existing cactus southwest site corner southeast site corner existing hillside ground cover existing hillside plants existing planting existing planting existing bamboo privacy at Creston Drive existing fruit trees existing hillside cactus existing cactus along Hargrave existing hillside planting existing cactus existing cactus existing cactus existing cactus existing cactus existing cactus on hillside existing cactus on hillside existing cactus buds existing ground cover existing cactus buds existing cactus buds existing cactus buds

The ground already has form. Why not begin to give at once by accepting that? Why not accept the gifts of nature?
~ Frank Lloyd Wright

Existing Site Landscape

The existing site landscape is dominated by the property’s severe slope with a ninety foot elevation difference from the its high point at the upper street to its low point at the lower public hiking trail. Lower parts of the site show the site’s geology with exposed stone outcroppings. A certain wilderness exists on the lower portions of the site  with “native” plants, such as extensive cactus dominating the ground cover. This wilderness extends both physically and visually laterally and down into the next canyon with no visual definition of property lines. Introduced planting, such as fruit trees and bamboo for privacy, define the upper portion of the site. Although the existing cactus on the lower hillside are incorporated in plan and influence the planting pallet, no other existing planting exerts an influence over the architectural or landscape design. It is the site’s physical characteristics, such as slope, geology, and adjacencies, that most impact the architectural and landscape design.

The essence of sound modern gardening is neither design nor planting, but the choice of site.
~ Henry-Russell Hitchcock

 

      

The act of siting betrays to us the tenor of human aspiration, the shape of God and the worth of man.
~ Arthur Ericson