The experience of Thousand Oaks is driven by the landscape. Lying in the Conejo Valley and ringed by the Santa Monica and Conejo Mountains, it is a dramatic setting that offers residents that ideal Southern California climate of warm weather and abundant sunshine. And yes, there are a whole bunch of oak trees, some 50,000 to 60,000, according to be exact.

Neighborhoods exist in both flatlands and hilly slopes, presenting a fun variety of topographical conditions for landscape designers. As with other parts of Southern California, wildfires are a reality of the region, and should be taken into account when developing landscape designs in Thousand Oaks.

Whatever your landscape vision may be, Yardzen is ready to make it a reality, working with you to craft a landscape design that achieves the look, feel, and function you are dreaming of, then connecting you with a vetted contractor from Yardzen’s Pro Network to get your design built.

Landscape design in Thousand Oaks often seeks an upscale look that is driven by outdoor living: kitchens, pools, pergolas, and the like are staples of backyards, and get plenty of use thanks to year-round warm weather.

Being a popular family community, low maintenance planting is particularly appealing to Thousand Oaks’ busy parents. At the same time, low water planting is a must to meet the demands of the hot, dry climate.

With so much attention placed on the backyard as a hub for outdoor living, plants are also called upon to do the heavy lifting of providing shade and establishing a comfortable and attractive environment for residents and their guests to enjoy.

Planting styles range, with desert, Mediterranean, and Oak woodland aesthetics being dominant looks.

The best plant selection in Thousand Oaks foregrounds water conservation, habitat provision, and fire safety, while also achieving the look and feel a client is aiming for.

Oaks, naturally, are a fabulous choice, offering strong fire resistance, amazing habitat value, and unbeatable regional appropriateness.

Those favoring a desert aesthetic can opt for xerophytes like Agaves, Yuccas, or the lovely Echeveria elegans, along with dramatic specimens like Desert Museum Palo Verde.

Those wanting a greener feel can lean on drought tolerant, fire-resistant shrubs like pineapple guava, toyon, or, for those seeking something closer to a traditional hedge look, Pittosporum.

Drop in Kniphofia or Limonium perezii if you want some bold, chunky tropical blooms without excessive water needs.

As with anywhere in California, water conservation is critical. Opt for low water plants that can tolerate Thousand Oaks’ hot, dry climate and California’s ongoing drought.

Properties with significant slopes should also consider the opportunities and challenges slopes present, from capitalizing on views to shoring up slopes for erosion control.

Now! Any time of year is great to begin work on a landscape project.

Utilizing the winter to work through the design phase sets you up to get on contractors’ books early in the build season, so you can have your design installed and ready to enjoy in time for summer.

We are happy to work with clients to develop designs that meet their level of comfort around fire safety. Choosing fire-resistant plant species and following best practices for fire safe landscape design are options that our designers are happy to employ at a client’s request.

While design can help reduce your risk of fire damage, it’s important to note, there are no fire-proof plants, and maintenance is the most important determinant of a landscape’s fire safety.