Showcase Features: It's hard to believe that the mature front garden, with many different shrubs and perennials attractively placed along a dry stream bed, gets no irrigation, but the plants are clearly happy. Large specimens of manzanitas flower profusely in early spring, attracting hummingbirds. Salvias, deer grass, ceanothus, giant sea dahlias, and a blue oak round out the pleasing picture.

Other Garden Attractions: The back garden, patrolled by cats, was just recently planted and includes prostrate coyote brush, salvias, coffeeberry, monkeylower, bunchgrasses, a Ray Hartman ceanothus and a blue elderberry. The back receives water right now but, as it matures, it will likely thrive under the owner's regimen of benign neglect, just as the front garden does now.

Gardening for Wildlife: Hummingbirds are attracted to the blooming manzanita and other flowers year round.

Years of CA Native Gardening at this Location: 9

Garden Size: 4300 sq ft

Designer: Alrie Middlebrook, Middlebrook Gardens
Installer: Middlebrook Gardens

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