Have you invested in a beautiful new landscape recently or are you planning a new garden installation? Nothing can ruin your garden results faster than these fast traveling, underground critters. Here are some tips from our expert, Zach Smith of Smith’s Gopher Trapping Service.

Gopher Damage

Gophers or pocket gophers cause damage because the feed on plant shoots and roots. They can kill grass, flowers, shrubs and even trees through their feeding activities. Because they work day and night they can kill large plants in a very short time. Because they have such powerful claws, they can burrow under and collapse paver patios, driveways, walkways and retaining walls. The damages from gophers can total in the thousands of dollars per year not only to your landscape but perhaps also to your health. In lawns their burrows and mounds are the perfect size to get a foot catch in, causing falling and ankle injury hazards. Solution: If gophers can move onto a property readily from neighboring lands, then a semi-monthly monitoring and trapping program should be considered as a first defense.

Mole Damage

Moles cause damage inadvertently to plants as they burrow searching for earthworms (they are carnivorous not vegetarian like gophers). They dislodge annuals, remove soil from under shrubs and trees, and send plants into severe drought stress in the process. They also undermine patios and walkways and cause unsightly mole-hills in manicured gardens. Mole damages are not as acute as gopher damages, but can be very troublesome and expensive nevertheless. Solution: Because moles can move into a garden swiftly from neighboring properties, mole extermination via a semi-monthly monitoring and trapping program is recommended.

Vole Damage

Voles eat primarily above-ground parts of plants and chew the bark off trees and shrubs. They make pockmark holes in lawns and ground cover and undermine hardscape. Though their damage is not as common or extensive as gophers and moles, they are still a significant pest in the landscape because landscape damage can be expensive to repair. Solution: They are easily trapped when first signs arise.

Ground Squirrel Damage

Ground Squirrels differ from tree squirrels in that they burrow in the earth and feed primarily on grass, and other vegetative matter on the ground. They are communal animals and share their tunnel network readily. The damage caused by ground squirrels causes extensive erosion on hillsides and under driveways and in golf course greens. Their holes can be a serious hazard for ankle-breaks to people, horses, and other livestock.

In addition to physical injury potential, the fleas on ground squirrels carry three types of the Plague disease.

Solution: The best control for ground squirrels is trapping and sometimes poison. Because of their high reproductive rate, it is important to have a regular program in place to keep their populations under control.

The best defense in a pest situation is a good offense. If you see signs of holes or burrows in your property, don’t delay. Call a professional pest removal service immediately to assess the situation. We recommend a non-toxic approach like those found at this company: www.gopher-trapping.com

To learn more about these and other pests at the UC Davis Pest Notes website http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/menu.homegarden.html

Local nurseries sell many common landscape plants that can be poisonous to pets. To add insult to injury, plants don’t come with a toxic warning label.

The level of toxicity will depend on the plant, the part of the plant  and  amount ingested, along with your pet’s current health. Not every animal will eat a toxic plant but some pets are simply more curious than others. If you want to err on the side of caution, here are some plants that you may want to avoid entirely or put in areas of your garden that are off limits to nibbling pets.

Lilies (Lilium sp.) are considered to be highly toxic to cats and can result in severe kidney damage even if small amounts are ingested.

Sago Palm (Cycas Revoluta) all parts of this palm are poisonous, but the seeds contain the greatest amount of toxin.  Just one or two ingested seeds can have serious effects including vomiting, diarrhea, seizures and liver failure.

Azalea/Rhododendron (Rhododenron sp.) contains grayantoxins which can produce vomiting, diarrhea, weakness and if severe enough, ultimately lead to coma and death from cardiovascular collapse.

Oleander (Nerium oleander) all parts of the plant are considered to be toxic, as they contain cardiac glycosides that can have serious effects like gastrointestinal tract irritation, abnormal heart function, hypothermia and even death.

Yew (Taxus sp.) contains a toxic substance known as taxine, which affects the central nervous system causing trembling, lack of coordination and difficulty breathing. It can also cause gastrointestinal irritation and cardiac failure.

Daphne (Daphne sp.) is prized for its scented flowers but all parts of the plant are poisonous and just a few berries could kill an animal.

Lantana (Lantana sp.) berries contain high levels of toxins if ingested while they are still green, causing vomiting, diarrhea, labored breathing, and weakness.

English Ivy (Hedera helix) contains triterpenoid saponins that can result in vomiting, abdominal pain, drooling and diarrhea.

Plants are not the only danger in the garden. Keeping your pet away from insecticides (used in the garden to kill insects), herbicides (for killing weeds) and rodenticides (rat bait) is not really difficult if you take an organic approach to gardening. By working with Mother Nature, not against her, you’ll find a healthy eco-system that is happy to coexist with you and your pets.

Lastly, be aware of what type of mulch you bring into your dogscape. Cocoa mulch, a byproduct of chocolate production, contains the same toxic compounds as chocolate, which is poisonous to dogs. Coir or Coconut Husk mulch is known for its ability to retain water around water loving plants. However, this same expansion will occur in a dog’s digestive track if ingested and potentially cause blockage in the intestines.

Even with the best prevention strategies, accidents can happen. If your pet exhibits any of the following signs of poisoning, contact your vet for immediate assistance: digestive trouble (vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite), neuromuscular injury (seizure, paralysis, labored breathing), confusion, excessive tear production or rashes.

For an extensive list of toxic plants for dogs and cats, visit the ASPCA’s website at www.aspca.org

Animal Poison Control Center’s hotline is available 24 hours a day (for a small fee)  to help pet owners with potential poisoning questions (888) 426-4435

Whether you are planning a new garden or giving your current landscape a face-lift, outdoor lighting brings everything to life. Here are the top design tips for getting the most value and enjoyment from your lighting.

Select your light fixtures and placement based on function, not appearance. Think about function from both a safety and aesthetic perspective. Fixtures come in many different styles including path lights, up lights, down lights, spot lights, and specialty lights (step lights, etc.). Each style provides a wide array of light outputs (wattage, beam spread, luminosity) to suit particular lighting needs. With the exception of your pathlights, most fixtures will disappear into the landscape as plants mature, so choose a fixture color that complements your design.

Just as your garden grows, so will your lighting needs. Consider a light fixture with an interchangeable lamp (light bulb) so that you can increase the watts as needed when you plants mature. In other words, when your newly planted 12 foot tree reaches 30 plus feet in height, you’re going to need more light. This requires forethought in both your wiring and transformer size. Also, if you are planning to do lighting in a future phase of construction, make sure you plan for the infrastructure now rather than later.

We all know that you get what you pay for in landscaping but this is especially true for lights. Buy high quality fixtures and transformers with manufacturer warranties because the landscape environment can be harsh on lighting. “Inferior product quality only leads to failure, especially where electrical connections and water are concerned,” says Mike McPherson from Vista Professional Outdoor Lighting.

Lastly, when you consider lighting, also be considerate to neighbors. If you live in a neighborhood that promotes ‘dark skies’ be sure to read your city’s lighting ordinance and adhere to all lighting restrictions. Remember that down lights create a more natural appearance than up lights because it mimics moonlight. Other glare reducing techniques include adding frosted lens and honeycomb louvers to the fixtures. Of course hiding the fixture within the landscape design so that you cannot see the actual light source adds the most realistic effect.

Choosing the right patio surface for your project can be one of the most important decisions you make during the design process. Because your new patio will typically be the place where you gather the most for dining, cooking, entertaining or relaxing, you will want a hardscape that is both durable and aesthetically pleasing.

In many suburban backyards, the patio is the linking point from the interior to the exterior. Keeping in mind your homes architectural style and your interior design choices, will help you make the right hardscape decision to create a seamless experience from inside to outside.

Pavers and Brick Patios

Paver patios are a popular choice for homeowners today. Not only are paver choices diverse with wide color ranges, sizes and patterning choices but they both durable and affordable. A well installed paver patio can enjoy a life span of 30 years or more. Since pavers are “dry set” with sand on a base rock and sand base, they are also permeable. Pervious pavers are good for drainage and help storm water stay on your property.

Brick patios can be installed with the same dry set method or with concrete. If concrete is used, you lose out on the permeability but you may gain longevity. This decision really depends on your site conditions.

Stone Patios

Stone is also a popular choice for homeowners who want the look of a natural material. The price can be double or sometimes triple the cost of pavers, but the look is natural, rich and cannot be duplicated with a man-made product. Stone choices are very diverse since it is a mined product. From a sustainability standpoint, you may want to consider where your stone was mined from and what distance it had to travel to get to your home.

Stone patios can be mortared with concrete or dry set. For high traffic areas and for dining purposes (think about your chair legs), concrete mortared joints are usually the best solution.

Stones that I like to design with include travertine, flagstone, and cut stone. I usually take my design clients to a local rockery like Lyngso or a showroom so that they can see their stone choices in person.

Concrete Patios

Concrete patios are not as popular as they used to be for the simple reason that they crack. Although you can stain concrete a myriad of wonderful colors, a colored concrete patio ends up costing almost the same as a paver patio with materials and labor.

From a sustainable perspective, concrete is not an environmentally friendly surface because it is non-pervious and the process of making concrete creates an enormous amount of CO2 emissions. It is considered more environmentally sound to use fly ash instead of Portland cement when specifying concrete but this green option comes with an upcharge.  Again, most homeowners choose concrete because it’s affordable or they are not familiar with alternative products.

Now that many clients are removing their cracked concrete patios, there is a new term for the by product called urbanite. You can build raised planter beds, pathways, seat walls or another patio out of urbanite.

Gravel Patios

Gravel is often an underutilized patio option. Again it may not be appropriate for every application but for those that want a budget friendly and permeable patio, it could be a good choice for you. Gravel typically costs about ½ of what a paver patio would cost installed.

A designer tip that I share with my clients is that if footprints are not desirable, choose an angular gravel or locking gravel that will shift less when you walk on it.

Decomposed Granite/ DG Patios

DG, decomposed granite, is another affordable and permeable patio material. If you have hard wood floors in your home you should not use DG directly near them. Allow a minimum distance of twenty feet between these two surfaces or else you run the risk of a scratched floor.

DG only comes in handful of colors (warm golds and cool grays) but you can mix these colors together to create your own custom blend.

While DG is not very expensive as a material is it labor intensive to install correctly. DG can be installed with metal edging, plastic bender board or without any edging at all by using a special stabilizer. DG is great for natural looking pathways too.

Deck Patios

A wood or wood synthetic deck may also be a great option for your home especially is you have changes in grade levels. There are many different quality grades of redwood as well as synthetic woods that are made from recycled wood pulp and plastic like Timber Tech and Trex. Of course pricing varies widely between real wood and faux wood, but so does the maintenance.

A wood deck requires a yearly sealant and may need replacing if wood posts or planks begin to rot after decades of inclement weather. A wood synthetic product is more expensive but it will last forever (and is not recyclable), which is not a great thing if you think you may change your mind down the road. So you can see that there are trade offs for both products.

If you can afford a deck, you can usually afford a stone patio. Obviously these choices will give you two different looks and if you weigh all your personal consideration with your site requirements, one will come out the winner.

Designer Tip

Hire a professional landscape designer! With all these choices, and your patio being one of more costly parts of your project, you can see why I recommend getting professional advice based on your unique requirements. He or she will be able to guide you and help you make choices that fit your lifestyle, and budget.

Fine Gardening – Basics of garden design, expert advice to improve your garden, in-depth information on all types of plants, useful techniques and time-saving tips, honest tool reviews, and planting advice for your region

Garden Design - A lifestyle magazine designed for the upscale, design-conscious reader who is passionate about gardening and landscape design. Regular columns cover unusual plants, art and ornaments, tools and maintenance, landscape and lighting, water gardens, sunrooms, and outdoor furniture. The magazine also contains photo layouts of spectacular gardens, how-to articles, design resources, a buyer’s guide, gardening tips, and information about events and garden shows.

Horticulture – A source for ideas and information about gardening for active, sophisticated gardeners seeking information and inspiration on plants and design. The world’s top gardeners provide authoritative information in lively text and stunning photographs. Each issue contains the latest gardening news and discoveries, regional planting secrets and pest control plans to help make your garden experiences as rewarding as possible.

Sunset – It covers travel, garden, home, and food, guiding readers to experiences and advantages only the West can offer. Sunset provides foolproof yet adventurous recipes, step-by-step gardening information, ingenious designs for homes and outdoor-living spaces, and travel discoveries for day trips and weekend escapes.

Martha Stewart Living – Its goal is to inform and inspire, to teach and demystify a broad range of subjects. Combining great style and useful information, the magazine celebrates the simple things people do in their everyday lives: gardening, entertaining, renovating, cooking, collecting and creating.

Organic Gardening - An indispensable tool for the avid gardener with daily tips, regional gardening calendars, product reviews and more

When you are ready to take on a landscape project, who do you call? With the myriad of choices in the landscaping industry it can be difficult to know which path to take. Take a look these garden and landscape trades to help you decide which direction is the best fit for your project.

Landscape Designer

A landscape designer or garden designer has a background in horticulture and although not required, many times horticultural based degree. Depending on their studies or on the job training, they are versed in hardscape materials, plants, irrigation, soils, pest management, lighting, sustainable practices and design. Landscape designers are typically the first point of contact when you have a residential project that requires some creative and functional design planning. The plan is the starting point because it will give you a chance to work out project challenges on paper and allow landscape contractors to bid and provide you with estimates. “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.”

*Tip: Learning to budget a project comes from years of on site experience or by working as a landscape estimator under the direction of a landscape contractor. Ask your designer if they provide this service and how they are qualified.

*Tip: For commercial projects contact either a landscape contractor or a landscape architect

Landscape Contractor

A landscape contractor or landscaper has successfully completed a combined four years of education or journeyman experience and passed the state test to obtain their C-27 landscaping license. Landscape contractors bid, build and many times provide warranties for their services. Depending on the scope of your project, they are typically introduced to the project after the design portion has started and can play an integral part of your decision making process. If you find that you are simply replacing one item for another (like a driveway replacement) and you are not changing the design or shape, you can forgo calling your landscape designer (or just hire them for a consultation not a full design) and work with your contractor directly.

*Tip: To learn the pitfalls to avoid when hiring a landscape contractor, click here.

Design Build Company

A design/build company is a firm that has combined both the landscape design and the construction (landscape contractor) into one company. Many times a design/build company has a designer or landscape architect on staff but sometimes they subcontract their work to an independent landscape designer. The benefit of working with design/build team is that you are hiring a one stop shop experience. If you have a large estate or complicated project and like one point of contact, this might be a good option for you. However, it can also be argued that by hiring the landscape designer and landscape contractor separately, that you have a more unbiased approach with a better checks and balance system.   Of course there are always exceptions to the rule, so as with project be sure to ask the right questions for your unique situation.

Tip: Make sure that there is a horticulturist working on your project if you are doing any new planting design

Landscape Maintenance

Landscape maintenance or gardeners are a vital part of the team that will protect the integrity of the design and installation once everything in your landscape is finished. A good landscape maintenance company will train their employees in plant identification because if they don’t know what the plant is, they won’t know how to care for it. This includes when and how to prune your plants, when and what to feed it and when to replace it. Sometimes you landscape contractor will offer you a maintenance package to help you take care of your garden during its formative years. This is a great solution for most homeowners since they are already familiar with you and your project. A reputable landscape maintenance company should not be confused with a “blow, mow and go” company. As with any part of your landscape, you get what you pay for. In addition to a landscape maintenance person, you may also wish to seasonally hire an aesthetic pruner for very fine work like the shaping of maples or an arborist for tree care.

Landscape Architect

Landscape architects have successfully completed six years of combined training and educational credit and passed their licensing exam.  They can practice either residential or commercial design and can provide similar drawings to those of landscape designer, but unlike a landscape design, they can draw construction documents. Many times construction documents are needed for residential projects that have complicated site challenges or elaborate built structures.  Landscape contractors can also provide construction drawings since they are licensed too.  Landscape architects will sometimes work with landscape designers to complete the planting plans as many landscape architects are not horticulturists.

Tip: If you are going through the permitting process and your city requires a stamped landscape drawing, you will need a landscape architect. Call you city and ask them directly what their requirements are before you hire any professional.

Building a new garden is a team effort that begins by selected the right professionals. Your landscape designer is typically the first point of contact when planning a landscape project. Designers have years of experience seeing firsthand both top quality installed projects and poorly executed work by some that pose as landscape professionals.

Although designers can guide and give you contractor recommendations based on our years of working with these professionals and seeing quality results, the ultimate decision comes down to you. With a bit of knowledge, research and knowing the right questions to ask, you will be prepared to make the best decision for you and your project.

Avoid Hiring the Unlicensed, Uninsured and Unbonded

In California the laws are very clear about who can and cannot call themselves a landscape contractor. “State law requires anyone who contracts to do landscape work to be licensed by the Contractors State License Board, if the total price of the job (including labor and materials) is $500 or more. Licensed contractors are regulated by laws designed to protect the public, are bonded, and must complete four years of journey- or higher-level experience in the same trade to apply for a license. If you hire an unlicensed person, you may be financially responsible if injuries, fire, or other property damage results.” -California Landscape Contractors Association.

It’s easy to check to see if a contractor has a current, good standing C-27 license by visiting Contractors State License Board online or by phone. “To verify insurance, bonds and workman’s comp, request certificates in writing,” states Mathew Mueller of SouthBay Landscaping.

“Licensed landscape contractors carry liability insurance to protect the homeowners in case of property damage. They obtain a mandatory bond to protect against performance issues and carry workman’s compensation to cover job related employee injuries. This is not only mandatory for a business with employees, but it will protect the homeowner if there is an unfortunate injury on their property,” says Dale vonDohren of  Landmark Landscapes.

Another thing you can ask for is a list of referrals. Ask questions and find out how they resolved issues that came up during and after the project.

Also be cautious if your gardener, handyman or other trade professional offers to help you with landscape installation. While they may have a business license, if they don’t have a C-27 landscape contractor’s license, and your job is over $500, they are not legally qualified to assist. Patrick Camin of Camin Landscaping warns, “The client has no leverage against an unlicensed contractor for unprofessional work or practices without the protection of the Contractors State License Board.”

Hiring by Price Alone

All landscape projects are bid out by “time and materials”. This takes into consideration the time (“man hours” of labor) and the cost of materials for each step of the process. If the landscape designer has called out the plants/materials, placement and square footage, in theory multiple bids for the materials should all be the same, right? That tells you that the difference in the low bidder must be the labor. “Cutting costs in your labor time means cutting quality. For example, concrete work like in a new driveway has to be meticulously and quickly installed due to the dry time. If there are not enough experienced concrete finishers on the project, the concrete sets up too fast, your new driveway cracks and the job is ruined,” says Mathew Mueller, SouthBay Landscaping.

Remember that the lowest price may not always be the best. The contractor may have made a miscalculation or not included all the work quoted by competitors. Be certain that each bid lists all the preparation (demolition, grading and drainage) and finish work (hardscape, plants, irrigation) that the designer has noted on your plan.

Quality arbor built by Landmark Landscapes

Avoid Change Orders, Read Your Contract

Selecting a contractor that can communicate the scope of work and listen to clients needs will bring more value than a low cost estimate. Clear contracts and a history of little to no change orders from previous clients are ideal indicators.

“Some contractors change order their clients to death after they begin the project. It is ‘buyers beware’ world and the client should do their due diligence all through the project by asking questions and understanding the contract before signing the on the dotted line,” suggests Natalain Schwartz, Landscape Design/Build.

Warranties

Plants, labor and parts should have warranties in writing. A fly by night outfit will finish your job quickly, get paid and get out before you notice any problems. Meanwhile, they never return your calls and you are stuck with their repairs, sometimes paying double to have it redone correctly.

“Planting a garden is only the first step in a successful landscape but the real success comes in the stewardship phase. To establish a garden well may take up to five years. Your investment can be thrown away if your garden project is not managed properly,” says Alrie Middlebrook, Middlebrook Gardens.

Ask your designer or contractor for landscape maintenance and aesthetic pruner referrals.  Be sure that they have horticultural knowledge, are using non-toxic approaches to pest and weed management and pay their insurance to cover their employees for workman’s comp.

Beautiful waterfeature and flagstone bridge installed by Southbay Landscaping

In short, does your landscape contractor have a passion for helping people and enjoy construction with quality craftsmanship?  Do they have fair pricing based on their experience, size of their firm and overhead?  Lastly, look for solid history of happy clientele.

If you avoid these pitfalls and find quality, reasonable rates, and good referrals, you are on your way building a long term relationship with a solid landscape team.

Special thanks to Southbay Landscaping, Camin Landscaping, Landmark Landscapes, Middlebrook Gardens and Natalain Schwartz Landscape Design/Build for their contribution.

Fall is the perfect time for preparing your garden and home for winter weather.  With a bit of forethought and action, many landscape and home issues can be avoided entirely.

How do you winterize your property?

Check your irrigation and prepare it for shut down during the rainy season. A professional landscape contractor can help you check for leaks and breaks in mainlines, landscape lines and at the valves. This is also the time to wrap your backflows and valves to prevent from bursting during winter freezes.

Check your permeable hardscape areas such as pavers, brick and flagstone. Start by pressure washing your hardscape and then adding sand to the joints.  Add a sealer to the top to protect the finish and longevity of your hardscape. These simple steps performed by a landscape contractor can prevent shifting and tripping hazards by keeping the joints tight in your driveways, pathways and patios.

Check your drainage. Inspect your gutters and area drains by removing any debris that could clog the system. Flush out drain pipes completely before the first rains. Does your property have appropriate grading to divert water away from your home? A thorough investigation by a landscape contractor can suggest methods to prevent water intrusion into the house, under your foundation or within the crawl space.

Check trees and plants. Do you have any unstable tree limbs that are looming over your house, driveway or street? Don’t wait for the first big storm or an insurance claim before you take action. Call an arborist or maintenance company with tree experience to have branches removed. For street trees, call the city.

Fall is a great time for deadheading plants and cutting back most grasses (once a year for pennisetum and once every two years for bunch grasses).  Compost or use your green waste bin for all ground debris, spent annuals and weeds. Lastly, mulch plants well in preparation for the decline in soil temperature and cold weather.

Email me if you need help finding a landscape professional to help winterize your garden.

When it comes time to remove or reduce your lawn there are three standard methods to choose from. First you could remove the lawn manually with a sod cutter or sharp shovel. As you’ll notice I said the word ‘manually’ because it is just that- hard manual labor. Unless you are hiring a professional, the sod cutters for rent aren’t always that sharp and you need to have a lot of strength and push very hard to get results.

The second method, I don’t even like to mention, but unfortunately some landscape professions are still using a chemical kill. This means that they use toxic chemicals that are so strong, they not only kill your lawn but all the good organisms and healthy mycorrhiza that live in the soil. In short, don’t do it. It’s not worth your sacrificing the health your family and pets, yourself or your soil.

So that is why I started using the third method called sheet mulching or lasagna composting. Not only is it all organic but many of the ingredients can be obtained for little or no money. I also like this method because I am lazy. In other words, I can do this process once and it’s done and I don’t even have to break a real sweat!

With in one day with two people, we sheet mulched all 850 square feet of our front yard. As a homeowner, here are the steps I suggest you take:

1. Rebate. Before you do anything to your alive, green lawn, check with your local municipal water department to see if you may qualify for a lawn removal rebate.
2. Gather materials. You’ll need 3 basic items: manure or compost, cardboard and mulch. Click here to read more about where to find these materials.
3. Prepare the site.
   1. Mow the lawn on the closest setting possible.
   2. Take a sharp shovel or pick  and edge around any hardscape that the lawn comes into contact with. You can use this extra sod to make a berm (a raised area of earth).
   3. Remove any items that may get in the way like lights, drip irrigation tubing and rocks. Save any reusable items for later use
   4. Compost you lawn
      1. Lay out about 1-2 inches of compost or manure on top of lawn and water it in well
      2. Add a layer of cardboard and overlap  each box about 25-50%. Designer tips: have the brown side up since it camouflages best with the wood mulch
      3. Add water again until the cardboard is soggy
      4. Add 2-3 inches of wood mulch
      5. Finished!
         1. Just remember to keep your new ‘compost area’ watered well. It should have the consistency of a damp sponge.
         2. In 3-6 months your lawn will be composted into the most gorgeous, friable, earth worm infested soil.
         3. Plant your new garden and enjoy.

In the state of California, landscape designers are not required to be licensed. Since designers are not providing construction drawings we don’t need a license in the way that landscape architects do. Landscape architects are licensed because they are telling you exactly how to build a structure or system.

According to the www.ca.gov a landscape designer may assist with: preparing plans, drawings, and specifications for the selection, placement, or use of plants or drawings for the conceptual design and placement of tangible objects and landscape features for single family dwellings. A conceptual drawing may describe and locate all landscaping but it will never include working drawings.

For example, if your house fell down, you would call your architect. But if your arbor fell down, you would call your landscape contractor. Although the landscape designer provided the conceptual drawing (but no constructions drawings detailing how the arbor was to be built), it was the landscape contractor who built the arbor and is responsible for its structural integrity. Licensing = Liability

That is why I only recommend working with a professional, licensed contractor. The landscape contractors I recommend are not only licensed but insured, bonded and pay workman’s compensation.  Hiring a licensed contractor protects both the homeowner and the contractor under the Contractors State License Board (CSLB) laws and regulations. To check if your contractor is licensed click here.

What is the difference between the trades?

Landscape architects may do either commercial or residential work while landscape designers only work on residential projects.

Landscape architects or landscape contractors can prepare drainage plans, irrigation plans and construction documents. Most residential projects do not require these types of plans but should the need arise; Julie Orr Design can refer you to an expert.

Is Julie Orr Design insured?

Yes