Showcase Feature
Long-time Garden Tour hosts Rose and Dan had their beautiful Alameda garden on the Tour several times. Upon relocating to Livermore in 2021, they immediately began work on a native garden at their new home.
They consulted Todd Gilens of Todd Gilens Design, and also with Dale Gaff, a retired landscape architect—and Dan’s father—for the first phase of planting in 2022. More recently, they consulted with Kelly Marshall for the second stage of the evolving garden, which was planted in 2024. Rose and Dan installed the garden themselves.
Their beautiful and inviting back garden includes heat-loving natives, such as several types of manzanitas, white sage, apricot mallow, and penstemons. Their front yard boasts flowering currants, as well as John Dourley manzanitas, mountain mahogany, toyon, and many native grasses.
Rose and Dan will share with you how they adapted their garden to the intense summer heat and hard clay soil of the inland valley, and how they chose plants that provide year-round color, texture, and pollinator interest. Come see two young gardens that are already thriving in the inland sunshine.
Other Garden Attractions
• Did you know you can get paid to remove your lawn? Check out the materials on lawn removal rebates that will be available.
Gardening for Wildlife
Scrub jays, house finches, goldfinches, woodpeckers, mockingbirds, sparrows, black phoebes, doves, chickadees, and hummingbirds now frequent the garden.
This garden has also attracted a variety of butterflies; you might spot gulf fritillaries, painted ladies, buckeyes, red admirals, swallowtails, and gray hairstreaks fluttering about.
Garden Talks
11:00 “Tips for gardening in the TriValley area: How to plant in heavy clay and a recommended list of plants that can survive in the extreme heat of our inland summers” by Rose Hurley and Dan Gaff
Keystone species in this garden (watch this talk by Doug Tallamy!)
Keystone species—our own, local ecological powerhouse plants — in this garden include goldenrod, buckwheat, California lilac, manzanita, asters, sages, and penstemons.
Green Home Features
Solar panels were installed in 2022 and provide almost 100% of all electric power this home uses.
Wondering what to make for dinner? Try this recipe, which was submitted by garden tour host Rose Hurley!
Brussel sprout salad
Photos
Click to see as a slideshow:
