Native Plant Landscaping for Small Projects
Serving Pasadena, Altadena, Sierra Madre and Monrovia
My husband and I work together to create California native plant focused gardens. We create planting plans that consider your yard’s unique light and soil. We are both artists, and we draw illustrations to help you see our design plans. We can help with design and with planting. As an affordable alternative to large landscaping companies, we’re happy to focus on smaller projects. We can create a whole yard garden design map, or plan a hummingbird or butterfly garden, habitat corner. We also offer yard refresh, where we work with your existing landscape to add native plants, and we don’t mind finding ways to include non-natives that you love. Let us transform your yard into a water saving, local wildlife haven that you can take care of yourself.
Services
Native Plant Landscape Design
We create a full yard design plan and can even include illustrations. Your design plan will have a planting map and instructions for care.
We offer free initial consultations.
Native Plant Consulting and Coaching
Do you want to DIY, but need support from someone who knows native plants? We provide in person coaching in North East LA and along the foothills. We offer email coaching for all of LA at a low per email rate.
Small Project Installation
We can install small projects for you and can even bring the plants with us.
Native Plant Maintenance
Native plants need less care than lawns and imported plants, however, they still need care. We offer twice yearly (or more) native plant care. We prune at the right time of year for each plant and we are mindful of the baby bees that are born in your flower stalks.
We also know the difference between a baby poppy and a baby crane weed, and are happy to take care of your seasonal weeding for you.
Native Plant Delivery
We can now deliver native plants to your doorstep to customers in Altadena, Pasadena, Monrovia, Sierra Madre or along most of the Foothills.
We also offer curated selections of 12+ plants for common LA environments. Got scorching all afternoon sun or clay soil? We can deliver and even install. Our plants cost about the same as standard nurseries and often less. We include a care guide.
Native Plant Garden Styles
These approaches make native garden design accessible and low cost. Learn about small gardens here:
Yard Refresh with Native Plants
For people who don’t want a total yard overhaul, but want to add native plant sections or integrate natives plants into their existing space.
Native Plant Yard Plan
When we design your native garden, we look at your home and consider how you use your space or want to use it. We create a one of a kind garden plan just for your home. We consider color, bloom seasons, shade, privacy, and experience. We can install your whole yard plan now or in phases, or you can DIY.
Native Plant Habitat Corner
A habitat corner is usually about 20 to 60 square feet made with all small creatures in mind. It’s an opportunity to bring more nature to your yard when you don’t have a lot of space. These tiny ecosystems can be tucked into a side yard or a corner. Learn more.
Native Plant Pollinator Garden
These tend to be 40 to 120 square feet, although bees can benefit from just 10 square feet of densely packed pollinating plants! Butterflies need more fluttering room, so their gardens are on the larger end. We can also focus on bird, fragrance or forage gardens. Learn more.
My Native Plant Garden Photo Gallery
Native yards offer a unique sensory experience. Native variety brings birds and butterflies, and creates opportunities to explore and discover in your own back yard. I set mine up as a meandering nature path, with opportunities to sit and even snack. Today, our water bill is half of what it was when the front yard was a lawn. As native plants don’t require the regular maintenance that imported landscapes do, this stillness invites birds to your yard, not only to forage, but nest and raise young.
Meet the Designer
I decided to focus on small project native plant landscaping after years of maintaining a Certified Wildlife Habitat in a Pasadena foothill community. Over time, I developed a unique, low maintenance approach to California native gardening, perfect for those who prefer to manage their own outdoor space. A native yard requires little maintenance once set up. There is no need for a leaf blower or a lawn mower, and once established, a native garden uses very little water. My husband and I are former art and design professionals who make it our mission to offer accessible and affordable approaches to native yard design.
As artists, we can visualize a yard over time, and we hand draw your unique garden design plans. We know which native plants grow fast enough for a hedge, which are suited for your unique terrain and light. We can work with what you already have or build a native yard one corner at a time. As a gardening enthusiast, we have done it all: tried every form of outdoor compost, utilize rain barrels, and keep a small fish pond and separate dragonfly pond.
Let’s work together to make your yard a garden.
Education and Certifications
I completed my Calscape Nursery Training and my husband earned his California Native Plant Landscaper Certificate from the Theodore Payne Foundation. Our yard is a National Wildlife Federation certified wildlife habitat, and we are happy to include these features in your yard design plan. In creating custom garden designs, I also draw from my BFA from the University of North Texas and years of graphic design experience.
Completed Courses:
Contact me for a free quote.
Ready to begin your own front or backyard small scale landscaping adventure? Contact me or fill out your Garden Plan Form to start now.
Having trouble with this form? Copy the site name above (dianakohne.com) and add hello (at).
Before and After
