Jennifer Russel’s garden

Showcase Feature
Long-time Tour goer Jennifer Russel has put every inch of space to good use in this colorful and exuberant garden.

Kat Weiss, owner of Kat Weiss Landscape Design, selected the plants for the front garden. Then Jennifer, inspired by the incorporation of California native plants at her workplace, gardens she visited on the Bringing Back the Native tours, and the many hikes she’s taken, went full steam ahead in designing and installing the native plants along the sides and back of the property.

In the front garden cheerful drifts of orange poppies and yellow sulphur buckwheat mingle with purple sages and lavender phacelia in an inviting array. Toyon planted along the fence line will create a green privacy screen when mature.

In the back garden shade-loving natives such as ferns, inside-out flower, strawberry, bleeding heart, honeysuckle, and Dutchman’s pipevine were planted along—and up—the fence, which is decorated with hanging potted plants, ceramic artwork, and vintage windows salvaged from demolition sites.

The back garden contains a heady blend of wildflowers, including five spot, baby blue eyes, gilia, clarkia, Chinese houses, and more. A large wooden trellis covered with edible grape creates a welcoming entryway to the back of the garden, which contains 19 types of fruit trees, including one venerable Bartlett pear that was part of an old pear orchard), interspersed between islands of natives that attract bees, which improve pollination and increases the amount of fruit the trees bear.

Come and see what an artistic and enthusiastic gardener has done to create a beautiful garden for people, and habitat for wildlife; then drop down in one of the many seating areas to enjoy this peaceful haven. You’ll want to linger!

Other Garden Attractions
• You’ve heard of garden “rooms”—but you have probably never seen one more enticing than the one Jennifer has created. Furnished with a large couch covered with a plethora of colorful throw pillows, and a rocking chair and dining table, accented with potted native ferns and an interesting collection of knick-knacks, and shaded by a high roof, this outdoor living space allows the family to relax, dine, entertain in and enjoy their beautiful garden year-round.

Gardening for Wildlife
Western blue birds, robins, towhees, oak titmice, and hummingbirds visit the garden to snack on insects. Tiger swallowtail butterflies sip nectar from the many blossoms available to them. Keep an eye on the valley oaks, as oaks are a plant this spectacular, large yellow and black butterfly can lay its eggs on.

Keystone species (watch this talk by Doug Tallamy!)
Keystone species—our own, local ecological powerhouse plants— in this garden include valley oak, pink-flowering currant and golden currants, California lilac, manzanita, lupine, sages and sagebrush, native strawberry, buckwheat, and coyote brush.

At least partially wheelchair accessible? Yes