SIMI VALLEY LANDSCAPING

This landscaping project in Simi Valley actually started several years earlier at another location entirely. At another house, that is. We had done the landscape work on a particular street for just about every house there. They were all new houses and we kept getting referred from one to the other. A few years went by and we occasionally went back to do another phase for one of the clients on this street (it was time to add the patio cover or the stone entryway). The street had a certain flavor to it that was reminiscent of an earlier era. People there visited each other a lot and several of them bought motor homes and they went camping together sometimes – you get the idea, it was like the 1950s and very refreshing to see for Southern California in this modern era of tall fences.

Two of the clients moved eventually into larger homes and we were called to landscape the new homes. One of those homes is featured here. The owners had been keeping their eyes open for a special type of property and one day their real estate agent had called to tell them about this one. The houses were just about done. There were only 4 of them and each one of them sat on a two acre lot. They went look at it and, as I heard the story, decided to buy the one with the best view the same day.

The property has a spectacular view of Simi Valley and the surrounding hillsides. It backs up onto the native land in the area so there are hawks that float over the house – and besides the hawks and other wildlife, only a couple of distant neighbors. Eagles have been seen there at times as well. The landscape design began with a lot of dirt that needed to be transformed. The owner’s needs were listed out, design ideas were tossed around, and then the work began.

A large concrete parking area was added to the back of the house so the motor home would have a home. A special swimming pool was designed that has a meandering river with jets to push the inner tubes from one end to the other. The pool also has an infinity edge to take advantage of the great view as well as a patio in the center of the pool itself. The spa also has a great view.

Since the owner likes to entertain a lot, several patios were added, some of which have patio covers for shade. The fire pit has room for at least 20 people to sit around it and is filled with silica sand instead of lava rock (this causes a blue flame and a different look with fire swirling out of various parts of the sand).

A unique dog run was built that is completely enclosed, including an ornamental iron roof so the dogs are safe from the hawks and any other wildlife that might decide to visit. A doggie door leads directly into this area which also has a stone patio so the people can relax and visit with the dogs. The outdoor barbeque area not only allows for the cooking of food but has seating space for about 10 guests at a time and a fridge to keep the beer cold. After the initial project, it was discovered that the bar got a lot of sunshine and needed its own patio cover, so this was added to make it more usable during those summer afternoons.

Recently, we went back and added a set of regulation horseshoe pits so people visiting would have one more item of interest (after all, this is the Southwest).

There is a complete outdoor lighting system that gives the environment that resort hotel look at night. Not as glamorous, but just as important, there is an automatic irrigation system that comes with a remote control since the property is large and this makes it much easier to check the system and keep it tuned up.

© LARSEN LANDSCAPE CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN INC