Showcase Features: Replacing a lawn under a mature English walnut, this homeowner designed and installed garden uses berms to provide a hospitable environment for native plants. The garden includes plantings appropriate for both full sun and dry shade areas.

Other Garden Attractions: A beautiful fence separates this front-yard garden from the street. The old lawn was sheet-mulched to smother it, then dirt was re-used from installation of paths in the back yard to create a raised planting area on top of the mulch. The garden is planted with a mix of native shrubs and perennials and wildflowers. Just finishing its second full year, the garden shows how homeowners can sustainably replace a lawn on a budget.

The homeowners are also avid food gardeners. Their backyard, while officially not part of the tour, could also be known as 'Gardening with Chickens'. It is a small urban farm containing an extensive vegetable garden, chicken coop, permaculture herb spiral, several fruit trees and a aquaponics unit. There's also a small native meadow, a butterfly/hummingbird garden and several fountains.

Gardening for Wildlife: Finches, hummingbirds, bees, butterflies, wasps,and salamanders visit the yard.

Years of CA Native Gardening at this Location: 3

Garden Size: 1000 sq. ft

Designer: Homeowner
Installer: Homeowner

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