Landscape Design in Santa Monica
Coastal gardens for everyday living, North of Montana to Ocean Park
Santa Monica gardens live close to the ocean and close to each other. Lots are tighter than in the canyons, the light is soft, salt air is a fact, and the city has its own rules for water and construction. Orchard designs, builds, and cares for gardens across Santa Monica, from the wide lots North of Montana to the bungalow blocks of Sunset Park and Ocean Park.
Our work here is about making the most of the space: courtyards, side yards, and rear gardens that function as real rooms, planted with coastal natives and Mediterranean species that handle the climate without constant care.
Neighborhoods we serve in Santa Monica
North of Montana, Wilshire-Montana, Sunset Park, Ocean Park, Mid-City, Santa Monica Canyon, Rustic Canyon
Designing for Santa Monica
Designing for coastal conditions
Within a mile of the beach, salt spray and wind shape what will grow. We favor plants that thrive in it: coastal sage, ceanothus, manzanita, agave and aloe, olive, and ornamental grasses, with tougher specimens on the windward edges and finer texture in sheltered courtyards. Metals, woods, and stone are chosen for the marine environment so they age well rather than corrode.
Making tighter lots work
Many Santa Monica homes sit on narrow parcels with alley access. We treat every strip as usable: a side yard becomes a planted passage, the front garden becomes a shaded seating area, and the rear garden layers dining, lounge, and planting without feeling crowded. Privacy comes from canopy and screening planting rather than tall fences that box the space in.
Santa Monica permits and water
Santa Monica is its own city with its own building department, water-efficient landscape standards, and requirements for new or renovated landscapes. Projects that change hardscape, walls, or drainage typically need city review. We prepare drawings and submittals and manage inspections as part of construction, and we design irrigation and planting to meet the city’s water standards from the start.
Santa Monica FAQ
What plants hold up near the beach in Santa Monica?
Coastal natives and Mediterranean-climate plants: coastal sage, ceanothus, manzanita, agaves, aloes, olives, and grasses. We put the toughest plants on the windward edges and finer textures in sheltered spots.
Do you design around small or narrow lots?
Yes. Much of our Santa Monica work is on tighter parcels. We plan side yards, courtyards, and rear gardens as connected rooms so the whole lot is usable.
Does Santa Monica require permits for landscape work?
Hardscape, walls, grading, drainage changes, and new landscapes typically need review by the City of Santa Monica, which also enforces water-efficient landscape standards. We handle the submittals.
Can you combine hardscape, shade, planting, and privacy in one plan?
That is the goal of every garden we design. Structure, shade, screening, and planting are resolved together so the space works as a whole.
Do you only work in Santa Monica?
No. We work across the Westside, the Hollywood Hills, the near San Fernando Valley, and coastal Orange County.
What is the first step?
Schedule a consultation. We visit the property, talk through how you want to use the space, and return with a scope and design proposal.