FormLA Landscaping

Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers

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FormLA Landscaping

13 Reviews

Lush, Lovely, Low-Water Lawn

In the high, dry heat of La Canada, this water-saving garden keeps its cool - and its color. Waves of native grass with pops of pink blooms greet visitors. In back, fragrant natives and edible gardens wrap a cozy fireside seating area.

The garden was featured on the Native Plant Garden Tour and in the LA Daily News in 2019.

Country: United States

Zip Code: 91011

Others who worked on this project: Lesly Hall Photography, Theodore Payne Foundation

The home's ember resistant Zone 0 is not visible from the street. The gravel band at the curb was added to facilitate safe travel through the sidewalk free space to a nearby elementary school. When viewed with wildfire-ready eyes, it serves as an ember resistant buffer between the garden and two...

Substantial Curb Appeal

All California native Alum Roots enjoy shade. The shiny, dark green leaves of Oregon Grape, native as far south as San Diego, provide a beautiful background for Coral Bell blooms in shade gardens.

Shade Garden

Pink Flowering Currant (aka Ribes sanguineum glutinosum) is a deciduous shrub that greens the wood fence that borders the front garden. It also attracts nesting hummingbirds, as its blooms offer needed nectar in December.

Pink Flowering Currant

Lush waves of green are a great alternative to turf-grass. This vibrant IdealMow meadow includes California native Carex Pansa with Deer Grass and Juncus accents. Pops of pink include three varieties of Alum Root in the shade of a large tree, Mexican Pitcher's Sage in front of a large picture...

Heat-Loving Meadow

The roof extension covering the front doorstep of the south-facing home needs help cooling the space. Western Redbud is a beautiful way to do just that.

Flowering Shade

Western Redbud brings beautiful, ever-evolving seasonal color to LA gardens. In spring, its heart-shaped leaves begin to join cotton-candy colored bunches of blooms on its delicate branches. Those blooms are more than pretty in pink - they are edible and add a delightful crunch to spring salads.

Western Redbud

Established tree canopy maintains shade and leafy curb appeal. ,Once petite, two Western Redbuds have come into their own, offering substantial shade and leafy canopy at a lower vertical.

Abundant Shade and Tree Canopy

During the January 2025 LA Fires, wood fences were one of the top 2 sources for home ignition, according to a CAL FIRE + IBHS after-fire assessment. Should the wood fence here ignite, this metal portion would not transfer fire to the home.

Zone 0 | Non-Combustible Fence

From the large living room window, lush, leafy, lovely foliage is the view. From the street, that same foliage protects the home's ample curb appeal. Hidden from view, the 5-feet of ember resistant space around the home protects the large front window from radiant heat, direct flame, and embers...

Lush, Leafy and Defensible

Ember resistant gravel replaced combustible organic mulch at the base of this well established tree. This helps protect both the tree and the home from ignition. Well established, the tree's annual trimming schedule, which includes clipping off these small shoots and keeping limbs from touching the...

Zone 0 | Established Trees

As so many Angelenos do, the homeowners long ago converted this garage into an office and softened the space with vibrant container gardens. With just about 10 feet of space between structures, this full area is treated as an ember resistant Zone, and containers have been placed on casters, so they...

Abundant, Mobile Greenery

To save water and bring in even more vibrant color, we transformed a fountain in to a succulent container garden.

Repurposed Fountain

Adapted for warm rain, non-native succulents can suffer in our cold rains and in areas that get frost. Containing favorites allows for them to be moved to save space when weather requires it.

Contained Succulents and Cacti

The al fresco dining space sits between the Zone 0s of the home and the office. The homeowners love hosting dinners here.

Al Fresco Dining Patio

In back, a pre-existing brick patio offers ember resistance between the the home and office structures. Contained succulents in the space are on casters. This speeds their relocation on red flag days and in storms that might bring more water than the drought tolerant plants prefer. The...

Zone 0 Speeds Home Maintenance

A decomposed granite patio wrapped in greenery sits at the back of the property. A low brick bench wraps the fence side of the patio, adding a sense that the umbrella-shaded chairs are nestled and protected.

More Shade for Living Space

Once an unused lawn, the owners find now find themselves called to enjoy the space... certainly for gatherings, also to read a book, or watch the birds. Their love for the space led to a remodel of the home to create more opportunities to view the outdoor beauty from the inside.

Window with a View

Oregon Grape offers a great deal as a drought-tolerant hedge, including ever-changing seasonal color. In spring, it fills with these bright yellow blooms. They will be followed by bunches of edible grapes that look like blueberries.

Oregon Grape Blooms

As its bright yellow blooms fade, Oregon Grape, also native to California, fills with these bright blue berries. They provide a delightful snack for humans and birds alike.

Oregon Grape Berries

Once a boring, under-used expanse of lawn, the back garden now draws the owners outside. Fragrant native foliage and edibles wrap built-in seating and cozy wicker seating, making it their favorite spot, inside or out.

Garden Hygge

Saint Francis watches over a flower bed bursting with bird, butterfly and wildlife attracting native sages. Photo: Lesly Hall Photography

St. Francis Mans His Post

There is no better hummingbird feeder than California native Hummingbird Sage. They will fight for the blooms! Even when not in bloom, its large, leathery leaves maintain its delightful fragrance and provide a beautiful, slowly-spreading groundcover.

Hummingbird Sage

Because native gardens need no pesticides or fertilizers, edible plants can be planted within native gardens. Even in this healthy environment, raised garden beds make edibles easy to find, tend and harvest.

Raised Garden Beds

Eye-catching and architectural artichoke foliage fills one edible planter. Left to grow, the stalks grew to produce shade and abundant blooms.

Artichokes Throw Shade

Native foliage and a Madrone Tree now fill steel raised beds that once held herbs and veggies. As with the Western Redbuds in front, this petite, low growing tree adds needed shade and a vertical ember blocker.

New Tree Canopy