House on a Hill

Welcome to this 2014 El Cerrito Garden that has matured into a hillside treasure!

Installed July 2014

We chose a Pepper Tree, with it's handsome & slight weeping form, as the focal point.

The surrounding plantings include low water natives, succulents & non-natives

that add pops of color and beauty all year round.

Written by B.B. Garibaldi

Oakland Gardens

A Family Friendly Garden Oasis

Installed 2015

This Oakland family desired to have an outdoor space that could accommodate both adults & children.

We connected the hardscape with stepping stones and plantings, which increased function and flow to their garden.

We enhanced privacy by creating a natural screening along the fence line. Low maintenance/low water plantings were included to add pops of color.  Lastly, we installed a raised bed vegetable garden that helped add the finishing touches to this marvelous outdoor space. (Vegetable garden not pictured)

Written by B.B. Garibaldi

All Grown Up

This San Francisco garden makes us appreciate winters in our moderate climate.  A recent renovation in 2015 converted the lawn area into a patio space surrounded by herbs and blooming perennials.

After a single growing season, our Bay Area gardens come to life with flowers and foliage attracting beneficial insects, birds and bees.

This Berkeley cottage garden designed in conjunction with Planted Earth was installed about 3 years ago.

Woodland Retreat

This recently completed Oakland project called for low retaining walls in the back garden to support the sloping landscape and prevent soil build up from the existing Cedar and Oak trees.

The primary viewpoint and experience of this garden will be from the deck above.  The goal was to create a woodland sanctuary for the local bird population will adding color and interest in the shady conditions.  I used bright leaf color and different textures to create contrast that would be visible from above.

Plants are spaced to accommodate future growth.

Stone steps add visual interest and functionality.

In the front we planted the existing redwood terraced boxes with native and low water plantings such as Correa, Verbena and Euphorbia.  In the lower planting space a dry creek bed was added to break up the planting space. 

Strategically placed stones help create a 'bend' in the river bed.

Now the home owners can enjoy a 'Zen' moment before entering their home.

The Lawn is Gone

This garden in Oakland was planted in spring 2014.  The lawn was converted into a native garden enhanced with non-native succulents and drought tolerant perennials.

The lush and cheery feeling this small garden evokes encourages bees, butterflies and birds to stop in for pollen and nectar from flowering perennials. Coyote brush, Yellow current, Sticky monkey flower, Coral bells and Santolina are among the native perennials in bloom.

Pretty Pots

This patio garden has a lovely array of pots containing succulents and blooming perennials.

Cotyledon in the foreground, Cordyline in the center and Sencio 'Chalk Sticks' in the far pot.

This little blue pot adds a pop of color that accentuates the Leucadendron 'Ebony'

New Project: Albany Japanese Garden

The home owner of this Albany property wanted a garden that would draw him off the back deck into a tranquil seating area surrounded by low water and low maintenance plantings.  

The Arizona Buckskin Buff flagstone patio is off center toward the back fence.  In order to get to the patio, one must cross the creek by either a flagstone 'bridge' or stepping stone in the center of the creek.

A wooly Thyme pathway connects the 'bridge' to the patio. 

Another special feature in this garden are the recycled Cedar tree roots.  There is a large stump remaining from a Cedar tree that was taken down long before the current owner arrived.  As we were planting we came across large pieces of the root system.  We removed them and peeled the outer layer of bark to expose the beautiful treasure beneath.  Here is one incorporated into the creek bank.

Repeating Acacia cognata 'Cousin It' will provide the grounding shrubs for this Japanese garden.  Varying shades of green foliage capture the essence of serenity.  Blooming perennials such as Kangaroo paw, Salvia and Rock rose provide color and interest attractive to beneficial insects and birds.

Before Images

Garden Photos and Random Sightings

This Oakland Victory garden was installed in 2013.  The drought tolerant and low water plantings surround and 'L' shaped veggie bed encouraging pollination for edibles.  See Eastlake Ave on the Fiddlehead Gardens Project page for details.

Edibles abound in this raised bed with perennials on one side and a low water lawn on the other.

Oakland Garden Oasis.

Field of Dreams.

After dinner in San Francisco one evening I came across this lonely stone looking for a home.   It is randomly sitting at the edge of a cross walk at Harrison and 7th Streets.  Be sure to look both ways before crossing!

Dear Spring

Contrasting colors of grass & shrub foliage are the harbingers of spring.

This poem by Charles Simic posted in the New York Times Style Magazine reminds me of why I love winter in the Bay Area.

Will you please hurry with your preparations?

We are freezing up north as you procrastinate

Like a rich lady with too many gorgeous outfits

To choose from, spending hours in front of

A mirror, trying them on and unable to decide,

While we trudge to the mailbox through wind

And snow, extract our unwilling fingers

From a glove to check if there's a letter

From you, or just a bitty postcard, saying:

I'm leaving Carolina today, hurrying your way

With my new wardrobe of flowers and birds.

The tease!  I bet she starts and forgets one of her

Hand-painted silk fans and has to go back,

While we stamp our feet and wipe our noses here,

Worrying the wood for the stove is running out,

The snow on the roof will bring the house down.

New leaves emerge on a Lace Leaf Japanese Maple

Alternative Lifestyle

This El Cerrito garden had lovely modern concrete work but the original planting of ornamental grasses had outworn their welcome.  To accommodate the home owners request for an open usable front garden that would draw the neighborhood children to visit and play with their young ones we reworked the existing layout keeping and pruning the screening trees and adding drought tolerant plantings surrounding a lawn alternative of Dymondia.

 

Boulders are used as seats that will eventually flank an adult sized bench.  River stones that once filled in between stepping stones were repurposed to fill in around stones for easy stepping.

 
The areas between the stepping stones are now planted with drought tolerant Wooly Thyme and shade tolerant Blue Star Creeper.  The plant selection of Euphorbia, Kangaroo paw, Cordyline, Carex and Verbena lend themselves to this modern hardscape.

Before Images