Last updated: August 2026
Service
Landscape Design & Construction
A plan that fits your lot, your light, and how the family actually lives outside — drawn by hand, not pulled from a template.
Most landscape designs we see in Coronado look impressive on paper and tired by year three. The plant palette ignored the ocean wind, the irrigation didn't match the slope, the design assumed a maintenance budget the homeowner didn't have.
We start every design by walking your property with you — at least an hour. We're looking at sun angles, soil, drainage patterns, what the neighbor's roof shades in the afternoon, and most importantly how you actually use the yard. Where do the kids land when they come home? Where do you want to drink coffee? What view from the kitchen window has been bothering you for ten years?
Then we draw the plan. Sometimes by hand on graph paper, sometimes in software. The deliverable isn't a render — it's a yard plan you and Samuel can both point at while we install it.
What's in the design
- Site survey: sun, drainage, soil sample if needed
- Plant palette tailored to your microclimate (a Coronado bay-side yard and a Point Loma cliff yard are different climates, and they should be planted differently)
- Hardscape layout: paths, patios, edging, dry creek beds, retaining if needed
- Irrigation plan: zones, head types, smart-controller programming
- Lighting plan if you want it
- Phasing if you want to do it in stages — many of our best Coronado yards were built across two or three years
Drought-aware by default
San Diego averages ten inches of rain a year. We design around that. That doesn't mean a gravel yard — it means California-native and Mediterranean palettes that look intentional in August, not desperate. More on our drought-tolerant work →
Designs we tend to draw
Coastal estate
Manicured but loose, with structure plants near the house and a softer edge toward the property line. Pittosporum hedges, agave drifts, a single statement tree.
California native
Manzanita, sage, ceanothus, and grasses that look like the chaparral 20 miles east. Pollinator-friendly. Almost no irrigation after year two.
Family yard
Real lawn (small, where the kids actually use it), play space, a patio that fits the table you already own, edible bed if you want one.
Front-yard refresh
The most common Coronado job. Strip what's tired, regrade if needed, install a palette that ages well, install lighting that makes it feel like the rest of the house.
Common Questions
Landscape Design & Construction — FAQ
How long does a design take?
Two to four weeks from walkthrough to final plan, depending on how decisive you want to be.
Do you charge for the consultation?
No. The first walkthrough is free. We'll give you a ballpark on the spot. The detailed plan is a separate engagement.
Can we install it ourselves?
You can. We design for installs we'd do, but we'll happily hand off a plan and answer questions if you've got a handy crew.
Do you do 3D renderings?
Rarely. We've found they oversell the result and slow the process down. We'd rather spend that time walking the property a second time.
Free, no-pressure consultation
Tell us about your yard.
Samuel will walk the property, listen to what you want, and tell you honestly what we'd do — and what we wouldn't.
What does a landscape designer in Coronado actually do?
A Coronado landscape designer reads the lot, drafts the plan, picks plants that handle salt air, runs the install crew, and returns to prune. We do all of it in-house. Sam walks every property. That is the whole reason neighbors call us after watching us work the yard next door for a season.
Ready to start? Reach Ecosystem Landscaping & Design or see the portfolio of Coronado projects including 545 Ocean Blvd and 667 Ocean Blvd.