Note: Park on the east side of the Arlington, so you don’t have to cross this busy street.
Showcase Feature
Got a parking strip? Wondering what to do with it? Would you like your garden to become part of a Pollinator Pathway network—starting with that small area down by the street that seems so hard to garden on?
If so, come and see Arlene and David’s 3 foot wide parking strip—which was grass and weeds when the project started—and is now a vibrant pollinator garden, planted with a variety of colorful natives that attract birds, bees and butterflies.
Purple-blue California lilac, and lavender-blue lupine, sages, and penstemon mingle with lavender seaside daisy and verbenas, red San Miguel Island buckwheat, cream-colored coast buckwheat and orange poppies.
The parking strip, designed by Arlene and David, is watered with a drip system.
Other Garden Attractions
- A restroom is available! Ask David or Arlene to direct you.
- The beautiful stone walls bordering the walkway are made from locally quarried rhyolite—a volcanic rock found naturally nearby, most notably at Indian Park Rock, and on this site.
Gardening for Wildlife
Monarch butterflies flutter about the garden, attracted to the milkweed, the only plant monarchs can lay their eggs on. Arlene has watched a monarch emerging from its chrysalis, “a moving experience!”
Aphids are left undisturbed—yes, even the numerous colonies on the milkweed!— as aphids bring in ladybugs and other beneficial insects, which in turn, feed the birds.
Keystone species (watch this talk by Doug Tallamy!)
Keystone species—our own, local ecological powerhouse plants— in this garden include California lilac, manzanita sage, lupine, buckwheat and penstemon.
Green Home Features
Solar panels have greatly reduced the couple’s PG&E bill.
At least partially wheelchair accessible? Yes