Yura Lotonenko 3/14/21 Yura Lotonenko 3/14/21

Sanctuary Garden – San Diego, California

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.

Expansive Front Lawn with Striped Planting

Front yard of Sanctuary Garden in San Diego featuring wide green lawn with striped planting design, creating a sense of infinity and visual rhythm.

Mature Tree as a Focal Point

A central shade tree framed by structured lawns and planting beds, providing balance and natural beauty in the San Diego Sanctuary Garden.

Natural Dry Creek Pathway

Dry creek bed design in Sanctuary Garden, San Diego, guiding visitors through the space while supporting drainage and ecological function.

Private Patio with Water Feature

Courtyard patio with a tall blue ceramic fountain and surrounding planting beds, creating a tranquil retreat in the backyard sanctuary.

Flowing Curved Stone Pathway

Curved stone pathway weaving through backyard planting beds, adding movement and softness to the Sanctuary Garden design in San Diego.

Holistic Backyard Design

Backyard overview of Sanctuary Garden, showing patio, dry creek, butterfly-friendly planting zones, and layered landscaping.

Pergola-Shaded Patio

Private patio with wooden pergola, paved surface, and surrounding greenery, designed as a quiet outdoor living zone.

Freshly Planted Garden Beds

Newly planted garden beds with shrubs and perennials to enhance biodiversity, pollinator support, and year-round color in Sanctuary Garden.

Blue Fountain Centerpiece

Close-up of tall blue ceramic fountain as a sculptural centerpiece and calming water feature in the San Diego Sanctuary Garden.

Pathway to the Home

Straight stone pathway leading across the lawn to the main entrance, framed by symmetrical planting beds in Sanctuary Garden, San Diego.

Elegant Front Yard Geometry

Front yard design with clean lawn geometry, striped planting beds, and modern architectural lines in the San Diego Sanctuary Garden.

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.

Illustrated rendering of Sanctuary Garden showing patio lounge area, pergola, blue water fountain, planting beds, and mountain views in San Diego. — 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.

Technical planting plan for the Sanctuary Garden, outlining tree placement, shrubs, mulch zones, lawn areas, and patio design elements for Ward Residence. — Sanctuary Garden Planting Plan

Conceptual rendering of Sanctuary Garden’s front yard, featuring native plantings, grasses, blooming perennials, and a modern entry walkway. — Front Yard Sanctuary Garden Design

Master plan of the property

Full landscape masterplan of the Sanctuary Garden, showing entry garden, dry water creek, butterfly habitat zones, new terrace, and stormwater management features. — 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