10 Ways to Keep Pets Safe

HGTV. By Holly Aguirre: Find out what experts, veterinarians and horticulturalists across the country advise for keeping your pet safe.

Dog Friendly Garden Design

HGTV Garden. By Holly Aguirre: More and more landscape architects are hopping on the pet-scaping bandwagon, proving that a space for pets doesn’t have to look like a prison.

Future of Design 2015: More Sustainability, Adaptability

Los Angeles Times Home. January 30, 2015: Despite advances in building and technology, many architects and designers say they are frequently asked to preserve existing floorplans while adapting interiors for modern living. Additionally, they are designing smaller kitchens, smaller footprints, even small lot developments.

Looking forward, designers anticipate more sustainability, increased transitional spaces and adaptability. Here, designers offer their take on the year ahead.

Garden Safety Tips for Dogs

HGTV. By Holly Aguirre: The temptation with owning a dog is to just open up the back door and let Fido run free.

Not so fast. The garden is full of temptations and potential dangers if you aren’t careful. By meticulously planning your garden and in some cases, calling in a pro, you and your best friend can enjoy the pleasures of your garden with no worries.

Gardeners Struggle to Adapt to Drought

Los Angeles Times. December 11, 2014. By Esmerelda Bermudez: Wet weather kept Alberto Ortega from working most of last week — and he couldn’t have been more pleased.

“This rain is a blessing I was beginning to think I’d never see,” the gardener said.

In four decades of tending people’s yards, this year has been Ortega’s roughest: Clients put off landscaping projects, scaled back his duties or simply let their yards go altogether, costing him thousands of dollars.

Landscaping in a Time of Drought

InsideHook. September 19, 2014. By Reuben Brody: Newsflash: we’re in a drought. You’ve probably heard. Here’s another newsflash: as long as SoCal imports its water, we’ll always have supply issues. Always. Especially when 40-60% of it goes to keeping non-native lawns lush.

So in the spirit of doing ourselves and our progeny a solid, we bring youLandscaping in the Time of Drought, a guide to maintaining a stunning, waterwise lawn.

Water-Wise Fall Planting

Los Angeles Times, September 12, 2014. By Lisa Boone: How to tackle fall planting in Southern California during the third straight year of drought and the diminishing likelihood of El Niño storms this winter? At the very least, Los Angeles gardening experts agree that planting in the fall is water-wise as new plants require less irrigation due to the cooler weather and will be well established by next summer. Here, we share their tips for fall.

Resistance Is Utile

Dwell Magazine, Dwell Outdoor Special Issue. Summer 2014. By Erika Heet: Out of necessity, water-wise native plantings are an integral part of landscape design. We consult experts on how to acclimatize on a local and a global scale. Q&A: Cassy Aoyagi.

15 Most Innovative Businesses at Dwell on Design

LA Weekly. June 24, 2014. By Tanja M. Laden: The centerpiece of Dwell on Design is the outdoor exhibit. As one of the show’s highlights, Dwell Outdoor features an assortment of prefab homes, tents, airstream trailers and backyard alternatives, along with a beer garden and lush landscaping that’s all artfully arranged and built by FormLA Landscaping.