Showcase Features: Designed by two landscape professionals, this garden features an older and smaller front yard, and a recently installed, and much more spacious back yard, with a large variety of native plantings, sustainable landscaping practices, and a safe heaven for wild critters. As a rain garden, rainwater is directed from the roof to the dry creek bed in the back, and to a small percolation area in the front. All paths are permeable for rainwater percolation. Concrete from the previous pool patio was reused onsite as urbanite walls and for percolation under the dry creek bed. All soil from construction was reused onsite. A rain sensor was added to the irrigation controls. This garden received SF Bay Area CLA Excelsior Award for Xeriscape Installation and First Place for Xeriscape Installation 2013.

Other Garden Attractions: A meandering gray fines path parts the front garden into two sides with a focal point that includes Yankee Point Ceanothus, CA fuchsia and a meadow of annual wildflowers decorated by rocks. A row of coffeeberry offers privacy for the front porch, while toyon and blue elderberry do the same along the south side. In the back garden, a newly constructed patio and shade arbor overlook the spacious back yard with many garden rooms, accessible by a meandering gray fines path. A large pool was filled in and covered with a mound that is edged and supported by a well-crafted urbanite wall. A bubbling urn fountain and island bush poppy at the center of this bed create a year round focal point. Moving from the patio fountain area towards the back the design transitions to a park-like sensibility. A western redbud graces the space between a rustic shed and a succulent rock garden. A dry creek bed runs through the center for the garden, dressed with a purple needlegrass and CA gray rush meadow and a quaint gray fines seating area that is edged by manzanitas and coffeeberry. A row of mountain mahogany offers privacy screening along the south fence, while Ray Hartman Ceanothus along the back fence offers privacy and distracts from an ugly metal building. A second, large bubbling rock fountain and island bush poppy grace the northwest garden room and is decorated by spreading rush,chalk buckwheat and naked buckwheat. A large chaparral currant stretches at the shady side of the house and CA morning glory vines climb the northwest fence. Several swaths of Foothill Penstemon can be seen throughout the back yard.

Gardening for Wildlife: This is a wildlife habitat garden. Food, water, shelter and nesting places are all provided, and the garden invites a large variety of birds, insects, lizards and small mammals. Urbanite walls provide habitat for insects, butterfly eggs, lizards and other small creatures.

☺ Garden Talk: "Gardening is for the birds!" at 1:30 pm, by Debbie Ballentine. From charming to glamorous to downright amusing, birds catch our eye with their colors and antics. While combating habitat loss and increasing bird populations you can enjoy a fuss-free, water-wise garden with California native plants that are in tune with the climate and wildlife. At this talk, learn what birds need and want, and how to create a sanctuary native habitat garden that provides for them. Debbie Ballentine joyfully shares her knowledge of California native plants, wildlife gardening and sustainable landscaping through her writing, speaking and photography. She is currently a writer for internationally acclaimed Houzz.com.

Years of CA Native Gardening at this Location: 8

Garden Size: 6161 sq.ft

Designer: Agi Kehoe and homeowners (front), Debbie Ballentine (back)
Installer: Benz's Lanscaping & Tree Care (front) Curtis Horticulture (back)

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