Kat and Eric Weiss’ Garden
Livermore
Gardening experience: 6 years
Years gardened at this location: 3 years
Garden size: 9,500 square feet
Showcase feature: In September of 2004, the front lawn was covered with cardboard and five inches of wood chips; shortly after that it was planted with shrubs and perennials from the chaparral and oak woodland plant communities. These plants will receive no summer water after the first couple of years. A straight concrete walkway was removed and reused in a wall in the back garden. In August 2005, the rear lawn and a large concrete patio were also removed. The back garden is still under construction, but check out the process of constructing ‘urbanite’ (broken cement) walls. This garden was designed and installed by the gardener, owner of Kat Weiss Landscape Design, and her husband Eric.
Other garden attractions:
- Wood chips were donated by a tree service.
- The soil was horribly compacted and devoid of life prior to its conversion.
- Compost is used as fertilizer. Ask to see the ComposTumbler, which was
installed this year. - Black oaks have been planted to transition out the existing birch and
provide a succession plant community. - Weeds are pulled by hand (an easy job, with the mulch).
- Check out the ‘before’ photos.
- Ask the friendly plant sale staffer about natives that will do well
in your garden!
Gardening for Wildlife: Penstemon, California fuchsia, white, pitcher and Sonoma sages, coffeeberry, native grasses, manzanita, several currants, and California lilac provide food, shelter, and nesting areas for a variety of birds, native bees, honeybees, and butterflies. Hummingbirds, finches, robins, doves, and songbirds now happily visit this garden.
Plants sold or given away: Mines Road Natives Nursery will be selling native plants that thrive in the Tri-Valley area.