Grounded Landscapes is your premier native and drought tolerant landscaping source in Los Angeles County.

We focus on restoration and conservation, using native ecology to design, install, and maintain residential, commercial, and public spaces. We combine innovative urban planning and greening ideas with the needs of residents, communities, and municipalities. Our sustainable landscaping practices increase biodiversity, wildlife habitat, water conservation, carbon sequestration, and benefit the well being of people, flora, and fauna alike. Being grounded begins by connecting with nature.

A water wise turf replacement case study: see this South LA Bungalow transformed

  • Native plants:

    • Restore habitat and support wildlife

    • Conserve water

    • Are uniquely adapted to our climate and soils

    • Are beautiful and display the history of California

    • Are established and maintained easily with proper care

Southern California doesn’t have to settle for sterile and boring lawns. While there’s a place for grass in our landscapes, it doesn’t have to be at the expense of our environment and natural resources. Be grounded and be water wise.

The case for and against lawns

Pros

  • Grass areas provide comfortable space for us to relax, exercise, and enjoy nature.

Cons

  • Unfortunately, most lawns are dominated by a handful of invasive and unsustainable grasses.

  • These grasses require:

    • Too much water

    • Too many pesticides

    • Too much maintenance

    • Too much money

  • These kinds of lawns do too little for the health of our environment:

    • They pollute our ocean and groundwater from runoff of the chemicals used to maintain them

    • They don’t sequester enough carbon

    • They don’t support wildlife and necessary pollinators

  1. We can be smart about the grasses we use by choosing drought tolerant or native species.

  2. We can create sustainable landscapes that use native and drought tolerant plants.

    • In addition to lawn conversion, replace non-native and high-water use plants that attract pests and cost exponentially more time and money to maintain.

  3. We can harvest rainwater, convert inefficient sprinklers to low-water irrigation, and implement permeable hardscaping.

These fews steps will help restore California to its native habitat, conserve water and natural resources, and save us time and money.

We’re professionals ready to help.

There are over 6,000 California native plants (which include grasses). We are experts at executing your vision and we make the hard parts of the process easy. These transformations are collaborative. They uncover the beauty and the history of California’s environment, and they bring out the creativity of everyone involved.

Key features of our process include:

  1. Native plant selection: We will carefully select a native plant palette that matches your site and soil conditions. These plants require minimal water and maintenance once established, reducing the need for irrigation and promoting ecological resilience. With the right plant selection, native gardens can be full of blooms and colors all year.

  2. Waterwise design: Our designs prioritize water efficiency through drip irrigation, rainwater capture systems, proper mulching, and permeable hardscaping. By minimizing water usage, we aim to create a landscape that is both environmentally sustainable and cost-effective to maintain.

  3. Wildlife habitat creation: Our landscapes provide habitat and food sources for local wildlife, including birds, butterflies, bees, and other beneficial insects and pollinators. This increases biodiversity and promotes healthy urban ecosystems to enrich the natural environment.

  4. Educational opportunities: We believe in engaging homeowners and communities in the importance of native and drought tolerant landscaping. As part of our work, we offer educational resources and workshops to teach a wide variety of gardening skills and techniques. We encourage edible gardening whenever possible and offer our expertise to help your garden succeed.

Jake Palumbo

Principal & Owner

Grounded Landscapes is operated by Jake Palumbo, a landscape contractor and designer with a passion for conservation and ecological restoration. The projects he undertakes are built to last and bring out the unique creativity in each client. Every project is a collaborative process and a chance to promote healthy urban ecosystems.

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