Showcase Features: Three years ago the homeowner began converting a tired juniper/lawn combo front yard to a garden featuring an impressive collection of native wildflowers and shrubs. Jays planted the large Valley Oak and Coast Live Oak that shelter the side.. A Louis Edmunds manzanita and a madrone will become new focal points as they mature. Other shrubs include groundcover flannel bush, western elderberry, island mallow, California sagebrush, mountain mahogany, western redbud, various manzanitas, California buckwheats and woolly blue curls. In spring the sunny areas blaze with wildflowers, all grown from seed. There are several different kinds of lupine, gilia, blue flax, clarkia, phacelia, monkey flowers and others. Bee's bliss sage, Lessingia 'Silver Carpet', desert mallow and Aster chilensis are blooming ground covers. In the center of the "meadow is a display of 6 different Dudleya. In a shady area western columbine and mimulus cardinalis mix with native ferns. Don't miss this incredibly colorful DIY front yard! The Back yard is primarily for propagation of native plants for Alum Rock Park as well as the garden. There are 4 different Ribes, a couple different Salvias and a couple different Buckwheat. There are several containers that house Calochortus superbus and Triteleia (laxa and ixoides) that were grown from seed procured from the plant sale a few years ago.

Other Garden Attractions: Many new plants in this collector's garden were propagated by the homeowner from cuttings and seeds. Newest propagation efforts are two new Buckeyes, a bunch of Buckwheat, 4 Ribes speciosum, coyote mint and dessert mallow as well as others. Another highlight of the garden is a recently planted variegated snowberry. The conversion to native plants is still ongoing; there are 3 new Manzanita, Arctostaphylos John Dourley, Arctostaphylos edmundsii Carmel Sur and several Carmel creeper ceanothus that were planted this year as the juniper area was further reduced.

Gardening for Wildlife: Two valley oaks, coastal live oak, and interior live oak provide food and shelter for wildlife. Anna's hummingbirds, scrub jays, mockingbirds, titmice, red tail hawks, and occasional red shouldered hawk have been seen in the garden.

☺ Garden Talk: Plants and pollinators at 11am and 2pm.

Years of CA Native Gardening at this Location: 7

Garden Size: 12,500 sq ft

Designer: Homeowner
Installer: Homeowner

Click here to display the plant list in a printer-friendly format (from year 2014).