With the beautiful weather that San Diego is known for, homeowners have the advantage of enjoying their yards for a larger portion of the year than other areas of the country. However, the oftentimes dry climate also comes with challenges that are wise to acknowledge when designing and remodeling your outdoor space. Droughts have led to various levels of voluntary and mandatory water restrictions in San Diego over the years. Respecting San Diego’s natural environment when making decisions for your new landscape will help you make future looking decisions for you remodel. The following are some recommendations based on the knowledge of an experienced San Diego landscape contractor and design company to help you create a plan for your project.
The Goal of Your Outdoor Space
The best place to begin is with your overall goal for your landscape. Asking yourself questions about how you plan to use the space and how often you want to maintain it are good places to start. For example, if enjoying your outdoor space with family and friends is important, including features that favor entertaining such an outdoor kitchen may be a priority. If you choose designs with a lot of softscape features, you will likely need more frequent maintenance than heavy hardscape designs.
Softscape Ground Cover and Plant Choice
It’s rare to see one type of ground cover used for an entire space. The combination you choose will depend on your goal. Options that have been popular in San Diego include artificial turf, rock designs, hardwood chips, and decomposed granite.
Existing plants and trees can be worked into a design or new plant choices can replace your old plants. Low water use plants, such as succulents, are lower maintenance than many other choices. Artificial turf can give you the look and use of a grassy area without having to cut it and water it (No grass allergies either!).
Hardscaping Features
If you are planning to make your outdoor space a high use area for family and guests, your hardscape features will provide an open air area that doesn’t sacrifice creature comforts.
Features such as a fireplace, firepit, and outdoor kitchen turn your outdoor space into a gathering place where you can enjoy food and whisk the night away in conversation.
A pergola can provide shade on sunny days and hold lighting to light up the night. For your convenience, pergolas and patios can also hold electrical outlets to keep your cell phone charged while you are enjoying your outdoor space. Popular outdoor flooring options in San Diego include paving stones (pavers), flagstone, and stamped concrete. These materials can give you a plethora of design options. Adding a deck is a popular feature that is known to provide a good return if you sell your home. A retaining wall can be a functional addition that also adds beauty to your outdoor space.
Make Your Vision A Reality
Now that you know what many of your San Diego neighbors are doing with their outdoor spaces, it’s time for you to decide what to do with yours. Remember to start with your overall goal then break it down to goals for the specific areas. We hope this helped get your creative juices flowing.
