Laguna Niguel. An Ecological, Climate - Responsive Garden Design
A Southern California family garden transformed through climate-responsive planting, edible gardens, gravel paths, stormwater thinking, outdoor living spaces and detailed design documentation to support wild-life and biodiversity.
A Contemporary California Mediterranean residential garden shaped through careful site measurement, conceptual design, ecological planting, stormwater planning to live in balance with nature.
Location: Laguna Niguel, Orange County, California
Project Type: Private Residential Garden, Contemporary California Mediterranean Exterior design
Design Scope: Complete Garden Design, Planting Design, Hardscape Coordination, Irrigation Strategy, Stormwater Planning, Construction Documentation
Status: Built / Installed
Construction: Project Management - John Beaudry, Contractor - Landscape and Beyond, Jeff Miller
Construction cost: $280,000
Design Studio: LASD Studio
Contemporary Living: A Self-Sustaining, Evolving Landscape
Modern California Sanctuary Garden
Concept & Vision
At LASD studio - A garden does not begin with plants. It begins with observation.
For this private residence in Laguna Niguel, the design process started with understanding the existing house, slopes, circulation, sunlight, drainage patterns, retaining walls, views, family use and the daily relationship between indoor and outdoor life. The goal was not simply to replace a lawn or add decorative planting, but to create a more resilient Southern California garden, one that could support outdoor living, food production, biodiversity, water efficiency and long-term comfort.
The result is a layered family garden organized around outdoor rooms, gravel paths, raised vegetable beds, drought-adapted planting, flowering habitat, fruit trees and a more intentional relationship between the house and the surrounding landscape as evolving garden and not static image.
Site Measurement and Existing Conditions
Every project begins with the existing site. Before design decisions are made, the garden has to be measured, walked, photographed and understood as a living system. Existing trees, slopes, walls, drainage & irrigation, ex. paving, utilities, planting areas and access points all influence what the garden can become.
At this Laguna Niguel residence, the site included an existing house, lawn areas, slopes, mature trees, retaining walls, paved patios and areas of underused planting. These conditions became the framework for the design. Instead of erasing the site completely, the proposal worked with its structure keeping what had value, removing what no longer served the family, and reorganizing the garden around a clearer ecological and functional vision.
Exploring the Garden’s Future
Concept design is where the garden begins to take shape.
At this stage, the project is not yet about final construction details. It is about direction. How should the family move through the garden? Where should outdoor dining happen? Where can food production fit naturally into daily life? Which areas should become quieter, more immersive, more ecological? How can the slope become a planting asset instead of a maintenance problem?
For this project, two conceptual directions were explored. One emphasized a more structured contemporary outdoor living garden to bring style and Identity to the structured design. The other moved toward a softer sanctuary garden, with a more immersive planting experience. Through this process, the final direction emerged as a balance between modern usability and ecological richness.
Design Development & Visualizing the Atmosphere / Perception
Once the design direction was established, the project moved into visual development. Renderings allowed the clients to understand not only the layout, but the atmosphere of the future garden: the rhythm of gravel paths, the softness of drought-adapted planting, the shade of new trees, the relationship between the patio and the slope, and the feeling of being surrounded by a living garden rather than a decorative yard.
The visualizations became a bridge between idea and construction. They helped communicate scale, planting density, outdoor rooms and the long-term character of the landscape before installation began.
Turning the Concept into a Detailed Buildable Garden
A successful garden is more than a composition. It is a coordinated system of grading, drainage, planting, irrigation, materials, access and maintenance.
For this project, the design was developed into a construction documentation package that included existing conditions, demolition, hardscape, stormwater, planting, irrigation and drainage drawings. The work addressed lawn removal, front and back yard redesign, slope planting, California-adapted planting, gravel paths, raised vegetable beds, patio spaces and stormwater infiltration areas. In total final standard design package of LASD Studio consists of about 20 ArchD / A1 architectural drawings, to make construction smooth and efficient.
The project also included stormwater calculations and infiltration areas, allowing the landscape to participate in managing runoff rather than sending all water away as waste.
Planting Design
A Living California Native Garden
The planting design for this Laguna Niguel garden was developed as a layered, climate-responsive plant community rather than a decorative arrangement of isolated shrubs. The palette combines trees, flowering shrubs, grasses, perennials, succulents, vines, groundcovers and productive fruiting plants to create a garden that changes over time, supports seasonal life cycles and connects the family to the living systems around them.
The planting plan was designed for Sunset Zone 24 / USDA Zone 10a and includes a wide range of Mediterranean, California-adapted and habitat-supportive species, including Muhlenbergia capillaris (Muhly Grass), Lavandula stoechas ‘Otto Quast’ (Spanish Lavender), Salvia greggii (Autumn Sage), Asclepias fascicularis (Narrow-Leaf Milkweed), Penstemon heterophyllus ‘Margarita B.O.P.’ (Foothill Penstemon), Arctostaphylos densiflora ‘Howard McMinn’ (Manzanita), Arbutus ‘Marina’ (Marina Strawberry Tree), Parkinsonia ‘Desert Museum’ (Palo Verde), Citrus spp., Ficus carica ‘Black Jack’ (Fig), Persea americana (Avocado), Passiflora spp. (Passion Vine) and Bougainvillea spectabilis ‘Variegata’ (Variegated Bougainvillea).
The goal was not only to reduce lawn, lower water demand or create a more contemporary California garden. The deeper intention was to build a small but functional ecological system: a garden where flowers, foliage, seeds, fruit, shelter, shade, soil life and seasonal change work together.
A Planting Palette Organized by Ecological Function
The garden is structured in layers. Each layer performs a different role, visually and ecologically.
At the upper level, small trees and large shrubs create the garden’s framework. Arbutus ‘Marina’ (Marina Strawberry Tree), Arbutus unedo ‘Elfin King’ (Strawberry Tree), Olea europaea ‘Swan Hill’ (Fruitless Olive), Parkinsonia ‘Desert Museum’ (Palo Verde), Vachellia smallii (Sweet Acacia), Tabebuia chrysotricha (Golden Trumpet Tree) and Arctostaphylos densiflora ‘Howard McMinn’ (Howard McMinn Manzanita) provide vertical structure, filtered shade, nesting potential, flowers, fruit or seed resources. These plants help the garden move beyond surface decoration and become a spatial habitat.
Below this canopy layer, the shrub layer creates cover, texture and seasonal bloom. Adenanthos x cunninghamii (Albany Woollybush), Leptospermum scoparium ‘White’ (Tea Tree), Cistus ladanifer (Rockrose), Cistus × skanbergii, Grevillea lanigera ‘Mt Tamboritha’ (Woolly Grevillea), Baccharis pilularis ‘Twin Peaks #2’ (Dwarf Coyote Brush), Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary), Santolina chamaecyparissus (Lavender Cotton), Alyogyne huegelii ‘Monterey Bay’ (Blue Hibiscus), Rosa spp. and Buddleia Buzz ‘Lavender’ create a middle layer of nectar, pollen, scent, evergreen mass and protective cover.
The herbaceous and flowering layer is where much of the pollinator activity happens. Salvia greggii (Autumn Sage), Salvia chamaedryoides (Germander Sage), Salvia nemorosa ‘May Night’, Achillea millefolium ‘Alba’ and ‘Moonshine’ (Yarrow), Penstemon ‘Garnet’, Penstemon heterophyllus ‘Margarita B.O.P.’, Gaura lindheimeri ‘Siskiyou White’, Nepeta × faassenii ‘Six Hills Giant’ (Catmint), Lavandula angustifolia ‘Munstead’, Lavandula allardii ‘Meerlo’ and Lavandula stoechas ‘Otto Quast’ provide repeated flower resources through different parts of the year.
The lower layer of grasses, succulents and groundcovers gives the garden resilience and movement. Muhlenbergia capillaris (Pink Muhly Grass), Muhlenbergia lindheimeri ‘Autumn Glow’, Juncus patens, Bulbine frutescens, Aloe ‘Blue Elf’, Aloe camperi, Hesperaloe parviflora ‘Straight Up Red Texas’, Echeveria harmsii ‘Ruby Slippers’ and Echeveria subrigida help stabilize planting areas, reduce bare soil, create fine-textured visual rhythm and provide habitat niches close to the ground.
The vine and productive layers add another dimension. Passiflora jamesonii ‘Coral Seas’, Passiflora vitifolia, Passiflora ‘Lady Margaret’ and Bougainvillea spectabilis ‘Variegata’ create vertical flowering habitat along fences and garden edges. Fruit trees including Citrus × ‘Dwarf Meyer’ (Meyer Lemon), Citrus aurantifolia ‘Bearss Seedless’ (Lime), Ficus carica ‘Black Jack’ (Fig), Prunus armeniaca ‘Blenheim’ (Apricot), and Persea americana (Avocado) connect the garden to food production as well as flowering and fruiting cycles.
Pollinators, Birds and the Garden Food Web
In ecological terms, the garden is not designed for one species. It is designed as a small network of relationships.
Pollinators need more than one beautiful flower. They need overlapping bloom periods, access to pollen and nectar, shelter, nesting opportunities and reduced chemical disturbance. The Xerces Society describes pollinator-supportive gardens as places that provide abundant flowering plants through the growing season, along with shelter and nesting sites. NRCS guidance also emphasizes the importance of plants that flower across the growing season, because continuous bloom helps support native pollinators when individual species move in and out of activity.
That is why this palette uses multiple flower forms and bloom strategies. Tubular flowers such as Salvia greggii (Autumn Sage), Penstemon heterophyllus (Foothill Penstemon), Hesperaloe parviflora (Red Yucca) and Aloe species are especially valuable for hummingbirds and long-tongued bees. Open, compound flowers such as Achillea millefolium (Yarrow) support small bees, hoverflies and other beneficial insects. Aromatic Mediterranean plants such as Lavandula (Lavender), Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary), Nepeta (Catmint) and Santolina provide extended nectar and pollen resources while also giving the garden a sensory character.
Some plants play a more specialized ecological role. Asclepias fascicularis (Narrow-Leaf Milkweed) is particularly important because milkweeds are larval host plants for monarch butterflies. In a garden, this means the plant is not only a flower for adult pollinators; it becomes part of the butterfly’s life cycle. This is a different level of ecological design: the plant supports reproduction, not only visitation.
Birds are supported through a different set of resources. Small trees, shrubs and vines provide perching, cover and potential nesting structure. Fruiting and seed-producing plants such as Arbutus (Strawberry Tree), Ficus carica (Fig), Prunus armeniaca (Apricot), Citrus, Passiflora and grasses such as Muhlenbergia can contribute seasonal food resources. Even more importantly, a pollinator-rich garden supports insects, and insects are a key food source for many birds, especially during nesting season. California native plant organizations emphasize that native and regionally adapted plants help support beneficial insects, birds and broader wildlife communities because they are part of evolved ecological relationships.
The Garden as an Evolving System
The planting plan is not just a list of species. It is a framework for succession.
In the first year, the garden is open and young. Perennials, grasses, succulents and low shrubs begin to establish. Flowers appear quickly from lavender, salvia, yarrow, gaura, penstemon and rosemary. These early species give the garden immediate beauty and provide nectar and pollen while the larger shrubs and trees are still developing.
By the second and third year, the garden becomes denser. Muhlenbergia grasses expand into soft clouds of texture. Salvia, Lavandula, Cistus, Grevillea, Baccharis and Santolina begin to form larger habitat patches. The fruit trees and ornamental trees start to define shade, scale and microclimate. This is when the garden begins to feel less like a new installation and more like a living place.
Over a longer period, the tree and shrub structure becomes more important. Shade patterns change. Some plants will expand, others will be edited. The garden becomes a managed ecological composition, & not wild in the unmanaged sense, but alive, adaptive and intentionally guided.
This is the difference between landscape as decoration and landscape as an evolving system.
From Drawing to Built Garden
The final garden shows the transformation from concept to lived space. Gravel paths now connect the outdoor rooms. Raised beds bring food production into the garden. Drought-adapted planting begins to establish across the slopes and planting areas. The patio becomes a central gathering space, while the surrounding planting gradually matures into a softer, more layered garden environment.
As with every built project, the construction phase matters deeply. Material choices, planting substitutions, detailing, installation quality and field decisions all influence the final result. This project is also a reminder that good garden design benefits from continued coordination during construction, so the original design intent is protected from concept through installation.
Designing Climate-Responsive Gardens in Southern California
For LASD Studio, a garden is not simply an outdoor decoration. It is a living system shaped by climate, water, soil, plants, people and time.
This Laguna Niguel project reflects our approach to residential garden design in Southern California: thoughtful site analysis, clear spatial organization, detailed planting strategy, water-conscious design and a process that helps clients understand each step from idea to construction.
For private residences, estates and family gardens, LASD Studio develops outdoor spaces that are beautiful, functional and ecologically meaningful.
This project illustrates why garden design is most successful when concept, documentation, construction and planting are carefully coordinated from beginning to end.
University Canyon West HOA, Turf Replacement, Rebate Strategy & Wildfire-Resilient Landscape Design in San Diego
University Canyon West HOA is a water-wise landscape design project in San Diego featuring HOA turf replacement, California native planting, wildfire-resilient landscape design, stormwater strategies, irrigation planning, biodiversity restoration, and turf rebate coordination for long-term community sustainability.
University Canyon West HOA in San Diego is being reimagined through a long-term landscape strategy that replaces non-functional turf with a layered, water-wise, fire-conscious, and ecologically richer planting system. The project aligns community beautification with California’s changing water regulations, turf replacement rebate opportunities, wildfire defensible space principles, irrigation efficiency, stormwater performance, and urban heat island mitigation.
Project Overview
Project: University Canyon West HOA
Location: San Diego, California
Client Type: Homeowners Association / Common Area Landscape
Project Type: Turf Replacement, Rebate Strategy, Planting Design, Irrigation Planning, Wildfire-Resilient Landscape Design
Approximate Turf Replacement Area: 13,500–13,800 sq. ft.
Design Focus: Water conservation, rebate eligibility, biodiversity, defensible space, stormwater, heat island mitigation, long-term maintenance efficiency
Status: Construction
University Canyon West HOA represents a common challenge facing many communities across Southern California: large areas of ornamental turf that require significant irrigation, provide limited ecological value, increase maintenance demands, and may no longer align with California’s long-term water conservation direction.
LASD Studio developed a comprehensive landscape strategy to help the HOA transition from high-water-use lawn areas toward a more resilient, lower-water, and visually cohesive landscape system. The work included existing condition documentation, drone-assisted site measurement, CAD drafting, 3D coordination, demolition takeoffs, planting area calculations, turf rebate strategy, irrigation planning, and detailed planting design for phased construction implementation.
Rather than treating turf removal as a simple rebate exercise, the project uses the opportunity to create a healthier and more durable neighborhood landscape, one that supports pollinators and local biodiversity, reduces exposed heat-absorbing surfaces, improves water efficiency, and responds to wildfire defensible space concerns.
Why This Project Matters?
California’s AB 1572 phases in a permanent prohibition on the use of potable water for irrigating non-functional turf in commercial, industrial, institutional, and HOA common-area landscapes. For HOA common areas, the phased date is 2029, which means communities now have a practical window to plan, budget, apply for rebates, and transition before compliance pressure increases.
Social Benefits: Spaces that Bring People Together
At University Canyon West HOA, the design approach begins with precise documentation of existing turf, planting areas, walls, walks, entries, slopes, utilities, and community edges. From there, LASD Studio prepared a measured and phased landscape strategy that can support rebate coordination, contractor pricing, HOA review, and future implementation.
The goal is not simply to remove lawn. The goal is to replace it with a landscape that performs.
Existing Conditions & Site Documentation
The first step was to document the existing community landscape with enough accuracy to support design decisions, rebate calculations, and future contractor coordination. LASD Studio’s team recorded existing landscape conditions, measured turf and planting zones, mapped existing site elements, and translated the information into a CAD-based drawing set.
This documentation allowed the design team to identify which lawn areas could be removed, where planting strategies needed to change by zone, how irrigation could be reorganized, and how the community could phase work without losing control of cost, maintenance, or visual consistency.
Turf Rebate Strategy, AB 1572
The project studies approximately 13,500–13,800 square feet of turf replacement opportunity across multiple HOA zones. At the time of project review, this area created a significant potential rebate scenario; however, final rebate values depend on the applicable water agency, current funding, project eligibility, pre-approval, inspections, and program requirements.
LASD Studio’s role is to help organize the design package around rebate logic: identifying eligible turf areas, preparing planting density strategies, coordinating irrigation conversion, documenting quantities, and assisting with correspondence with the appropriate water district or rebate program administrator.
The design is not based on minimum compliance alone. Many rebate programs require a baseline plant density, such as three plants per 100 square feet, but a minimal approach can result in sparse landscapes, exposed ground, higher weed pressure, and weak visual impact. This project uses a more complete planting strategy to create a lush, cohesive, water-wise landscape from the beginning.
SoCal Water-Smart requires existing turf, pre-approval before removal, minimum planting density, stormwater retention, and permeable conditions for turf replacement projects; San Diego County programs may provide additional or enhanced incentives depending on property type, water agency, native planting, and location.
Planting Strategy - Layered Planting for Biodiversity, Color & Long-Term Coverage
The planting strategy replaces ornamental turf with a layered matrix of California native, California-adapted, drought-tolerant, and habitat-supportive plants. Instead of using isolated shrubs in large mulch fields, the design organizes plants into communities with groundcovers, grasses, perennials, flowering shrubs, and accent species.
The proposed palette includes species selected for water efficiency, seasonal color, texture, pollinator value, hummingbird attraction, slope stability, and long-term visual identity. Planting density is intentionally stronger than minimum rebate standards so that the landscape can establish quickly, suppress weeds, reduce exposed soil, and create a more complete neighborhood character.
The design supports:
Reduced irrigation demand, Improved seasonal color and curb appeal, Pollinator and hummingbird habitat, Better soil coverage and erosion resistance, Reduced weed pressure, Lower long-term maintenance compared with weak, sparse planting, Stronger neighborhood identity.
Planting Plan selection
Wildfire-Resilient Landscape Design & Fuel Modification
In Southern California, turf replacement must also be considered through the lens of wildfire resilience. This project integrates defensible space thinking, fuel modification principles, and fire-conscious material choices into the planting and groundcover strategy.
Where planting areas occur near buildings, entries, walls, and residential edges, the design prioritizes lower-fuel plant selection, spacing, maintenance access, and non-combustible mineral mulch conditions. The visualizations will be updated to replace organic mulch with crushed gravel or other non-combustible mineral mulch where required by fire department guidance.
California’s defensible space framework includes Zone 0, the first five feet around structures, which focuses on intense fuel reduction against ember ignition; AB 3074 directed the state to establish an ember-resistant zone, and CAL FIRE currently recommends gravel, pavers, or concrete instead of combustible mulch in this area.
Urban Heat Island Reduction & Albedo-Aware Materials
Replacing turf does not mean replacing living landscape with heat. A responsible turf conversion must consider surface temperature, shade, soil coverage, evapotranspiration, and material reflectivity.
This design uses planting density, living groundcover, light-toned mineral mulch, and organized shrub layers to reduce bare exposed surfaces and improve thermal comfort. The strategy considers the albedo effect, the ability of surfaces to reflect solar energy, while avoiding excessive hardscape and maintaining landscape permeability.
The result is a landscape that conserves water without creating a hotter, harsher environment. Plant cover, gravel selection, and stormwater-sensitive detailing work together to support a cooler and more comfortable community edge.
EPA guidance notes that cool pavement and reflective surface strategies can contribute to heat island mitigation, especially when combined with stormwater and broader site-performance benefits.
Stormwater, Irrigation & Long-Term Water Efficiency
Turf replacement is most successful when planting design, irrigation design, and stormwater strategy are developed together. The project anticipates irrigation conversion from inefficient overhead spray toward more targeted water delivery, with planting zones organized by water needs, exposure, slope, and establishment requirements.
The design also supports stormwater retention and infiltration principles by limiting impermeable surfaces and using planting areas as part of the site’s water-management system. Rather than moving water away as quickly as possible, the landscape is designed to slow, absorb, and reuse rainfall where feasible.
Green infrastructure approaches can help manage wet weather impacts by reducing and treating stormwater at its source while providing environmental and community benefits.
Proposed Landscape Character
The proposed landscape character is intentionally calm, durable, and neighborhood-scaled. The design avoids a temporary “rebate landscape” appearance and instead creates a more established, refined, and ecologically meaningful HOA identity.
The visualizations show the intended planting density, color rhythm, and community character. Final material coordination will replace organic mulch with crushed gravel or other fire-conscious mineral groundcover where required.
University Canyon West HOA demonstrates how turf replacement can become more than a rebate project. With the right planning, it can become a long-term community investment, reducing water demand, improving neighborhood identity, supporting biodiversity, preparing for AB 1572, responding to wildfire concerns, and creating a more resilient landscape for the future.
LASD Studio works with HOAs, community associations, property managers, and water agencies to develop turf replacement strategies, planting plans, irrigation coordination, rebate documentation, fuel modification strategies, and phased implementation packages for Southern California communities.
Rancho Santa Fe Rewilding Landscape Architectural Design
Rancho Santa Fe rewilding garden by LASD Studio - a fire-resilient, biodiversity-driven landscape architecture project integrating California native planting, fuel modification strategy, and long-term ecological design for large-scale estates.
“A Living Legacy: Proudly Designed as an Evolutionary Landscape for Future Generations.”
This project reflects a direction I’ve been developing since 2008: gardens designed as living ecosystems - resilient, biodiverse, and intended to evolve for decades.
In Rancho Santa Fe, where water, wildfire risk, and ecological fragmentation are no longer abstract issues, a garden can either become a fragile surface that demands constant control - or it can become a living system that grows more resilient with time. The Rancho Santa Fe Rewilding Sanctuary Garden was designed as the second kind: a legacy-level ecological landscape that reconnects beauty with function, and elegance with reality.
Created by LASD Studio in collaboration with The Image of Nature, the design rethinks the property as an evolving habitat. It is structured to reduce wildfire vulnerability, regenerate biodiversity, and restore the “biological intelligence” of the land: from soil microbes to pollinators, birds, reptiles, and the predator presence that stabilizes an ecosystem over the long horizon.
Location: Rancho Santa Fe, California
Project Type: Ecological restoration, per fire-defensible code. Evolving Estate Landscape and Ecological restoration
Design Scope: Concept development, Hardscape design, Irrigation, Drainage, Breath wall design, Lighting plan design, Stormwater Planning, Fuel Modification Plan, Soil and vegetation restoration, Construction Documentation.
Construction cost: $1,260,000
Code compliance & Landscape Architect in Record: Glen Sharrar, The Image of Nature
Fire department: Conor Lenahan, Rancho Santa Fe, Fire Protection District.
Soil testing lab: Wallace Laboratories & Waypoint Analytical
Construction and Fire cleaning: by Client
Design Studio: LASD Studio - Landscape Architecture, Sustainability & Design
A concept exploring how this garden could evolve over time.
Read more about research behind this garden - SoCal Wildlife and Biodiversity Landscape Restoration.
‘Rewilding Sanctuary Garden’, A Living Legacy: Designed as an Evolutionary Landscape.
Concept & Vision
This is not a native garden in the simplistic sense of replacing exotics with natives. It is a designed ecological structure - shaped by fuel modification constraints, drought realities, and the desire to create a property that feels calm, refined, and fully intentional, while also functioning as habitat.
The landscape is organized through a connected system of fire-resilient circulation routes, habitat-based planting typologies, micro-graded landforms that slow and infiltrate rainwater, and a soil restoration strategy that treats biology as foundational infrastructure. The goal is not a single “final image.” The goal is a trajectory: a landscape that becomes stronger, richer, and more self-supporting over time.
Conceptual Design Sketch, Phase 1. Design
Wildlife and biodiversity, trophic layer establishment of pollinators.
Renderings
The renderings on this page show the intended atmosphere and spatial experience: the way paths become calm firebreaks rather than defensive strips, the way planting masses are shaped as habitat edges, and the way water harvesting can be expressed as landform rather than hidden engineering. These images are not “promises of identical outcomes.” They are a clear design intention - the direction the project is moving toward.
The drawings included here are selected to communicate something most portfolio pages avoid: how the landscape is actually structured to perform.
The master plan provides the overall composition and intent. The fuel modification plan shows how risk constraints become a coherent spatial framework. The grading and bioswale strategy demonstrates how water is slowed, absorbed, and redistributed across the site. The hardscape plan focuses on constructable geometry, circulation logic, and the materials that make the landscape durable. The wildlife and biodiversity diagrams show the habitat logic in a way that is visually legible, and the soil restoration concept explains the phased approach that allows a living system to establish with stability rather than fail through rushed planting.
Context: Why Rancho Santa Fe landscapes must evolve?
Southern California estate landscapes exist inside a set of pressures that continue to intensify: longer dry seasons, rising water costs, greater wildfire volatility, and shrinking habitat continuity. In many high-end properties, the default landscape model still assumes stable climate conditions and unlimited maintenance. That model is becoming fragile.
This project responds by designing the property as an ecological system with structure. It does not rely on heavy irrigation to force appearance. It does not rely on plant novelty as the main aesthetic driver. Instead, it builds a framework where water, fire, biodiversity, and human use are designed together so that each layer supports the others.
Wild-fire prevention strategy & Design narrative coordination
Fuel modification as design structure, not compromise to the design
Fuel modification requirements often produce landscapes that feel stripped, defensive, and ecologically empty. The design approach here treats fuel modification zones as a framework that can still carry beauty - and can still carry habitat.
Rather than thinking of fuel zones as something that is “drawn over” the design at the end, the zones shape the design from the beginning: how planting is spaced and layered, where circulation routes become natural firebreaks, how maintenance access and visibility are resolved, and how the transitions between zones remain soft instead of abrupt. When this is done correctly, compliance does not erase atmosphere. It becomes part of the logic of the place.
Water harvesting through grading and bioswales
In many landscapes, water is treated as a utility delivered through irrigation. In this project, water is treated as something the land can hold and distribute intelligently - especially during episodic rain events that, if unmanaged, become erosion and loss.
The grading concept is designed to slow runoff, support infiltration, and create subtle moisture gradients across the property. Bioswales are not only technical devices; they become landscape form, shaping planting conditions and supporting microhabitats. Over time, this shifts the site away from dependency and toward resilience.
Soil restoration: biology as infrastructure
A rewilding garden cannot be built on dead soil.
Soil here is treated as living foundation. The restoration approach is phased: stabilizing conditions, improving aeration and structure where needed, introducing and supporting microbial life, and using pilot planting as a feedback loop before scaling larger planting areas. This reduces risk, improves long-term performance, and allows the landscape to establish as a system rather than as a fragile composition that requires constant correction.
Soil restoration strategy for a long time sustainable development of life
Planting typologies based on habitat and trophic stability
Instead of organizing the planting as a list of species, the project organizes planting as a set of typologies - each with an ecological role.
Some planting zones are structured for trophic network stability: shelter, food chain support, nesting opportunities, and the layered complexity that allows multiple species to coexist. Other zones are structured specifically for pollinator continuity, supporting hummingbirds, bees, butterflies, and seasonal nectar/pollen presence through time. The result is a landscape where biodiversity is not decorative; it is functional and intentional.
1 of 3 different wildlife and biodiversity specific planting design
Hardscape: elegance that does real work
Hardscape in this project is not separate from ecology. Paths and terraces are designed as both human circulation and risk-aware structure. In fire-prone landscapes, circulation can become strategic firebreak logic without ever feeling like a “fire plan.” When done with care, these routes feel natural and calm — and they are also practical, durable, and buildable.
This is the core LASD Studio approach: maximum ecological performance without losing architectural clarity.
Hardscape, site plan layout
A note on maintenance
A landscape like this does not necessarily require more maintenance - but it requires a different kind of maintenance.
The establishment phase matters. Early monitoring matters. Selective pruning and zone-appropriate upkeep matter. Over time, when the system is structured correctly, the landscape becomes more stable and less wasteful than ornamental landscapes that depend on constant irrigation, constant replacement, and constant aesthetic control.
The Rancho Santa Fe Rewilding Sanctuary Garden is a blueprint for how high-end landscapes can evolve: not into scarcity aesthetics, and not into ecological performance that sacrifices beauty, but into environments where science, atmosphere, and long-horizon resilience exist as one coherent design.
If you are considering a legacy-level landscape in Rancho Santa Fe or coastal Southern California, LASD Studio can share process, phasing, and feasibility during consultation.
Learn more about LASD Studio research - https://www.lasdstudio.com/research
Private Family Landscape Retreat in Mallorca: A Sanctuary of Mediterranean Elegance
A private family retreat in Mallorca blending Bohemian Minimalism with Mediterranean elegance. This sanctuary features orchards, spa, healing gardens, and panoramic sea views, a landscape where art, ecology, and timeless beauty evolve together.
An exclusive private estate garden blending Bohemian Minimalism with Mediterranean heritage, designed as an evolutionary landscape system for well-being, art, and nature.
This confidential landscape design in Mallorca transforms a private family estate into a living sanctuary. Inspired by Mediterranean ecology, timeless artistry, and evolutionary systems, the garden supports both biodiversity and the refined lifestyle of its owners. Spaces unfold as curated experiences. From shaded patios and healing gardens to orchards, dining terraces, and infinity-like water features. Every element speaks to balance: architectural intertwined with ecological intelligence.
Location: Mallorca, Spain
Project Type: Private Estate Landscape, Exterior and garden Design. Style - Ecological restoration resort
Design Scope: Concept, Masterplan & project documentation development, Planting Plan, Hardscape design, Irrigation, Drainage, Breath wall design, Lighting plan design, Stormwater Planning, fire defensible planning.
Construction cost (Pool & Garden): 1,400,000 Euro
Design Studio: LASD Studio
This short film presents the Private Family Landscape Retreat in Mallorca, designed by LASD Studio. The project transforms a secluded estate into a Mediterranean sanctuary, a garden that is at once private, ecological, and artistic.
Every space reflects our philosophy of evolutionary intelligent landscapes, places where people, art, and biodiversity come together in harmony.
~ A Sanctuary for Mind, Body & Soul ~
~ Garden Features ~
Welcoming Allée - A Journey into Serenity
A lush, unstructured jungle that instantly transports you away from the demands of daily business life. As you step into this immersive green corridor, the mind unwinds, welcoming you into a sanctuary of freedom, serenity, and security.
Parking Area
Spacious accommodations for five outdoor parking spaces and two indoor garage spots, ensuring seamless arrivals and departures.
Grand Entrance & Arrival Experience
An elegant, expansive porch—perfect for receiving guests, welcoming loved ones, and bidding them farewell in a space that reflects warmth and hospitality.
The Bionic Garden - A Living Work of Art
A masterfully curated experience of lush botanical diversity:
Shaded Garden Patio. Relax beneath a tree canopy, surrounded by vibrant plantings, while gazing at a serene koi pond;
Mediterranean Healing Garden. A poetic composition of succulents, desert flora, and water-wise plants, evoking the raw beauty of wilderness while offering balance to structured modern life.
Fruit & Olive Grove. A classic Mediterranean orchard, designed for moments of spontaneous fruit-picking, while ancient olive trees impart a sense of stability and grounding.
Side Yard Patio
A secluded retreat with calming views of the olive grove, perfect for quiet reflection and intimate gatherings.
~ Dining & Social Spaces: Where Family Life Evolves Outdoors ~
A shaded pergola extends seamlessly from the house, cooling the interiors while offering a refined outdoor dining space. A handcrafted wooden table with elegant seating invites moments of leisure - whether enjoying a book, sipping fine wine, or indulging in conversation.
Contemporary English Garden
Flowing naturally from the dining patio, this space features a soft lawn and stepping stones leading to the lounge, spa, and pool area. A planted slope of Pennisetum and Agapanthus enhances the lush greenery, bridging nature into the living space.
~ Spa, Pool & Fire Lounge: Retreat Rooted in Nature ~
A 12m x 4.5m pool provides a cooling escape during Mallorca’s warm summers, while an adjoining 4m x 4m jacuzzi offers the perfect spot for evening relaxation with family, accompanied by a glass of fine wine. Positioned at one of the highest points in the garden, this area boasts breathtaking views of the bay. A cozy pergola shelters three Baja sun loungers, where one can breathe in the fresh sea air, enhanced by the scent of aromatic herbs planted nearby.
Fire Pit Lounge
A circular stone patio with a sculptural fire pit, surrounded by comfortable seating. A hidden pathway leads to this secluded space-offering an ideal vantage point for watching the sunset, reflecting on the day, and cherishing time with loved ones.
This garden is more than a landscape, it is a therapeutic retreat designed to restore balance, spark joy, and create lasting memories. Every element is thoughtfully composed to provide a sense of refuge, rejuvenation, and inspiration.
HOA Landscape Design in San Diego: Sustainable Community Transformation
A comprehensive HOA landscape design in San Diego that balances aesthetics, sustainability, and long-term value. Featuring drought-tolerant planting, community gathering spaces, and ecological water-smart systems, the project enhances livability while reducing costs.
Reimagining St. Malo Heights as a living system: a landscape that reduces costs, restores ecology, and enriches community life.
A short film presenting LASD Studio’s transformation of St. Malo Heights HOA in San Diego — from water-intensive turf to a sustainable community landscape. The design combines native planting, ecological systems, and artful outdoor spaces, reducing costs while enhancing beauty, biodiversity, and quality of life for residents.
Location: Point Loma, San Diego, California
Project Type: HOA, Community enhancement through design intervention
Design Scope: Concept Development, Design Development, Project Permitting, Construction Documentation, Turf rebate application and supervision.
Status: in Construction, under community review
Construction cost: $420,000
Design Studio: LASD Studio
This HOA landscape renovation in San Diego redefines community living. Designed by LASD Studio, the project blends California native plants, water-smart strategies, and artful design to create a resilient, low-maintenance, and inspiring environment for all residents.
By cutting water use by up to 50% and maintenance costs by 70%, the design not only saves resources but also adds long-term value to every property. Beyond numbers, the project restores ecological balance, enhances social interaction, and transforms St. Malo Heights into a model of sustainable community design.
Economic Benefits: Smarter, Lower-Cost Landscaping
The design incorporates drought-tolerant native species and efficient irrigation systems to reduce water consumption by 50% and maintenance costs by 70%, ensuring long-term economic savings for the community.
By enhancing the visual appeal with carefully selected plants that thrive throughout the seasons, the project aims to elevate the market attractiveness of St. Malo Heights, benefiting property values.
Social Benefits: Spaces that Bring People Together
Zone A (Main Island) is envisioned as a vibrant community hub, featuring inviting paths, shaded seating areas, and fragrant plantings to foster social interaction and leisure.
The project targets a reduction in the Heat Island Effect by 2-3 degrees, creating a more comfortable outdoor environment for residents.
A focus on non-allergenic, non-toxic plant selections ensures a safe and inclusive landscape for all community members, from children to seniors.
Environmental Benefits: Restoring Ecology & Biodiversity
The introduction of diverse California native plants will create a lush, natural environment that flourishes year-round, offering seasonal color and texture while requiring minimal water. These native species will support local wildlife, enhance biodiversity, and promote a thriving ecosystem.
The planting strategy emphasizes a balanced ecological microsystem that evolves organically over time, fostering resilience, self-sufficiency, and a dynamic landscape that continues to beautify and enrich the community.
Project Zones: A Design for Every Corner of the Community
The renovation project is thoughtfully divided into zones to maximize usability, sustainability, and aesthetic value, ensuring each area contributes to the overall vision of a flourishing, green, and welcoming St. Malo Heights.
The project consists of three main zones:
Zone A: Main Island, serving as a community space.
Zone B: Front Yard Landscape.
Zone C: Streetscape along Grandview St. and Couch St.
Zone D: Slope
General Design Intent: From Turf to Thriving Landscape
The primary goal of the design is to transform the existing space, which includes turf, some invasive trees, and an outdated irrigation system into a beautiful sanctuary that has a high level of efficiency and performance. The new landscape will feature California native plants with low water requirements, bioswales to capture rainwater, and a drip irrigation system.
Maintenance costs are projected to be reduced in designing area (Zone A, B) by 70%.
Water consumption is projected to be reduced by 50%.
Existing Condition Drone Images
Existing Condition Analysis
Overall Current Landscape Performance
St. Malo Heights HOA is currently facing high maintenance, repair, and water consumption bills each year. The existing Landscape Architectural Plan, developed in 1985, no longer meets today's needs. The current landscape includes numerous topiary-shaped bushes requiring extensive maintenance. Additionally, many trees have invasive root systems that damage concrete driveways, pedestrian walkways, and potentially building foundations. This issue needs urgent attention. (reference to Appendix 3, 4)
Moreover, the existing irrigation system is outdated, characterized by very high water consumption, frequent repair needs, and insufficient coverage.
Projected Financial Impacts of Maintaining the Current Landscape Design
Given the current environmental and economic conditions, it is essential to consider the financial implications of maintaining our existing landscape. In Southern California, rising inflation and escalating water costs are expected to significantly increase the expenses associated with landscape maintenance and water usage.
As of today, the annual cost for maintenance, water bills, and necessary repairs amounts to $74,255. However, this figure is projected to rise each year due to the compounding effects of inflation and the increasing costs of water resources. Without changes to the landscape, these financial burdens will continue to grow, placing an even greater strain on our budget over time.
HOA Challenges
Given the current state of the landscape and associated liabilities, we can anticipate that the annual budget for maintenance, repairs, and water bills will continue to rise. Considering inflation and the increasing costs in construction, it is reasonable to assume that any future landscape adjustments at St. Malo Heights HOA will be more expensive compared to today's prices.
Proactive landscape improvements now could help mitigate these rising costs, ensuring a more sustainable and cost‐effective approach for the community moving forward.
3D Visuals
Planting Plan selection
The new design introduces California native species, including native lawns, to the main common area (Zone A). Initially, these plants will require regular watering during their establishment
phase, but after two years from installation, we plan to significantly reduce water consumption.
By selecting plants with very low to low water requirements, we ensure that we avoid significant financial liabilities. It's also important to note that the chosen plant varieties require minimal
maintenance. For the first two years after installation, maintenance will be limited to occasional leaf collection and routine checks. After the second year, maintenance will involve trimming
some plants once or twice a year, which represents a significant cost reduction compared to the current landscape maintenance requirements.
Additionally, by utilizing a variety of plant heights, the new landscape will provide more shade, help cool the environment, and refresh the air.
Based on our estimates, we project that by 2030 (2031 with Asphalt sealing), the cost of implementing and maintaining a new landscape design will be comparable to the current
expenses of maintaining the existing landscape.
Are you looking for Landscape Architect firm that would help to convert your HOA into a Sustainable Beauty incl. economical, environmental and social aspects? Then you are in a right place.
Bohemian Minimalism - Spanish Colonial Revival Garden Design in Mission Hills
A unique landscape design blending Bohemian Minimalism with the timeless character of Spanish Revival architecture. This project celebrates simplicity, texture, and ecological intelligence, creating a garden that feels both artistic and enduring.
Honoring historic Spanish Colonial Revival architecture with a modern, minimalist landscape design.
This Mission Hills project reimagines a historic Spanish Colonial Revival estate through the lens of Bohemian Minimalism. The garden celebrates the architecture’s heritage while introducing fresh, contemporary rhythms that connect indoor and outdoor life. Drought-tolerant Mediterranean plants, sculptural hardscape, and layered textures create a space that is both timeless and forward-looking, a living work of art that evolves with the family and the land.
For context, see our Journal essay on Spanish Revival gardens in Southern California - Design with Soul.
A short film presenting LASD Studio’s transformation of a Spanish Colonial Revival estate in Mission Hills. The design blends Bohemian Minimalism with Mediterranean resilience - drought-tolerant planting, sculptural hardscape, and timeless architectural dialogue. The result is a garden that honors history while embracing contemporary outdoor living, creating a sanctuary where heritage and modernity coexist in harmony.
Location: Mission Hills, San Diego, California
Project Type: Private Residential Garden, Colonial Spanish Revival & Bohemian minimalism, Historical & Cultural Heritage Property
Design Scope: Concept Development, Design Developemnt: Hardscape design, Irrigation, Drainage, Wall, Lighting plan design, Stormwater, Construction Documentation, Permitting with Building Department of San Diego and Historical Designation, Construction Supervision.
Status: Front yard Built / Installed, backyard in progress
Construction contractor: Barrios Landscape, Michael Gustafson
Construction cost: $220,000
Design Studio: LASD Studio
The Spirit of Spanish Revival: Architecture and Landscape in Dialogue
At the heart of our work is the art of listening-listening to our clients, to the architecture, and to the natural surroundings. We were entrusted with a remarkable project: a historic Spanish Colonial Revival property in Mission Hills, originally built in the early 20th century.
Minimalist Geometry Meets Bohemian Flow
Our design challenge was to create a landscape that not only harmonizes with the architectural style of this Spanish Revival home but also establishes its own distinctive voice. Clean lines and minimalist geometry provide structure, while layered textures and bohemian flow bring warmth and movement. The balance of order and spontaneity allows the garden to feel curated yet alive — a setting where history and contemporary living evolve together.
Planting Palette: Mediterranean Resilience and Elegance
The planting palette draws inspiration from Mediterranean resilience: drought-tolerant shrubs, sculptural succulents, flowering perennials, and aromatic herbs create a garden that thrives in San Diego’s climate. Manzanitas, sages, rosemary, and grasses combine with modern groundcovers to soften architectural edges while respecting the spirit of Spanish Revival heritage. Seasonal shifts bring fragrance, color, and texture, making the garden a living, evolving artwork. This project has become one of our favorites, embodying how thoughtful design can both preserve tradition and spark renewal.
Outdoor Living: Spaces for Contemplation and Gathering
Beyond planting and form, this landscape was envisioned as a framework for life. Shaded terraces and intimate alcoves invite quiet moments of reflection, while open courtyards and garden rooms welcome family gatherings, celebrations, and artful living. The garden flows with the rhythms of daily life, equally suited for private contemplation and social connection. By blending historic elegance with modern comfort, the outdoor spaces extend the home’s architecture into a sanctuary where people, art, and nature coexist.
Existing Condition: From Heritage to Renewal
PROJECT DESIGN DRAWINGS
LASD Studio taking project from beginning, through permitting process until full realization. whether it is new construction of historical designation or landscape renovation private and comercial properties.
Sanctuary of YUM: Exotic Orchards & Wellness Programs. Bonsall, California.
The Sanctuary of YUM in Bonsall, San Diego, is a landscape of exotic orchards, healing gardens, and wellness programs. Designed as a retreat, it integrates ecological intelligence with community, art, and regenerative farming practices.
A private estate reimagined as a sanctuary of wellness, exotic orchards, and ritual spaces.
The Sanctuary of YUM in Bonsall, California is a landscape designed to nourish both body and spirit. Blending exotic orchards with native California systems, the garden creates a place where food, art, and wellness come together. At its heart lies a ritual labyrinth, a space for walking meditation and reflection. Every element is designed as part of an evolutionary intelligent system, supporting ecological cycles while providing spaces for contemplation, community, and healing.
A short film of the Sanctuary of YUM in Bonsall, a four-acre retreat blending exotic orchards, a meditation labyrinth, wellness spaces, and farm-to-table gardens. Designed by LASD Studio, it is a living sanctuary for restoration, community, and ecological beauty.
Concept Vision: Landscape as Healing Sanctuary
The Sanctuary of YUM was imagined as more than a garden - it is a living sanctuary where every element contributes to restoration, wellness, and beauty. The design draws inspiration from both ancient ritual landscapes and contemporary ecological science, creating a place where visitors feel grounded in nature while connected to something larger than themselves. Pathways, water, and planting flow as one continuous system, offering an experience of balance, serenity, and renewal.
Exotic Orchards & Edible Gardens
At the heart of the design lies an orchard of exotic and Mediterranean fruit trees, weaving productivity with artistry. Citrus, figs, olives, pomegranates, and subtropical species form a lush edible landscape, supporting both culinary delight and ecological resilience. Interplanted herbs and pollinator-friendly groundcovers attract bees and butterflies, ensuring that the garden is as alive with biodiversity as it is with flavor. The orchard becomes a daily ritual of nourishment - a reminder of the cycles of growth and harvest.
Ritual Labyrinth: Path of Reflection
The labyrinth is conceived as a sacred journey - a place for meditation, mindfulness, and personal reflection. Inspired by traditional forms yet adapted for this site, its spiraling path encourages slow movement and inner focus. Surrounded by aromatic planting and shaded by native trees, the labyrinth serves as the spiritual core of the sanctuary, a space where landscape, body, and spirit come into alignment.
Outdoor Living & Wellness Programs
The estate is structured around a series of outdoor rooms designed for wellness, family life, and celebration. Shaded terraces, yoga decks, water features, and contemplative seating areas invite both activity and stillness. Every gathering space is framed by views of orchards and hills, reinforcing the connection between healthy living and ecological abundance. The garden becomes not only a place to inhabit, but a lifestyle rooted in nature’s rhythms.
Ecological Foundations: Water, Soil, and Biodiversity
Beneath its beauty, the Sanctuary of YUM is built on strong ecological foundations. Advanced irrigation systems optimize water use, while soil restoration techniques improve fertility and resilience. Native California species are interwoven with exotic plantings to support biodiversity and ensure long-term sustainability. By aligning horticultural practices with ecological intelligence, the landscape thrives as a self-sustaining system that evolves gracefully over time.
EXISTING CONDITION
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
This four-acre estate in Bonsall has been transformed into a sanctuary of exotic orchards and wellness programs, designed to host both private and group retreats. Our collaboration began in 2020, when owners Laurence and Yulia reached out with a dream of creating a retreat center but were unsure how to bring it to life.
Together, we developed a holistic vision for the landscape. Over the course of two years and many thoughtful refinements, that vision evolved into the sanctuary you see today. What impressed us most was the passion of Laurence and Yulia - not only did they understand the design intentions, they became deeply engaged in shaping every step of the process.
Originally, the land held fifty-year-old avocado and pomegranate orchards in decline. Through careful pruning, planting of cover crops, and natural methods to attract pollinators, the owners lovingly restored these orchards. We complemented their work with new design layers:
A temple garden for meditation and spiritual practice
The Dragon’s Den, a multipurpose retreat space with hot/cold tubs, dining and dance areas, and a Balinese entryway
An eighty-foot pergola farm table for farm-to-table events
Over 3,000 square feet of vegetable and flower terraces
A new waterfall and pond adding movement and reflection to the landscape
Today, the Sanctuary of YUM is a true oasis, a place where people come to restore energy, celebrate life, and connect with nature through food, art, and community.
Please check Sanctuary of YUM - https://sanctuaryofyum.com/
Chula Vista Mid-Century Garden Design - Timeless Modern Living Outdoors. San Diego, California
A Mid-Century Modern garden in Chula Vista that celebrates simplicity, geometry, and Southern California light. Designed as a private retreat, it blends architecture, planting, and outdoor living into a timeless modernist landscape.
Reviving the spirit of mid-century modern design with clean lines, functional outdoor rooms, and California-native planting.
LASD Studio works across garden design, landscape architecture, urban design, and regional planning — rooted in San Diego and active internationally.
This project is an interpretation of Mid-Century Modernism, expressed through a balance of simple curved and straight lines, bold color contrasts, and decorative details such as retaining walls painted in sapphire blue. The design embodies the philosophical essence of the style: structured order for functionality, paired with simplicity and unpretentious arrangements.
Key elements include a large enclosed front lawn framed by planting, a spacious deck accommodating up to 20 guests, a fire pit lounge, vegetable garden, and BBQ area. Each space has its own clear function, yet they are unified in a coherent design language — tied together by the sapphire blue accents, a playful round window cut into the hedge, and a planting palette of shrubs, perennials, and groundcovers that complete the composition.
CONCEPTUAL 3D WALK-THROUGH, MID-CENTURY MODERN GARDEN
A short film of LASD Studio’s Mid-Century Modern garden in Chula Vista, featuring structured lawns, a sapphire-blue retaining wall, fire pit lounge, vegetable garden, and outdoor deck, a timeless blend of order, simplicity, and modern living.
Design Concept
The project embraces the mid-century modern ethos, where simplicity, openness, and harmony with the environment. Structured geometry frames the garden while allowing for fluid transitions between indoor and outdoor living.
Patio & Pool Terrace
Concrete, stone, and minimalist detailing create an elegant pool terrace and patio that extend the home’s modernist architecture into the landscape.
Planting Palette
A mix of California natives and Mediterranean species delivers structure, seasonal variety, and drought-resilience. Textural grasses, succulents, and accent trees evoke the timeless look of modern California gardens.
Outdoor Living Spaces
Gathering areas, from a fire pit lounge to dining terraces, were designed to be versatile, serving both intimate family moments and lively social occasions.
DEFINITION OF THE DESIGN
The movement spanned from about 1933 to 1965 and included architecture as well as industrial, interior, and graphic design. Sleek, cool, clean, sophisticated, functional, colorful, mod, and curvy-those are apt words to describe mid-century modern design. This term encompasses the trends that influenced architecture and interior design in prosperous, post-war America. Elements of mid-century modern Exterior design include clean lines, muted tones, a combination of natural and manmade materials, graphic shapes, vibrant colors, and integrating indoor and outdoor motifs. Well-known landscape architects like Garrett Eckbo, Dan Kiley, and James Rose rebelled against the neo-classical design, conventions and theories of the time (20'-30s). They were influenced by modernist architectural ideals of simplicity, function, scale, and unity.
EXISTING CONDITION
PROJECT DESIGN DRAWINGS
Wedding Garden Design - Red Hawk Ridge, Alpine, San Diego County
A wedding ceremony garden in Alpine, San Diego, blending contemporary design with Craftsman traditions. Designed as a living sanctuary for celebration, it combines timeless architecture, native planting, and open views at Red Hawk Ridge.
“A private estate transformed into a ceremonial landscape, blending California’s rugged beauty with timeless elegance for weddings and gatherings.”
3D VIDEO CONCEPTUAL PRESENTATION
A short 3D film of LASD Studio’s landscape architectural design: Wedding Garden at Red Hawk Ridge in Alpine, a private estate transformed into a ceremonial and reception landscape. Featuring a wide ceremonial lawn, reception terraces, Mediterranean planting, and evening lighting, the garden offers a timeless setting for weddings and celebrations against the backdrop of San Diego’s mountains.
3D VISUALIZATION OF PROPOSED VENUE DESIGN
Design Concept
The garden was envisioned as a celebratory landscape - a place where architecture, planting, and open space frame life’s most important moments.
Ceremonial Lawn
A wide, enclosed green framed with shrubs and trees creates a stage for weddings and events, offering views of the surrounding mountains.
Reception Terraces
Generous terraces provide flexible areas for dining, dancing, and gathering, designed to accommodate both intimate and large celebrations.
Planting Palette
Native California plants mix with Mediterranean perennials and roses, ensuring year-round beauty, fragrance, and resilience.
Evening Ambience
Subtle lighting transforms the garden into a romantic night setting, with illuminated pathways, trees, and terraces creating a magical experience.
EXISTING LANDSCAPE CONDITION
PROJECT DESIGN DRAWINGS
INSTALLATION, LANDSCAPE DESIGN WORK IN PROGRESS
Please check Red Hawk Ridge - https://www.redhawkridgeevents.com/
Mission Hills Sanctuary Garden: Spanish Colonial Revival Reimagined
Landscape design in Mission Hills, San Diego inspired by Spanish Colonial Revival architecture. A private garden uniting front and backyard through structure, planting, and ecological balance.
A garden sanctuary in Mission Hills, San Diego, designed as an evolutionary landscape system rooted in Spanish Colonial Revival heritage.
A short film of LASD Studio’s Mission Hills Sanctuary Garden, reinterpreting the Spanish Colonial Revival style in San Diego. The design unites front and backyards into a coherent vision, blending historic architecture with Mediterranean planting and the studio’s philosophy of Designing Landscapes as Evolutionary Systems.
For context, see our Journal essay on Spanish Revival gardens in Southern California - Design with Soul.
LASD Studio works across garden design, landscape architecture, urban design, and regional planning, rooted in San Diego and working internationally.
This Garden Sanctuary in Mission Hills, San Diego reinterprets the Spanish Colonial Revival style, connecting architecture and landscape into a unified vision.
From the earliest design discussions, we emphasized the importance of architectural gravity: the garden must feel as though it belongs to the style of the property. This approach establishes a coherent identity rooted in Spanish Colonial Revival, while leaving space for new elements to emerge over time.
The philosophy behind the project reflects our broader vision of Designing Landscapes as Evolutionary Systems landscapes that honor tradition, embrace the present, and remain open to future growth and transformation.
Design Philosophy
The project draws on the architectural gravity of Spanish Colonial Revival style. The garden becomes an extension of the house, uniting front and backyard in a coherent vision. While the front yard reflected the historic style, the backyard lacked it, our design bridges the gap, ensuring a seamless identity and space for future evolution.
Concept Vision
The design embraces structured order and fluid openness, inspired by revival-era courtyards and sanctuaries. It leaves space for new elements to emerge organically, aligning with our philosophy of Designing Landscapes as Evolutionary Systems.
Existing Condition
Before the redesign, the backyard was disconnected from the home’s style. The transformation began with unifying elements — walls, planting, and courtyards — into a holistic Spanish Revival sanctuary.
PROJECT DESIGN DRAWINGS
LASD Studio developed the concept with the vision of the garden as the heart and spirit of the property, rooted in the timeless elegance of the Spanish Colonial Revival style. The project is composed of three main zones: the welcoming front yard and entry sequence, a spacious deck for gatherings, and the intimate backyard Sanctuary Garden.
To enhance the gentle yet powerful aesthetic of the space, we introduced design elements characteristic of the style: wavy hedges, trellises, water features, patios, and arbors. Each element carries both functional and symbolic weight, we are creating rhythm, shade, and a sense of timeless beauty. In the backyard, a curved pathway system was designed to follow an organic flow of energy, guiding movement through the Sanctuary Garden and reinforcing the essence of harmony, reflection, and connection to nature.
Post-Classicism in Transition to Modernism. Omaha, Nebraska
A private garden in Omaha, Nebraska, designed as a dialogue between classical traditions and modernist innovation. Pergolas, pools, sculptural planting, and outdoor rooms create a landscape where history transitions into contemporary living.
“A Modern Garden Design in Omaha”
Philosophy of the Design
The Omaha Modernist Garden is a living dialogue between Post-Classical architecture and contemporary landscape design. Our goal was not to fix the property within a rigid historical style but to allow it to evolve - freeing the Post-Classical home to transition gracefully toward Modernism.
This vision dissolves boundaries, opening space for eclectic combinations of styles that celebrate unpredictability and the richness of future transformations. The result is a landscape that is both a sanctuary for people and a living system for nature.
Elegant rear garden design with rectangular pool on an oval terrace, bold steps, sculptural urns, and outdoor lounge seating, blending post-classical symmetry with modernist garden design principles.
Post-Classicism in transition to Modernism 3D visualization
A cinematic presentation of LASD Studio’s Post-Classicism Modernist Garden in Omaha, where architecture, art, and ecology converge. The film reveals a garden that transitions from classical order to modernist freedom — with pergolas, water features, organic forms, and ecological planting creating a living system that unites people and nature.
Guiding Principles
The design is grounded in global ecological thought and a lineage of visionary designers, architects, and scientists:
Design with Nature - Following Ian McHarg’s groundbreaking philosophy, we place ecological systems at the center of design.
Evolutionary Landscapes - Nature is never static; it evolves. Our design embraces flux, change, and interconnectedness.
Regeneration & Recovery - The garden aids the land’s healing from human impact, restoring ecological processes.
Do No Harm - Materials and methods respect the earth, ensuring resources for future generations.
Integrated Systems - Humans and nature are not separate; this garden functions as a single living organism.
Aesthetic Simplicity - Inspired by natural forms, the design language is bold yet understated, where elegance meets sustainability.
Landscape architecture rendering of a front entry garden featuring a central fountain, formal axis, urn planters, and layered planting beds, expressing the transition from post-classicism to modernism.
Pergolas as Transitional Elements
Pergolas have always played both a functional and aesthetic role in garden design. They act as focal points, create vertical definition above patios and pathways, support climbing vines, and provide shaded areas for seating. Rooted in classical traditions, pergolas are essential features of historical gardens. In this Omaha project, LASD Studio reinterpreted the pergola for contemporary living — framing an outdoor dining space that seamlessly connects the interior and exterior, embodying the modernist principle of fluid transitions between house and garden. Check our special project series - Styles and Epochs of Art that influenced Landscape Architecture and Garden Design.
Water as Sculpture and Experience
Water features have long been central to garden design, from the Renaissance and Neoclassical estates of Italy to modernist landscapes. They provide reflection, movement, and sensory delight. At the Omaha residence, water elements were placed at both the front and rear of the home: a circular pool welcomes guests at the entry, while in the back, a rectangular pool set within an oval platform disrupts rigid geometry, creating a bold sculptural gesture characteristic of modernist garden design.
Modernist Principles: Function and Simplicity
Authentic Modernist gardens are defined by their strong link between house and garden, often structured around pools, terraces, barbecues, and outdoor dining. Ornament is minimal, detail is pared back, and the garden functions as an extension of everyday life. In Omaha, this approach shaped spaces that are not about decoration but about clarity, usability, and experiential flow — landscapes where simplicity itself becomes luxury.
Classical Influences: Kenneth Lynch and Garden Art
The tradition of sculpture and fountains in landscape design is continued here through references to Kenneth Lynch, who in the 1950s brought European garden artistry to the United States. His reproductions of limestone fountains and statues made classical craftsmanship accessible to American landscapes. By integrating such references, the Omaha project situates itself within a continuum of garden history - from European tradition to modern reinterpretation.
Organic Forms and Abstract Geometry
Earlier Modernist designs often combined severe linear grids with organic curves, creating tension between order and freedom. In Omaha, this dialogue is visible in the kidney-shaped pool, abstract sculptural elements, and curved garden margins. Such biomorphic forms, fashionable in mid-20th-century America, were inspired by Surrealist art, Cubist theory, and the idea that space can be perceived simultaneously from multiple viewpoints. Here, geometry becomes a language of modern art expressed in landscape.
Space as the Core of Modernist Landscape Architecture
If architecture defines buildings, modernist garden design defines volumes of space. Trees, shrubs, and structures are used not simply as decoration but as spatial walls — shaping outdoor rooms, linking house and garden, and creating depth and perspective. In this Omaha project, space itself becomes the medium, echoing modern architecture’s focus on volume, openness, and continuity.
Genius Loci - A Garden of Place and Spirit
Every site carries a genius loci - a spirit of place. LASD Studio’s design honors the climate, geography, and vegetation of Omaha, ensuring the garden is not an imported style but an ecological interpretation of its setting. The result is a landscape that encourages a relaxed way of living, integrating new materials, building techniques, and ecological awareness. It is both a modernist sanctuary and an evolutionary system, where architecture, art, and nature form a single living composition.
Back garden perspective with large pergola dining area, central stairway, formal hedging, perennial borders, and pool terrace, designed as part of LASD Studio’s Post-Classicism Modernist Garden in Omaha.
A New Entrance Experience
The entry sequence blends classical formality with modern abstraction. A large water feature and sculptural element anchor the arrival, offering a bold statement that resonates with the architecture while inviting guests into a renewed spatial narrative.
Garden Paths as Experiences
Curved and linear pathways guide visitors through a series of garden experiences, where each transition evokes unity and flow. Walking becomes an act of contemplation, a choreography of space, light, and seasonal change.
Winter Garden & Pottery Retreat
Designed for year-round use, the Winter Garden provides shelter and intimacy. With pottery, seating, and observation points, it becomes a sanctuary during colder months - a place for stillness and reflection.
Outdoor Dining & Social Spaces
The dining terrace and private lounge extend living outdoors, framed by ecological planting and subtle architectural gestures. These are spaces of gathering and sanctuary - equally vibrant in summer’s abundance or winter’s quietude.
Parterre Garden: Classical Meets Contemporary
A reinterpreted parterre garden bridges the classical and the modern. Trees, evergreen plantings, and herbs weave geometric structure with ecological depth, creating a timeless dialogue between order and wildness.
Stairs as Central Axis
A new grand stairway organizes the garden as a central line of movement. Bold, wide steps lead from the home to the landscape, transforming circulation into a ceremonial descent into nature.
Pool and Open Terrace
The pool area forms a luminous open space, a threshold between architecture and ecology. Here, post-classicism transforms into modernist clarity, framed by water, art, and sky.
3D visualization of the front entry courtyard with a circular fountain, formal paving layout, layered perennial planting, and mature trees, designed as part of a Post-Classicism Modernist Garden in Omaha.
EXISTING CONDITION
A Living System of Art and Ecology
This Omaha garden is not only a design; it is an installation of life itself. Each space is both art and ecology, where sculpture, planting, and architecture converge into one evolutionary whole.
By freeing Post-Classical architecture into the openness of Modernist landscapes, the project becomes more than a garden — it is a cultural statement and an ecological restoration. It embodies the LASD Studio philosophy:
Designing Landscapes as Evolutionary Systems - where people, art, and biodiversity evolve together.
Capistrano HOA Urban Scape - San Diego, California
The Capistrano HOA Urban Scape in San Diego transforms streetscapes with bold planting and unified design. A purple Coprosma hedge frames diverse garden rooms, creating elegance, cohesion, and an enhanced neighborhood identity.
The Capistrano HOA Urban Scape is an example of how a single unifying design element can transform a community. By introducing Coprosma repens ‘Pacific Sunset’ hedges, LASD Studio created a bold yet elegant framework that ties the entire site together while leaving room for diversity and layered experiences.
Video presentation of LASD Studio’s Capistrano HOA Urban Scape in San Diego, featuring the bold use of Coprosma repens ‘Pacific Sunset’ hedges, redefined streetscapes, and ecological planting design that enhances community identity and urban biodiversity.
Design Philosophy
Urban landscapes are more than visual settings - they are shared ecosystems. Our approach focused on enhancing daily life for residents while addressing larger ecological needs. The hedge becomes both a design spine and ecological corridor, creating pockets of space where planting diversity can thrive.
Perspective view of the Capistrano HOA urban scape project featuring California native planting, shaded benches, and sustainable pathways integrated into the residential building frontage.
Key Features of the Design:
Unifying Hedge Design
A continuous purple hedge acts as the backbone, framing the community and creating a recognizable identity.
Diverse Planting Pockets
Spaces within the framework allow for seasonal variation, native planting, and microhabitats that attract pollinators and wildlife.
Streetscape Redefined
Pathways, edges, and circulation are softened, reducing heat island effect and enhancing comfort for residents.
Community Identity
The project creates a shared aesthetic that strengthens pride and connection among residents.
Ecological Impact
Beyond aesthetics, the design supports urban biodiversity, soil restoration, and water efficiency. By reducing hardscape and increasing green mass, the project contributes to cleaner air, cooler streets, and healthier ecosystems in San Diego’s urban fabric.
PROJECT DRAWINGS & DOCUMENTATION
Concept plan for the Capistrano HOA landscape renovation in San Diego showing coherent design elements, waiting areas, service paths, and sustainable plantings for community use.
Detailed planting and hardscape plan for the Capistrano HOA urban scape project with decomposed granite paths, retaining walls, hedge planting areas, and drought-tolerant design.
HOA Landscape Renovation for Vibrant Community - San Diego, California.
Client Reflection
“We never really thought of red hedge. Such a simple and strong element creates a huge difference for the appearance and aesthetic of the building. Thank you for your effort in this design.”
- Capistrano board HOA
The Sanctuary Garden Design of Tranquility, Solana Beach
A Sanctuary Garden in San Diego designed for a family home. Terraced orchards, vegetable beds, water features, and lounge areas create a landscape that nurtures biodiversity, celebrates daily life, and connects generations through nature.
“A space where family life, biodiversity, and artful garden design come together in harmony.”
LASD Studio designed this San Diego sanctuary garden as a living tribute to family, memory, and the enduring relationship between people and nature. The project is divided into three main zones — each crafted with intention, functionality, and ecological richness.
Video presentation of the Sanctuary Garden in San Diego designed by LASD Studio. The project showcases terraced fruit gardens, outdoor living spaces with pergola dining and lawn, and a backyard slope with a cascading waterfall that enhances biodiversity and attracts wildlife. A sustainable family garden where nature and people thrive together.
Front Yard Terraced Fruit Garden
The front yard has been transformed into a terraced orchard, designed for both beauty and practicality. Fruit trees cascade across gentle levels, allowing for easy harvest while celebrating the seasonal rhythm of nature. This edible landscape provides nourishment and a connection to the land — a reminder that gardens are not only to be seen, but lived with and cared for.
Living Space at the Heart of the Garden
At the core of the design lies the social heart of the garden — a generous lawn area paired with a lounge zone beside the BBQ island, and an outdoor dining terrace sheltered by a pergola. A morning terrace captures the first light of the day, while raised vegetable beds allow for homegrown harvests. This zone balances everyday living with the joy of outdoor gatherings, creating a place where family life unfolds in harmony with nature.
Backyard Slope & Waterfall Sanctuary
The backyard slope is a lush sanctuary anchored by a cascading waterfall. More than a visual centerpiece, the water feature serves as an ecological engine, attracting hummingbirds, butterflies, and pollinators. Layers of native and adapted planting restore biodiversity and give life to the slope, turning a challenging area into a thriving ecosystem.
Rendered view of a lush backyard slope with cascading waterfall, native plantings, and a pergola dining area, designed to attract hummingbirds, butterflies, and enhance biodiversity.
Our Philosophy
Water, planting, and thoughtful design weave together a coherent system where humans and nature coexist. This garden embodies LASD Studio’s mission: to create sustainable sanctuaries that nourish people while restoring ecological balance.
Rendering of a shaded pergola dining area framed by wildflowers and ornamental grasses, connecting indoor living to a sustainable outdoor sanctuary.
Rendering of a backyard BBQ island with seating and lounge spaces, blending family living with sustainable planting and contemporary hardscape design.
Black and white site plan of the Sanctuary Garden showing three main zones: terraced fruit garden, central lawn with pergola and BBQ island, and a sloped backyard with a waterfall for biodiversity and water management.
Detailed garden layout drawing showing pergola, BBQ zone, waterfall, terraced planting beds, and slope restoration for sustainable living and biodiversity support.
Join us in shaping landscapes where nature and humanity grow together - sustainable now, and for generations to come.
A Coastal Landscape Architectural Design in Del Mar, California
“Heaven” is a sanctuary garden in Del Mar, San Diego, inspired by Claude Lorrain’s pastoral visions. With contemporary structures, lush planting, and timeless philosophy, the design creates unity between people and nature.
The Heaven: Blending Sustainable Design, Native Planting, and Coastal Living
The Heaven Del Mar Sanctuary Garden transforms a coastal property into a living sanctuary where architecture, ecology, and lifestyle seamlessly connect. Designed by LASD Studio, this project balances California coastal resilience with a refined garden aesthetic, creating spaces for relaxation, biodiversity, and sustainable living.
A cinematic video tour of the Heaven Del Mar Sanctuary Garden in California, showcasing outdoor living areas, pergolas, water features, and coastal native planting that supports biodiversity and sustainable living.
Project Description
Nestled in the coastal town of Del Mar, this sanctuary garden is designed to embrace both the natural rhythms of the ocean and the refined character of a private residence. The design integrates multiple functional and ecological layers, making the garden both timeless and forward-looking.
The project is divided into interconnected zones:
Entry Garden
A welcoming approach framed by native and drought-tolerant planting, setting a serene tone.
Living Spaces
Outdoor dining under pergolas, a BBQ island, and family lounge areas that extend the indoor lifestyle into the garden.
Water and Biodiversity
Reflecting pools and planted slopes that attract pollinators, birds, and butterflies while managing stormwater.
Coastal Plant Palette
Native California and Mediterranean plants selected for resilience, seasonal color, and ecological function.
PROJECT DESIGN DOCUMENTATION
The plan integrates Mediterranean and California-native species, including olive trees, manzanita, and Ginkgo, designed for resilience, biodiversity, and timeless beauty.
3D Landscape Design Perspectives - Del Mar, San Diego, California.
By weaving together these layers, LASD Studio created a sanctuary where people and wildlife thrive side by side. The garden is not just designed for today - it is a living, evolving system that will continue to mature, adapt, and give back to the land for generations.
Traditional Garden Design in Kattrup, Denmark: Orangery, Orchard & Pollinator Garden
A traditional garden in Kattrup, Denmark, designed with rich Baroque-inspired elements. Featuring walled gardens, pergolas, and an orangery, the project unites classical architecture with contemporary craftsmanship.
Timeless Heritage and Danish Craftsmanship in Garden Design
This completed estate garden in Kattrup transforms an open lawn beside historic red-brick buildings into a sequence of connected garden rooms. A custom orangery anchors the composition, while formal pathways, orchard trees, clipped hedges, pergola walks, and pollinator planting establish structure, seasonal character, and a clear relationship with the architecture.
LASD Studio’s Traditional Garden in Kattrup highlights heritage-driven design with precise detailing, timeless planting, and ecological resilience.
Rooted in European classical garden traditions and adapted to the Danish climate, the project combines symmetry and craftsmanship with ecological purpose. Every element, from the garden walls and herringbone brick floor to the planting and precisely coordinated drainage, was designed for long-term use and graceful maturation.
Project Description
The Kattrup Traditional Garden celebrates the clarity of classical design without treating nature as something static. Drawing on Baroque principles of axis, proportion, and spatial order, the garden is organized as a series of outdoor rooms connected to the estate's existing architecture. At the center is the orangery court. A formal orchard frames the principal approach, while pergola walks create rhythm along the garden's edges. Brick walls, clipped planting, and precisely aligned paths provide permanence; flowering borders, fruit trees, and pollinator planting soften that structure and allow the garden to change through the seasons. The result is a garden that feels disciplined at the scale of the plan and generous at the scale of daily life - structured in winter, fragrant and active during the growing season, and increasingly settled as the trees, hedges, and perennial borders mature.
The Orangery at the Heart of the Garden
The custom orangery forms the architectural center of the project. Its glass-and-metal structure, masonry base, symmetrical façade, and carefully detailed entrance establish the garden's primary focal point. The surrounding court was designed as an extension of the building. The orangery aligns with the principal garden axis, while paths, orchard rows, hedges, and pergola structures reinforce its position within the wider composition. Inside, a hand-laid herringbone brick floor brings the material language of the estate into the glasshouse. The orangery is both practical and experiential: a protected place for plants, propagation, and seasonal use, as well as a destination from which the garden can be viewed throughout the year.
Planting Design: Structure, Season & Pollinators
The planting plan uses the garden's formal geometry as a framework for a more dynamic ecological composition. Clipped hedges, orchard rows, pergola bays, and repeated planting modules make the plan legible from a distance. Within that structure, perennials, bulbs, ferns, herbs, roses, and fruiting plants form layered communities that change through the seasons.
This approach shares principles with the European naturalistic planting tradition associated with Piet Oudolf: repetition creates rhythm, plants are valued for structure as well as flower, and seasonal change is treated as part of the design rather than something to conceal. The reference is conceptual rather than stylistic imitation. Kattrup remains a classical Danish estate garden, with a stronger architectural framework, productive planting, and clearly defined garden rooms.
A woodland-edge matrix
In the cooler and more sheltered beds, low groundcover forms a continuous planted floor beneath larger accents. *Cornus canadensis* — bunchberry, or canadisk hønsebær — repeats as the matrix, interwoven with *Hepatica nobilis* — liverleaf, or blå anemone — and *Leucojum vernum* — spring snowflake, or dorothealilje. These early plants establish the first seasonal layer before the larger perennials reach full growth.
Repeated groups of *Iris sibirica* 'Soft Blue' — Siberian iris, or sibirisk iris — add upright foliage and blue flowers, while *Hydrangea arborescens* 'Annabelle' — smooth hydrangea, or træagtig hortensia — acts as a larger flowering anchor. Elsewhere, drifts of *Pulmonaria* — lungwort, or lungeurt — *Brunnera macrophylla* 'Jack Frost' — Siberian bugloss, or kærmindesøster — *Epimedium* — barrenwort, or bispehue — *Hosta* — plantain lily, or funkia — and *Polygonatum* — Solomon's seal, or storkonval — build a resilient woodland character. Ferns, including *Blechnum spicant* — hard fern, or kambregne — and *Dryopteris* species — wood ferns, or mangeløv — complete the shade-tolerant layer.
The ecological logic is density and succession: the soil is covered, moisture is conserved, and one group takes visual importance as another recedes. The design relies less on isolated specimens and more on repeated plant communities that can knit together as the garden matures.
Roses, perennials, and pollinator accents
The rose garden uses a pale flowering palette structured around climbing roses: *Rosa* 'The Generous Gardener', *Rosa* 'Gerbe Rose', and *Rosa* 'A Shropshire Lad' — slyngroser in Danish. Their larger seasonal display is extended by vertical and airy perennials rather than surrounded by bare soil. *Allium* 'Mount Everest' — ornamental onion, or prydløg — rises above the lower planting in early summer. *Aquilegia vulgaris* 'Alba' — white columbine, or akeleje — and *Astrantia major* 'Star of Billion' — masterwort, or stjerneskærm — bring a looser, meadow-like quality. *Centranthus ruber* 'Albus' — white valerian, or sporebaldrian — *Geranium sanguineum* 'Apfelblüte' — bloody cranesbill, or storkenæb — and *Thymus praecox* 'Albiflorus' — creeping thyme, or timian — extend the flowering layer closer to the ground. Later accents of *Caryopteris × clandonensis* 'Heavenly Blue' — bluebeard, or blåskæg — and *Valeriana officinalis* — common valerian, or lægebaldrian — broaden the seasonal sequence. Together, these plants provide varied flower forms, heights, and flowering periods for bees and other visiting insects. The roses remain the principal accents, while the surrounding perennials create continuity before and after the main rose display.
A productive garden within the ornamental plan
The planting also treats food production as part of the garden's beauty. The wall garden combines fruit and berries with herbs, climbers, flowering shrubs, and shade-tolerant foliage. The palette includes *Actinidia arguta* 'Issai' — hardy kiwi, or stikkelsbærkiwi — *Ficus carica* — fig, or bornholmsk figen — *Prunus armeniaca* — apricot, or abrikos — and *Prunus persica* — peach, or fersken.
Currants and gooseberries create a productive shrub layer: *Ribes nigrum* — blackcurrant, or solbær — *Ribes rubrum* — red or white currant, ribs or hvide ribs — and *Ribes uva-crispa* — gooseberry, or stikkelsbær. Cultivated blueberries, *Vaccinium* 'Bluecrop', 'Duke', 'Elliott', and 'Goldtraube' — blåbær — extend the harvest, while rhubarb, *Rheum* cultivars — rabarber — and *Allium tuberosum* — garlic chives, or kinesisk purløg — bring edible planting down to the herbaceous layer.
The productive plants are not separated from the ornamental composition. Fruit blossom contributes an early source of forage, herbs are allowed to flower, and roses, hydrangeas, ferns, and groundcovers connect the edible beds visually to the rest of the estate garden.
Seasonal and ecological logic
The result is a garden of controlled contrasts: clipped forms and loose perennials, productive rows and ornamental drifts, persistent structure and seasonal change. Early woodland flowers and fruit blossom lead into aquilegia, alliums, geraniums, roses, astrantia, thyme, valerian, and late bluebeard. Seed heads, hydrangea flowers, grasses, stems, and evergreen structure continue the composition beyond the peak flowering season.
This is not a claim that every plant is native to Denmark. Its ecological value comes from diversity, long seasonal continuity, layered habitat, extensive soil cover, and a planting strategy adapted to distinct garden microclimates. The accents create memorable moments; the matrix planting is what gives the garden resilience and coherence.
Craftsmanship, Construction & Documentation
The garden's character depends as much on construction detail as on its overall composition.
- Walls and foundations: Traditional red-brick garden walls built on stone foundations, detailed to sit naturally beside the estate's existing buildings.
- Pergolas: Custom structures combining timber posts and shaped metal arches, creating rhythm along the paths and support for climbing plants.
- Paths and floors: Formal gravel routes with precise edging throughout the garden and a herringbone brick floor inside the orangery.
- Water and drainage: Carefully coordinated levels, falls, and drainage details integrated into the hardscape to protect the garden, planting, and structures through wet and freezing conditions.
- Documentation and supervision: LASD Studio prepared the master plan, elevations, sections, construction and assembly details, material specifications, and planting documentation, and supervised the work through ground preparation, construction, and planting. The project drawings shown below reveal the coordination behind the finished garden. Architecture, hardscape, drainage, garden structures, and planting were developed as one connected system rather than as separate decorative layers.
Visit our special project series - Styles and Epochs of Art that Influences Landscape Architecture.
Project Context & Credits
This project forms part of Yura Lotonenko's earlier professional design work in Denmark and helped shape the integrated approach to architecture, planting, and technical documentation later carried into LASD Studio's international practice. Landscape design and detailed project documentation: Yura Lotonenko, working as a freelance collaborator Collaborating practice: Paradehusets Tegnestue, Gisselfeld, Denmark Project collaborators: Landscape architect Greg Kobett and Cecilie, Paradehuset
EXISTING CONDITION BEFORE LANDSCAPE INSTALLATION
Before construction, the site was primarily open lawn beside the estate's existing red-brick buildings. The new plan used this open ground to establish a clear relationship between the historic architecture, the orangery, and a sequence of productive and ornamental garden spaces.
Existing Condition - before landscape installation
WORK IN PROGRESS & SUPERVISION
Construction was documented from excavation and setting-out through foundations, brickwork, orangery assembly, path construction, drainage, and planting. Continuous coordination allowed the geometry of the master plan and the fine construction details to remain aligned as the garden moved from drawing to built form.
ORANGERY, ORCHARD, POLLINATOR GARDEN DESIGN IN DENMARK
The completed garden brings together the project's central ideas: a strong architectural axis, a productive orchard, crafted pergola walks, formal evergreen structure, and planting that supports seasonal change and pollinator activity. From the main pathway, the orangery reads as the garden's destination. Closer views reveal the material details, changing silhouettes, blossom, foliage, and intimate spaces that allow the garden to be experienced differently throughout the year.
French Garden – La Mesa, California
A French-inspired garden in La Mesa, California, blending classical and contemporary design. With soft, drought-tolerant planting, outdoor rooms, and ecological features, the landscape enhances biodiversity and timeless beauty.
“A Contemporary Reimagining of Classical French Garden Traditions”
This private estate in La Mesa transforms the elegance of French garden traditions into a modern living landscape. Clean architectural lines are balanced with lush planting, ecological sensitivity, and carefully composed “garden rooms” inspired by Renaissance, Baroque, and contemporary influences. The design enhances biodiversity, supports pollinators, and manages stormwater naturally, while creating refined outdoor spaces for dining, leisure, and family life. By merging history with innovation, this French Garden exemplifies LASD Studio’s vision: landscapes as living works of art that evolve in harmony with nature.
French Garden La Mesa – LASD Studio landscape architecture project video showcasing a modern interpretation of classical French garden design with symmetrical layouts, outdoor rooms, ecological planting, and elegant living spaces in Southern California.
This project reimagines the elegance of classical French gardens for modern California living. Symmetry, geometry, and refined details set the tone, while ecological planting ensures the garden evolves as a living, sustainable system.
While architecture, style and atmosphere of the space are important, we also considering enhancing of wildlife, biodiversity, solving stormwater issues, and reaching a new standards for social, economical and environmental sustainability.
Structured Outdoor Living
The garden is organized into distinct outdoor “rooms,” framed by hedges and pathways. These spaces support family gatherings, dining, and leisure, while maintaining the sense of order that defines French garden design.
Planting for Elegance and Ecology
Formal structure is softened with pollinator-friendly planting, seasonal flowers, and Mediterranean species well-adapted to Southern California’s climate. This ensures year-round beauty, reduced water use, and a thriving habitat for biodiversity.
Water, Shade, and Comfort
Fountains, shaded seating areas, and tree canopies create a comfortable microclimate. These features honor French garden traditions while adapting them to La Mesa’s sun-filled environment.
A Garden That Evolves with Time
More than a static design, this landscape is intended to grow, adapt, and evolve. As plants mature, pathways settle, and wildlife finds refuge, the garden becomes a cultural landscape — blending history, family life, and ecological intelligence.
Spanish Revival Garden Design in Coronado, California
A Spanish Colonial Revival garden in Coronado, California, blending Moorish details, courtyards, fountains, and lush planting. This design complements historic architecture with timeless Mediterranean elegance.
Where heritage meets modern life style
This Coronado estate reinterprets the elegance of Spanish Revival architecture through a carefully composed garden design. Rooted in the traditions of Mediterranean, Moorish, and Gothic influences, the landscape features courtyards, pergolas with vines, colorful tiles, and terracotta details that harmonize with the home’s historic architecture. A grand swimming pool, shaded outdoor rooms, and lush fruit tree plantings create both beauty and functionality, offering serene transitions from the street to private living spaces. Designed as a living cultural landscape, the garden merges history, ecology, and comfort, reflecting LASD Studio’s commitment to creating landscapes in balance with nature.
For context, see our Journal essay on Spanish Revival gardens in Southern California - Design with Soul.
We began this journey by looking at historical documents about the property and dive into Spanish Revival essence.
Spanish Revival (Colonial Revival) 1915-1931 …
This style appears in North America during Panama - California Exposition. This is eclectic combination of early Spanish colonization of North and South America, started in Florida and California. Roots of this style coming from traditional Spanish, Mediterranean architecture with earlier influence of Moorish and Gothic architecture. This style became known as Spanish Revival, Colonial Revival or Spanish Eclectic. The main elements of this style are: Curves and arches, white stucco exterior and wall, colored tiles with Spanish ornament, terracotta roof tiles, plenty of balconies with beautiful ironwork, wooden doors and gates, cozy courtyards and patios with large terracotta pots small fountains. Sometimes we can see influence of Moorish architecture like lanterns with colorful glass and pavement of with special ornament.
Spanish Revival Style Diagram
Referred to as Spanish Revival, Colonial Revival, or Spanish Eclectic, this architectural language is read through form before ornament; curved walls, shallow arcs, and thresholds that soften the transition between interior and exterior.
Surfaces are continuous; lime-toned stucco holding light across the day. Rooflines settle in terracotta; tiles repeating in measured rhythm, absorbing heat, releasing it slowly.
Detail is precise, but never isolated. Hand-painted ceramic tiles introduce color at moments of contact; risers, fountains, edges where water meets stone. Wrought iron defines boundaries lightly; balconies, gates, railings that filter rather than close. Wood carries weight at the threshold; doors set deep within walls, marking entry through shadow.
The courtyard remains the center; enclosed, scaled to the body, shaped by proportion rather than size. Water sits within it; a fountain, contained, reflective, cooling the air as it moves.
Moorish influence appears in pattern; geometry underfoot, light passing through lanterns, repetition creating order without rigidity.
In Coronado, this project works within that lineage; not as replication, but as continuation. The language remains, yet the space adjusts to present use; open, inhabited, aligned with contemporary life while holding its architectural origin intact.
Historic Site Plan and Garden Details
Historic Architectural Elevations
Intimate side-yard private patio with Santa Barbara stucco walls, traditional Spanish fountain and satillo tiles as carpet.
Historical Research and Foundations
Our journey began by studying historical documents and original architectural drawings of the property. This research allowed us to fully immerse ourselves in the essence of Spanish Revival, ensuring that the garden design would not only complement the home but also expand on its cultural narrative.
Visual boards and material palettes were prepared to experience the spirit of the style before design development began. From tiles to lanterns, from pergola structures to Mediterranean planting, every element was carefully selected to harmonize with the house.
Herb Garden Mood Board
Hardscape & Paving Mood Board
Herb Garden Mood Board
~ 7 architectural elements of Spanish Revival Garden Style ~
Designing Transitions and Garden Zones for life
One of the main responsibilities of this design was to respect and enhance the architecture while creating fluid outdoor transitions. Key design strategies included:
Main entrance courtyard. A welcoming sequence with fruit trees and a pergola covered in vines, leading visitors toward the front door with the sound of a small fountain.
Street buffer. Planting fruit trees along the street edge creates privacy, reduces noise, and strengthens the sense of arrival.
Garden circulation. From the entrance, pathways extend toward the main garden, vegetable garden, guest house, and outdoor dining terrace.
Private courtyard & pool. A secluded courtyard integrates a 40-foot swimming pool, surrounded by Mediterranean and Moorish-inspired planting. Pergolas and shaded seating areas create comfortable gathering spaces for family and guests.
Spanish Colonial Revival - Full Site Masterplan - Coronado, Southern California
Moorish Influences
Under Moorish influence, the space begins to operate differently; not through objects, but through relationships.
The ground carries a quiet geometry. Patterns unfold beneath each step, sometimes noticed, often only felt; a subtle order that steadies movement without announcing itself.
Light drifts through the structure and catches on detail. Lanterns temper its intensity, breaking it into fragments that move across plaster and stone; by afternoon, shadow deepens, edges soften, the space becomes more intimate without closing.
Color gathers where use brings attention. At the edge of water, along a low wall, within tile set into the surface; blues, ochres, and earth tones held close, never extended too far, allowing the eye to rest.
There is a distant echo of the courtyards of Alhambra; not in replication, but in proportion and atmosphere. Water cools, shade protects, pattern gives clarity. The garden and the architecture are not separate conditions; they are read as one.
These references are absorbed rather than applied. They settle into the project, adjusting to its climate, its scale, its daily use.
What remains is a layered space, where history is present but quiet, and where light, material, and movement continue to shape the experience over time.
Entrance Courtyard Detail
LASD Studio Philosophy
At LASD Studio, we design landscapes as living cultural systems, shaped by history, but always evolving with ecology. Every project aims to close the cycle of clean water, fresh air, fertile soil, and biodiversity for future generations.
Our Spanish Revival Garden in Coronado reflects this vision: it honors architectural tradition, enriches ecological performance, and creates a timeless sanctuary where people and nature thrive together.
Entrance Courtyard Perspective
Here we solved important issue of the traffic from the street by planting a fruit trees. Pergolas with vines will create a great transition, that will be followed by little additional courtyard fountain.
What a great way to come home.
From here, we can go to main garden, vegetable garden, guest house and garden table.
Garden Axis Plan with Fountain
Private courtyard shared with guests. Here we will have 40ft size swimming pool.
Pool and Patio Plan - enclosed patio - Spanish Revival Garden Design
Ecological Landscape Design in San Diego - Sanctuary Garden
A Sanctuary Garden in San Diego designed with front-yard infinity stripes and a backyard butterfly garden. Featuring stormwater ponds, patios, and biodiversity planting, this project creates harmony, intimacy, and ecological resilience.
A Private Retreat Rooted in Nature and Balance
The Sanctuary Garden in San Diego was designed as more than a private residence - it is a living system, a peaceful retreat that restores balance between people and nature. Our goal was to create an ecological sanctuary where biodiversity, beauty, and function seamlessly merge.
Location: Lusardi Creek County Preserve, San Diego County, California
Project Type: Private Estate, Ecological Garden design.
Design Scope: Concept Development, Design Development: Hardscape design, Irrigation, Drainage, Walls, Lighting plan design, Stormwater, Fuel Modification, Planting plan, Construction Documentation, Construction Supervision.
Planting Plan by Kimberly Alexander.
Status: Built / Installed
Construction contractor: Greenway Landscape Construction, Scott & Alex Lawn, Project manager - John Beaudry.
Construction cost: $420,000
Design Studio: LASD Studio
Front Yard - Infinite Lines of Greenery
The front yard embraces the concept of green stripes, a design principle inspired by fashion and architecture. Stripes extend across the entrance, visually expanding the property and creating a sense of infinity. This technique transforms large, open spaces into elegant passages that guide visitors toward the home with rhythm and clarity.
LASD Studio works across garden design, landscape architecture, urban design, and regional landscape design. Our goal is to live in balance with nature. With landscape design, we have to close the cycle of clean water, fresh air, ready to plant soil, and other vital resources for the next generation.
Backyard - Intimate, Lush, and Alive
The backyard unfolds into a more intimate sanctuary. Here, visitors encounter:
A private patio for relaxation and gatherings;
A butterfly garden, designed to attract pollinators and enhance local biodiversity;
A dry creek bed that doubles as a stormwater pond during rains - turning a functional system into an aesthetic feature.
Together, these elements create a holistic outdoor living space that is cooling, life-supporting, and deeply restorative.
Conceptual Rendering of Backyard
Ecological Balance and Living Systems
At LASD Studio, we believe that landscape architecture is a form of ecological renewal. With each project, we close the cycles of clean water, fresh air, fertile soil, and biodiversity. The Sanctuary Garden was designed not only for beauty today but for resilience tomorrow.
The first year after installation, the garden begins to heal and adapt, forming its own microclimate and ecosystem. By the second and third years, plants knit together into a lush, thriving environment—a living sanctuary for both people and wildlife.
Sanctuary Garden Planting Plan
Front Yard Sanctuary Garden Design
Master plan of the property
Sanctuary Garden Masterplan
Work in progress during the installation
Temecula Sanctuary Garden video during installation
Behind-the-scenes video of LASD Studio’s Sanctuary Garden in San Diego, showcasing planting installation, sustainable garden design elements, and the creation of a private ecological retreat.
EXISTING CONDITION
A Garden That Evolves Over Time
Every sanctuary begins with a seed. In this San Diego retreat, we planted a future of beauty, biodiversity, and ecological intelligence. With time, the garden matures into a lush, layered sanctuary - an everyday miracle unfolding season after season.
‘We love this garden. Amazing design that really works. We use our outdoor every day now.’
Cynthia
Innovation Hub Düsseldorf - Evolutionary Landscape Design
The Innovation HUB in Düsseldorf, Germany, is a visionary urban design project uniting landscape architecture, ecology, and digital creativity. A space for education, collaboration, and innovation dedicated to shaping a sustainable future.
A Living Public & Cultural Landscape
The Innovation Hub in Düsseldorf is not just an architectural project - it is a living, evolving cultural landscape. Designed by LASD Studio, the hub integrates art, ecology, and digital innovation into one continuous environment where people, biodiversity, and creativity thrive together.
Evolutionary Design Approach
Unlike static buildings, landscapes are alive. Our approach views time as a material, ensuring that with every season the hub becomes richer in biodiversity, healthier in soil, and more resilient to climate change.
Soil Regeneration - enhancing soil structure, aeration, and pH balance for long-term fertility.
Biodiversity-Driven Planting - introducing native and adaptive species that provide habitat for pollinators, birds, and wildlife.
Climate Resilience - creating low-water, adaptive planting palettes to reduce long-term maintenance and costs.
Cultural Integration - blending ecological design with urban identity and creative expression.
Planting Plan that Supports Life
Our planting plan functions as an ecological network:
Nectar and pollen sources for bees and butterflies;
Multi-layered shrubs and trees for shade and bird habitat;
Groundcovers that enrich the soil and protect against erosion.
Together, these create a self-sustaining ecosystem that grows stronger year after year.
Abstract & Contemporary Expression
The Innovation Hub is designed with freedom and asymmetry - pathways and gardens follow organic, curvilinear forms inspired by natural systems. Abstract compositions balance textures, heights, and colors to create a dynamic, contemporary urban space where every corner tells a new story.
A cinematic walkthrough of the Innovation Hub Düsseldorf landscape design by LASD Studio. The video showcases the abstract red architectural façade, public plaza spaces, and dynamic planting plan designed to regenerate soil health, support pollinators, and create a resilient biodiversity network. The animation highlights pathways, gathering areas, and ecological planting compositions that evolve with time, blending art, innovation, and nature in a cultural urban setting.
Vision for the Future
LASD Studio designs public, cultural, and ecological landscapes that regenerate life. The Innovation Hub Düsseldorf embodies this vision:
A creative environment for digital innovation;
A green infrastructure that educates and inspires;
A landscape of resilience, closing the cycle of water, air, soil, and biodiversity for future generations.
Award-Winning Butterfly & Bird Garden in Poway, California
A small ecological restoration garden in Poway, California, designed as a private sanctuary for butterflies, pollinators, wildlife and people.
An early LASD Studio garden where extensive lawn was transformed into an intimate living sanctuary for butterflies, birds, pollinators and people.
The Butterfly Garden in Poway, California, is a small ecological restoration project that transforms a neglected, dry landscape into a living private sanctuary for butterflies, pollinators, wildlife and people, designed as a living ecosystem.
Designed entirely by LASD Studio founder Yura Lotonenko, this was one of his first gardens in Southern California, and one of the projects that began shaping the studio’s ecological design philosophy.
The completed landscape received multiple awards through San Diego-area garden tours, but its deeper achievement is quieter. A neglected, water-demanding yard became a place where people could sit among grasses, flowers, stone and birdsong while a small but increasingly complex habitat developed around them.
From Water-Intensive Lawn to Living Habitat
Before the habitat garden could begin, a substantial portion of the existing lawn had to be removed.
This was not simply a visual change. Conventional turf occupied valuable ground while offering limited structural diversity for butterflies, birds and other wildlife. Replacing it created room for a layered landscape of milkweed, nectar-rich flowers, ornamental grasses, shrubs, groundcovers, boulders, permeable gravel and a dry creek.
The transformation reduced the dominance of one uniform surface and introduced multiple ecological conditions: flowers for nectar and pollen, host planting for butterfly life cycles, seeds for birds, protected soil, perching points, shallow water and spaces of shelter.
What had been an open, depleted ground plane became a sequence of living relationships.
Butterfly garden at sunset with birdbath and seating, Poway, California
Art and Ecology in One Composition
The garden is carefully composed, but it is not static.
Pink grasses catch the low evening light. Boulders hold the structure of the landscape while plants move around them. Gravel and rounded creek stone establish a calm ground plane, and the dry creek traces a natural line through the garden.
During rain, the channel can receive and guide runoff, slowing the movement of water through the property. In dry weather, it remains as a visible memory of water - a sculptural element that organizes the planting and gives the garden a sense of depth.
Paths are suggested through openings between plant masses rather than imposed as rigid corridors. The seating area settles within the planting, oriented toward the garden, birdbath and changing sunset rather than away from them.
This is the project’s artistic and ecological synergy: every practical element contributes to the atmosphere, and every beautiful element participates in how the garden functions.
Our vision was to create more than a decorative garden - it is a synergetic system where plants, pollinators, and people coexist. Carefully selected planting palettes ensure year-round color, fragrance, and habitat. The dry creek feature provides both an aesthetic focal point and a functional stormwater solution, creating a microclimate that cools the backyard naturally.
Cozy seating patio with fire bowl in butterfly garden, Poway, California
A Garden for the Butterfly Life Cycle
A butterfly garden cannot be created with flowers alone.
Adult butterflies need nectar, but caterpillars require particular host plants. Milkweed is therefore more than a colorful garden accent: it supports the breeding cycle of monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus). A longer seasonal sequence of nectar-producing flowers helps extend the garden’s value beyond a single flush of bloom.
Butterflies recorded across San Diego County that may visit suitable Poway gardens include: Monarch - Danaus plexippus, Gulf fritillary - Agraulis vanillae, Western tiger swallowtail - Papilio rutulus, Anise swallowtail - Papilio zelicaon, Common buckeye - Junonia coenia, Painted lady - Vanessa cardui, Orange sulphur - Colias eurytheme.
Their presence depends on season, weather, surrounding habitat and the availability of appropriate nectar and host plants. These species are potential regional visitors rather than a claim that every one has been formally recorded within this garden. The San Diego County butterfly checklist documents the remarkable diversity found across the region.
Bees, moths, hoverflies and other beneficial insects also use flowering landscapes, often performing less visible but equally important work within the garden.
A Birdwatching Garden in the City
The garden was designed not only for butterflies but also as a place for observing birds.
A birdbath provides an open place to drink and bathe, while layered planting offers seeds, insects, perches and protected spaces. Nectar-producing flowers can attract hummingbirds; seed-bearing plants support small songbirds; and insect-rich planting gives wrens and other insectivorous birds somewhere to forage.
Potential visitors within Poway’s wider landscape include: Anna’s hummingbird - Calypte anna, Black-chinned hummingbird - Archilochus alexandri, California quail - Callipepla californica, California towhee - Melozone crissalis, Spotted towhee - Pipilo maculatus, Bushtit - Psaltriparus minimus, Bewick’s wren - Thryomanes bewickii, Lesser goldfinch - Spinus psaltria.
Nearby Blue Sky Ecological Reserve contains riparian woodland, coastal scrub and mixed chaparral, illustrating the wider mosaic of habitat surrounding Poway. Local birding guidance identifies towhees, bushtits, wrens, quail and hummingbirds among the birds expected within this landscape. California Department of Fish and Wildlife · San Diego Bird Alliance
Not every bird is a pollinator. Hummingbirds may carry pollen between tubular flowers, while wrens and other insect-eating birds contribute differently—by participating in the garden’s food web. Together, they bring movement, sound and changing patterns of activity throughout the day.
The Hidden Ecological Challenge: Argentine Ants
One of the garden’s most important lessons appeared only after installation.
The later discovery of invasive Argentine ants (Linepithema humile) revealed that creating habitat involves much more than selecting attractive flowers. A garden may look abundant above ground while less visible pressures are altering its ecological relationships below.
Argentine ants can reach high densities in irrigated urban landscapes. They displace native ant species, interact with honeydew-producing insects such as aphids and scale, and can affect wider arthropod communities. Southern California research has documented their strong effects on native ant communities, particularly near developed landscape edges. Ecology study · UC Riverside Center for Invasive Species Research.
Their presence made observation and carefully targeted management part of the project’s continuing stewardship. Broad, indiscriminate pesticide use could harm the same butterflies and beneficial insects the garden was created to support. The response must therefore be informed, specific and compatible with the larger habitat objective.
This discovery did not diminish the project. It made its ecological purpose more truthful. A living landscape is never finished; it must be watched, understood and guided as relationships change.
A Garden That Evolves with Time
The first year of a habitat garden is primarily about establishment. Roots expand, soil begins responding and the planting learns the site.
During the second and third years, the composition becomes denser and more interconnected. Flowering cycles lengthen, grasses acquire greater presence, birds discover dependable water and forage, and the garden begins to develop its own recognizable rhythms.
Maintenance consequently changes from control to guidance: selective pruning, seasonal adjustment, observation, irrigation refinement and careful responses to emerging pressures.
Over time, the garden becomes less like an installation and more like a place with its own life.
First Year Pictures after the Garden Installation
