Bonny Doon Landscape | PGS Landscape Company

Bonny Doon is a rural, unincorporated community spread across the wooded ridges northwest of Santa Cruz, roughly 20 to 30 minutes up the hill depending on where you live. Redwoods, chaparral, steep grades, and long private driveways make it one of the most beautiful places in the county to own property, and one of the more demanding places to landscape. PGS Landscape brings over 40 years of experience building landscapes on the Central Coast to Bonny Doon homeowners.

Landscape Construction for Rural Mountain Properties

Bonny Doon lots tend to be large, sloped, and heavily wooded, with access by narrow or unpaved roads. PGS plans every project around the real conditions on the site: how equipment gets in, where water goes during a heavy winter, and how the finished landscape holds up when nobody is watching it. Four decades of building on difficult terrain means we know what works up here and what does not.

Defensible Space and Fire-Wise Landscaping

Bonny Doon sits in a high fire hazard severity zone, so defensible space is not optional. PGS designs landscapes using fire-resistant plant selections, proper spacing between plant groupings, and hardscape materials that break up fuel near the house. We build the zones CalFire recommends around a structure while keeping the yard something you actually want to spend time in. For more detail, see our guide to defensible space landscaping in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

Erosion Control and Drainage on Slopes

Winter rain moves fast on Bonny Doon's grades, and runoff that nobody planned for will cut channels through a driveway and undermine footings. PGS builds retaining walls in natural stone, engineered block, and timber, then installs the drainage that makes them last: swales, French drains, and properly graded outfalls that carry water away from the house and off the driveway.

Deer, Wells, and Septic

Deer pressure in Bonny Doon is heavy, so plant selection matters more here than it does down the hill. We lean on deer-resistant natives and Mediterranean species that hold their shape without constant replacement. Many properties up here run on well water and septic, so we size irrigation around a realistic water budget and lay out planting beds and hardscape that stay clear of tanks and leach fields.

Working with the Redwoods

Building under a redwood canopy takes some specific knowledge. PGS selects plants that do well in acidic soil and filtered light, routes pathways and patios around root systems, and creates outdoor spaces that feel like a natural part of the forest rather than something dropped into it.

Complete List of Services Offered in Bonny Doon

Call us at 831.254.3447 to get started on your Bonny Doon landscaping project.