Landscape design & build for Oakland

Oakland boasts a blend of old and new housing stock, and we commonly see landscape designs straddling this divide between traditional and contemporary styles.

The woodland ecosystem of Oakland’s interior hills looms large over the city, such that plants suited to this ecosystem often express a stronger sense of belonging than introduced species.

We commonly suggest designs that evoke these nearby wildlands – try tall shrubs or ornamental trees like western redbud or madrone to imply sheltered rooms, while leaving interior planting areas open to the sky, densely planted with scrub and grassland species.

Oakland has almost too many great plants to choose from, including a long list of high-performing natives.

As with other Bay Area cities, various species of Ceanothus, Artemisia, Manzanita, and Salvia are all-stars of Oakland landscapes, along with pink-flowering currant, various buckwheats, coffeeberry, and toyon. Athyrium filix-femina and Woodwardia fimbriata are great ferns for shady spots, while Muhlenbergia rigens and Carex divulsa make for solid ornamental grass options.

As with anywhere in California, water conservation is critical. Opt for low water plants that can tolerate Oakland’s hot, dry summers and California’s ongoing statewide drought.

Hilly yards will need to contend with the opportunities and challenges of slopes, from capitalizing on views to shoring up slopes for erosion control.

Now! Any time of year is great to begin work on a landscape project.

Utilizing the winter to work through the design phase sets you up to get on contractors’ books early in the build season, so you can have your design installed and ready to enjoy in time for summer.

We are happy to work with clients to develop designs that meet their level of comfort around fire safety. Choosing fire-resistant plant species and following best practices for fire safe landscape design are options that our designers are happy to employ at a client’s request.

While design can help reduce your risk of fire damage, it’s important to note, there are no fire-proof plants, and maintenance is the most important determinant of a landscape’s fire safety.

Looking to dig a little deeper? Check out the City of Oakland’s Fire Wise Native Plants list.