The principal designer of Solena Landscape, Mitch Kalamian, is not only a talented designer of outdoor spaces; he is also an author having penned a guide to smooth the progress of creating the ultimate outdoor paradise.
The guide, entitled “How to Create Your Ultimate Outdoor Paradise: 8 Insider Secrets Every Homeowner Considering Investing in a Major Landscape Project Must Know!”, walks consumers step-by-step through the sometimes-intimidating process of planning a landscaping project. This is a “must-read” for homeowners BEFORE they start the process.
Some of the topics addressed in the guide include:
Budget: what should it be and what affects it?
How to get a top designer to design your project for “free”.
Contracts: what makes a “win-win” contract? 6 important tips you need to know.
The one thing you never want to say to a landscape designer.
The 4 important steps to creating your outdoor paradise…what options you need to consider.
Landscape “architect” vs. “designer”…are design/build firms a better choice?
Choosing the right landscape designer/contractor…what do you need to consider? Does your contractor need to be licensed?
Homeowners are encouraged to complete a series of worksheets at the back of the guide that address: the planning process, budget, how to choose a new service provider and contracts. Completion of these worksheets will arm homeowners with the information they need to interview designers/contractors with confidence and make the right choices for their project.
The beginning of the year is a great time to start the design process of your landscape project for you to be able to enjoy it by summertime.
If interested in obtaining a copy, please fill out the form in the Bookstore section of our website or click here to go directly to the site. You may also contact us at 714.960.8955 to request a copy.
Best Regards,
Distinctive Landscapes for the Finest Homes
438 Main Street, Suite #210 | Huntington Beach, CA 92648
With the rain season coming up, thought it prudent to take some time to inform you of the benefits of collecting rainwater for reuse.
While it is easy to turn on the faucet and have clean water to use, by collecting water from nature you will find that your water bill is lowered and your plants healthier. You can easily harvest rainwater by installing a rain chain, a rain barrel or cistern to collect the rainwater. Rain chains are attached to the down spout of the rain gutter and guide the water that gets collected in the rain gutter to a container that has the end of it placed in it. Rain barrels can be as utilitarian as a large garbage can placed in place to catch rain water or as decorative as a faux rock looking barrel. If using a large garbage can, you can attach some sort of spout to the bottom of it to access the water. Cisterns are the most complex of the bunch and may need a handyman/contractor to set one up.
Examples of rain chain, rain barrel and cistern
Harvesting rainwater allows you to not be dependent upon the water provided to you. Rainwater, when collected directly from the sky into a barrel, does not have added chemicals or pollutants, which plants and crops respond better to. Watering your indoor and outdoor plants with soft rainwater promotes growth and health. Also, soil erosion and flooding is reduced as the water is collected in barrels rather than dispersed into the ground that cannot handle the concentration of water.
All in all, this is a simply way to be green without having to expend much effort. If you are interested in having a rain collecting system installed or for more information, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Best Regards,
Distinctive Landscapes for the Finest Homes
438 Main Street, Suite #210 | Huntington Beach, CA 92648
This past week Solena broke ground on the landscaping for the Armenian Church of the Desert in Rancho Mirage. Given my heritage, I am very proud to be a part of this project and am one step closer to seeing the ‘Olive Garden Amphitheater’ that I designed come to fruition. This space would serve as a garden setting for weddings and the annual Kebab Picnic and feature a grape arbor, fruiting Olive trees and a gazebo.
The homeowners felt that the outdoor space needed to be modified to better suit their family’s needs. The existing back yard was not conducive to them being able to lounge, with no area for the children to play. Watch as Mitch explains the design layout and the thought process behind the design.
Best Regards,
Distinctive Landscapes for the Finest Homes
438 Main Street, Suite #210 | Huntington Beach, CA 92648
Watch as Mitch explains what goes on during the exciting first day of construction at new project. With a space for a large dining set by a custom fountain, to an elevated living/lounge area with a custom fireplace overlooking the pool and spa.. The design is going to be a Mediterranean style entertainers delight! Currently at the tail end of demolition and in the process of measuring out the plan onsite, to verify best use of space. A lot of times what looks great on paper doesn’t necessarily pan out the same way in real life. Always important to plot out what has been designed in the field to make sure the design is maximizing the space available.
Best Regards,
Distinctive Landscapes for the Finest Homes
438 Main Street, Suite #210 | Huntington Beach, CA 92648
Maybe you just do not have the room to allow an ornamental vine/hedge to grow to its proper potential, or maybe you’re just looking for a fresh idea to showcase nature’s beautiful flora…whatever the case may be a unique way of highlighting nature’s already beautiful plants is by training shrubs to grow in a standard tree form. Many ornamental shrubs would standout significantly when used in standard tree form to display the beauty of the plants bloom, the bougainvillea vine, for example, maintains a tidy appearance as a standard. Another great plant for this is the hibiscus…
Bougainvilla in standard form
Bougainvillea in natural form
Hibiscus in standard form
Hibiscus in natural form
Some tips to get you started:
- Choose a plant that has a strong center support.
- Begin training the plants young. Younger plants grow faster and are more flexible allowing them to be trained to a standard form with less risk of damaging the plant. The first pruning tends to be on the heavier side and can add a lot of stress to the plant. A younger plant can bounce back quicker from this stress.
- Prune the lower branches leaving enough at the top so that the plant is still able to produce enough energy to support itself.
- Stake and tie the center stem to a firmly staked support. This will assist the center stem in growing straight and tall. When the standard plant has matured enough the center stake will not be needed.
- Continue with the pruning. Make sure to keep the center stem clean. Clip the top growth occasionally to encourage growth from the top.
- Keep in mind is that being that the plant is growing from a single stem the standard form is less winter hardy. If plant is grown in a container then you can bring it in inside in the wintertime if you planted in the ground then you should try to insulate the ground in the winter.
Get creative in your garden…you are not limited to the plants that are listed here. Any flowering shrub would work..butterfly bush, lilac, hydrangea..you just need to be patient with the result…good luck and happy gardening!
Best Regards,
Distinctive Landscapes for the Finest Homes
438 Main Street, Suite #210 | Huntington Beach, CA 92648
We are excited to announce that we will be featuring a weekly blog on interesting plant facts. Every week we will blog about a specific plant that Mitch uses regularly in his designs. The plants are chosen for aesthetic reasons as well as them being able to thrive well in the Southern California climate. Stay tuned to learn more about the beautiful plants that are used in Solena Landscapes projects…
Bougainvillea
Bougainvillea is bright and ornamental flowering plant with thorny vines that is very suited to growing in Californian climate. They tend to grow best in bright sun and once established require very little water to thrive. If overwatered the plant will not flower and may even die from root decay.
Bougainvillea, being a climbing vine, is ideal for use on walls and along fence lines as well as a hedge. The plant may also be tamed and pruned for use in standard form in containers and hanging baskets.
Fun Fact: Various species of Bougainvillea are the official flowers of Californian cities Laguna Niguel and San Clemente.
Best Regards,
Distinctive Landscapes for the Finest Homes
438 Main Street, Suite #210 | Huntington Beach, CA 92648
Browsing through the HGTV website I noticed that they have a Designer’s Portfolio section set up with some of our past projects and just wanted to share this info.
Industry magazine, Landscape Online, has published an article about one of our past award-winning projects. This particular project came to be when the homeowners became tired of intentionally avoiding their backyard, which had over time turned into a dirt dog run. The family wanting an area they could entertain and relax in contacted Solena Landscape Co. to carry out the construction of the project. What started out as a barren strip of dirt used only by the family’s dog became a quaint and cozy entertainer’s yard.
This project, located in Long Beach, was awarded “Outstanding Custom Waterfeature” by the California Landscape Contractors Association in 2010.
To read more about this projects amazing transformation go here .
Best Regards,
Distinctive Landscapes for the Finest Homes
438 Main Street, Suite #210 | Huntington Beach, CA 92648
Solena Landscape Co. has been on the cutting edge of the ‘Green Revolution’ since the beginning. With a sensitivity toward sustainability and water conservation, we have been designing water-wise landscapes, such as Xeriscape gardens, for almost 20 years.
Solena, in association with the Surfrider Foundation, is also involved with a wonderful new program called Ocean Friendly Gardens (OFG). The premise behind a true OFG is to design and implement garden spaces that follow the simple strategy of CPR: Conservation, Permeability & Retention.
Conservation: Of water, energy & habitat
Permeability: Of soil and surfaces lets water slow down and sink
Retention: Of rainwater and prevention of wet weather runoff
It has been shown that runoff from gardens and lawns contributes greatly to pollution in our local waters as well as the waste of our precious resource; water. The goal of the OFG program is to help limit that and provide an interesting and aesthetically pleasing alternative. In an effort to ‘conserve’ cost, volunteer help is occasionally used to make the program affordable to everyone. You can learn more about that by visiting the Surfrider Foundation website @ www.hsbsurfrider.org.
Recently, Solena has completed two exciting OFG’s in the city of Huntington Beach. The first was a teaching garden in conjunction with Huntington Beach High School. Owner of Solena Landscape, Mitch Kalamian, directed the student of a class on sustainability on the proper techniques of installing an OFG and gave a lesson on the importance of keeping the carbon footprint of each garden contained.
The plot of land in the front yard before the 'OFG'.
The second garden was a private residence. Landscape designer Kalamian was brought in to come up with a concept that would complement the lifestyle of the homeowner. The resulting design features a unique blend of succulents and groundcovers in various colors and textures as well as a dry creek bed, rainbarrel to capture excess rain water, a soaker hose and recycled concrete retaining wall.
Homeowner Seth Matson was ecstatic with the results, saying “We love our new garden and have had dozens of neighbors stop by to ask about the unique layout and choice of plants. We have a lot of fun explain what an OFG is and showing off its rain barrel and succulents. We really are trying to be environmentally conscious and Solena and Mitch, as well as the volunteers, really worked hard to make our dream a reality”.
To learn more about Solena Landscape and the Ocean Friendly Garden program please visit www.SolenaLandscape.com or call (714) 960-8955.
Best Regards,
Distinctive Landscapes for the Finest Homes
438 Main Street, Suite #210 | Huntington Beach, CA 92648
