Raymond Lin, owner of SeaPort Marina Hotel at Second Street and Pacific Coast Highway, and Peter’s Landing in Sunset Beach, has undertaken a large project to convert the properties landscaping from traditional foliage to drought-resistant, low-water use succulents and other plants more friendly to the environment.
Lin has enlisted the expertise of Patrick Smith, a horticulture student and landscaper, who has worked full time on the properties for two years.
Originally from Rhode Island, Smith also worked with Moon Valley Nurseries, which was formerly located at the Second Street and PCH intersection.
Smith started with a project on the PCH side of property, converting an out-of-service satellite dish and tree into a lush and unique landscape that is as creative and unique as any on the property.
It has re-purposed and camouflaged these elements and utilized uncommon and low-water using plants and succulents.
It’s easily visible from PCH.
The 16-acre SeaPort Marina Hotel property likely uses less water anyway than a similar footprint high-density single family neighborhood.
Even so, Lin is committed to reducing the water use of his landscaping, and improving the interest and overall landscape character of both of his properties.
Smith says that the new landscape theme uses about 10 percent of the water of traditional landscaping, but the initial cost of the plants is about 20 percent higher than high-volume traditional plants.
Smith says drought resistant landscaping also requires less maintenance, and requires no seasonal replanting like annuals and flowering bulbs.
Smith has removed high water using grass and turf, and plants, and replaced them with free-flowing gravel walkways and features.
He uses Agave, Firestick and Rabbit Foot cactus, and similar succulents and cactus. Altogether, the landscaping reworking at both Peter’s Landing and SeaPort Marina Hotel represent a significant commitment, and long term water savings in a period of drought, with long term benefits.
