Lot size: 50 x 100 sq. ft. back garden, 85% native

Garden Age: Garden was installed in November, 2010

Years on the Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour: New this year!

Showcase Feature A mature coast redwood and several coast live oaks form the backdrop for the back garden, which features plants from the redwood and oak woodland plant communities.  The small lawn, which had struggled in the shade of the redwood, has been replaced with native ferns, wild ginger, coral bells, redwood sorrel, and spicebush.  Gerry and Howard are delighted to report that their water bill has been cut in half.  (Really!  Take a look at their bill; it will be on display in the back garden.)  Water use will be further reduced when the natives are established. This garden was designed by Renee Harper of Renee Harper Landscape Design. Other Garden Attractions

• Bricks from the former arrow-straight pathway were incorporated into a new patio, which leads to an inviting, gracefully curving decomposed granite path that winds through the garden.
• Deergrass, iris, and buckwheats flourish in the sunny part of the garden.

Gardening for Wildlife Toyon, coffeeberries, flowering currants, manzanita, and grapes were planted to provide berries and nectar for birds; rosy buckwheats were included to attract beneficial insects. Dutchman’s pipevine, the only larval food for the native pipevine swallowtail butterfly, waits hopefully for a butterfly companion.  Townsend’s warblers flit through the garden, foraging for insects, hummingbirds adore the coral bells. Plant list