Work in Progress

Completed Project- Petaluma Estate

This project in Petaluma’s Boulevard Heights neighborhood transformed a neglected formal garden and infused it with new life. We are just completed the second phase of the project, seeding a large meadow lawn and planting screening trees and shrubs for a new garage building. Last spring we installed new plantings, irrigation, and retrofitted existing garden pathways. A large 48″ box tree was installed to balance existing trees on the property and compliment a new driveway installation. In phase two 24″ box Arizona Cypress were installed to help screen the new garage building. Even though they have been in less than 6 months, the first phase plantings are maturing nicely. Plantings are installed with a weather adaptive Hunter Solar Sync Controller for optimal water savings on the large lot.

Client Reviews

Petaluma Dog Friendly Paver Installation

This project in Petaluma took a back yard with a small existing concrete patio and developed a large paver patio with more usable area for entertaining and better access for the owner’s dogs. Planter beds were used to soften existing fencing and as foundation plantings. We used Sonoma Blend McNear Pavers and matching Versa-lok and integrated this with a large compacted gravel alleyway area with brown pathway fines that coordinated well.

Installation details were important here. Gopher wire was installed underneath the compacted gravel and driveway Turf Block to prevent disturbance, and all perimeters of the patio were set in mortared solider courses for good long term stability.

O’Connell Landscape did a great job of designing a yard that is both dog friendly and beautiful. Our requirements were rather unique with 4 dogs. The crew showed up early and worked hard 5 days a week for 5 weeks. There was a minimum of disruption during the process and we are very happy with the results. – Mike and Cherri Scannell, Petaluma

Client Questions

Composite Decks Aren’t Maintenance Free

There was a great topic in a recent article of Ask the Builder by Tim Carter about some common problems with Trex and other composite decking. These composite decks are typically less maintenance than a wood deck, but aren’t no maintenance.

Some common problems profiled were:

  • Mold and Mildew
  • Tree Sap
  • Uneven Board Treatment or Composition

Tim  points out that Trex has a good cleaning guide on their website. He has had the best luck cleaning trex with oxygen bleach applied with a stiff broom.

For more:
– Ask the Builder Trex Article

-Trex Cleaning Guide

Work in Progress

Current Project- Petaluma

Here is a large McNear Paver and planter installation for a project in Petaluma. The old yard had a smaller concrete patio that we installed the pavers directly over, minimizing excavation and debris disposal.

Downloads & Videos

Woodwork Examples Video

Here is another of our new portfolio video slide shows, showing the many different types of garden carpentry we install. From arbors and fences to vegetable boxes, we focus on quality crafted and finished woodwork that isn’t the cheapest, but it built to last.

For more videos and images of our work visit our Portfolio page. Don’t forget that these can be viewed in higher quality 480p mode and in full screen.

Client Reviews, Work in Progress

Completed Project- Penngrove

We just finished a front yard garden in Penngrove, which removed an old lawn and reinvented  it as a more usable, dynamic garden space. A organic path now meanders through the yard by a new seating area spilling pot fountain.

I knew that by removing our front lawn, I wanted to have low maintenance plantings that would be aesthetically pleasing while using much less water than the lawn required.  O’Connell Landscape came up with a design that achieved both.  I was pleased that they were flexible in utilizing some of the material we had in another part of our yard (gravel) to incorporate into the design, thus recycling and keeping costs down.

Communication about the project was exceptional.

-Joan Walsh, Penngrove

New front garden plan that re-imagined an unused front lawn
General Commentary

Dealing with Pests Organically

This is the time of year for aphids and other pests to be causing problems with roses, annuals and perennial plants. Rather than spray a chemical pesticide we have been using Fish Oil based Organocide. It carries no restrictions on the label (caution, warning, danger, indications) and is suitable for organic production of fruits and vegetables. You may have to apply it a bit more frequently, and it may smell a bit fishy, but it works quite well. It has it’s limitations, but works quite well if properly applied (always read and follow application instructions). Safer Soap is another good option for a less toxic option for pest control.

For More: See Harmony Farm Supply’s Website of Pest Control Options

Image from Amazon
General Commentary

Music Recordings That Are Actually Free

While making some updated video slideshows for our website I ran into a problem- finding a nice soundtrack that I didn’t have to pay royalties for. After all, classical compositions from before 1923 are in the public domain right? Sure, but their recordings are not. Fortunately there’s Musopen.com, a website that has .mp3 and sheet music of public domain performances. A great concept and one that will hopefully continue to grow!

Common Landscape Mistakes, Design Examples

Common Landscape Mistakes: The Napkin Plan

The Napkin Plan Syndrome is something we see a lot in our office when we are doing take-offs. What is a napkin plan? It’s a drawing that lacks sufficient detail to be bid properly (e.g. something that was drawn on the back of a napkin).

Landscape architects and designers can frequently omit important details or submit a conceptual plan for bid instead of a true construction document. While this may be easier, save time, or reflect the stage of the design process for the project, it’s enough to drive us crazy.

Common problems include:

  • Poor material specification: Work labeled Stone Patio, or Wood Deck (what kind of stone or wood- 2 dollar tile from Home Depot? $20 Travertine imported from Italy?).
  • No size/length specification: Yes you can have the contractor perform takeoffs of areas like irregularly shaped lawns, patios etc. Most of the time this information could be provided with a couple of clicks in a design program. It would save bidding contractors a lot of work, and result in more consistent and accurate bids for project clients.
  • No plant specification table: Planting plans often don’t have a table counting the plants. Again, it’s easier to make the contractor count the hundreds of plants on your plan, but doesn’t produce help produce consistent bids. Planting tables also often lack container sizes.
  • Bidder design irrigation: Also known as have the contractor design a complete irrigation system without any specifications or guidelines. Suffers from the same problems as the previous examples.
  • No construction details: Often complex elements are not detailed at all- Install BBQ Island: This brings to light about a hundred detailing questions (what kind of counter, what type of island construction, what type of appliances, where does the gas line come from, etc, etc, etc…)
Can You Bid on This Drawing? (For the record this was drawn on a paper towel)
Materials Information

Exotic Landscape Fixtures from Hinkley

Hinkley is a less often specified light by most designers and landscape architects, but they have a very unique line of low voltage landscape lights that are more cost competitive than other boutique outdoor lighting brands (Hunza and BK we are talking about you).

Hinkley is not commonly stocked by local suppliers but good deals are available online. Here are some of their eye catching fixtures:

General Commentary

A Quick Word on Gratitude

We were discussing this a bit in the office today, while reviewing and debating the latest daily events at our company and thought it was worth sharing. Sometimes you just have to step back from the hectic busyness of each day and take a moment to express gratitude for what we have and the times we live in. A few things to be grateful for:

  • We live in one of the most prosperous, freest societies on the planet
  • We are living in the golden age of man kind. Witness to the greatest technological innovation in history, dwarfing all previous periods in richness, scale, and complexity. All while benefiting from being the longest lived, healthiest people to ever live.
  • We have unlimited information at our fingertips at an instant. Your smartphone can access information that would dwarf the Library of Alexandria.
  • A too large portion of the world lives on $1-2 per day. Has limited access to clean water, lives in poverty, lacks education, and is subject to all manners of disease that most of us do not even have to consider.

It seems like at times all people have an all to great capacity to take things for granted. To use one accomplishment as stepping stone for larger, greater accomplishment. Take a step back, a deep breath, and use your perspective to express some gratitude for all that we have. The poet Derek Mahan expressed this beautifully in his poem Everything is Going to Be All Right:

Everything Is Going to Be All Right

How should I not be glad to contemplate

the clouds clearing beyond the dormer window

and a high tide reflected on the ceiling?

There will be dying, there will be dying,

but there is no need to go into that.

The poems flow from the hand unbidden

and the hidden source is the watchful heart.

The sun rises in spite of everything

and the far cities are beautiful and bright.

I lie here in a riot of sunlight

watching the day break and the clouds flying.

Everything is going to be all right.

Derek Mahon

Source: http://www.panhala.net/Archive/Everything_Is_Going_to_Be_All_Right.html

Common Landscape Mistakes

Common Landscape Mistakes: Steel Edging

Steel edging sounds like a good idea. Steel is a stronger material than composite plastic benderboard that is commonly used, and has a much thinner profile. Instead of 2″ thick edging common with composite edgings, most steel edging is 1/8″ to 1/4″ in thickness. The steel also holds straight lines and curves better.

While these are certainly advantages, steel edging has one main drawback- rust. Steel edging is powdercoated and usually comes in black, green, or brown colors. Once it has been shipped, handled and buried on the project, the powdercoat is usually flaking off. This results in unattractive rusting edge or profile.

Another alternative that solves this problem is aluminum edging. Aluminum isn’t perfect either, it is softer and more easily banged up than steel, but won’t rust. The annonized coloring of the aluminum won’t flake off like the powdercoating on steel edging.

For more edging options:
Sure-Loc Edging: Offering both steel and aluminum options
Epic Plastics: Makers of Bend-a- Board composite edging

This older steel edging had been pulled out of a project. The finish is flaking off and both the edging and stakes show significant signs of rust.
General Commentary

Current Project- Petaluma

This intimate back yard on the west side of Petaluma was an underused lawn area and deck with poor ground clearance and usability. The solution was to install a new permeable paver patio area, with matching block seat wall. Instead of using a permeable paver, a traditional paver was used, but downspouts and catch basins are directed into a permeable gravel field below the pavers, insead of the usual paver foundation of impermeable baserock.

Sand is being screeded to level and lay the pavers on this Petaluma backyard patio.
Work in Progress

Current Project- Mill Valley

This terracing project in Mill Valley is transforming a sloping back yard into a usable lawn space and play area. With some grading of the existing hillside and new wood retaining walls a good size area has been created that compliments a large patio space  installed in the first phase of the project.

In Progress- Mill Valley Wood Retaining Wall & Lawn Area
Large Concrete Patio with Stone Seat Wall Installed in Project Phase I
Sustainable Landscapes

An Alternative to Grout

In the past few years there have been interesting developments in alternatives to grout and traditional joint fillers for flagstone and paver installations.

Ecosystems Grout sells a Eurogrout product that claims to allow water to permeate through the surface of the material, making it great for permeable pavement installations where rainwater is captured below the pavement, rather than redirected into a traditional drainage system.

These grout alternatives can also give a low maintenance more rustic appearance to an installation than traditional grout.

Image from the Ecosystems Website

For more:
Visit the Ecosystems Website

Materials Information

A Different Style of Paver

For most residential paver installations there a few usual suspects that are installed from manufacturers such as Calstone, McNear, Belgard and others. While there are lots of nice styles from these manufacturers, sometimes a different look is desired.

Wausau Paving specializes in pavers that are better suited for modern projects or commercial applications, but for some installations these pavers would provide welcome relief from the usual suspects.


Image from Wausau Paving Website

Client Reviews

Arroyo Community Garden Volunteer Work

We recently volunteered with Petaluma Bounty to help design the new Arroyo Community Garden, creating a design, layout, and material plan from the project. The garden is in the process of being constructed at the Living Word Lutheran Church in Petaluma. You can read the latest happenings at the Arroyo Community Garden Blog.

Dear Virginia,

We want to thank you and O’Connell Landscape for so generously providing many hours of your time developing and presenting professional plans for the layout and materials list for the Arroyo Community Garden. This weekend we are completing the boxes, filling with soil and planting our vegetables and flowers. We hope you will swing by and see the progress and know that you are appreciated for your wonderful contribution. On behalf of Arroyo Community Garden and the many community members that your contribution supports— thank YOU!

With appreciation,

MaryAnn Kendall
Arroyo Volunteer Garden Team

Design Diagram Arroyo Community Garden

See a time lapse Video from one of the work days on the garden:

Design Examples

From the Drawing Board- San Rafael Backyard Patio

This project in San Rafael is a small backyard patio that had the unfortunate distinction of being completely covered in concrete. This concept devises a solution that leaves much of that concrete in place, surfacing a portion of it with new flagstone and building a new Trex deck to better transition from a set a sliding glass door. The rear perimeter of the yard will be saw cut and demolished to create a new planting bed.

Design Examples

Mill Valley Planting Plan

For this Mill Valley project under construction the owner wanted plantings that would provide showy color in a vibrant palette of reds, pinks and purples. We integrated a number of hardy blooming perennials such as Rose Campion, Lavender, Blue Bacopa, Blue Salvia, White Campanula, and Geranium Johnsons Blue, to compliment the installation of a dark gray concrete patio with flagstone accents.

Materials Information

Picking the Right Concrete Color

Picking the right colored concrete can sometimes be tricky. A few things are important to remember:

  • First, just like picking paint colors, remember that colors can sometimes look different when applied over a large surface or area.
  • The concrete color should tie to into the scheme for the overall hardscape, landscape and architecture.
  • Colored concrete is a variable product that can vary depending on a number of factors when the concrete is mixed and poured. Some color variation is normal.
  • Like all things outdoors, colored concrete will fade in the sun over time.

Davis Colors has a nice website showing sample images of its various concrete colors that can help make visualization easier.

General Commentary

So You Want a Reel Mower

There’s no better “green” lawn mower than an old fashion reel mower. Trouble is, reel mowers can be a lot of extra effor and take extra sharpening of the blades to be effective. New designs are helping to address some of these shortcomings. Fiskars new Momentum Reel Mower helps to solve this problem by incorporating a flywheel, meaning less effort to push the mower through the grass, and better blades that need to be sharpened less often.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0AqFL2ltjA

Client Reviews

Novato Front Garden and Entry

We finished this project this past winter to makeover the front yard of this Novato home. The design incorporated two bluestone pathways to a front landing that was surfaced with solid bluestone. Around a large existing redwood a dry laid wall was built, with another at the front of the house for a raised planter.

“Construction work of any kind always brings challenges. O’Connell Landscape makes the process enjoyable as they are so responsive to questions and concerns.”

-Pam Russo, Novato

Design Examples

From the Drawing Board: Novato Front Yard

This project in Novato needed a serious front yard overhaul. Weeds had overtaken the yard and a school across the street meant there was lots of foot and vehicle traffic that needed screening. We developed a design concept that included a larger usable lawn play space, with efficient subsurface irrigation. Border plantings around the lawn are low maintenance and provide a buffer and screening in critical areas. A side yard retaining wall expanded usable space for both the side and back yards.

Novato Front Yard Conceptual Plan

O'Connell Landscape Blog