San Francisco

Planted Earth Inc. is proud to serve San Francisco as a custom designer and installer of residential landscaping projects. The City by the Bay has many particular micro-climates and neighborhoods, each with their own character, style and needs.

The western half of San Francisco, including the Sunset, Richmond, Seacliff and Presidio neighborhoods, is cooler than the eastern side due to the persistent marine layer and prevailing northwestern winds from the nearby Pacific Ocean.

The west side has sandy soil in many places, which typically requires additions of organic matter and loam to grow most plants. Less sunlight, due to San Francisco’s famous summer fog, means that many plants will grow slower than usual, and limits what fruit trees and vegetables can be grown in the western half. Consistent wind in the spring and early summer also dries out the soil quicker.

San Francisco’s eastern side, stretching from Pacific Heights to Divisadero and Haight Ashbury into Castro, Noe Valley, the Mission and Glen Park neighborhoods, is characterized by warmer and sunnier weather, both clay and sand soil, and pockets of land protected from the elements. Many plants can thrive in these neighborhoods, including avocados and fig, if given proper care. This means drip irrigation, mulch and the proper soil amendments.

The hills in these areas of San Francisco often require retaining walls of some variety. This can be utilized as an opportunity to create a boulder terrace, cascading water feature or spiraling stone stairway.