Monthly Archives: October 2014

Orange County Barbecue Island

Part One: Barbecue Island

One of the most striking features of the Mission Viejo Patio Remodel that we just completed was the addition of a custom concrete barbecue island to their backyard patio. Take it in.

The stacked stone veneer and concrete counter top provide a unique feel to this backyard patio

Many of our Orange County barbecue islands are sided with stacked stone like this one though our company provides many other options. We construct stone, pavers, and brick barbecue islands as well.

Built-In American Made Grills

TRU Landscape only uses the finest American Made Grills in their custom barbecue island installations. Why purchase a cheap grill for your new outdoor kitchen when you can have the very best gas or charcoal grill installed.

Grilling in an outdoor kitchen is a lot more fun

Outdoor Kitchen Features

Your barbecue island can be completed with anything you need for cooking outdoors. Everything, plus the kitchen sink! TRU Landscape frequently installs outdoor kitchens with sinks, side burners, refrigerators, and more! If you’re tired of being cooped up in your indoor kitchen, it’s definitely time to consider a fully functional grilling space.

Treated concrete counter tops provide a bar and table for enjoying the outdoor kitchen

Orange County Barbecue Island

What makes an Barbecue Island an “Orange County Barbecue Island”? Well, for one thing, the specially great weather that we experience year round. An Orange County Barbecue Island installation will get use all year. Another thing is the style. Your barbecue can reflect your particular tastes, be they related to the beach or the beautiful hills in our area. Because your grill and outdoor kitchen are custom built, they can be made to blend your taste with the natural beauty of the OC.

Special Feature: Low Voltage LEDs under the Barbecue Island’s Counter

Orange County Landscape Company

So, you want a uniquely Orange County barbecue Island? First of all, you’ll need a uniquely Orange County Landscape Company. TRU has been serving the area for over 25 years. Our team members are vastly experienced in landscape concrete, pavers and driveways installation, sprinkler systems, and landscape lighting. For all of your lawn, patio, and landscape construction needs, call the best landscape contractor in Orange County: TRU Landscape Services!

Our offices are open for calls Monday to Friday from 9am-3pm, or you can send an email using the quick quote feature. All estimates are free. Just call in, and we’ll schedule an appointment to have your landscape project looked at.

Mission Viejo Patio Remodel

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Mission Viejo Patio Remodel

What will you do with your backyard? With TRU Landscape Services, there are unlimited options for renovating your landscape! As a licensed landscape contractor, we do everything outdoors. From planting and maintaining a lawn to installing sprinkler systems, we care for your softscape. In the realm of hardscape, we pouring driveways and pave patios, building elaborate water features and set fire pits alight.

stamped concrete patio, custom wood patio cover with balcony, stacked stone barbecue island

This Mission Viejo patio remodel includes a custom stacked stone barbecue Island, a stamped concrete patio, planter walls, and a wood balcony with a patio cover extension. Other features include a low voltage LED lighting system in the planters.

Orange County Patio Construction

Sometimes you just need to overhaul an area of your landscape. We can help. As your premiere orange county landscape contractor, TRU wants to partner with you to create an outdoor experience you will enjoy. When it comes to patios, we love to make outdoor living areas for relaxation and entertaining family and friends. With fire, food and friends, what more do you need to unwind in your backyard paradise?

Stamped Concrete Patio

Stamped concrete with a sealant on it for a beautiful patio that will last

Stamped concrete provides a visually interesting patio surface with easy clean up. We can stain your concrete in a variety of colors and stamps patterns to suit your visual preferences.

Orange County Barbecue Island and Custom Balcony

The biggest features of this Orange County landscape are the barbecue island and the custom balcony/patio cover. These installations fill out the bulk of this small to medium sized back yard. They make an outdoor kitchen experience possible. Your American Made grill and barbecue Island are perfect for serving up a delicious outdoor dining experience. Make the patio your new dining room under the shade of our custom patio covers.

Low Voltage LED Lighting and Stacked Stone Siding

Planter-Wall-Orange-County

To fill out the edges of the property, we installed planter beds with Low Voltage LED landscape lighting. The stacked stone planter walls match the barbecue island to tie the hardscape together. It’s poured in place concrete cap also provides seating!

Our low voltage landscape lighting system will save electricity over less efficient systems. American made landscape lights are also built to last and under warranty! They are weather resistant and bright enough for any landscape lighting set up. We only use top of the line landscape LED lighting to ensure your landscape is safe and well lit at night.

Landscape Construction Series

We decided to go more in depth into this Orange County landscape construction project.

Here are 3 other blogs to give you more details on each aspect of this patio construction process:

1) Barbecue Island

2) Stamped Concrete

3) Patio Cover Construction

Drought Resistant Plants

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We’re sharing a big “landscaping secret” today. Here are some plants TRU Landscape uses in our Drought Tolerant landscapes. We’ve found them to be readily available from our suppliers in the Orange County area, and hardy against the California drought.

Mexican Feather Grass, Variegated Society Garlic, flax (Phormium), White Lantana, Purple Lantana, Queen Anne, Spanish Lavender, Red Kangaroo Paw, Yellow Kangaroo Paw, Fountain Grass, Rosemary, Dwarf Brown Flax, Blue Fescue, Salvia, Statice, Mexican Bush Sage, Bird of Paradise, and Daylily.

The plant photos were found through Google Image Search and we do not own the rights to them except where noted. They are displayed here for educational purposes.

Free Estimates on Drought Tolerant Landscapes

If it’s time to overhaul your landscape and save some water, call TRU Landscape today for a free estimate.

1-866-487-1359

With drought resistant plants, water efficient drip lines and a smart timer irrigation system, you’ll save instantly!

Orange County Drought Resistant Plants

We use these drought resistant plants primarily because of their availability in Orange County and overall hardiness. Just a quick glance at the photos above proves that you can save water and still have a beautiful Orange County landscape.

Whether you want to limit water usage or totally overhaul your lawn in favor of a drought tolerant xeriscape, TRU Landscape can help you out! If you want to retain your lawn, TRU Landscape can revamp your sprinkler system. We low-water precision sprinkler heads and satellite timers to ensure your lawn is being well watered. If you’re looking for lawn removal, TRU Landscape can install mulch, drought tolerant plants, and hardscape.

If you’re considering totally revamping your yard, check your local water service for information on Drought Tolerant Landscaping Rebates.

If you would like more information on our Orange County Landscape Services, call or fill out our quick quote form.

How to Have a Beautiful Low Water Landscape

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Orange County Drought Tolerant Landscaping

Trying to save water during the California Drought? Here’s one family’s story of how they drought proofed their landscape. It started with calling a licensed landscape contractor. TRU Landscape Services understands the particulars of Orange County drought tolerant landscaping. As an Orange County landscaper for over 25 years, we’ve seen the effects of the drought and know what plants will survive well. Keep reading for more ideas!

Drought Tolerant Landscape Orange County

Save Water Using a Mulch landscape and Drought Tolerant Plants

Landscaping in Orange County California is different than landscaping in other less dry states. Our landscaping company is constantly aware of potential loss from sprinkler systems. Drainage and landscape grades also contribute to water loss. In rainier states, you don’t need to be as cautious of every drop of water.

Don’t worry! There are so many ways to reduce water loss and create a drought tolerant landscape, even in Orange County. Our story begins in a small front yard with dry grass and an ugly wall.

The dry front yard before drought tolerant landscaping installation

Drought Tolerant Landscaping

One of the major ways to drought proof your landscape is by removing your lawn. If you’re lawn is dry and patchy, there are two solutions. The first, is to receive a sprinkler system tune up with a water smart ET Satellite Timer! We use trusted Rain Bird sprinkler timers. The other option is to remove your grass and opt for a xeriscape like this family did.

Many water districts in Orange County will actually give a drought tolerant landscape rebate for grass removal! The water savings will be very noticeable. Instead of a sprinkler head spraying a wide area of grass, drip irrigation can apply just the right amount of water to each individual plant. Mulch or wood chips retain water and keep the soil around the plants from drying out.

Spanish Lavender is a drought resistant plant

Orange County Landscape

There’s something special about an Orange County Landscape. It’s different than a New England Landscape, or even a San Francisco Landscape. Here in the OC we have a climate that’s warm year round, with palm trees and bright flowers. Near the beaches unique plants grow naturally. We also have the unique desert landscape around us.

Installing a drought tolerant landscape allows your yard to work in harmony with the climate of our region. Grass does not grow naturally in most areas of the OC, but other beautiful plant varieties do. There are many options for zone 9 landscaping.

Low Water Sideyard Orange County

Xeriscaping in Orange County

What is a “xeriscape”? Xeriscaping is landscaping that reduces or eliminates additional water consumption from irrigation. Even native plants need a little water, so we always install drip irrigation into our low water landscapes. Still, xeriscaping can be achieved as long as water use from irrigation is reduced.

Drought Tolerant Plants

Over the years, TRU Landscape Services has had success with many varieties of hardy, drought resistant plants. We are able to recommend just the right plants for your existing style of landscape. If you have a tropical style landscape, there are low water plants that will still look great in your yard. Flowers and plants of many different colors can grow happily even during the drought.

Water Saving Landscape

Beyond grass removal and drought tolerant plant installation, there are other ways to save water. Your lawn may be too big! Your plants may be too abundant! There are ways to maintain the beauty of your softscape and reduce its size. This family decided to install a paver walkway to fill out their side yard. The interlocking pavers are beautiful and reduce the size of the lawn and planter beds. Pavers are a perfect footpath. This area is given an old world, Mediterranean feel.

Before the interlocking pavers steps were installed

Before the pavers installation

Other hardscape installations can also help to reduce water use. Extending your driveway to fit other vehicles or RVs is one option. It can reduce your lawn size and still look great! Tiered planter beds break up your landscape visually and allow for more focused areas of planting. A fire pit or other fire feature can become a focal point in your backyard without taking up anymore water.

Custom pavers steps!

Pavers replace yellow grass

Synthetic Turf Installation

Do you love the color green? Are you unwilling to give up any more of your lawn? Do you need a safe, clean place for your children and animals to play? Then Synthetic turf installation may be the low water solution for you!

This family didn’t install any synthetic turf, but it’s a great option for drought tolerant landscaping. You’ll be surprised how natural American Made synthetic turf looks and feels in your back yard. Our expert synthetic turf installation comes with an 8 year warranty. For the person who wants a green lawn without the water usage, a modern synthetic grass installation just makes sense.

TRU Landscape Services – Orange County Landscape Contractor

There are many ways to have a beautiful low water yard. If you’re considering Orange County Drought Tolerant Landscaping, call our office for more information at 1-866-487-1359