Janis Turner’s garden

Livermore

Lot size: 800 sq. ft. front garden, 80% native

Garden Age: Garden was installed in 2009

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

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 Weiss of Kat Weiss Landscape Design on the Tour’s website—and the garden was reborn. (So was Janis’ water bill, which dropped by half when the garden was transformed.) Today, a medley of native shrubs tumble against each other in wild abandon.  A variety of sages (Bees Bliss, Cleveland, and pitcher) fill the air with their sweet scent on warm days.

Other Garden Attractions

  • The garden steps, retaining walls, curved seating bench, and patio were made from the former concrete path and driveway.
  • Raised garden beds provide the drainage that most native plants need.

 

Gardening for Wildlife

Native bees love the coyote mint, California lilac, and the three kinds of buckwheat (rosy, Santa Cruz Island, and Saint Catherine’s lace).  Hummingbirds dart through the garden, seeking the hummingbird sage, fuchsia,                and penstemon.

Garden Talks

11:00 and 2:00 “How to convert your garden from lawn and ivy to a water-conserving wildlife-attracting native plant garden” by Janis Turner

 

Music in the Garden

Deb Selig will play guitar & sing “folksy” music between 1:00 and 3:00

 

Plant list



Photos

Click to see as a slideshow: