Showcase Features: This attractive, six-year-old front yard garden was designed and installed by the owner, a Master Gardener, who propagates plants in her small back-yard greenhouse. A central mound made up of perennial vegetables and other edibles provides a focal point for the garden, while natives grow happily along all sides of the front yard. Access is via a well-constructed flagstone path lined with native wildflowers.

Other Garden Attractions: Several varieties of ceanothus, manzanita, and salvia grace this lovely garden, along with asters, coyote mint, verbena, coast buckwheat, and western redbud. Native wildflowers peak in March (see pictures), but many will still be blooming at tour time. All native plants are labeled and several books about CA native plants will be available for perusal. A printed plant list will also be available to those interested. Garden owner will also permit tours of her back yard edible garden that includes fruit trees, berry bushes, bee hives, worm and traditional composting, a large vegetable garden and friendly chickens. Challenge: several existing non-native birches and a redwood tree in the native garden have high water requirements, and may ultimately prove incompatible with the chapparal species planted nearby.

Gardening for Wildlife: The owner provides bee blocks, bird houses, and bird baths in the back yard. As the front yard plants mature, habitat value will increase.

Years of CA Native Gardening at this Location: 10

Garden Size: 1500 sq ft

Designer: Homeowner
Installer: Homeowner

Click here to display the plant list in a printer-friendly format (from year 2013).