Tag archives: landscaping

Wanted: Green Thumbs
By Kim Crail   |   November 8, 2022

Montecito Library is looking for gardeners, designers, landscape architects, and permaculture experts who might be willing to share some of their knowledge with the community. Starting this spring, we hope to offer gardening programs for children and adults at the Montecito and Eastside libraries.  Some topics that we are interested in covering are gardening basics, […]

Property Landscaping: Options to Reduce Water Use
By Asher Radziner   |   July 5, 2022

Montecito is home to an array of birds, vibrant native plants, and rolling green lawns, all dependent on one resource: water. Recently, the question of water reuse has circulated throughout the community. Should Montecito create systems for non-potable water reuse? Potable reuse? Implementing these systems is prudent but will be costly and take time.  The […]

Native Roots
By Eileen Read   |   April 2, 2021

Sustainable landscaping doyenne Susan Van Atta is healing the local ecosystem one acre at a time… It was Susan Van Atta’s birthday just after the presidential inauguration and she wanted to spend it quietly riding her bike on a nostalgic tour through “her” Carpinteria. She set off along the paths of the Salt Marsh Reserve (she helped designed […]

The Gardening Lady of Summerland
By Leslie Westbrook   |   August 6, 2020

Sonya Harris keeps the seaside town in the green Most people recognize Sonya Harris from, er, behind. Often seen bent over the landscape edging the 101 northbound entrance, or the Summerland Memorial Garden or other spots in town, Sonya has taken it upon herself to keep the seaside town looking healthy and green ever since […]

Droughts, Conflagration, Pandemic. What’s a Garden Lover to Do?
By Eileen Read   |   June 25, 2020

The answer this season in Montecito clearly is, “Don’t give up, dig in.” With winter’s rains nurturing a robust planting season, home gardeners, garden designers, and professionals have been eagerly cultivating throughout spring and into summer. Sheltering-in-place during COVID has only accelerated this trend. Drive around any corner, you’ll see raised beds or garden walls […]

Planters Finished on Coast Village Road
By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   May 2, 2019

Last week, the newly installed planters on Coast Village Road were filled with small shrub landscaping, thanks to the generosity of several local business owners and donors.  The planters were initially installed in March, at the entrance of two of the road’s parking aisles, in an effort to deter through traffic and speeding. The project […]