Montecito Rustic is a good example what we like to call “Un-landscaping” or “Editing”. Such was the case in this project. The property was an incredible location, situated on a creek with beautiful ocean views. You may not believe this, but prior to our work, the new owner didn’t know he had an ocean view!

That’s because the property was full of tightly-clipped hedges that blocked not only the ocean view but also the view of the creek and the fabulous array of boulders. If you take a minute to look at the before and after photos, there were lawns planted amid the spectacular oak woodland. I wasn’t able to recognize the property from the before photos, I doubt if you will either.

Our first step was to remove everything except the Coastal Live Oaks, native plants and a very special stand of cacti. We then worked to restore the natural contours of the land, exposing the gigantic boulders. The end result was dramatic. Giant boulders, now exposed and released from their confinement, contours and pathways meandered through the property and a natural woodland landscape that looked as if it had always been there. Of course, couple of patios were needed in order to sit back and enjoy the “new” ocean views.

The addition of carefully placed colorful drought-tolerant plants including a variety of sages and Mexican marigold tucked in and among the California natives completed the picture. This project is a perfect example of our philosophy, which is to exploit the assets of each property, working with nature not against her to create a landscape that feels like nature herself had a hand in its creation.