VALUED CUSTOMERS & FRIENDS+

As 2012 winds to a close, we wish each of you great happiness, strong health, and beautiful gardens.

We also hope you’ll do a little celebrating with us! After four years of steady effort, La Canada Valley Beautiful and FormLA Landscaping have completed the community funded and maintained Gardens of the World at La Canada Public Library! As so many of you know, these drought tolerant demonstration gardens hold a special place in our hearts. Great thanks to those of you who have supported this project with your hands, hearts, donations, and well-wishes. We are profoundly grateful to you this holiday season and always.

Happy Holidays!

Cassy and Kirk Aoyagi

LATEST NEWS+

Visit the Land of the Lorax in La Canada!

Garden Portfolio: FormLA installed the capstone garden, featuring natives of South Africa, at La Canada Valley Beautiful’s Gardens of the World earlier this month. The garden is the last of five designed to showcase drought tolerant, non-invasive plant species from around the world.Many plants native to South Africa have an otherworldly, Lorax-like quality. From the KOOSH ball-like flowers of Protea sp to the purple spikes of Aloe sp, the drought resistant foliage of South Africa often looks like it belongs under the sea. We can’t wait for you to see it in bloom! Until then Get A Sneak Peek Now

3 Beautiful Living Holiday Decorations

Wet-to-Dry Tips: Wet-to-Dry Tips: From the celebratory splash of brilliant red on your doorstep to the heartwarming smell of sage, here are three sustainable choices that will make your holidays bright and flavorful. PIC Add a splash of bright red with Geum chiloense, a non-invasive, climate compatible native of Chile. (See it in action in the Chilean Garden at La Canada Public Library.) Prefer blue and silver? Look to Artemesia californica, more commonly known as Wormwood or Sagebrush, as a feathery background.  Container gardens of edible and fragrant California native sages at the front door are a great way to set the mood for amazing meals. Salvia apiana and Salvia Tera Seca (Black Sage) are a couple of favorites.

WHAT TO EXPECT+

The holidays are not just harvest time… they are one of the best times to plant in Los Angeles! We’ll be digging in gardens throughout Los Angeles, adding the colors, scents and flavors of the holidays. Our clients will also find a few holiday treats on their doorsteps, including organic Fall gourds for holiday feasts!

Preparing homes for holiday entertaining:

• Placing holiday lights
• Removing fallen leaves and cleaning hardscapes
• Adding fragrant and colorful container gardens to front doorsteps
• Filling-in open spaces with vibrant foliage and mulch

Harvest fresh, organic herbs and vegetables:

• Deliver fresh herbs and wildflower seeds to client doorsteps
• Harvest winter veggies like fennel, parsnips and sweet potatoes
• Bringing sages, thymes to the table for holiday cooking

Keep gardens structured and thriving:

• Prune conifers and other deciduous trees and deep-feeding citrus trees
• Continue to cut back thriving natives and native grasses as they experience growth spurts through December
• Diving native grasses and cutting them to the ground

Protect homes from rainy season mayhem:

• Turn down irrigation controllers
  Adjust lighting timers to reflect the time change
• Change batteries in controllers, valves and rain sensors
• Clean gutters and waterways to ensure adequate flow
• Ready rain catchment systems from rainbarrels to infiltration pits

LATEST NEWS+

Visit the Land of the Lorax
3 Living Holiday Decoration

UPCOMING EVENTS+

Pasadena Showcase House Tickets Available

WHAT TO EXPECT+

Preparing homes for holiday entertaining
Harvest fresh, organic herbs and vegetables
Keep gardens structured and thriving
Protect homes from rainy season mayhem

TEAM UPDATE+

Pasadena Showcase House of Design

UPCOMING EVENTS+

Now: Pasadena Showcase House of Design Golden Tickets Available

Save the Dates
Request FormLA Speakers

TEAM UPDATE+

The Pasadena Showcase House of Design awarded FormLA Landscaping a demonstration garden at the 2013 – stay tuned for details!

La Canada is even more beautiful, thanks to the work of La Canada Valley Beautiful volunteers who joined us in maintaining the Gardens of the World at La Canada Public Library.

Cassy and Kirk Aoyagi went under the sea with USGBC, Los Angeles this fall, bringing centerpieces fit for King Titan to the table. Bourget Brothers and Gainey Ceramics generously donated the distinctive glass mulch and containers that award-winners happily took home as prizes. Thank you!!!

Cassy Aoyagi attended the kick-off meeting for the Council for Watershed Health’s newly formed Landscape Ethic Committee.

The Theodore Payne Foundation “Gathering of Friends” at the Aoyagi home and garden, November 3rd , was a huge success; strengthening our relationships with our amazing supporters and discovering your vision and hopes to best accomplish our important mission. Thank you for your attendance and generosity!

About FormLA Landscaping+

FormLA® Landscaping designs, builds and maintains custom sustainable landscapes that beautifully complement the distinct and varied architecture of Los Angeles County. See our expanding Portfolio.

CONTACT FORMLA+

Cassy and Kirk Aoyagi, Principals: Cassy@formlainc.com

Mark Britten, Production Manager: Mark@formlainc.com

John Avakian, Bookkeeping: John@formlainc.com

Cara Barnard, Horticultural Care Technician: Cara@formlainc.com