LANDSCAPE DESIGN

Sustainable landscape design by Susan Holtslander featuring:

- California native plants

- Culinary and medicinal gardens

- Urban agriculture

- Habitat and pollinator gardens 

- Unique garden art

- Drought tolerant plants

- Greywater 

- Permeable hardscape

- Repurposed materials

- Mushroom cultivation

- Beekeeping

- Chicken keeping

- Composting 

- Outdoor living

and beauty, of course!

Please contact me for a free design consultation.

Design fees vary according to the site and design elements desired. 

Landscape Rebate Program

The Santa Clara Valley Water District is offering $2 per square foot of high water using landscape converted to low water using landscape.  I have helped many clients convert their lawns to water wise gardens for the Landscape Rebate Program. To make the process easier I provide the client with an 8.5 x 11" version of the plan and a copy of the plant list with the sqft value, as well as a digital copy of the hand drawn design.  The plans must be submitted by December 31, 2014 to qualify for the temporary rebate increase. After approval of  the plan, the garden must be implemented within 3 months unless an extension is approved. 

Version II

Version II

Front and Back Garden, San Jose, California This garden was designed to reflect the aesthetic of La Posada Hotel in Winslow, Arizona, as requested by the clients. The front garden features a borderless meadow gravel patio which gently downslopes

Front and Back Garden, San Jose, California

This garden was designed to reflect the aesthetic of La Posada Hotel in Winslow, Arizona, as requested by the clients. The front garden features a borderless meadow gravel patio which gently downslopes into a below grade rain catchment meadow where downspout  runoff is directed through creek beds. The  front gardens plants are a mixture of California desert and chaparral plants.

The back garden features an herbal berm, repurposed broken concrete patio, a yarrow meditation meadow, a formal coastal bluff garden, and a water fountain made by tiling an existing concrete planter wall. The tiles are handmade from Fireclay in San Jose. There will be  lotus and fish in the fountain!

Currently being installed by Bay Maples.

 

Front Garden, San Jose, California

Front Garden, San Jose, California

Constructed by Bay Maples 2014

Front Garden, San Jose, California

Front Garden, San Jose, California

Decomposed granite patio screened with berry and bean trellis panels and reused door, decomposed granite pathways, raised vegetable beds,  drought tolerant California native plants, and rainwater harvesting tanks.

Constructed by Bay Maples 2014

Back Garden, Cupertino, California

Back Garden, Cupertino, California

Constructed by Middlebrook Gardens 2012

Back Garden, Morgan Hill, California

Back Garden, Morgan Hill, California

Constructed by Middlebrook Gardens 2012

Back Garden, Los Altos, California

Back Garden, Los Altos, California

Constructed by Middlebrook Gardens 2012