Monthly Archives: November 2024

Kaufman Cacti+Native Ranch, Sylmar

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Avid Cacti Garden Curators Now Maintain Lush Native Space Too

This expansive, fire defensive ranch landscape wowed visitors during LA’s iconic 2023 Native Plant Garden Tour. It holds innovative bioswales, and California’s authentic beauty and abundant fragrance, traversed by high quality, low maintenance flagstone and decomposed granite paths and patios. The owner’s pre-existing cacti garden is every bit as awe-inspiring as LA’s most iconic desert gardens.

The Kaufmans traversing their native garden and bioswales.

It takes more effort to care for the bougainvillea along the fence than the
whole native plant garden! We maintain the full space year round.
Still, we don’t actually spend much time working on it.

Elaine Kaufman

Project Snapshot

The Kaufman’s back garden made its Native Plant Garden Tour debut in 2023. Tour goers enjoyed the extraordinary, pre-existing cacti garden as they found their way back to the lush, leafy, rain capturing native garden. Here are some of the spaces that sparked the most wows.

Kaufman Ranch | Summer 2012
Hummingbird Sage
Kaufman Ranch | Spring 2023
Deer Grass | Kaufman Ranch
Fragrant Seating | Kaufman Ranch
The Kaufmans | Desert Garden
Both gardens save water and surround the home with blooms and wildlife.

See more photos in the full project gallery in Houzz, where you can save your favorite ideas.

Plant Palettes

Wondering about the water and time-saving qualities of cacti and native landscapes? Check out the plant palette of the Kaufman Ranch, and save your favorite lawn-free garden ideas in Pinterest. For the Kaufman’s experience with garden maintenance, see our Client Insights section.

“Showstopping” Meadow, Northridge

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Roses Soar to New Heights When Teamed-Up with Native Foliage

After removing an expansive Bermuda grass lawn in favor of a wide variety of native foliage, the Moore’s collection of specimen roses thrive. Meandering trails encourage wanders of the space. The distinctive fragrance of California sages as well as the roses and orange blooms scent the space.

DiAnna Moore used to be known as
the Rose Lady. “I had a carpet of red roses
in my front yard,” Moore says of her Northridge garden.

“We tried to keep them alive, along with our
Bermuda grass,” all while trying to adhere
to water conservation rules in place at the time.
It was difficult.

Los Angeles Times, 2018

Project Snapshot

The meadow, featured on Theodore Payne Foundation’s 2018 Native Plant Garden Tour inspired new garden transformations.

Tour Goers Enter from A Trail
The Drive Sits at Center
Riots of Native Foliage
Brick Trails Meander the Meadow
The Yarrow Medow Blooms
Higher Foliage Creates Privacy

See more photos in the full project gallery in Houzz, where you can save your favorite ideas.

Plant Palettes

Want to replace your lawn with a “showstopping” meadow? Check out the plant palette we chose for the Moore’s garden transformation, and see more IdealMow Lawn and Meadow options. Save your favorite ideas in Pinterest.

Sara’s Garden, Tujunga

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A Bloom-Filled Space Designed for Fire Defense and Puppy Enjoyment

Nestled deep in the northeast foothills of Los Angeles, this property beautifully demonstrates fire-defensive landscape strategies and materials. Full of California native plants, the garden was featured on LA’s iconic Native Plant Garden Tour in 2020. The U.S. Green Building Council’s LA Chapter (USGBC-LA) also featured a tour of this property on its wildfire risk reduction forum in 2021.

Sara and Teresa Mackey enjoying spring blooms.

Tour the Garden with Teresa

Featured on the online Native Plant Garden Tour in 2021, Teresa showcased her understanding of fire defensive landscaping and the benefits of living within a native plant garden.

Teresa describes her fire defensive garden.

I wasn’t a big entertainer, beforehand, but
now I want everyone to come and see
and enjoy the peace.

Teresa MacKey
Theodore Payne Foundation Interview

Project Snapshot

The Mackey’s meadow and surrounding landscape are as vibrant as Teresa’s laugh. The abundant Coast Live Oak canopy on neighboring properties provides a layer of ember-catching fire defense, and the ember resistant materials used near the home help it resist ignition.

Petite Gravel Zone 0
A Trail Near the Property’s Edge
Silver White Sage Foliage
California Native Sages scent the garden and separate the elevated patio from the meadow.
Sara enjoys her meadow!

See more photos in the full project gallery in Houzz, where you can save your favorite ideas. Hear more about fire defensive landscaping and living in this beautiful space from Teresa in Client Insights.

Plant Palettes

Looking for lush, lovely, livable and fire defensive space? Check out the plant palette for the Mackey Garden, and save your favorite fire defensive foliage ideas in Pinterest.