Lot size: 1,200 sq. ft. front is 75% native, and 2,500 sq. ft. back garden is 100% native
Garden Age: Garden was installed in spring, 2012
Years on the Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour: New this year!
Inspired by the Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour, Debby and John asked Kelly Marshall of Kelly Marshall Garden Design to remove their tired lawn and agapanthus, and the eighty-foot redwood tree that was lifting the neighbor’s driveway. What also went were tons and tons of concrete from the back yard, which previously contained a sport court. In their place are a selection of low-maintenance, water-conserving native plants meant to attract wildlife—set off by dry-stacked moss rock retaining walls, a columnar fountain, two pondless waterfalls, a dry streambed, and an artistic recycled metal fire pit with a semi-circular stone seating area. The small “no mow” lawn will use 50% less water than a traditional lawn once it’s established.
Other Garden Attractions
• Extreme grading was performed on the back garden; the tiered design helps the garden to appear larger than it is. • Don’t miss the Ogham stone, which Debby had inscribed in the ancient Irish language with the word “Peace.” • Persistent weeds are persistently hand-pulled.
Gardening for Wildlife
The three water features attract hummingbirds, mourning doves, and, occasionally, Western bluebirds. Woodpeckers and orioles have been seen in the garden, and hawks fly overhead. Owls call to each other from the trees in the evenings. The transformed garden now attracts numerous native bees and butterflies.
Garden Talk 11:00 “How to design a garden using California native plants” by Kelly Marshall
