Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour and Green Home Features Showcase

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So far Kathy has created 595 blog entries.

Randal and Azalea Ong’s garden

2026-04-08T10:41:48-07:00

Showcase Feature When Randal and Azalea bought this house a few years ago the back garden consisted of many overgrown trees and shrubs, lawn, and bougainvillea. The Ong's wanted a garden that was more

Randal and Azalea Ong’s garden2026-04-08T10:41:48-07:00

Pat and Glenn Rudebusch’s garden

2026-04-08T10:41:48-07:00

Please do not park on Overhill Road. Showcase Feature Inspired by the Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour, Pat began removing the junipers, gravel, and weeds in her front yard.  In their place she and

Pat and Glenn Rudebusch’s garden2026-04-08T10:41:48-07:00

Louise Waters’s garden

2026-04-08T10:41:48-07:00

Showcase Feature Louise was tired of watering, weeding, and mowing the lawn on her large, corner lot; she wanted a low maintenance, water-conserving garden that would attract bees, birds, and butterflies.  The resulting garden,

Louise Waters’s garden2026-04-08T10:41:48-07:00

Peg Farrell’s garden

2026-04-08T10:41:48-07:00

Showcase Feature For the first two years of the Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour Peg was our volunteer webmaster. (Thanks again, Peg!) For some time after that Peg's inner native plant gardening

Peg Farrell’s garden2026-04-08T10:41:48-07:00

Joel Ginsberg’s garden

2026-04-08T10:41:48-07:00

Showcase Feature The entire back yard was concrete; the front yard was grass.  Joel wanted something more…natural. He saw host Mardi Mertens' garden on the 2013 Tour—and "thought it was the most beautiful

Joel Ginsberg’s garden2026-04-08T10:41:48-07:00

East Bay Wilds – Open on Sat. and Sun. May 4 and 5, 2019

2026-04-08T10:41:48-07:00

28th Avenue at Foothill Blvd. (2777 Foothill, if using a GPS) in the Fruitvale District of Oakland Native Plant Sale Extravaganza Special!  Open on Saturday, May 4 and Sunday, May 5, 2019 from

East Bay Wilds – Open on Sat. and Sun. May 4 and 5, 20192026-04-08T10:41:48-07:00

The Watershed Nursery – Open Sat. and Sun., May 2 and 3, 2020

2026-04-08T10:41:48-07:00

601 Canal Blvd., Suite A Richmond, CA 94804 (510) 234-2222 www.thewatershednursery.com HOURS Open Tuesdays-Sundays 10:00-4:00.  Closed Mondays   PHILOSOPHY After years for working on local environmental and wetland projects, scientists Diana

The Watershed Nursery – Open Sat. and Sun., May 2 and 3, 20202026-04-08T10:41:48-07:00

Ploughshares Nursery

2026-04-08T10:41:49-07:00

2701 Main Street, Alameda (510) 755 1102, ploughsharesnursery.com Hours:  Wednesday - Sunday 9:00 - 5:30 View the list of plants for sale here. Talks in the Nursery Saturday, May 2, 2020 and also Sunday, May 3,

Ploughshares Nursery2026-04-08T10:41:49-07:00

Stephen Barbata and Joyce Kirstein’s garden

2026-04-08T10:41:49-07:00

Showcase Feature This garden has something for everyone; interesting history, a restored creek, a mixture of native and Mediterranean plants, and whimsical sculptures. This beautiful oak woodland, once part of the 160 acre Papinta

Stephen Barbata and Joyce Kirstein’s garden2026-04-08T10:41:49-07:00

Jennifer Becker and Dean Mayer’s garden

2026-04-08T10:41:49-07:00

Showcase Feature This sloping, terraced, and very large rear garden, which was renovated by Four Dimensions Landscape Company, contains something for everybody: redwoods,  oaks, lawns for kids to run on, a productive vegetable garden, and

Jennifer Becker and Dean Mayer’s garden2026-04-08T10:41:49-07:00

Jean Halford’s garden

2026-04-08T10:41:49-07:00

Showcase Feature This inviting, cheerful, and peaceful garden is just what Jean, a birder, wanted—a garden that would attract wildlife and bloom throughout the year.  A gracefully meandering Arizona flagstone path wends through the

Jean Halford’s garden2026-04-08T10:41:49-07:00

Ursula Bartels’ garden

2026-04-08T10:41:49-07:00

Showcase Feature You have to see this astounding transformation to believe it. Jonathan Espalin, from Calvin Craig Landscaping, designed the new garden, replacing the formerly lawn-centered landscape with lush, mostly native plantings.  In the

Ursula Bartels’ garden2026-04-08T10:41:49-07:00

John and Fran Alcorn’s garden

2026-04-08T10:41:51-07:00

Showcase Feature Inspired by the Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour, John and Fran asked Kat Weiss of Kat Weiss Landscape Design to make some changes to their garden, which was largely lawn.

John and Fran Alcorn’s garden2026-04-08T10:41:51-07:00

Stephen Barbata and Joyce Kirstein’s garden

2026-04-08T10:41:51-07:00

Showcase Feature This garden has something for everyone; interesting history, a restored creek, a mixture of native and Mediterranean plants, and whimsical sculptures. This beautiful oak woodland, once part of the 160 acre Papinta Stock

Stephen Barbata and Joyce Kirstein’s garden2026-04-08T10:41:51-07:00

Gaston and Ariane Habets’ garden  

2026-04-08T10:41:51-07:00

Showcase Feature Inspired by the Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour, in 2012 Gaston and Ariane removed their very large back lawn, and worked collaboratively with Liz Simpson of Liz Simpson Garden Design to

Gaston and Ariane Habets’ garden  2026-04-08T10:41:51-07:00

Carolee James’ garden

2026-04-08T10:41:51-07:00

Showcase Feature Carolee went to her first native plant sale in 2000—and she was hooked; native plants' value to wildlife, their drought-resistance, and the sense of place that natives provide enchanted her. Not

Carolee James’ garden2026-04-08T10:41:51-07:00

Terry Blair and Dave Smith’s garden

2026-04-08T10:41:51-07:00

Showcase Feature Long-time Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour participants Terry and Dave knew what they wanted in a garden.  Shortly after purchasing the house Terry and Dave removed the dead lawn, junipers,

Terry Blair and Dave Smith’s garden2026-04-08T10:41:51-07:00

Janis Turner’s garden

2026-04-08T10:41:51-07:00

Showcase Feature Janis, a long-time Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour volunteer (and Alameda County Master Gardener) felt guilty about her water-guzzling lawn—and she didn't love the junipers and ivy, either.  Janis found Kat

Janis Turner’s garden2026-04-08T10:41:51-07:00

Ursula Bartels’ garden

2026-04-08T10:41:52-07:00

Showcase Feature You have to see this astounding transformation to believe it. Jonathan Espalin, from Calvin Craig Landscaping, designed the new garden, replacing the formerly lawn-centered landscape with lush, mostly native plantings.  In the

Ursula Bartels’ garden2026-04-08T10:41:52-07:00

Karen and Jeremy Amos’ garden  

2026-04-08T10:41:52-07:00

Showcase Feature Inspired by the Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour, Karen and Jeremy decided to sheet-mulch away their large, thirsty lawns—much to their delight, they found when they did so their water bill was

Karen and Jeremy Amos’ garden  2026-04-08T10:41:52-07:00

Judy Schwartz and Rod Miller’s garden

2026-04-08T10:41:52-07:00

Showcase Feature It was with fortitude that Judy and Rod faced their challenges: ivy, a steep slope, a lot of shade, and the need to remove nineteen trees, including acacias, eucalyptus, and cedars. The

Judy Schwartz and Rod Miller’s garden2026-04-08T10:41:52-07:00

Carrie Knapp’s garden

2026-04-08T10:41:52-07:00

Showcase Feature Carrie wanted a low maintenance and water-conserving garden with a casual look; something that seemed like it belonged in a native oak forest.  The team at Four Dimensions Landscape Company, which

Carrie Knapp’s garden2026-04-08T10:41:52-07:00

Jessica Kolman’s garden

2026-04-08T10:41:52-07:00

Showcase Feature Undaunted by the waist-deep sea of ivy in her front garden (well, maybe a little), Jessica removed it by hand. (No pesticides are used in this—or any—Tour garden.) The extremely drought-tolerant garden

Jessica Kolman’s garden2026-04-08T10:41:52-07:00

Seibi Lee & Joel Schoolnik’s garden

2026-04-08T10:41:52-07:00

Showcase Feature Until 2013, the sloping front garden was a sea of juniper, and the back garden was a "jungle of ivy, bamboo, and assorted trees." This did not mesh with Joel and Seibi’s

Seibi Lee & Joel Schoolnik’s garden2026-04-08T10:41:52-07:00

Kate Lipman’s garden

2026-04-08T10:41:52-07:00

Showcase Feature Kate was inspired by Judith Lowry's books; when a couple of citrus trees in the driveway garden (yes, you heard it right, a driveway garden!) needed replacing, native plants were what she

Kate Lipman’s garden2026-04-08T10:41:52-07:00

Sharon Horgan’s garden

2026-04-08T10:41:52-07:00

Showcase Feature Got a small lot? Want a vibrant, low-maintenance, water-conserving, attractive garden? If so, this is the garden for you. Sharon wanted an English cottage garden, where flowers were "falling all over

Sharon Horgan’s garden2026-04-08T10:41:52-07:00

Penny DeWind and Don Kyle’s garden

2026-04-08T10:41:52-07:00

Showcase Feature Penny, long the head propagator of California native plants for sale at the U.C. Botanical Garden, had wanted a beautiful native plant garden for some time—and, with design help and installation from

Penny DeWind and Don Kyle’s garden2026-04-08T10:41:52-07:00

Elisa Mikiten’s garden

2026-04-08T10:41:52-07:00

Showcase Feature Elisa and her husband are the second owners of their 100 year old home. The first owner had a small front garden that consisted of roses, smelled like creosote, and was mulched

Elisa Mikiten’s garden2026-04-08T10:41:52-07:00

Native Here Nursery

2026-04-08T10:41:52-07:00

101 Golf Course Road, Berkeley (510) 549 0211 http://nativeherenursery.org/   Hours Tuesday 12:00-3:00, Friday 9:00-12:00, Saturday 10:00-2:00   Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour Special! Shop during the Tour’s Native Plant Sale Extravaganza, when

Native Here Nursery2026-04-08T10:41:52-07:00

Irene Kiebert and Michael Fischer’s garden

2026-04-08T10:41:55-07:00

Showcase Feature Irene and Michael’s garden, formerly juniper, gravel, and pine needles, and shaded by large Monterey pines, was redesigned and installed by Rosemary Zappulla of Wild Rose Gardens Sustainable Landscaping. Irene and Michael

Irene Kiebert and Michael Fischer’s garden2026-04-08T10:41:55-07:00

Susan and Willy Mautner’s garden

2026-04-08T10:41:55-07:00

Showcase Feature The mature oaks in this woodsy neighborhood called out for natives, and they are what Susan requested when the mass of tangled foliage that was the front garden was being redesigned by

Susan and Willy Mautner’s garden2026-04-08T10:41:55-07:00

Nancy Wenninger’s garden

2026-04-08T10:41:55-07:00

Showcase Feature This beautiful garden was created to provide food, shelter, and nesting areas for birds—and has it! More than eighty species of birds have been drawn in by the butterfly and moth attracting plants

Nancy Wenninger’s garden2026-04-08T10:41:55-07:00

Beth Clark’s garden

2026-04-08T10:41:55-07:00

Showcase Feature Inspired by the Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour (and tired of paying to have her lawn mowed), Beth hired Four Dimensions Landscape Company to design and install a drought-tolerant, low-maintenance garden.

Beth Clark’s garden2026-04-08T10:41:55-07:00

Bob and Stephanie Sorenson’s garden

2026-04-08T10:41:55-07:00

Showcase Feature For anyone interested in streamside or restoration gardening, or gardening for wildlife, this garden is a must-see. The Sorensons have spent the last thirty-five years restoring the creek side and adjacent uplands. The

Bob and Stephanie Sorenson’s garden2026-04-08T10:41:55-07:00

Bill and Linda Dick’s garden

2026-04-08T10:41:55-07:00

Showcase Feature Inspired by the Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour, Bill and Linda went looking for a designer who could bring new life to their rosemary-engulfed, steep (20 to 30 degree!) hillside. Rick

Bill and Linda Dick’s garden2026-04-08T10:41:55-07:00

Web and Sue Beadle’s garden

2026-04-08T10:41:55-07:00

Showcase Feature The showstopper here is the back garden, where water from the jacuzzi spills over a Three Rivers flagstone rock lip and into the inviting swimming pool, which is ideally situated to

Web and Sue Beadle’s garden2026-04-08T10:41:55-07:00

Darcy Horne’s garden

2026-04-08T10:41:55-07:00

Showcase Feature Darcy, "sick of mowing," wanted something different. She attended the Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour several times, found Livermore's own Kat Weiss, of Kat Weiss Landscape Design, and . .

Darcy Horne’s garden2026-04-08T10:41:55-07:00

Hannah and George Farquar’s garden

2026-04-08T10:41:55-07:00

Showcase Feature Hannah and George didn't love the overgrown, pokey Southwestern-style garden that came with their newly purchased home. Shortly after moving in they hired Kat Weiss, of Kat Weiss Landscape Design, who designed

Hannah and George Farquar’s garden2026-04-08T10:41:55-07:00

Joanie and Will Jump’s garden

2026-04-08T10:41:55-07:00

Showcase Feature Joanie, a Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour fan, wanted to replace the understories of grass and ivy in their majestic oak woodland. This large garden is being reworked in stages; the left

Joanie and Will Jump’s garden2026-04-08T10:41:55-07:00

Debby and John Butterworth’s garden

2026-04-08T10:41:55-07:00

Showcase Feature Inspired by the Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour, Debby and John asked Kelly Marshall of Kelly Marshall Garden Design to remove their tired lawn and agapanthus, and the eighty-foot redwood

Debby and John Butterworth’s garden2026-04-08T10:41:55-07:00

Nita Stull’s garden

2026-04-08T10:41:55-07:00

Showcase Feature This small garden, initially designed and installed by Pete Veilleux of East Bay Wilds, and reimagined over the years by Nita, consisted of pyracantha, sculpted junipers, and crabgrass before its transformation. Nita

Nita Stull’s garden2026-04-08T10:41:55-07:00

Nancy Warfield and David Gray’s garden

2026-04-08T10:41:55-07:00

Showcase Feature This former tired lawn, with its 7% slope, was not only uninspiring; it also funneled rainwater back toward the house. In addition to wanting their drainage problem solved, Nancy and David

Nancy Warfield and David Gray’s garden2026-04-08T10:41:55-07:00

Christine Meuris’ garden

2026-04-08T10:41:55-07:00

Showcase Feature Christine designed and installed this intimate, charming, and child-friendly garden. Bunch grasses, snowberry, Douglas iris and hummingbird sage blanket the garden in a simple, recurring plant palette. The airy gazebo, which is

Christine Meuris’ garden2026-04-08T10:41:55-07:00

Tai Moses and Michael Kerner’s garden

2026-04-08T10:41:55-07:00

Showcase Feature Neighbor Tai Moses watched the transformation of former Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour hosts Joan Lohman and Jenn Bien's garden with interest, then she also hired Liz Simpson of Liz Simpson

Tai Moses and Michael Kerner’s garden2026-04-08T10:41:55-07:00

Joe and Terri McClintock’s garden

2026-04-08T10:41:55-07:00

Showcase Feature This small, peaceful 100% native plant garden, designed and installed by Michael Thilgen and the Four Dimensions team in stages, beginning in 2000, features a graceful deer grass and fescue meadow in

Joe and Terri McClintock’s garden2026-04-08T10:41:55-07:00

Gail Schino’s garden

2026-04-08T10:41:55-07:00

Showcase Feature Built in the 60’s, Gail's original garden was filled with lawn, rhododendrons, camellias, and the inevitable fiberglass patio cover. In 2006 Gail attended the Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour, scouting for

Gail Schino’s garden2026-04-08T10:41:55-07:00

Joan Lohman and Jenn Biehn’s garden

2026-04-08T10:41:55-07:00

Showcase Feature Inspired by the Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour, Joan and Jenn decided to convert their conventional lawn and shrubs to a sustainable, native and edible, drought tolerant landscape. Liz Simpson of

Joan Lohman and Jenn Biehn’s garden2026-04-08T10:41:55-07:00

Kathy Kramer and Michael May’s garden (on the virtual tour only)

2026-04-08T10:41:57-07:00

Showcase Feature Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour Coordinator Kathy Kramer and her husband, Michael May, knew that it was high time they revamped their own garden.  In the spring of 2009 out went

Kathy Kramer and Michael May’s garden (on the virtual tour only)2026-04-08T10:41:57-07:00

Elizabeth O’Shea and Richard Howard’s garden

2026-04-08T10:41:58-07:00

Showcase Feature Elizabeth and her husband, Richard, native plant enthusiasts, designed and installed this garden over the past two decades. A colorful mix of natives and Mediterranean plants are found near the house. Bunchgrass

Elizabeth O’Shea and Richard Howard’s garden2026-04-08T10:41:58-07:00
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