While this garden is open all year round, visiting it during the tour day provides an opportunity to ask the docents about any particularly interesting plants or features.

Address: 7269 Santa Teresa Blvd, San Jose (click the address to show it on a map).

Directions: From either Hwy 85 or Hwy 101, take the Bernal Rd exit and travel south for about 1.1 mile, then turn left onto Santa Teresa Blvd. Turn right onto Avenida Espana, then, after about 300 ft, right again at the sign directing to the St. Stephen's in-the-Field Church and continue to the parking lot.

Showcase Features: Volunteers are four and a half years into converting this large church property to a native plant and edible garden landscape. Ingenuity, sweat equity, and repurposed materials are in evidence. Still very much a work in progress, seven beds are ready to show; others are in the early stages of conversion. A long, narrow strip in the middle of the parking lot has been planted with a sinuous row of blue wild rye (Elymus glaucus) and compatible perennials like yarrow (Achillea millefolium) and is designed to evoke a candle's flame; a rainbow garden includes all of the colors of the rainbow over the course of the year; a 40' Chartres labyrinth is surrounded by native plantings from Las Pilitas Nursery, including the Salvia "Celestial Blue"; over 300' of native trees and shrubs are filling in along Santa Teresa Blvd; and a small meadow of hand-grown native grasses is growing beneath the basketball hoop. Woodchip mulch and a soaker hose provide the conditions for the successful establishment of these young plants.

Other Garden Attractions: The first bed planted -- the Rainbow Garden Bed -- is a larger sunny bed borders the fence outside the community garden. Taller shrubs like toyon and sage soften the fence line, layered in front with evening primrose, creeping coastal gum plant, and California fucshia. There is also a heritage valley oak is located, estimated to be 450 years old. These areas will interest anyone wanting to create native plant habitats in their local church, mosque, or temple.

Gardening for Wildlife: Native plants, many grown from seed, provide food and habitat for birds, bugs, lizards, and other wildlife. Seed pods are allowed to remain on the plants. Bowls placed under soaker hoses fill with water a few times a week and are visited by birds. Many species of birds have been observed, including two that have built nests. Insects seen include praying mantises, native bees, ladybugs, aphids, and Black Widows. Many fence lizards and ground squirrels are seen.

Years of CA Native Gardening at this Location: 6

Garden Size: 4150 sq ft

Designer: Jessica Dickinson Goodman
Installer: Volunteers

Click here to display the plant list in a printer-friendly format (from year 2023).