Lot size: 400 sq. ft front and 1100 sq. ft. back gardens on tour, 65% native
Garden Age: Garden was installed in stages, beginning in 2003
Years on the Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour: 2
Showcase Feature: Prior to their conversion, the front and back gardens consisted of water-thirsty, boring lawns—and one giant and overwhelming juniper. Today the gardens are a vibrant mix of California natives and Mediterranean plants. In the spring clarkia and poppies bloom cheerfully between native bunchgrasses. Numerous kinds of buckwheats, including rosy, giant, and Santa Cruz, provide color in the summer months, complemented by various blooming dudleyas. In the back garden vegetables are grown in raised beds. Kate’s partner, Cindy, designed and installed the small pond and waterfall. Kate and her niece, Sera, designed the landscape, which opens new sights and delights to visitors as they move through the gardens.
Other Garden Attractions:
- Native grape grows on the front porch lattice.
- Thick mulch conserves water and out-competes weeds.
- The neighbors love this exuberant garden.
- Look for art pieces by artists from the National Institute of Art & Disabilities, and other artists as well.
- Don’t miss the “before” photos.
Gardening for Wildlife: The diversity of plants of varying heights, and the small pond and waterfall attract warblers, phoebes, California towhees, American goldfinches, chickadees, white-crowned sparrows, cedar waxwings, and many kinds of bees and butterflies.
Garden Talks: “12:00 “How to build a native garden by trial and error, or, Learning about life and death in the garden” by Kate Sibley
