Vista Del Monte

LOCATION:

Santa Barbara, CA

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

As the heart of this community, the central green had become a sea of brown grass. The residents at Vista Del Monte, a highly desirable senior living facility located in Santa Barbara, deserved better. The need for a space to relax and enjoy, filled with life and color was desired. The residents and management were under direction to reduce their water consumption.

However, a dead lawn was not serving the community in any way. McCullough was invited to work with the ownership staff, residents, and general contractor to imagine a solution that would achieve a wide range of goals. The design was primarily focused on facilitating social interaction. Other goals for the design were to be cost-effective, colorful, drought tolerant and a space for promoting outdoor activities. A traditional Santa Barbara style garden was the resounding desire of the residents, staff, and administrators alike. McCullough designed flower beds surrounded by formal boxwood hedges, a small formal citrus orchard within the flower beds and used materials more typically seen in traditional style gardens.