As part of its mission to improve the safety and quality of life of residents, the Mandeville Canyon Association unified the community’s homeowners in creating a lush and inviting park space that provides residents and guests with a safe off-street walkway along the busy and winding street.

Beginning at Sunset Boulevard, Mandeville Canyon Road reaches north into the mountains, stopping just shy of Mulholland Drive. Area hikers and mountain bikers take the sidewalk-free road to reach Santa Monica Mountain trails, and many of the beautiful homes along the road back onto wildspace protected by the Santa Monica Mountain Conservancy or the state park system.

Homeowners involved in the Mandeville Canyon Association became interested in redesigning the canyon’s entrance and parkway in 2009, when a homeowner noted that the undergrowth in the park had begun to strangle the trees.

FormLA Landscaping’s Cassy Aoyagi consulted with the project leaders on the MCA board to help define a vision, plant palate, and placement, irrigation, as well as integration of donated plants and reuse of plants existing on site. Dozens of neighbors attended FormLA briefings and brainstorming meetings related to the redesign of the welcome garden and parkway. There was consensus that the entrance to Mandeville Canyon should reflect the community’s connection to nearby wildlands, improve the safety of those traveling the road, and generally beautify the canyon.

Neighbors actively participated in all phases of the project, including clearing of old brush and planting of the new space. For the more technical aspects of the project, they hired professionals. For example, Kirk Aoyagi helped the irrigation installer lay out the smart, low-drip irrigation system, providing specialized expertise to ensure its effective installation.

Overgrowth, beehives, and rat infested ivy on the northeast corner of Mandeville Canyon and Mandeville Canyon Lane have given way to a water conserving welcome to the community.

 

Garden Gateway. The welcome billboard to Mandeville Canyon is now surrounded by beautiful, climate-compatible plants, and a clear path provides a safe walkway for residents and guests.

 

Lawn Alternative Grasses. Encouraged by FormLA Landscaping teams, two varieties of meadow grass create a low and inviting framework along the edges of the decomposed granite path dividing the garden. The Red Fescue and Carex glauca, thrive in the light shade and will support the frequent traffic along this path.

 

Carex Glauca. The lovely light blue contrast sets off the California gold of decomposed granite, as well as companion plants of darker greens.

 

Red Fescue. This dark green native grass provides a blanket that appears thirsty but needs only 50 percent the water utilized by traditional grasses and reduce water consumption by 50, in comparison with more traditional lawn grasses.

 

Deer Grasses, Flax and Pittosporum. Tall grass and ornamentals create vertical accents that bring a unique texture and foliage color to the garden, bringing a simple, serene beauty to the space.

 

Shade Loving Natives. All plants incorporated were chosen for their ability to thrive in shade, as the area has many Peppers and Native Sycamores providing shade cover and needing root freedom to thrive.

 

Subsurface Drip Irrigation. A smart irrigation system was placed throughout the garden to reduce water usage by up to 75 percent. This low flow system also reduces run-off and preserves the notorious decomposed granite paths that line the canyon.

 

Sculptural Boulders. Donated by yet another Mandeville resident, large sculptural rocks that erupt out of the new grasses and meadow, reducing maintenance needs, water usage and echoing the natural canyon environment.

 

Heavy Mulch. A top layer of mulch conserves water and deposits nutrients. It also provides a nice, clean, finished appearance while plants grow to their full size and splendor.

 

Mature Foxtail Agave Plants. Donated by a Mandeville resident, mature agave are already beginning to take hold, providing focal points and beautiful foliage contrast with companion plants, brightening the area below a shaded canopy of trees.

Peppers and Native Sycamores. Large, established trees now thrive, as they are not competing for water and root space with more aggressive plants.

As the new plants and hardscapes take hold, homeowners have become more and more educated, active and committed to reshaping their community’s parks. To date, 20 homeowners have made pledges or contributions ranging from $50-$5000 to support the project with tax deductible donations to the Mandeville Foundation.

Kathleen Durbin, president of the Mandeville Canyon Association notes, “By all measures the project has been a success. We now have beautiful welcome to the community, a safe and lovely pathway, and the project has united and educated our community about sustainable landscaping options.”

The Association now has a firm understanding of the impact it can make when neighbors come together to address a common need. MCA looks forward to taking on additional park projects, including reclaiming a nearby stream and building a second large native garden designed by FormLA Landscaping at Oakmont Park.