Lot size: 900 sq. ft. front garden, 99% native

Garden Age: Garden was installed in October of 2014

Years on the Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour: New this year!

Showcase Feature

Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour participant and volunteer Lori is a fifth generation Californian—so when she decided to sheet mulch the lawn during the drought, planting California natives was a given for her. The lush, full garden Lori designed and that she and her husband, Chris, installed contains an attractive and inviting shaded seating area adjacent to a burbling recirculating fountain. Gracefully curving garden beds, a cobblestone-lined dry creek bed, clustered glazed ceramic pots, split rail fence, and garden art make this garden a visual treat. A selection of plants that can tolerate the full sun in Brentwood’s hot, dry summers, including California lilac, fuchsia, verbena lilac ‘De La Mina’, and beautifully scented sages were planted in a mound, which give the natives the drainage most of them need, and creates visual interest.

Other Garden Attractions

• The Mayo’s received a $2.00 a square foot rebate from the City of Brentwood and the Save Our Water program for replacing their lawn with a native plant garden.
• A potpourri of shade-loving plants, including coral bells, ferns, and trillium, are clustered near the house.
• Native succulents flourish in
• Lori, who experiments with plant choice and placement has an infectious, cheerful, can-do attitude—if you need inspiration, check this garden out!

Gardening for Wildlife

Carpenter bees adore the native fuchsia. Mourning doves nest in a hanging pot. The sound of water trickling in the fountain attracts people and wildlife alike.

Plant list