Landscape Design in Rocklin, CA
Backyards, fire pit patios and water-wise planting designed for Rocklin's rolling lots, native oaks and long summer evenings.
Designing for Rocklin's hillside and oak lots
Rocklin is right next door to our Roseville studio, and its neighborhoods, from Stanford Ranch to Whitney Ranch, are full of yards with real character: rolling grades, granite underfoot and native oaks that were here long before the houses.
Those same features make a Rocklin yard tricky to use well. We start with how you want to live outside, then work out the levels, paths and gathering spaces that let the whole lot do its job.
Slopes, granite and oak shade come first
Rocklin was named for its granite quarries, and many lots still sit on shallow, rocky soil with heavy clay in between. Grade changes are common, so we plan retaining walls, steps and drainage early, before the fun parts are drawn.
Under the oaks, we keep lawn and regular watering out of the root zone and use decomposed granite, river rock and mulch instead. In the open sun, we lean on drought-tolerant grasses, salvias, lavender and other plants that thrive in our summer heat.
A Rocklin backyard built around the oaks
This Rocklin family backs onto oak woodland, and the design treats those oaks as the main event. A curving concrete walk leads from the house out to the back of the lot, past river rock beds planted with drought-tolerant perennials and grasses.
At the end of the walk, a gas fire pit sits inside curved block seat walls with room for a full ring of chairs. A sport court with a basketball hoop gives the kids their own space, with a block seat wall along the edge for anyone watching, and decomposed granite under the oaks keeps the trees healthy and the ground clean.
A side yard that became a putting green
On the same property, a narrow, sloping side yard was going unused. A block retaining wall now holds the grade and creates a level pad for an artificial turf putting green, with river rock along the fence line above it.
The green wraps around the corner of the house and meets the patio with a clean edge, so a few putts are always just steps from the back door.
Evenings around the fire
Summer evenings in Rocklin are made for being outside. On this project, string lights run along the fence above the fire pit patio, turning the back of the lot into a destination once the sun goes down.
On every plan we lay out lighting alongside the hardscape and planting, from path lights along walks to uplighting in the trees, and keep it warm and low so the garden glows without glare.
Retaining walls that make room
On sloping Rocklin lots, retaining walls are what turn a hillside into usable space. Terraced block walls near the house create level planting beds and wide paths, and the same block wraps the fire pit as built-in seating.
We design walls, steps and grades together with the planting, and walk you through it all in 3D first, so you can see how each level works before anything is built.
Oaks, permits and Rocklin rules
The City of Rocklin requires a permit before removing any oak six inches or more in diameter, measured four and a half feet above the root crown. Oaks 24 inches and larger are heritage trees, and removing a healthy oak calls for replacement planting or an in-lieu fee.
The City's Oak Tree Preservation Guidelines also cover building around existing oaks. We map the oaks on your lot first, keep paving, walls and trenching clear of their root zones, and design within your HOA's guidelines where they apply.
Questions we hear in Rocklin
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No. Palmatum is a design studio. We produce the complete plan set, with hardscape, planting, lighting and irrigation notes, so you can bid it to the contractor of your choice and compare bids on equal terms. If you would like a recommendation, we are happy to point you to Rocklin installers we trust.
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For most oaks, yes. The City of Rocklin requires a permit to remove any oak six inches or more in diameter, and oaks 24 inches and larger are protected as heritage trees. Removing a healthy oak usually requires replacement planting or an in-lieu fee, so we design to keep your oaks whenever we can.
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Yes. Many Rocklin lots have some grade change to work with. Terraced retaining walls create level areas for patios, lawns or a putting green, and the same walls can double as seating or raised planting beds.
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It can be, in the right spot. Turf saves water and works well for putting greens and play areas, but it gets hot in full afternoon sun and should stay out of oak root zones. We place it where it makes sense and pair it with shade and planting.
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An initial 60-minute consultation is $200 to $400 depending on property size and scope. We walk the property together, talk through how you want to live in the space, and start sketching ideas on the spot.
Start your Rocklin garden
Tell us about your yard and how you want to use it. We will walk the property with you, talk through what works and what does not, and start shaping the plan from there. We also design throughout Roseville, Loomis, Lincoln, Granite Bay and the greater Sacramento region.