Moon Valley California Blog

How to Create a Ranch Style Landscape

Written by Jessica Downs | 11/22/19 5:00 PM

Designing a Ranch Landscape in California

Whether you are trying to complete the look of your ranch-style home or want to bring a more vintage, rustic style to your landscape, we can help get you started! We can help you add massive curb appeal to your home and the community while designing a style that will stand out from your neighbors.

From small shrubs to large oaks, there are plenty of options to choose from to add to your yard for the perfect ranch style! This style gives you the freedom to create symmetrical, asymmetrical, and naturalistic-looking design. Moon Valley Nurseries carries a wide selection of plant options so we can create the perfect style for you.

For example, shrubs such as Indian Hawthorns and Japanese Privets can be used to create a low hedge near walkways or windows and add seasonal color. Japanese Blueberry and Carolina Cherry are fantastic hedge options for a dense privacy screen. Oak trees are a MUST when you are creating a ranch-style look for your property. Keep reading to learn more about some of our favorite trees and shrubs to get your ranch style landscape completed.

Best Trees and Shrubs to Plant for a Ranch-style Landscape

Live Oak

The Live Oak is a mighty tree that can bring years of memories and fun for your family. Our specimen size trees offer your home more shade thanks to their dense, gray/green foliage and wide-spreading canopy. In addition to providing excellent shade in the summer, they are also drought-tolerant. They can live for many years and be appreciated for generations.

Oaks add a rustic look to your home while surrounding you in nature and providing homes for small wildlife. When strategically placed around the home, Live Oaks might even help lower temperatures inside the house!

Shumard Oak

Another impressive oak to include in your landscape is the Shumard Oak Tree. This oak tree is a medium-to-large sized tree and grows into a canopy with a wide-spreading reach. It is a tough, fast-growing species of oak that can live for over a hundred years!

The Shumard Oak is known for its antique look with large dark green leaves that can grow up to eight inches long. The best benefits of having the Shumard Oak are the beautiful vibrant red-orange canopy that comes during the fall season and the large amount of shade in the summer.

Sissoo

The Sissoo tree, also known as the Coastal Aspen, is one of the fastest-growing trees on this list. Native to the hotter areas of India, Sissoos have adapted well to the different climates of California. This tree looks like a classic midwestern shade tree but is very durable through every season.

The Sissoo has quickly become a favorite for landscapers and homeowners because of their rapid growth rate and vast amounts of shade. Thanks to its low water usage, it’s a perfect tree to keep water usage down and not compromise on a beautiful tree with a unique canopy filled with bright green foliage.

Carolina Cherry (compacta)

Native to the southern United States, the Carolina Cherry has become a popular choice for its minimal maintenance and natural upright conical shape. It also has a high tolerance for heat, drought, and wind exposure that can happen in some regions of California. The Carolina Cherry is a small-to-medium-sized evergreen with dark green, lustrous wavy-edged foliage on brown thornless stems.

This hedge option can be easily sheared into a tall screen or sound barrier. That makes the Carolina Cherry a near-perfect choice for many homes wanting to add more foliage to the landscape while also creating more privacy from neighbors and roads.

Indian Hawthorn

The Indian Hawthorn is great for adding a colorful pop of color to a ranch-style yard. These shrubs add dark green foliage to your design until spring, when large clusters of pink flowers bloom through the season. Indian Hawthorns are low-maintenance shrubs that can be planted in any location.

Cold hardy and waterwise once established, Indian Hawthorns can bloom in the shade and grow with ease in full sun. These popular shrubs can be found in commercial landscapes, schools, and HOA communities because they are easy to take care of and look excellent all year!

Japanese Privet

The Japanese Privet is an ideal solution for those who want a low maintenance, evergreen shrub that is easily incorporated into a ranch aesthetic. This fast-growing privet develops into a medium-to-large shrub.

Due to its rapid growth, privets can be used as a privacy screen when planted in rows and left to grow to its full size or trimmed down to be used as a low hedge. During spring, the Japanese Privet produces clusters of small, white flowers giving your landscape a temporary change.

Learn More about Design from Moon Valley Nurseries

Click here to see if a hedge is what you need for your next landscape design. Hedges are popular designs because they bring lush, green beauty to your home while also adding immense privacy. Consider a Hollywood hedge for your next project!

Click here to learn how our designers create a layered landscape for our customers. Layered landscapes can create the perfect focal point in your yard while using different types of trees and shrubs.

Designing a new yard or remodeling an existing landscape is an investment into your home and property. Make sure you are taking care of your investment properly with our warranty programs. Learn More about our warranty programs and find one that fits your needs. Click here to see our warranty programs and how they help our customers build the best landscape.