The Big One: West-coast flair

Company: Gachina Landscape Management
Location: Atherton, Calif.

Maintaining a unique estate located in the Bay Area, Gachina Landscape Management works hand in hand with the client to ensure everything on-site — from the trees to the flowers — ties together into a cohesive design.

That can be challenging because the estate features several unique trees, including redwoods and oak trees. The client wanted the trees and the architecture to be a focal point of the property.

According to Robert Garcia, senior account manager, the tree species require different plant varieties under their canopies. The four oak trees on the property thrive without grass or “water-loving” plants — such as heuchera, hellebores and perennial geraniums — under the canopies.

When Gachina took over the property in 2019, it had to remove the old lawn, irrigation system, gopher netting, filter fabric and drain rock due to an incorrect fabric used by the previous contractor.

The property’s original landscape architect referred Gachina to the homeowner and still works on the property alongside Gachina in a consulting role.

The estate also features plants that Gachina is still training, including two bougainvilleas, in the back of the property.

“I constantly have to glue and paint anchors to match the wall so you can’t see them,” Garcia says. “We’re also training a climbing hydrangea inside a lightwell.”

To ensure the redwoods — and the other plants and trees on the estate — receive the water they need, Gachina utilizes a HydroPoint WeatherTRAK smart controller with Hunter MP rotators.

The project earned Gachina Landscape Management a 2021 Silver Award from the National Association of Landscape Professionals’ Awards of Excellence program

Photo: Robert Hinson

Having a healthy turf was important to Gachina in its maintenance work on the property. Senior Account Manager Robert Garcia says a lot of work went into planning the drainage and irrigation systems to ensure a vibrant turf complementing a limited color palette.

Photo: Robert Hinson

One of several species of trees on the estate, redwoods are native to the Pacific Northwest, providing a unique flair to the property.

Photo: Robert Hinson

The estate features a vegetable and wildflower garden. A custom cage covers two beds to protect them from squirrels and other animals. The garden is home to berry vines, citrus trees, seasonal vegetables and wildflowers.

Photo: Robert Hinson

At the front of the property, an oak tree towers over the home. Gachina also manages several boxwood hedges around the property. According to Garcia, the client has specific requirements for their height.

Photo: Robert Hinson

Gachina is training two bougainvilleas to climb the three arches located on the back patio of the property.

Photo: Robert Hinson

Gachina has planted several perennial shrubs under the large oak tree along the walkway from the front to the back of the property.