Rolland Mathers and Jennifer Adler’s Garden
Oakland
Gardening experience: 3 years at this location
Garden size: 150 square-foot front garden, 300 square-foot back garden, 75% native
Showcase feature: Three years ago, the Kikuyu grass lawn was scraped out and a native grassland, designed and installed by Rolland Mathers of Shelterbelt Builders and his partner Jennifer Adler, was planted in the small front garden. It’s hard to believe, but there are more than 30 species of native in this small space! In spring, the front garden is pink and purple with blossoms from checkerbloom, seaside daisy, blue-eyed grass, and Douglas iris. The half-dozen types of native grasses wave gracefully over a groundcover of native strawberry. This low-maintenance garden receives no supplemental water.
Other garden attractions:
- Got weeds? Don’t miss seeing this specialized collection of weed-removal tools! Shelterbelt Builders, a native plant restoration and landscaping firm, will have a weed wrench (broom), Pulaski (pampas grass), hazel hoe (Kikuyu grass), and hula hoe (for annual weed maintenance) available for your perusal and hefting.
- Tired of lawn care? There is no mowing in this garden; the native grasses are clipped once a year. (Go ahead; ask how the lawn was removed.)
- The back garden contains shade-loving shrubs used as to screen the fence line; the trellis was recently planted with native grape and Dutchman’s pipevine.
- The vegetable bed in the back garden was raised in order to assure soil quality.
Gardening for wildlife: Salamanders, Jerusalum crickets, bees from the neighbor’s hive, and many birds are seen here. In the front garden, falcons keep their eyes peeled for unwary pigeons.
