Into The Sun
As summer draws near our thoughts naturally turn to outdoor entertaining, with visions of freshly planted flowers and shrubs, manicured verdant lawns, newly landscaped garden rooms, and well appointed patios continually in our mind’s eye. How else to best enjoy backyard barbecues, an intimate dinner, or Sunday brunch with friends al fresco? We talked to three local landscape designers who share their ideas on new ways of adding elegance and style to outdoor living this season. Let the sun shine in.

"Think rustic, think European," says David Tillett, owner of Rancho Santa Fe Stone & Garden in the Del Rayo Village in Fairbanks Ranch. "We’re especially big on wall fountains this season, along with an abundance of planters made of terracotta, cast stone, and hand-carved stone from Europe, which look especially great with purple and yellow flowers, our favorite colors for spring and summer."

Tillett also reports that his firm, which also handles architectural design projects as well as landscaping, has been seeing strong interest in natural stone ponds filled with tropical fish and koi.

"We like the rustic look of concrete and stone, which is durable and ages well," says Tillett. "People are definitely putting more thought and money into the design of their backyards and ponds are a natural element that offer a pleasing aesthetic. And with the addition of a fountain or waterfall, it adds a very European touch to the environment." (858/759-7553)

Schnetz Landscape owner/designer Bill Schnetz’s mission is to create gardens that "dazzle the eye and nurture the soul" rather than subscribing to anything trendy.

Schnetz says, "When I go out to view a property, the trendy elements are the last detail or component. So many homeowners rush out to buy the trendiest design ideas and often create nightmares in their gardens. The first thing I look at is how easy the traffic flow is from inside the living space to the outdoor patio or garden. Overcrowding a space is the worst thing anyone can do; more important is to make the space comfortable and pleasing enough to draw you out of the house in the first place."

Schnetz, whose 25-year-old firm is based in Escondido, makes his recommendations on a case-by-case basis but maintains that managing an environment properly is key. "Is there too much breeze, which would require a screen planting? Is there a corridor that opens to a distant view? Does too much exposure to a neighbor’s window need tall trees for privacy? An outdoor living space should be a private sanctuary that is timeless, never trendy," he maintains. Schnetz’s favorite outdoor installation of late: fire and ice pits, barbecue carts rather than built-in outdoor kitchens, which he says take up too much space, and a sculptural, wood-burning brick oven for roasting pizzas, breads, and meats. (760/591-3453, www.schnetzlandscape.com)

Brian Garrett, designer for Spurlock Poirier, a San Diego-based architectural landscape company, believes there are two major influences right now — both intertwined with people’s desire to connect with nature.

"The first movement is toward outdoor living and the connection between indoors and out," says Garrett. "People are designing and building outdoor rooms that have the same functions as many traditional indoor rooms such as living areas and kitchens. And with the advance of outdoor furniture it is becoming more comfortable to be outside.

Architects and landscape architects are also working together to blur the boundaries between outdoor and indoor environments by using similar pavements, framing views, and creative planting designs that bring nature into the home as well as the home into nature."

The second movement, according to Garrett, is more subtle but equally important. The natural landscape, he believes, is becoming a defining feature of many of his firm’s projects and the trend is moving toward blending a property with the surrounding landscape to accentuate the feeling of space, rather than dominating the site and creating a perimeter around the property line.

"The natural beauty of California and its landscape history is creating spaces that are more seamless and less suburban, explains Garrett. "Native specimen trees, border shrubs, and perennials are very popular along with more historic pastoral or agricultural landscape styles such as orchards and grasslands."

As a result, Garrett sees a convergence of trends resulting in a style that is becoming uniquely Californian due to the wonderful climate and rich landscape history. Says Garrett: "We are really beginning to see a more harmonious and beautiful expression of the California home." (619/681-0090, www.sp-land.com)
— Ralph DiGennaro