Lot size: 4,000 sq. ft. front garden, 80% native

Garden Age: Garden was installed in 2011

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

Showcase Feature

The mature oaks in this woodsy neighborhood called out for natives, and they are what Susan requested when the mass of tangled foliage that was the front garden was being redesigned by Jeannie Fitch of Garden Nest Landscape Design. Now coral bells, ferns, irises, and coffeeberries flourish in the dappled shade of the oaks. In spring and summer in the sunnier areas, two kinds of the fragrant, evergreen California lilac (‘Concha’ and ‘Julia Phelps’) produce their showy purple-blue flowers in the company of cheerful orange monkeyflowers and red, tubular native fuchsias. Three types of manzanita—the low-growing groundcover ‘Emerald Carpet’, the somewhat taller pink-flowering ‘John Dourley’, and the stately ‘Howard McMinn’—attract hummingbirds and butterflies — and people!  They are beautiful year-round.  This garden is grazed by deer; sometimes herds of them. What is left are what the deer didn’t eat.

Other Garden Attractions

• Don’t miss the back yard, with its recently installed native bentgrass (Agrostis pallens) lawn.  Drought-tolerant, as well as attractive, bentgrass thrives in full sun to part shade.  Mow it once in a while, or not at all!  Ask for more information if you are interested in losing your lawn.
• Coast silk tassel will create a privacy screen when mature.
• Delta Bluegrass staff will be at this garden from 10:00 – 2:00 to answer questions.  Ready to lose the lawn and do something else with your week-ends?  Ask them about native bunchgrass sod replacements!

Gardening for Wildlife [SinglePic not found]

Hummingbirds are attracted to the sages and monkeyflowers, bees buzz the California lilac, and butterflies are drawn to the rosy buckwheats.

Garden Talks