Showcase Features: This stunning estate garden showcases natives in sun and shade, on steep hillsides, integrated with existing mature oaks, redwoods, and pines. Areas near the house are maintained for the enjoyment and use of the family and its guests, while areas further from the house focus on natural beauty and habitat for wildlife.

Other Garden Attractions: While the original design of this large property included a few native plant selections, the homeowner wished to replant the site to allow them a majority stake throughout the garden. The redwoods, yerba buena, and ferns at the entry gate begin the parade of plantings up the long driveway that is flanked by two kinds of manzanita, redbuds, and native grasses. Oregon grape hedges line the entry walls and help screen the view from the upper pool area to the neighbor's property. Under tall pines, younger oaks, and mature toyon are newer plantings of elderberry, juncus, snowberry, and western hazelnut. The guest house addition is surrounded by mountain mahogany and spice bush and includes a private patio garden planted with pink-flowering currants, iris, and woodland strawberries. The children's play yard, screened from the family parking area, was once a soggy lawn but is now a fragrant native garden that includes jumping stumps, a small Carex meadow, trampoline and chicken coup. Up to the side garden patio a sunny hillside is filled with desert mallow, native verbena, sages, and Matilija poppy. Continuing to the partly shaded back garden area there are dogwoods, Catalina perfume, Berkeley sedge, and huckleberry. A mass of iris (Douglas and PCH) are seen as the path starts downhill and is edged with yerba buena and woodland strawberries. Barberry, currant, more juncus fill the side beds that are met at the bottom of the path by a graveled fire pit area and fern grotto.
The main entry to the residence is planted with Ceanothus, Idaho fescue, CA Solidago, asters, deer grass, and specimen ‘Austin Griffiths' manzanita. A large lawn for family football games remains but has been lined on one side by a hedge of holly leaf cherry to screen the pool area. The slope off of the pool area is stabilized by plantings of Pacific ninebark, and Roger's Red grape climbs three single trellises across the downhill steps that can be seen from the driveway entry. Some areas of this property had very bad soil due to construction debris and needed substantial amendment. This garden is not wheelchair accessible.

Gardening for Wildlife: Permaculture practices are part of this family's activities. To the right at the driveway entry is a large planter box for substantial vegetable crops, along with sage, buckwheat, coffeeberry and other native plants that attract pollinators. The garden patio area contains a cutting and herb garden and several citrus trees.

Years of CA Native Gardening at this Location: 3

Garden Size: ~52,000 sq ft

Designer: Peigi Duvall, Indig Design
Installer: Martin Calvillo and Alani Lolohea

Click here to download the plant list in PDF format (from year 2009).