Because we build what we draw, the design stays realistic — budget, grading, drainage and material availability are considered from the first sketch.
What we build
- Site planning and layout
- Concept drawings and 3D design
- Material and plant palette selection
- Irrigation and drainage planning
- Permitting and engineering coordination
- Phased plans for projects built over time
Built by us · Real project
Hillcrest Covered Deck & Gravel Lounge
Hillcrest
Dining and lounge seating occupy distinct spaces connected by a strong timber focal point. The tall hedge forms a green backdrop, and visible step lights accent the changes in level.
See This ProjectDesigned for the way San Diego lives
Our climate blurs the line between indoors and outdoors nearly year round. We plan for shade in the afternoon, lighting after dark, and circulation that makes the yard part of the house rather than a view from it.
Drawings you can build from
Plans include dimensions, materials, elevations where needed, and an irrigation and drainage strategy — the level of detail that keeps a bid honest and a build on schedule.
Design and build under one roof
We are a design-build contractor, not a drafting service. The landscape designer who walks your property is working alongside the crew that will grade, pour and plant it, so the drawings reflect real construction costs and real site conditions from the start.
What a San Diego backyard design has to solve
Sun and afternoon heat, privacy from close neighbors, grade change, drainage during winter rain, and where people sit, eat and cook. Those five things decide the plan. Style follows once the layout works.
Front yards, backyards and whole properties
We design complete properties as well as single areas — front yard curb appeal, a backyard entertaining plan, a side yard that finally gets used, or a phased master plan built over several seasons.
Our work
Landscape design Projects We've Built
Real Staples Landscaping project pages — same trade, around San Diego County.
Read first
Before you start your landscape design project
Planning and cost guides from our own build experience.
Cost & Pricing
Artificial Turf Cost in San Diego: Honest Numbers
Installed turf pricing, the base work nobody quotes clearly, and the water-bill math that decides if it pays off.
3 min readCost & Pricing
How to Budget a Full Landscape Renovation in San Diego
Budget tiers for real San Diego yards, how to phase a build without paying twice, and where money is genuinely well spent.
3 min readMaterials & Hardscape
Decomposed Granite Pathways: The Right Way to Build Them
Why most DG paths fail in year two, and the four details that make them last a decade.
3 min readLandscape Design by neighborhood
Soil, permitting and access change street to street. These pages get specific.
Serving San Diego County
We take on landscape design projects in La Jolla, Del Mar, Carmel Valley, Encinitas, Carlsbad, Poway, Scripps Ranch, Point Loma, Coronado, North Park, Chula Vista, El Cajon, La Mesa, Santee, Escondido, San Marcos, Rancho Santa Fe, Mission Hills, Clairemont, University City and surrounding communities. See all service areas.
Licensed C-27 Landscape Contractor — CSLB License #1159370
Common questions
- What do I get at the end of the design phase?
- A scaled site plan, a materials and plant palette, drainage and irrigation strategy, lighting layout, and a construction cost you can actually build from — plus the submittal package if your HOA requires one.
- Can I take your design to another contractor?
- You can — the drawings are yours. Most clients build with us because the crew that draws it also builds it, which is where the design intent usually survives or dies.
- How long does design take?
- Typically three to six weeks from site walk to construction-ready drawings, depending on revision rounds and whether HOA review is involved.
- Are you landscape designers or a design-build contractor?
- Both roles live in the same company. We design the landscape and then build it as a licensed contractor, so one team is accountable for the plan and the result. We are not a landscape architecture firm.
- Do you design front yards and backyards separately?
- We can, though most clients get better value from one plan for the whole property built in phases — the circulation, drainage and irrigation all connect.
- Is the design fee credited toward construction?
- Yes, when you build with us the design fee is credited toward the build.
- Are you licensed for landscape design work in San Diego?
- Yes. Staples Landscaping holds California contractor license #1159370, carries liability and workers' compensation coverage, and pulls permits on any work that requires them. You can verify the license directly with the CSLB.
- Do you serve my part of San Diego County?
- We work across San Diego County — coastal, central, inland, East County and South Bay. Each area has its own soil, climate and permitting reality, which is why we publish neighborhood-level pages rather than one generic service area list.
