Showcase Features: This relatively young casual garden on a large corner lot is in a transitional state where foundation plantings of Dr Hurd manzanita, valley oak, madrone, buckeye, and toyon are starting to come in to their own, while a wide variety of annuals and perennials provide splashes of color and interest. A creative trellis against the garden wall displays an assortment of potted plants framed by espaliered Santa Catalina Island currant near a bubbling solar-powered fountain built by the homeowner.

Other Garden Attractions: The part-shade side yard with curving path leads you past silver bush lupine, bearberry, Pajaro manzanita, coyote mint, oceanspray, Kurt Zadnik ceanothus, buckeye, Douglas iris, toyon, and common rush to a small patio with a bench to enjoy the bubbling solar-powered rock fountain and garden wall trellis with espaliered Santa Catalina Island currant framing an assortment of pots containing a variety of sedums, dudleyas, Siskiyou lewisia, and alum root. Hummingbird sage leads along the fence line to a back corner punctuated with St. Catherine's lace, coast whitethorn, and island alum root. The sunny front yard includes a wide variety of buckwheats, several manzanitas, sages, fuchsias, monkeyflowers, penstemon, deer grass, Douglas iris, snow drop bush, mock orange, Wheeler Canyon ceanothus, western redbud, valley oak and madrone. Shadier areas along north-facing walls showcase island alum root, pink-flowering currant, Sierra golden currant, spice bush, heart-leaved keckiella, and Santa Barbara sedge. Parking strips range from heavy shade to full sun. Ferns, snowberry, phacelia, California goldenrod, nightshade, manzanita, deer weed, monkeyflowers, several bunch grasses, buckwheat, and dwarf lupines were selected for low height to protect sight lines for traffic while being compatible with the site and attracting native bees and birds. Native California bulbs thrive in these un-irrigated areas, and annual wildflowers provide a show each spring.

Gardening for Wildlife: Many birds and insects frequent the garden, including hummingbirds, yellow-rumped warblers, house finches, mourning doves, spiders, crickets, honeybees, carpenter bees, ladybugs, and figeater beetles. Western fence lizards enjoy the many rocks in the garden. Seedheads are left to provide food, and a small solar fountain provides water for birds.

Years of CA Native Gardening at this Location: 9

Garden Size: 3650 sq ft

Designer: Pete Veilleux, East Bay Wilds, and homeowner
Installer: Pete Veilleux, East Bay Wilds

Click here to display the plant list in a printer-friendly format (from year 2012).