This Bennett Valley property on the east side of Santa Rosa was a very large backyard project with great possibilities. Adjacent to Matanzas Creek Winery, the vineyard provided a spectacular background. The landscape design for Details Landscape Art, a Santa Rosa landscape designer, was a process of solving a few problems, adding some elements of interest, and providing the homeowners with useful garden space that created a feeling commensurate with the wonderful winery backdrop.
There were several mature trees on the property…too many trees, in fact, requiring extensive tree and root removal. A professional tree service was called in the remove the trees, grind the stumps, and chase as many lateral roots as possible. During construction, excavation uncovered additional lateral roots, which were subsequently removed.
Attached to the back of the home was an existing deck with a fountain, 
and several stairs down to the garden below, providing limited entertaining space. The 30-year old yard was, essentially, wall to wall grass and in need of a serious makeover. They badly needed a Santa Rosa landscape designer.
We began with a large circular ‘Classic Oak’ Arizona flagstone patio.
We have found that curves, and circles in particular, are the most usable shapes, whereas squares and rectangles include corners that are usually wasted space. The patio was balanced with a medium size kidney-shaped lawn.
creating several planting areas and connecting the deck to the patio to the arbor and to the entrance to the vineyard beyond. The planting areas included Japanese maples, non-fruiting olives and Akebono cherry trees, along with a mix of plant material with colorful foliage and placement boulders all of which enhanced the feel of the winery background. The planting scheme included coleonema ‘Gold Sunset, Japanese barberry ‘Roseglow’, variegated society garlic ‘Silver Lace’, white Iceberg’ roses, as well as several perennials such as nepeta ‘Blue Wonder’ and colorful pelargonium ‘Martha Washington’.
A low voltage lighting system accented the major trees and illuminated the pathways at strategic points for a very dramatic evening setting for outdoor dining and entertaining.
The finishing touch is always a two to three inchlayer of bark. We use a product called ‘mini-fir’. The bark also serves as a mulch to reduce transvaporation and thereby retain water, and to control weeds. As an added weed prevention measure, we broadcast a pre-emergent herbicide before the fir bark goes down.
There is a natural beauty of the area that is uniquely Santa Rosa. Landscape construction incorporated the existing features, such as the winery, to accentuate the area’s highlights.
The finishing touch is always a two to three layer of bark. We use a product called ‘mini-fir’. The bark also serves as a mulch to reduce transvaporation and thereby retain water, and to control weeds. As an added weed prevention measure, we broadcast a pre-emergent herbicide before the fir bark goes down.
There is a natural beauty of the area that is uniquely Santa Rosa. As a Santa Rosa landscape designer, we were able to incorporate the existing features, such as the winery, to accentuate the area’s highlights.