naked feeling

it feels so naked and exposed...
Finally I gave in after one year of procrastination and three different landscape designers who had all been adamant about the need to clear up the "junk growth" along the property line toward the Corley's before we could do any planting. I had resisted because I feared the barren look, but then I thought 'to h*** with it'; at least they were in good agreement about which shrubs needed to go, and I had them all marked properly. So I had Dieter come and cut down all the marked shrubs.

Ouch!!! the photo is taken from the SW corner of the house (interesting to compare with this photo from last year)



Perhaps I should just install a solid 6' fence to at least screen the unsightly concrete pad in the bottom of the neighbor's garden.

Still no solution to the perimeter planting

I haven't had too much luck finding a "plant architect". Here is my best attempt to describe what I need:

I don't need general proposals of what plants might have the necessary characteristics, like drought tolerance, deer tolerant, easy care, native or "fitting" into the local plantscape, etc. I can get such lists online, from the online tools from Las Pilitas Nursery as well as the various UC extensions plant databases.

What I need is a "plant architect": a highly skilled and plant-oriented landscape designer who can do the intricate work of "structural" and functional design - by structural I mean a plan for where certain heights and densities are needed; by functional I mean the choices of specific plants, reflecting knowledge about more about growth patterns:

1. STRUCTURE: coming up with the best "structural" solution for a screening. I am convinced the solution will include:
1a: layered planting for fast but also durable screening, possibly composed of "temporary" fast growing trees and scrubs to work until more permanent planting has had time to develop and get height.
1b: layered planting to provide screening both in height (screen off Alpine) and lower (screen off neighbor)
1c: leveled planting up the slope towards the house - as another way of getting height

2. FUNCTION: coming up with specific plants that will serve the roles required by the "structural" plan, that work well together and that will provide interest for the eye.

While I have met several excellent landscapers with great skills on the functional level, I have so far not been successful in finding someone with experience and flair for the structural design.

Light map of screening needs

One of the major tasks is to plan and implement planting for the perimeter facing Alpine.

The photo below shows the places where light from Alpine and Los Trancos traffic shines through

Photo of actual lights from Alpine Road traffic, and x's added for where the car head lights were seen on neighboring photos. The x hovering tall in the trees to the left shows where Los Trancos Road emerges and winds down towards alpine

Plan sketches from February

From Picasa web album DesignFeb2009

Revised floorplan (ignore the study niche in the garage, abandonned):


Elevation, north facing side - with study addition to the east (left most);