Showcase Features: The homeowner used her training as a Master Gardener to transform her conventional front lawn to a sunny native perennial meadow that features more than 50% California natives. She now has a beautiful wildflower landscape that garners praise and even some envious comments from her neighbors! A flagstone path winds through the mini-meadow, with native perennials (sage, aster, seaside daisy) and shrubs (manzanita, coffeeberry, redberry) mixed in. A row of three mountain mahogany shrubs serve as a screen between her front patio and the outside wall of the home next door.

Other Garden Attractions: Ginny's paths along her house feature permeable materials and downspouts that flow into the planting areas. Use of a low voltage water pump made it easy to locate the water feature far from the power source.

Gardening for Wildlife: The garden is a "Bay Friendly Garden" and is also certified as a wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. The yard is filled with birds, bees and butterflies attracted by the variety of native plants. Hundreds of salamanders find refuge under rocks and in moist mulch during winter and spring.

Years of CA Native Gardening at this Location: 7

Garden Size: 2000 sq ft

Designer: Homeowner, with consultation by Stephanie Morris
Installer: Homeowner

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