Restoring Balance: How Thoughtful Landscaping Heals the Impacts of Development -A New Project in the Works!

We’ve been busy painting the town green! While many of our recent projects are still growing in, before we share their “after” photos, we wanted to give you a look at one we’re currently designing. This project is especially meaningful because it highlights the challenges of modern development—and how thoughtful landscaping can restore balance, beauty, and resilience.

The Story of the Site

This property was once part of a larger lot surrounded by mature trees—many of them native oaks. Over the years, subdivision and development transformed the landscape. Like many new builds, it was approved with reduced setbacks, meaning homes could be built closer to property lines.

That change has big consequences:

• Fewer trees and less vegetation

• Less privacy for neighbors

• Greater fire risk due to dense, wall-to-wall structures and hardscape

We saw these risks firsthand during the Eaton Fire in Altadena, where homes built close together contributed to rapid fire spread. In contrast, homes with defensible space and vegetation buffers often fared better, slowing embers and protecting structures.

Home prior to development, Home after development and lot split

When this lot was developed, more than 12 mature trees were removed with no mitigation or replacement. Only a single ash tree (Fraxinus udhei) remained. Unfortunately, construction had severely damaged it. After an arborist evaluation, we determined it was rotting and unsafe to keep.

Rather than hauling it away, we kept all the wood onsite. This tree will live on in another form—crafted into benches for the garden and gathering space.

Challenges on the Ground

With vegetation stripped away, the topsoil was also removed. The space was backfilled with compacted dirt—an open invitation for invasive plants. One species in particular took over: Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima).

Tree of Heaven thrives in poor, compacted soils and crowds out native vegetation. It also produces chemicals that inhibit the growth of other plants (a process called allelopathy). We removed a large stand of it spanning the length of the property, opening the way for healthier, more beneficial species.

Our Design Vision

This project aims to return character, greenery, and ecological function to the space. The plan includes:

𖣂 Fourteen new trees – to mitigate canopy loss, restore privacy, and reduce heat from surrounding pavement

𖧧 Native plants and meadow areas – providing food and shelter for pollinators and birds while conserving water

༄ A rain garden – capturing and filtering stormwater, replenishing groundwater, and reducing runoff

𓎩 Fruit trees and a food garden – turning the yard into a source of nourishment for both people and wildlife

𓅨 Bird fountains and habitat features – inviting songbirds and beneficial insects back into the space

𖠋𖠋𖠋 Multiple seating and dining areas – transforming the lot into a usable outdoor living space

ō͡≡o˞ Permeable driveway extensions – allowing for extra parking on a busy street while letting rain soak into the ground

We are excited to watch this once-disturbed lot evolve into a thriving habitat garden. With time, it will not only provide shade and privacy but also become a resilient, climate-smart landscape that supports biodiversity, reduces fire risk, and strengthens the character of the neighborhood.