Living Landscape

Plants that
belong here.
Put here on purpose.

Planting design and installation across Sonoma, Marin, and Napa County. We select for your soil, your sun, and your water — not for what looked good at the nursery.

CA Licensed & Insured Native & adapted plants Water-smart design
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Trusted Across

  • Petaluma - Santa Rosa
  • Healdsburg - Sonoma
  • Mill Valley - San Rafael
  • Napa - St. Helena

Why it matters

Most planting fails
before it starts.
Wrong plant. Wrong place.

The North Bay is not one climate. A hillside in Healdsburg drains differently than a flat lot in San Rafael. A south-facing Marin garden gets sun a Petaluma yard never sees. Generic planting plans — the kind drawn without a site visit — ignore all of this. The plants look fine in the first season. Then they don't.

"We select plants the way a doctor prescribes — based on what's actually there."

We walk the property before anything is specified. Soil, drainage, sun exposure, wind, existing root systems. Every plant we select has a reason for being there. That's what makes a planting last.

Start with a free site visit
What we plant and why
California Natives

Plants that evolved here. Lower water once established, better for local pollinators, and genuinely suited to North Bay soils.

Mediterranean Adapted

Plants from similar climates — drought-tolerant, summer-dry tolerant, and visually lush without constant irrigation.

Ornamental & Seasonal

Grasses, perennials, and flowering shrubs selected for color, texture, and interest across all four seasons.

Edible & Productive

Fruit trees, raised beds, herbs, and kitchen gardens integrated into the broader landscape — not set apart from it.

Irrigation designed with the planting

We spec irrigation zones to match plant water needs — not one schedule for everything. Plants thrive. Water bills don't climb.

Soil amendment where it counts

We test and amend before anything goes in the ground. The right soil gives every plant the best possible start.

Maintenance hand-off included

After installation, we walk you through care requirements. Most clients continue with our maintenance plan so the same crew stays on the property.

What's included

Selected for here.
Installed to last.

From initial site assessment through installation and care handoff — what every living landscape project includes.

Free site visit & plant consultation

We walk the property with you — sun, drainage, soil, existing plants, and your vision for the space. No charge, no obligation.

Custom plant palette & design plan

A site-specific plant selection with placement plan, spacing, layering, and seasonal interest — designed for your conditions, not a template.

Soil testing & amendment

We evaluate and amend soil before planting. Compost, mineral adjustments, and pH correction where needed — giving every plant the best start.

Irrigation design & installation

Drip, micro-spray, or rotor — matched to plant water needs, not convenience. Zoned properly so high and low water plants are never on the same line.

Professional planting & mulching

Plants installed at correct depth and spacing. Mulch applied at the right depth — enough to retain moisture and suppress weeds, not so deep it suffocates crowns.

Care walkthrough & maintenance handoff

We finish every project with a walkthrough — pruning, irrigation adjustments, fertilization timing. Most clients continue with our maintenance plan year-round.

Plants we commonly specify for North Bay properties
Ceanothus Salvia Manzanita Penstemon Toyon Lavender Rosemary Ornamental grasses Agave Westringia California Fescue Olive
Living landscape planting — Oak River Landscaping
Native planting detail
Ornamental garden

Every plant selected for your conditions. Placed where it will actually thrive.

Common questions

What people
ask us most.

About plant selection, timing, water, and what makes a planting last in North Bay conditions.

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California natives and Mediterranean-adapted plants. They evolved here — or somewhere very much like here — so they handle dry summers, wet winters, and clay soils without complaint. Ceanothus, Salvia, Manzanita, Toyon, Lavender, and ornamental grasses are workhorses in North Bay landscapes. That said, every property is different. We select based on your site, not a general list.
It depends on scope, plant sizes, soil conditions, and whether irrigation is included. Every project gets a written, fixed-price proposal after a free site visit. You know the full cost before we plant a single thing.
Three things: the right plants, the right irrigation, and the right soil. Drought-adapted plants need less water once established. Zoned irrigation means plants with different water needs aren't on the same schedule. Good soil retains moisture and reduces frequency. Done well, a water-smart landscape can be just as lush as one on full irrigation — for significantly less water.
Yes — and we think irrigation should be designed alongside the planting, not bolted on after. We match the system to the plants: drip for shrubs and perennials, rotor or spray where needed. Everything is zoned by water need. You don't end up with drought-tolerant natives on the same line as a thirsty hydrangea.
Most residential installs are done in one to five days. Larger scopes with soil amendment, irrigation, and phased planting take longer. Your written proposal includes a timeline so there are no surprises.
Fall is the best window. Cooler air reduces transplant stress, and the winter rains do most of the watering work during establishment. Spring works too, but summer planting puts a heavier irrigation demand on new plants. If you're planning a project, fall is the time to move.

Get started

Your property
has the right plants in it.
We just haven't found them yet.

Start with a free site visit. We'll walk the property with you, talk through what belongs there, and follow up with a written plan and a fixed price.

Call us
(415) 876-8269

Free site visit. Written proposal. No obligation to proceed.

CA Licensed & Insured
Native & Adapted Plants
Water-Smart Design
Sonoma · Marin · Napa