Irving Tamura of Tamura Designs has a long history of setting a California outdoor ambience for Sunset Magazine. Tamura has been featured in numerous Sunset Idea Houses, including this one in San Jose. His office in a remodeled carriage house is on The Alameda in San Jose's Rose Garden neighborhood. Lookiloos had a chance to catch up with Tamura to ask his advice on starting a garden plan: Lookiloos: What are the do's and don'ts when starting a landscape plan? Irving Tamura: Here's my list of the Do’s. 1.Start with a theme (the big idea). Italian Tuscan country garden, Butter fly garden, French formal etc. 2. Start collecting photos from magazines, take picture of gardens that you like that connect with your theme. 3. Start to educate yourself on the style of garden. The resources are endless through the internet. 4. Study the areas that you are landscaping as far as sun, shade, wind, privacy issues (screening), vistas to preserve, sound issues. 5. Make a list of features you desire in the garden. Water features, pool, patios, arbors, vegetable garden, outdoor kitchen, fire pit, lighting _ the list could be endless. 6. Develop a master landscape plan that pulls together all the landscaped areas. The Don’ts 1. Don’t sacrifice comfort and functionality for aesthetics. Contact Irving Tamura at his San Jose office at 408-279-0296.