Showcase Features: This garden showcases a more established front and a newly installed back. During construction, the designer emphasized sustainable methods such as sheet mulching the former lawn, building mounds with the extra soil from path excavations, on-site reuse of concrete to build pervious hardscapes, on-site rain water retention by connecting the gutters to underground pervious pipes, and using arborist chips as mulch.

Other Garden Attractions: The small front garden delights with attractive plantings and habitat value. On one side of the meandering path, a western redbud is accented by Skylark wild lilac and annual wildflowers. On the other side, ground cover sage fills the space in front of a mixed hedge of toyon and coffeeberry. In the back, under the watch of a mature live oak, raised vegetable beds and fruit trees share space with a native meadow and different tall shrubs and small trees such as buckeye, Ray Hartman wild lilac, bigberry manzanita, elderberry, holly-leaf cherry. From the urbanite patio, the owners can watch the birds splash at the circulating fountain.

Gardening for Wildlife: Native species offer food, shelter and places to raise young for the birds. A circulating fountain offers much needed water.

Years of CA Native Gardening at this Location: 2

Garden Size: 2676 sq ft

Designer: Agi Kehoe
Installer: Benz's Landscaping and Tree Care

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