Showcase Features: This meadow garden preserves a bit of old Santa Clara Valley. The garden is a spacious clearing in the midst of native oak trees, including valley oak and blue oak. A host of wildflowers come up among the native grasses: California poppies, clarkia, blue-eyed grass, California buttercup, yampa, Johnny jump-ups. tar weed, wild cucumber, white sanicle and purple sanicle among others. Native bulbs abound, including soap root, white hyacinth, harvest brodeia and mariposa lilies. Pacific iris and native ferns complete the picture.

Other Garden Attractions: This meadow has never been disked or rototilled, and is not irrigated in the summer. Also, the native plants are not fertilized. The meadow is weeded and trees removed, since fire is no longer an option to maintain it. It is truly natural, with minimal intervention by the homeowner.

Gardening for Wildlife: Birds, reptiles, gophers and insects visit the garden. Even the gophers are tolerated because they loosen the soil and provide fertilizer.

☺ Garden Talk: Native plants.

Years of CA Native Gardening at this Location: 60

Garden Size: 8000 sq ft

Designer: Nature
Installer: Homeowner/nature

Plant list: In preparation, will be linked later...