use.

Like I said earlier...best philosophy is 'less is more'.

Couple more thoughts......would like to know more about the irrigation. If you can pull it off, a drip system would be the most practical. I use Rainbird drip tubing but Netafim was the company that got the first big foothold in the drip application so you could look at using them as well.

Can share more on that later.

Also, I wonder if you could use any Orange Bird of Paradise, as they seem to be very popular out there. They do need some space though. Probably easy to source too, which is always an important factor.

Do you have any thoughts on who is a decent vendor for plants in your area? That info is always crucial to the success of any project.

Also, you mentioned getting a quote...I wonder if they gave you a sketch or plant list?

Orange Bird of Paradise:
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5027/5...b1337e07_z.jpg

How come you guys are advising he put house plants outside?

Sheesh!

I'm intrigued by whatever system is holding that perfectly flat custom walkway suspended and floating in midair.

And why those slick pavers are full gloss and angled.

And why there is a one foot dropoff to a broken ankle on either side of that door.
(just waiting for a lawsuit)

You cold weather guys,

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/support/smileys/yawn.gif

The drop on either side of the walkway by front door is a koi pond w waterfall. The walk is a bridge over it. Feng Shui, I guess. :)

That’s funny because this property would be a prime location for that but it ain’t happening. Would definitely pay the mortgage, if there was one. :)

I took a few more pics, hopefully these illustrate the grounds better. These are the areas to be planted, including part of the walkway in first photo that is under a portico/roof and will never get sun. Everywhere else gets sun at least part of the day. It’s all irrigated.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1523836577.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1523836577.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1523836577.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1523836577.jpg

Here are some shots of the rest of the grounds and the house:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1523836899.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1523836899.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1523836899.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1523836899.jpg

Back yard is a deck: :cool:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1523837096.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1523837096.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1523837096.jpg

I’m getting ready to rent a stump grinder to remove a couple, I’d call them medium size, (maybe 2’ diameter), how deep of a grinder do I need? Home Depot rents one that goes 18” deep, IIRC. May have asked already but do I need to eliminate 100% of stump or just most of it?

I’m kind of looking forward to this. And yes, I’ll have a younger/stronger worker. :)

What is the closest UC school to you? They will probably have a botany or ag department that will be able to make some excellent suggestions. Davis has people you can talk to, I suspect there are similar programs at UCLA and UCI

Thanks, this is right up the hill from UCLA in Bel Air but I’m feeling pretty good about the landscape design. It’s coming along. I visited a good nursery on Friday and got a great tour plus they have a consultation service for $200 where someone comes over to the house and makes suggestions, advises, etc.

For $500, they actually draw up a design for you but I don’t think I need that. I’d have my own ideas about what I want and don’t think this job needs a landscape architect, though they are valuable for bigger challenges.

Keep suggestions coming, everyone.

Thanks. I found a good machine at a rental place, do I need to worry about the roots left in the ground or just grind the stump out and leave them? New to this. :)

Baz, We have several of the Leopard Plants per your above photo. Great looking plants, are very shade tolerant and very surprisingly, survived several nights of hard freezes over the winter (down to 15 but not a real concern for Speeder )... we have the regular sized version (not sure I've ever seen the giant version around here ?.

^^^ That's a good idea, Joel...burning it out. I'll have to look into that.

Hey Denis....here's another plant that might be an option. Asplenium nidus aka Bird's Nest Fern. They are really cool looking and very low maintenance. Best used in an area that does not get full sun.

https://i.pinimg.com/736x/ab/55/57/a...489728a1e5.jpg

Could be dangerous and $$$ (lawsuit when the hill catches on fire) in SoCal - I would stick to a stump grinder.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tsLCIB80Y6k" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>

that is a great view!!

You drill a hole from the top, and another low on the side. Fuel is just to get it started. I greatly prefer the dumping the coals from your BBQ pit on the stump and doing it a little bit at a time myself also.

Someone earlier tonight was telling me about obliterating tree stumps w explosives, apparently they do this somewhere w large stumps. Drill a hole, I'm imagining, and stick some commercial grade explosives down the chute.

Sounds like a blast, (sorry). :)

Had a productive day today. Rented a 13hp stump grinder and removed 2 large stumps, two other small trees and a couple of palm tree stumps that we just dug up, plus some other minor stuff.

Not sure if this will work but here is me grinding out a stump. The first one was really soft and deceptively easy but this second one was hard as rock and also coincided w a steel pipe, either water or waste. Quite a bit of work. :cool:

EDIT: Ok, I don’t know how to post a video. :(

Had a patient that planted a bunch of olive trees along Fair Oaks Blvd back in the day. Bought the dynamite to make the holes in the hardpan at the hardware store a few blocks from my office. Because you could buy dynamite at the hardware store in the 1940's, go figure. Not too many houses around back then though

You can get them to come out and mark your sewer and utility lines so you don't hit anything expensive while you are planting trees. Here the electric utility will give you shade trees, deliver them to your house.Free trees Sacramento, maybe they have something similar. Neighbor got a few crape myrtle trees from them that are very nice when in bloom.

Here is the http://cityplants.org/get-free-trees/our-free-trees-program Looks like they have a lot of different ones too. If they run it any way similar to what they do here, they send someone out, you show them where you want to put the tree and they let you know what they can give you.a

So how do you post a small iPhone video here? I’m stumped. :confused:

Nyuk nyuk nyuk. :)

There is a product sold in stores called stump remover . You drill some holes like in that video and mix the stump remover powder with water . You pour it down the main top hole you drilled and let it soak in a bit . Then you light it and basically the stump burns from the inside out very similar to BBQ briquettes . I only have used it once but it worked as advertised .

I had an old tree cutting codger tell me if you are not in a hurry to get rid of the stump you can spray it heavily with Round Up or similar product , then cover the stump with leaves or pine needles . He said keep it covered and mother nature will do the rest .