Lot size: 1,675 sq. ft. front garden, 300 sq. ft. the side garden, and 1,550 sq. ft. back garden, 80% native
Garden Age: Garden was installed in the spring of 2014
Years on the Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour: New this year!
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 persona was just waiting to burst forth—and now it has. Thanks to Michael Thilgen and the team at Four Dimensions Landscape Company, Peg is a host, with a beautiful, low-maintenance native garden of her own. Instead of the junipers that once dominated the lot, Peg’s garden is now home to plants that are mostly of local native origin, celebrating the spectacular diversity of Oakland’s flora. The focus is on oak woodland understory species, with some grassland and scrub thrown in for fun. A small deck overlooks an oak-covered tributary to Arroyo Viejo Creek.
Other Garden Attractions
- The stunning wrought iron oak tree gate was hand-crafted by welding instructor Liisa Pine Schoonmaker.
- A simple boulder fountain surrounded by the handsome California gray rush catches the eye, delights the ear, and attracts local wildlife.
- Peachy-pink Arizona flagstone was used to create the steps and patio.
- This garden is watered with Netafim, an efficient and sturdy drip irrigation product.
Gardening for Wildlife
Native bees, butterflies, and birds are attracted to the diversity of plant heights, the variety of flowering natives, and the water provided in this garden.
