Showcase Features: This half acre garden features some old established plants: 3 heritage Valley Oaks, numerous Coast Live Oaks, Holly Leaf Cherry and Evergreen Currant. Four years ago a new home was sited strategically on the lot to maximize sunlight for rooftop solar voltaic panels, and hardscape was designed for rainwater catchment and percolation to remain on site. Today the additional California native plants are growing in, and the solar panels produce sufficient electricity to power the (all-electric) house and an electric car. The water catchment container is full, and the pervious concrete paths and dry creek "rain garden" work to keep rain water from flowing off the lot.

Other Garden Attractions: There is a water feature through a sunny area with annuals, bulbs, iris and small shrubs. Surrounding areas receive high shade from the oaks and feature drought tolerant shrubs including Manzanitas, Buckeyes, Monkeyflower, Ceanothus, and Sages. After the rainy winter there is a carpet of lush miner's lettuce under the Oaks and Marah tendrils are covering oak leaf mulched spots.

Gardening for Wildlife: A variety of pollinator plants and water means lots of insects are finding the garden, Birds, including Red Shoulder Hawks enjoy it too. The gophers and ground squirrels think it is their kingdom however.

Years of CA Native Gardening at this Location: 3

Garden Size: 1/2 acre

Designer: Stephanie Morris
Installer: Grimes Natural Landscape

Click here to display the plant list in a printer-friendly format.