Mary Ford and Rob Lewis’ Garden
Berkeley
Gardening experience: 16 years
Years gardened at this location: 16 years
Size: 1/3 acre
Showcase feature: Seventeen oaks and three large groups of boulders provide the framework for this lovely hillside garden, which was designed and installed by Rosemary Zappulla of Wildrose Gardens and the owners. A former tangle of blackberry, broom, ivy, and juniper, the garden was redesigned five years ago to attract birds, conserve water, and take a minimum of time to maintain. A long flight of stairs leads up to an expansive deck, which was designed to accommodate several huge oak trees, which grow through it.
Other garden attractions:
- A plethora of Douglas iris bloom in the spring.
- Look for the oaks and toyon growing from the cracks in the boulders.
- Note the spectacular view of Mount Tamalpais from the upper deck.
Gardening for Wildlife: Birds seen in the garden include chickadees, titmice, bushtits, juncos, brown towhees, Allens hummingbirds, downy woodpeckers, stellar and scrub jays, mourning doves, nuthatches, and Townsend or other western warblers. After rains, flocks of cedar waxwings stop by to visit. Deer, raccoon, skunk, oppossum, and salamanders also call this garden home.