VALUED CUSTOMERS & FRIENDS+

Spring is in full swing! Ceanothus scents our hillsides, and audacious blooms pop in native gardens from Sierra Madre to Long Beach. We are incredibly grateful to the Weiss and Rosen families who will welcome visitors into their gardens for Spring tours. We hope to see you there!

Sincerely,

Cassy and Kirk Aoyagi

LATEST NEWS+

Eat Well, by Design Arroyo Monthly. By Martin Booe: Edible gardens are moving front (yard) and center in the San Gabriel Valley. See the latest edible garden design trends. Read More (Page 31)   Are Lawns a Yawn? LA Weekly. By Paul Rogers: Drought and design shows reshape SoCal landscaping trends to increasingly embrace local flora and water wise practices. Read More (Page 10)   Catch LA’s New It Girl Wet-to-Dry: Roses, Camilas, Birds of Paradise, all carved a place in the hearts and gardens of Angelenos. As we look conserve water, a new ingenue is emerging as the “it” bloom for our times. Read More

WHAT TO EXPECT+

In March we’ve optimized water delivery systems in advance of heavy rains. We will continue to do so while also monitoring foliage growth, understanding that despite recent rains, we can expect a very dry year.

Conserving Water and Soil Moisture:

• Identifying and fixing irrigation leaks
• Replenishing mulch to conserve water and increase organic matter Increasing mower heights to reduce evaporation from lawns
• Changing batteries on irrigation timers
• Pushing the clocks forward on irrigation and lighting timers
• Pruning Mediterranean foliage

Prepping for a Beautiful Year:

• Identifying cut flowers to brighten indoor spaces
• Planning spring edible planting to meet your meal interests
• Exchanging wet for dry loving plants

LATEST NEWS+

Edible Gardens
The Look of LA
LA’s New It Girl

UPCOMING EVENTS+

Sierra Madre Water Days
Reimagining Van Nuys
Theodore Payne Tour
Brentwood Garden Tour
Descanso Gardens Opening
Dwell on Design

WHAT TO EXPECT+

Conserve water and moisture
Prep for a beautiful spring

TEAM UPDATE+

Building at Descanso Gardens
Exquisite Gardens Tour

UPCOMING EVENTS+

March 21: Sierra Madre World Water Day

March 21: Theodore Payne Foundation Native Garden Tour

March 26: Reimagining Van Nuys

April 12: Brentwood Garden Tour

More: Save the Dates

TEAM UPDATE+

FormLA teams began construction of the new Lush and Low Water Center Circle Garden at Descanso Gardens. We can’t wait to share the finished garden with you!

Cassy and Kirk Aoyagi participated in the Theodore Payne Foundation’s Exceptional Gardens Tour. The tour’s speakers were every bit as exceptional as the gardens, leading a compelling discussion of Los Angeles’ water future.

CONTACT FORMLA+

Cassy and Kirk Aoyagi, Principals: Cassy@formlainc.com

Mark Britten, Production Manager: Mark@formlainc.com

John Avakian, Bookkeeping: John@formlainc.com

Ed Woodbury, Maintenance and Horticultural Team Leaders: Ed@formlainc.com

VALUED CUSTOMERS & FRIENDS+

Los Angeles’ mindset is changing, and so will our aesthetic. We will have a more water wise Los Angeles. The question now becomes, what will our city look like? Will we replace English-style gardens with Arizona-inspired xeriscapes? Or will we choose the lush, lovely and distinctive California natives that bring us to an authentic sense of place? Come see us at Descanso Gardens or a neighborhood tour this spring and let us know what you think!

LATEST NEWS+

Set Trends in 2015 LA Times Home: Looking forward, designers anticipate more sustainability, increased transitional spaces and adaptability. Read More  Design for Dogs HGTV. By Holly Aguirre: More landscapers are pet-scaping. Hear from designers, veterinarians and horticulturists who want to keep your pets safe and happy outdoors. Read More   Save Pets, Save Water Wet-to-Dry: Replace plants that cause problems for pets, including Hibiscus, Foxglove,and English Ivy, with something water-wise. Read More

WHAT TO EXPECT+

FormLA teams will stay busy in February and March to ensure your garden is crazy beautiful this spring.

Conserving Water and Soil Moisture:

• Replenishing mulch to conserve water and increase organic matter Increasing mower heights to reduce evaporation from lawns
• Changing batteries on irrigation timers
• Pushing the clocks forward on irrigation and lighting timers
• Pruning Mediterranean foliage

Getting Ready for a Dry Year:

• Optimizing water delivery systems
• Exchanging wet for dry-loving plants
• Replenishing mulch in flower beds
• Ensuring foliage growth allows for defensible space from fire
• Replacing thirsty traditional grasses with IdealMow® lawn alternatives
• Monitoring foliage growth

LATEST NEWS+

LA’s Aesthetic
Dogscaping
Pet-Friendly Foliage

UPCOMING EVENTS+

Theodore Payne Tours
Descanso Events
Neighborhood Tours and Talks
Drought Tolerant Workshop

WHAT TO EXPECT+

Conserving Water
Preparing for Dry

TEAM UPDATE+

UPCOMING EVENTS+

March 14:Theodore Payne Foundation Gourmet Garden Tour

March 15: Descanso Center Circle Garden Opens

March 21 and 22:Theodore Payne Foundation Native Garden Tour

March 21: Sierra Madre Rotary Panel

March 26: Van Nuys Neighborhood Council Presentation

April 12: Brentwood Drought Tolerant Garden Tour

April 25:Drought Tolerant Maintenance Workshop

May 29 and 30: Dwell on Design

TEAM UPDATE+

CONTACT FORMLA+

Cassy and Kirk Aoyagi, Principals: Cassy@formlainc.com

Mark Britten, Production Manager: Mark@formlainc.com

John Avakian, Bookkeeping: John@formlainc.com

Ed Woodbury, Maintenance and Horticultural Team Leaders: Ed@formlainc.com

VALUED CUSTOMERS & FRIENDS+

Happy New Year! We feel truly celebratory as we start 2015. Last year brought strong change in public perceptions of our landscaping choices. We believe the positive momentum will continue to build as aesthetic leaders like Descanso Gardens showcase lush, low water landscapes. Thank you for leading L.A. toward a more sustainable, vibrant future!

LATEST NEWS+

Inspire a New Aesthetic Tips: Long time landsape trendsetter Descanso Gardens will soon feature a lush, low water Center Circle Garden designed and installed by FormLA Landscaping. Descanso Executive Director David R. Brown defined his vision for the project and Descanso’s water wise future in a presentation with Cassy Aoyagi. ViewLook for Lush Gallery: Descanso Gardens’s new Center Circle Garden will feature foliage that thrives, appearing lush while needing little water. For a taste of the garden’s flavor, view the project’s plant palate. View GalleryPerform Beautifully Wet-to-Dry: Like WalMarts and Home Depots, Senecio Cineraria, aka Dusty Miller, can be found in virtually every American town. While we don’t dispute the utility of Dusty Miller’s mounds of silvery foliage, we tend to use and recommend more locally-relavent alternatives. Read More

WHAT TO EXPECT+

While rainy season hasn’t been all that rainy, it is still a great time to plant. In exchanging thirsty foliage for drought-tolerant alternatives, we are helping to ensure your garden and Los Angeles thrives whatever the weather forecast may bring. We will:

Prepare for Spring Growth:

• Cut grasses to their bases
• Prune ornamental shrubs and Mediterranean plants
• Provide special feeding to citrus and acid loving plants
• Evaluate empty areas for fill-in
• Plant native plants

Getting Ready for a Dry Year:

• Exchange wet for dry-loving plants
• Replenish mulch in flower beds
• Ensure foliage growth allows for defensible space from fire
• Replace thirsty traditional grasses with IdealMow lawn alternatives

LATEST NEWS+

Inspiring a New Aesthetic
Look for Lush
Perform Beautifully

UPCOMING EVENTS+

Theodore Payne Tour
Descanso Opening
Van Nys Neighborhood
Sierra Madre Rotary Club
Brentwood Tour
Dwell on Design

WHAT TO EXPECT+

Preparing for Spring Growth
Get Ready for a Dry Year

TEAM UPDATE+

Weiss Garden Wins Award
Jorge Lopez Returns

UPCOMING EVENTS+

March 14: Theodore Payne Foundation Gourmet Garden Tour

March 15: Descanso Center Circle Garden Opens

March 21 and 22: Theodore Payne Foundation Native Garden Tour

March 21: Sierra Madre Rotary Panel Conversation

March 26: Van Nuys Neighborhood Council Presentation

April 12: Brentwood Drought Tolerant Garden Tour

April 25: Drought Tolerant Maintenance Workshop

May 29 and 30: Dwell on Design Los Angeles

TEAM UPDATE+

Congratulations Hilda and Wayne Weiss! The Weiss home and garden earned award for Historic Preservation and Addition from the Santa Monica Conservancy. See the garden at this year’s Theodore Payne Foundation Native Garden Tour and in our Gallery.

Foreman Jorge Lopez has returned to FormLA Landscaping! Those of you who had the joy of working with Jorge can imagine how happy we are with his return.

CONTACT FORMLA+

Cassy and Kirk Aoyagi, Principals: Cassy@formlainc.com

Mark Britten, Production Manager: Mark@formlainc.com

John Avakian, Bookkeeping: John@formlainc.com

Ed Woodbury, Maintenance and Horticultural Team Leaders: Ed@formlainc.com