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El Cerito Road Garden
Oak woodland plants feel perfectly at home in this recently (Fall, 2007) installed Palo Alto garden, located near Barron Park. The front entrance area is decorated by a raised ornamental bed in which a Dr. Hurd manzanita takes center stage and is accompanied by golden aster, succulent dudleyas and Idahoe fescue bunch grasses. Mexican pebbles were used for an eye-catching detail. The original pathway leading to the front door was rejuvenated by a new landsape, including giant western chain fern with yerba buena on one side and douglas iris and coral bells on the other. California Dutchman's pipe vine is getting established and will climb the fence. A mature rhododendron by the gate, from the previous landscape, was underplanted with western bleeding heart which likes similar conditions.
The new plantings in the back garden are defined by a heritage valley oak in one corner and a young coast live oak in the other. The latter was most likely planted by a squirrel or a western scrub jay and is being valued, nurtured and encouraged by us and the homeowner. The center of the back garden, previously occupied by a conventional lawn that needed too much water and maintenance, is now a large circular meadow and lawn alternative area that is edged with a storm water-pervious, gray fines pathway and divided by a step stone path. At the core of this area is a lovely, mature Chinese pistach from the previous landscape. The mostly sunny, circle area is now planted with a yarrow "lawn" on one side and a purple needlegrass meadow on the other. We incorporated many spring and summer blooming annuals and perennials in the meadow (monkeyflower, coyote mint, milkweed, checkerbloom, poppies, etc.) for added color and to invite the birds, butterflies and beneficial insects. The outer perimeter of the garden is lined with local oak woodland shrubs: coffeeberry, pink-flowering currant, fuchsia-flowered gooseberry, California buckeye, toyon, blue elderberry, snowberry, wood rose, and holly-leaf cherry. A new edible garden section was also constructed, and the vegetables are organically grown with the help of all the beneficial insects that are attracted the colorful, native plants.
Raised planter with Mexican pebble art detail. A Dr. Hurd manzanita is getting established here with golden aster, dudleyas and bunch grasses.
A beautiful tyle art, ordered especially by the homeowner, decorates the fence. Behind the grasses, California Dutchman's pipe vine is getting established and will climb the fence.
Douglas iris and coral bells on one side, giant western chain fern with yerba buena on the other.
View of the back garden from the gate. The mature olive tree on the left has been saved and it was underplanted with 'Anchor Bay' ceanothus.
Yarrow "lawn" is getting established. Also seen is the new flagstone patio and the California fescue meadow under the heritage valley oak.
A container trio with California gray rush, horse tail and scarlet monkeyflower. The Chinese pistach's raised bed was updated with a new rock edging.
Purple needlegrass meadow with fieldstone rocks. Annual and perennial wildfowers add lots of color and food for visiting insects and hummingbirds.
A dark star ceanothus is getting established in the center of this bed and is surrounded by deer grass and California fuchsia.
The humminbird sage's flower spikes frame the mature olive tree.
New raised veggie beds with crushed granite pathway.
Close up of California fescue meadow under the valley oak. 3 toyon shrubs are getting established along the fence.
The pervious gray fines pathway is lined with coral bells on the right side.
The old concrete pathway was recycled for urbanite steps. Carpenteria shrubs and woodland strawberry are growing here.