California Waterscapes posted this video recently, and it really gives you an idea on how happy pond owners really are with their water features. Who can resist the sound of water running down natural rocks, the beauty of lily's growing in the pond, and feeding koi fish as they swim around? Watch the video and if you feel inspired and decide that you want to become the proud owner of a water garden, call California Waterscapes for a design estimate of your own.


California Waterscapes
818-244-4000

1. First thing to keep in mind is that the best time to start your planting is in the fall. The reason for this is that the roots of the plants need to have time to establish themselves, and by the time that summer rolls around the plants will be able to withstand the heat.
2. When you begin to plant the garden, make sure that you group the drought tolerant plants together and away from the other plants that require more watering. This is because simply because the drought-tolerant do not need the water and if some annuals are surrounding it, they can easily die from the lack of water while the other strive.
3. Use more mulch around your garden. Grass and turf are water hungry and while they are great as ground cover, they will run up your water bill. Mulch serves so many more purposes than just as a ground cover, it can also prevent weeds, keep moisture in the ground and as time passes nutrients will go into the ground as it decomposes. 
4. Get to know your timer and irrigation system. Make sure the clock is set correctly and that there are no leaks or water runoff that could be going to your neighbors house or wasted away.
5. When the rain comes in, alway remember to turn off the irrigation system. After a week or even up to a month (depending on how much rain fell) check down into the soil about 2-3 inches and if you still feel moisture, its ok to leave the sprinklers off.

Not everyone is able to take advantage of a large lot or even a backyard, but it is still possible to have your own getaway spot of your own. I headed over to Downtown Los Angeles to do a little scouting on what kind of getaways we can find on the rooftops of the city.

On our first stop we saw the gardens of the Kyoto Grand Hotel, and if you live in the Los Angeles area and have yet to visit this garden, you must add this to your things to do. It is hands down one of the greatest landscapes I have ever seen, I completely forgot I was standing in the middle of a giant metropolitan city. The strolling gardens are complete with a reflection pond and pathways that meander through lush landscape. If your looking for a place to find some instant peace, this is the place to go to.

If something a little more modern and chic is what your looking for, then seeing the rooftop of The Standard Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles is a must. You are completely surrounded by L.A.'s beautiful architecture everywhere you look, and the furnishings instantly make this a place to sit and unwind. The pool and sun deck make this a great destination for some fun in the sun, while the fireplace gives you a place to cozy up at night. 

What was probably the most interesting use of a rooftop space has to go to the SYNTHe rooftop garden at The Flat apartments. The garden is used to grow herbs and vegetables which is then used in the downstairs restaurant, Blue Velvet. Besides helping to filter pollutants, increasing thermal insulation of the roof, and reducing storm water runoff, the roof top garden sets forth a complete productive cycle. Food will be grown, consumed, and ultimately returned to the cycle in the form of compost on the premises.

Here is another video that shows you the steps to take when changing an outdoor light fixture. While this may see to be a difficult task, it can be a quick job if done correctly. Of course like any other project, if this seems too overwhelming or maybe you have a more complicated project, then we do suggest that you contact a professional to handle the job.



Contact Service Magic if you have any further needs to find a qualified contractor to handle this job for you or any job that requires a trained professional.

In some regions, a big problem that tends to arise is having local deer wander into your garden of a meal and wiping out an entire garden. We are going to go over some plants that are not only drought-resistant but also deer-resistant that will be able to help out with this type of situation.

The first one we will mention are known as Hens and Chicks (Sempervivum Tectorum) which is a succulent plant that can grow in dry soil. This plant is mainly grown for its foliage and used as ground cover, but will bloom a spikey flower. 

Another plant that will not attract deer is known as Stonecrop Plants (Sedum) like the one pictured here. Stonecrop's also consist of succulent leaves, but unlike the Hens and Chicks the Stonecrop plants produce a flower that come in different colors and worth growing in its own right.

Lambs Ear (Stachys Byzantina) is a good plant to consider if you are looking to grow plants that will turn deer away. Lambs Ear will add a certain amount of softness to the landscape and will produce a light purple flower on tall spikes.

Check out your local nursery for availability of these plants and get some other suggestions on what else can be planted to handle the wildlife issue. Armstrong Garden Center's are a good source for information if your in the Los Angeles or Southern California area, and if  you need a landscape designer to include these types of plants in your design consider calling Pacific Outdoor Living to get a design done. 

There are a lot of do-it-yourself readers out there, and if you have an upcoming project that requires you to measure your yard to figure out how many square feet of a material you might need like paving stones or flagstone, then you really need to watch the following video. 


Take note of all the tips you just saw before starting any type of hardscape project. Like the video mentioned,  falling short of material can put the entire project at a full stop, and will take especially long if you are using a custom color or stone. If the job seems like it might be a little too overwhelming, don't forget that you can still call the paving stone professionals at Pacific Pavingstone to help with the installation and get it done.

Pacific Pavingstone
818-244-4000

We have already mentioned it before, and still urge all of those in Los Angeles to attend the 6th annual Parade Of Ponds this year. With so many ponds, waterfalls, and streams on display there is tons to see and enjoy throughout the day. Circle Saturday, May 29th and Sunday, May 30th on your calendars as those are the days to head up to the Pacific Outdoor Living Design Center to start the parade. Advance tickets are still available by heading over to California Waterscapes' website and clicking the link at the bottom. Here is a quick teaser on what you can expect at the Parade Of Ponds.

1. Raccoons will eat all of your fish - Raccoons do not like to swim and will usually sit on the side to swipe fish with their paws. The fish are aware of a possible threat and will swim to the bottom and stay out of harms way until the threat goes away.
2. Rocks and gravel make it difficult to clean the pond - The Eco system pond will maintain a natural balance that allows mother nature to do the maintenance work on her own. Beneficial bacteria are able to colonize on the rock and gravel which are able to break down debris and muck that would usually feed algae and help it grow. 
3. Fish cannot survive in cold climate - When temperatures drop the the fish will naturally swim to the bottom and hibernate during the winter, there is no need to bring them inside and protect them from the cold weather.
4. You must test your pond for PH daily - When working with aquariums and pools of water that use chemicals, you do need to check the PH balance often. But when working with a natural Eco system, there is no need to test 
5. Ponds attract mosquito's - Mosquito's love stagnant water, so if the pond is stagnant then there will be mosquito's near by. The trick is to continuously have the water moving and less mosquito's will come around. Also any larvae on the water surface will be taken in by the skimmer and drowned, or eaten by the fish. A properly built pond can actually reduce the number of mosquito's in the area.

6. Draining and cleaning the pond must be done on a regular basis - If the pond you have is not working with a natural Eco system, draining and cleaning the pond will be a regular headache. But if you are taking advantage of a naturally balanced pond you may have your pond cleaned once a year max, and some don't require it at all.
7. The more filtration the better - If you were filtering water for drinking then more filtration is best, but when talking about a naturally balanced pond it is not necessary. Over filtering a pond can cause some maintenance problems that can become costly. if you can see a dime at the bottom of the pond, it is more than clean enough.  

Pacific Outdoor Living were featured in an episode of Landscapers Challenge on HGTV. In this show, 3 landscape designers take on the challenge of coming up with a design that fulfills every want of the homeowner. The homeowner then chooses the winning design to be built and we also get to see the final results. Pacific Outdoor Living did indeed win this competition and the final design was jaw dropping once it was completed. Take a look at the video below which shows clips from the competition and the final result. 



Pacific Outdoor Living
818-244-4000

We made a quick stop at this years Pasadena Showcase House Of Design to give you a little taste of what you expect for this years home. As you will see, designers came out with some of their best ideas to really transform and beautify this home. Also make sure you stop and enjoy the Dining Pavilion which is going to be catered by Wolfgang Puck.  




If you have yet to get your tickets to the Pasadena Showcase House, be sure to do so by clicking the link below.


Tickets for the Pasadena Showcase 4/18-5/16

1. Use the sunniest spot in your yard to do the planting, after all the two things your garden will need to grow are sun and water.
2. Clear and prepare the land that you are going to use for your garden by using a rototiller.
3. If you are going to plant the seeds directly into the ground, take the soil and plant the seeds in an egg carton until they take root and then transplant them. The other choice is to buy seedlings at a nursery and then plant them.
4. Orientate the rows of vegetables east to west, and make sure the tallest plants are on the north end of the garden. This will be keep the smaller plants from  being shaded but the bigger ones and not receiving enough sunlight during the day.
5. Plants a few flowers throughout the vegetable garden, this will attract bees and help pollinate the garden.