Landscape Design

Process 101

A guide by Jose Aguila

Why Invest in Your Landscape?
● Quality of life
● Money savings
● Environmentally friendly
● Increase the value of your home
Overview
What will be covering tonight?
● Planning
● Hardscape
● Planting
● Irrigation
● Drainage
● Lighting
What makes a
successful
landscape design?
PLANNING!
Planning
PLANNING
I. Budget $-$$-$$$
A. Set goals - think BIG picture!
B. Be realistic
C. Phasing your landscape design
II. Goal: Your project
A. Neighborhood context
B. Safety/security
C. Solar orientation
III. Design Phase
A. Who to Contact?
1. Landscape Architect
2. Landscape Contractor
3. Landscape Designer
4. Landscape Maintenance
5. Home owner
A few simple tools can
set you on the path to
designing your space
Hardscape
Hardscape: the man-
made features used in
landscape architecture,
e.g. paths or walls, as
contrasted with
vegetation
 Hardscapes Include...
Walkways, retaining walls, pavers for
paths or patios, outdoor kitchens,
Tip water features, gazebos, decks, and
You may need to
consult with a Civil
driveways.
Engineer if you are
building a retaining wall!
HARDSCAPE
I. Entryways
A. Threshold
II. Pathways
A. Primary
B. Secondary
C. Tertiary
III. Concrete
A. Colors
B. Textures
IV. Retaining Walls
A. Over 3 feet you will need a Civil
Engineer
B. Check city setbacks before you
build!
Planting
PLANTS
I. Native plants
A. Native to our region (San
Diego/Southern California)
II. Drought tolerant
A. If using non-native find non-
invasive species
III. Succulents
A. Desert
B. Coastal
C. High desert
IV. Tropicals
A. Mostly high water use
PLANTING
I. Plant SIZE
A. Use your references for plant
sizes!
B. Know the size of your planting
area
C. Plant spacing
II. Plant massings
A. Suppress weed growth
B. Lead the eye to focal points
C. Provide foreground and
background, depending on color
III. Groundcovers
A. Provide consistency and
foundation
Irrigation
Planting and
irrigation go hand-
in-hand.
IRRIGATION
I. Zoning
A. High water use
B. Medium water use
C. Low water use
1. Hi/Med
2. Med/Low
II. Soil type
A. Sandy
B. Clay
C. Loam
III. Controllers
A. Weather-based
B. Soil-based
C. App-controlled
Irrigation Systems
Overhead Irrigation: In-Line Drip:
Works best with Can be buried; saves
groundcover and turf money
Drainage
DRAINAGE
I. Slope away from home
A. Walkways
B. Soil
II. Retaining walls
A. Drainage behind wall
B. Weep holes
III. Rain gardens
A. Creating small basin
1. Drains within 48 hours
Lighting
Lighting Elements
Landscape lighting can highlight items in
your space that you enjoy, add emphasis
to an item or area that might not be as
noticeable during the day, and provide Tip
functional use of pathways. Design your lighting
concept once you have
your hardscape,
planting, irrigation, and
drainage systems in
place.
LIGHTING
I. Pathways
II. Focal point
III. Specimen tree
IV. Ambiance
V. Shadows
VI. Safety
Lighting Supplies

● Transformer (120v
down to 12-15v)
● Pathway lights (5v
typical)
● Accent lights (5v
typical)

spjlighting.com
Lighting Considerations
● Light pollution
● Light direction
● Lighting color
Resources
Resources & Links
I. SDG&E Health Trees for a Healthy Community
A. https://www.sdge.com/safety/tree-
safety/healthy-trees-healthy-
community
II. El Cerrito Community Council
A. http://www.elcerritocommunitycouncil
.org/resources/
III. San Diego American Society of Landscape
Architects
A. http://www.asla-sandiego.org/
IV. CA Department of Consumer Affairs - Hire a
Licensed Contractor
A. http://www.cslb.ca.gov/Consumers/H
ire_A_Contractor/
V. Dig Alert
A. https://www.digalert.org/
Jose L. Aguila
P: (619) 821-5363
E: AguilaLandArch@gmail.com
Questions?