From the Drawing Board- Petaluma Front and Back Yard

Michael O'Connell — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 18:56:05 +0000

The design for this project in Petaluma focuses around a completely new hardscape for the front and back yards including new driveway, entry walkway and rear patio. What had been lawns in the front and back yard, become low maintenance planting areas with more usable space.

From the Drawing Board: Novato Front Yard This project in Novato needed a serious front yard overhaul....
From the Drawing Board: Corte Madera Entertaining Back Yard This conceptual design for a back yard project in Corte...
From the Drawing Board- Novato Back Yard Pool Removal This conceptual design for a back yard project in Novato...

Completed Project- Kent Woodlands New Home

Michael O'Connell — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 23:46:30 +0000

We are just wrapping up work on this project in Kent Woodlands, a complete re-landscaping for a large new home. The project, designed by Bradanini and Associates incorporated new bluestone patios, extensive walkways, mediterranean and shade garden areas, a redone swimming pool and large synthetic turf putting green.

Kentfield Estate Project We are working on a large home renovation in Kent...
Current Project- Kentfield Planting We have started the planting phase of this large project...
Novato Completed Project This project in Novato was a multi-phase project that grew...

From the Drawing Board- Modern Fence Detail

Michael O'Connell — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 00:36:41 +0000

This layout for this fence was design to compliment a mid-century modern house with clean lines and a more contemporary design aesthetic. An integrated kicker board allows for stepped topography, while a sandwiched profile gives a good neighbor fence design on both sides.

From the Drawing Board: Entry Gate Detail Creating a distinctive front entry can set the tone for...
From the Drawing Board- Fence Design Here is a current project with a fence design we...
From the Drawing Board- Fireplace Detail Here are a couple of details from some current projects....

Pruning Ornamental Grasses

Michael O'Connell — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 04:25:39 +0000

We use a lot of ornamental grasses in our landscapes. They fit very well in a number of design styles and are fairly low maintenance and low water use. We typically prefer evergreen grasses for their year round appeal, but even those grasses that don’t go deciduous can benefit from a pruning (haircut) every year or two. This article from the Sonoma County Master Gardeners gives a good overview on pruning some common grasses.

Some of our Favorite Grasses

Evergreen: Blue Fescue, Deer Grass, Evergreen Miscanthus, Autumn Moor Grass, Berkeley Sedge
Deciduous: Purple Fountain Grass, Little Bunny Fountain Grass, Miscanthus
Grass-like: New Zealand Flax: Yellow Wave, Jack Spratt, and Tom Thumb among other more compact grass like varieties

Favorite Materials for 2007 Not all materials are created equal. Here are some of...
Here Come the Weeds I posted an entry a while back about a...
Many Choices in New Zealand Flaxes I was at one of our main wholesale nursery suppliers...

Current Project- Petaluma

Michael O'Connell — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 17:27:29 +0000

For this project in Petaluma we removed an existing rear patio and installed a new colored concrete patio, BBQ area, and modern floating square concrete slab entry path. The landscape will be installed in phase 2 of the project.

Completed Project- Petaluma Estate This project in Petaluma’s Boulevard Heights neighborhood transformed a neglected...
Kentfield Estate Project We are working on a large home renovation in Kent...
Current Project- Petaluma Here is a large McNear Paver and planter installation for...

Current Project- Kentfield

Michael O'Connell — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 16:48:49 +0000

We are wrapping up this project in Kentfield that featured large plantings around the newly remodeled home, dry laid bluestone paths, and a synthetic putting green.

Kentfield Estate Project We are working on a large home renovation in Kent...
Completed Project- Kent Woodlands New Home We are just wrapping up work on this project in...
Current Project- Belvedere We are working on finishing up a new bluestone patio...

From the Drawing Board- Novato Planting Plan

Michael O'Connell — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 00:22:18 +0000

This project in Novato uses the concept of borrowed landscapes with native California and Japanese influences. A zig zag boardwalk with ripples of grasses accent a planted water feature area in a twist on the traditional Japanese karesansui.

From the Drawing Board- A Tough Planting Plan Here is a planting scheme for a commercial/residential type project...
From the Drawing Board: San Rafael Planting Plan Here is a planting design for a front yard in...
From the Drawing Board: Novato Back Courtyard We are working on an intimate back courtyard for this...

From the Drawing Board- Petaluma Layout and Paving Plan

Michael O'Connell — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 22:32:29 +0000

The hardscape for this project in Petaluma needed to be completely redeveloped. This plan helps establish a new more modern design aesthetic for the residence. Large floating concrete slabs are utilized for the front entry; while a new back concrete patio and connected small barbeque area integrate the same layout and theme.

Layout and paving plan for front and back yard project

From the Drawing Board- Mill Valley Concept Plan We are in the conceptual design development phase for this...
From the Drawing Board: Penngrove Medditeranean Garden This project in Penngrove had a front landscape that had...
From the Drawing Board: Novato Front Yard This project in Novato needed a serious front yard overhaul....

From the Drawing Board- Mill Valley Concept Plan

Michael O'Connell — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 22:23:48 +0000

We are in the conceptual design development phase for this project in Mill Valley. The project is a master plan to integrate a new entrance and driveway, improved access and usability of the front and side yards, and retaining walls and plantings for a lower slope area.

Conceptual layout plan with section view of lower retaining walls

From the Drawing Board- Petaluma Layout and Paving Plan The hardscape for this project in Petaluma needed to be...
From the Drawing Board: Mill Valley Spacemaker The design for the project in Mill Valley focuses on...
Current Project- Mill Valley This terracing project in Mill Valley is transforming a sloping...

Current Project- Kentfield Planting

Michael O'Connell — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 22:17:35 +0000

We have started the planting phase of this large project in Kentfield. Pictured are planting layouts of some of the shade garden areas featuring Rhodys, Hydrangeas, Liriope, and Geranium groundcover.

Kentfield Estate Project We are working on a large home renovation in Kent...
Current Project- Kentfield We are wrapping up this project in Kentfield that featured...
Completed Project- Kent Woodlands New Home We are just wrapping up work on this project in...