Alexander Champagne Landscape Design

4,838 sq ft landscape project: full make over in Santa Monica, CA

airedessacld — Tue, 18 Mar 2014 01:17:02 +0000

Our client bought a house on 14th Street, in Santa Monica. While renovating the all house, they decided to ask us for a full make over of the outdoor space.

This projet includes a 280 sq ft deck, a decomposed granite terrace, wide gravel paths, and a large vegetable garden with a small orchard on the side. We started from scratch. All the existing plants were either dead, sick, or overgrown.
One main aspect of the intervention was to bring privacy on the perimeter of the property. we used tall Ficus hedges (12′ tall) and 6′ tall fences, as well as the mature trees to block views to and from the neighbors.

The plant palette is Californian and Mediterranean:
- fruitless ‘San Gabriel’ Olive trees,
- Italian Cypresses,
- Ligustrum texanum,
- Agavaes,
- Westringia fruticosa,
- Pennisetum,
- Sage,
- Boxwood,
- Helichrysum,
- Oak tree,
- Laurus ‘Saratoga’ trees,
- Nerium oleander,
- etc…

and many fruit trees:
- Avocado dwarf tree,
- Fig tree,
- Grapes,
- Apricot tree,
- Pear tree,
- Lemon,
- Key lime,
- Orange tree.

This project includes also the installation of light fixtures, and drip line and low pressure irrigation for the entire lot, as required by the City of Santa Monica.

We focussed on:

- creating privacy from adjacent neighbors;

- bringing an estate flair by designing long alleys framed with tall trees;

- dividing the space into multiple outdoor rooms, in order to organize the garden by functions;

- implementing a drip line irrigation system (12 valves) according to the City of Santa Monica requirements.

Implementation of project: cut existing damaged trees, grading the entire lot, building a large deck with two sets of stairs, creating long alleys, building a large decomposed granite terrace for drawing studio, bringing structure through the planting and the selection of matures trees to enhance the estate flair, building new gates, installing new fences, going through the inspection process.

More pictures to come in the early Summer 2014.

This project includes: tall mature trees, full make over with complete new grading, Mediterranean and Californian palette, estate flair.

Venice Beach new villa: contempary landscape lines wrapping old school garden values

airedessacld — Mon, 17 Mar 2014 23:34:08 +0000

The trendy Venice, California, offers many examples of contemporary architecture. This one is one of a kind.
Therefore, the all concept of this landscape design has been to look for harmony with the architecture, as well as please the owner garden expectations.
We came up with contemporary landscape lines wrapping old school garden values, and we like the contrast.

This project includes a vegetable garden, a lawn, an overall English garden flair, as well as a unique feature: a pleached European Sycomore tree in an orangerie Versailles planter. Don’t miss the picture.

We focussed on:

- creating contemporary bold lines for the structure of the garden space;

- bringing an English flair through the plant selection as much as possible in a California climate;

- implementing a vegetable garden that offers a design interest;

- taking advantage of the narrow space and challenge the implementation of many space features such as a terrace, a vegetable & a fruit garden, a small traditional piece of lawn, and the charming effects of the wellknown English garden type.

Implementation of project: cleaning job site from construction debris, grading, framing spaces, installing irrigation, selecting plants at nurseries, planting, installing light fixtures, installing and pleaching a tree to provide natural shade.

Orangerie pLanter was custom made by Artisan Philippe D’Anière: http://www.phildanrestoration.info/

This project includes: vegetable old school garden, contemporary landscape design lines, lawn playground, a pleached tree, orangerie planter.

Tropical garden in Pacific Palisades, Alma Real neighborhood

airedessacld — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 21:06:39 +0000

The two main ideas of the project was to develop a tropical palette and bring privacy to the yard.

All the plants have been carefully selected in professional nurseries: tall palm trees, mature Giant bird of paradise, Ficus nitida columnar 24″ box.
Keyword: ‘green-green-green.’

In the frontyard, 4 Pepper trees bring shadow to a large bed planted with orange Day Lillies. By the main entrance, Foxtail Ferns and Mondo grass surround a long foutain trough under large palm trees. Giant birds of paradise are an addition to the tropical look in the frontyard and the backyard as well.

Scope of project: renovating pool deck, building new loop driveway (diamond shape and artificial grass), building new fence and side gates (tropical wood), building new patio terrace (blue stone) with fire place and pergola, landscaping the entire lot.

For this project, we designed within the rules of the Huntington Palisades Home Owner Association.

Culver City, contemporary project: narrow budget & clean lines

airedessacld — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 19:01:13 +0000

This project is scheduled to be done in two different phases: the frontyard first, and sideyard and backyard a year later.
- design process;
- & landscape implementation.

Implementation of project: 2 weeks for hardscape (low walls, slabs), 3 weeks for landscaping, a few days for fences and sliding gate.
Going from a mostly bare site to a contemporary low maintenance sustainable California landscape.

First goal: creating a pedestrian access.
Second goal: defining the frontyard to reveal its size (–> it will make it look bigger from the street).
Third goal: providing sustainable landscape, diversity within the surfaces: the budget.
Small challenge: working this out with a narrow budget.

This project includes concrete slabs, decomposed granite terrace, renovated driveway with a ‘fresh’ look, low walls defining the space and the pedestrian access, nice fruitless Olive tree, California plants, a new sustainable landscaped parkway.

Selecting plants in professional nurseries, and only !

airedessacld — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 13:58:00 +0000

The success of a landscaping intervention strongly depends on the design, but also on the selection of plants.

Therefore, it is important to spend enough time at the nurseries in order to tag the right plants. Eventually, a design doesn’t mention the name of the trees, but only their shape, their color, or their particularities (deciduous, evergreen, lush foliage, shady, tone of green, shape of leaves, …). And it’s only at the nursery that the choice is made depending on what plant material is available at the time of the project. Tagging trees should be considered as an important matter.

We only order plants in professional nurseries, where plants have been well shaped by a regular trimming, and properly watered and feeded. They are too many nurseries that go too fast on the growing phase in order to sell quicker. As a result, branches are weak and tree structure is badly formed. Money wise, it is cheaper to buy through a landscape contractor rather than buying by yourself in the ‘next door nursery’ or the garden center of your area such as H… D… for instance. So, Trust the professional landscape contractor. Don’t make the mistake of buying plant material by yourself. You would be loosing the investment you put in the design, and would get an average result: twisted trees, slow growing hedges, smaller plants, unprofessional tree shape, weak foliage, …

Professional nurseries are opened to professional landscapers.They will bring you the best plant material.

Maintenance: brush clearance (LA Fire Department requirements)

airedessacld — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 04:15:33 +0000

May 1rst

“Brush Clearance” is the legal term to describe required
treatments or thinning of vegetation on your property to reduce
fire hazards.

Proper maintenance of fire safety does not mean
eradication of all plants, but rather the selective removal of
highly flammable vegetation. When done well, “cleared”
areas should still protect against excessive erosion and
provide wildlife habitat.

(Extract from the LAFD Inspection program reminder)

For additional information go to: www.lafd.org/brush

Maintenance: trimming hedges

airedessacld — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 03:32:58 +0000

Hedges are a common feature in gardens, mostly to provide privacy.

Depending on the plant material used for the hedge, it needs a clean-cut trimming every year, twice or three times a year, or sometimes a more aleatory trimming.

Ficus nitida, Ligustrum texanum (Texas Privet), Syzygium, Podocarpus, Pittosporum, are the most common materials. They will need some regular trimming, and some expertise to make sure it’s straight.

Bamboos are quite common as well for hedges. It is a loose material, that’s the beauty of it, and therefore it doesn’t require a boxy trimming.

Maintenance: palm tree trimming

airedessacld — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 02:08:58 +0000

Palm trees are very different from other trees. Their growth period is in the winter and their dormant period is in the summer. They grow from the bottom; meaning that if you put a mark on the tree, it will move up as the tree grows.

Palm trees are very elegant, usually from a certain distance, otherwise their trunk is not very interesting to look at.

It can nicely defines a corner of a property, and brings verticality to any space, for sure.

By the end of a pool, they’re always nice to look at. They enhance the swimming experience somehow. They can also be used to form a tree line, and create perspective. The streets of Pasadena, Los Angeles or Beverly Hills are a great examples.

But, … they need to be trimmed / cleaned every year, or at least every two years. And sometimes, climbing the palm can be quite a challenge, although, when reaching the top, you usually get the gift of a great view.

Cleaning the trunks
Cutting the fronds
Cutting the fruits

We do all the maintenance services needed for palm trees.

Full make over garden for a Tudor Style mansion in Santa Monica, California

airedessacld — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 02:32:21 +0000

So many front yards are just made of a traditional lawn that requires lots of watering dollars, and don’t allow any use of it. It is just made to be green. Why don’t you make your front yard useful, low water consumption, and low maintenance? That would be a environmental way to go.

Contruction of planters in the forefront of the properry
Construction of one gravel terrace: the water can percolate to the ground
Construction of a brick terrace, using natural material
Low maintenance hedges
Drip line for irrigation

This all implementation was inspected and approved by the highly environmentally concerned City of Santa Monica, CA.

New outdoor entertainment space for a mid century modern villa, Mandeville Canyon, CA

airedessacld — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 10:04:11 +0000

Mandeville Canyon Road is the longest dead end street in the Los Angeles area. But it’s worth the everyday drive if you like nature and peace. It’s a small community by itself within the Brentwood city limits. It’s green and quiet.

The scope of the project included the renovation of the pool, the design of a new entertainment pool deck, a firepit and a lounge area.

The main caracteristics of the design are:

Strip lines of grass (by LA Faux Grass) breaking up with the large hardscape concrete deck
Ornamental Pyrus trees bringing shade to the pool deck
The reshaping of the pool from a bean shape to an elegant oblong pool including a spa and a wall fountain
A lounge area with built-in benches and fire pit, & comfortable cushions
A low maintenance plant palette
A gravel walk for meditation exercises

This implementation has completely transformed the space. The design of the outdoor now fully relates to the mid century modern lines of the house. Landscape & architecture are a whole. The large deck can now be used for entertaining a large group of guests. At night, the lightening brings a dramatic effects and emphasizes the modernist landscape combination.

Contemporary villa in Venice Beach, California

airedessacld — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 10:00:38 +0000

This is a full make over project including:
- design process;
- & landscape implementation.

Demolition phase: 100 hours.
Implementation: 4 weeks total.
Going from an existing tropical look to a contemporary coast line yard.

First challenge: grading the land to make it interesting; so, it’s not just about planting, but also about shaping.
Second challenge: organizing the space to bring privacy, and create a dynamic in the entire garden, from the forefront of the lot to the back where the villa is located.
Third challenge: the budget.

This project includes a concrete slab terrace, a decomposed granite lounge area, a tropical wood board walk, a tropical wood deck, a small arrival court for 2 cars, a firepit, a fountain, and a vegetable garden.

New outdoor space for a contemporary Beverly Hills villa , CA

airedessacld — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 09:41:37 +0000

Starting from scratch

Like most of our projects, this one was started from scratch. The house had been renovated and there was only dirt around. The particularity of the site was the slope all around the house. It was like a sink shape with the house at the lowest point.

First thing to do: shaping the slope, and making small terraces all around in order to be able to plant and make sure the plants will root strongly in the ground. It was also needed to deal with the erosion.
2nd: developing a design that will take advantage of the particular land form, and will bring privacy to the site. Our response was to play with the ondulating lines of the site and the alignment of multiple hedges. We planted 380 Ligustrum texanum bush 15gal, 170 Ligustrum texanum columnar 15gal, 52 Ficus nitida columnar 24″ box, & 180 Ficus nitita columnar 5gal.
3rd: planting large trees to frame the property and bring character. We decided to plant a few Pinus Eldarica, Tristania conferta, Podocarpus gracilor, Quercus agrifolia, and some Citrus espalier trees.
4th: the ondulating lines were planted with Ligustrum texanum bushes.
5th: a few accessories were added such as planters, lighting (dramatic effect all around the pool deck), and wicker furniture.

For the implementation of the trees (36″ box, 48″ box), a crane was used to bring the trees from the street above the property to their final defined location. Trees were in the air for a few minutes, sometimes going above the house. The unloading was done with a permit from the City of Beverly Hills. To follow the regulations, a crew was outside to regulate the traffic.