Tim and Gayle Kalman's Garden
El Cerrito
Gardening Experience: 17 years total, 9 years at this location
Garden size: 1/3 acre
Showcase feature:More than 130 species of California natives, some rare, have been brought to this sloping garden, where every inch that can be gardened has a plant in it. A number of the natives were collected locally from seed by the gardener, who designed and installed the garden. A majestic oak graces the back garden, providing shade for a variety of woodland plants.
Other garden attractions:
- Fifteen species of native grasses have been planted.
- Deer shape the front garden; what's left is what they don't like.
- The garden was created out of lawn and weeds.
Gardening for Wildlife: The garden was designed to attract wildlife, especially native bees, birds, and butterflies. Raccoons, skunks, opossums, squirrels, and pocket moles frequent the garden. Red-tailed hawks soar overhead, while nuthatches, hummingbirds, and cedar waxwings flit about. Anise swallowtail butterflies (which lay eggs on the native Angelica), monarch and blue butterflies, and carpenter, bumble- and honeybees flutter and buzz around the diverse array of flowers available to them. Pacific chorus frogs and slender salamanders also call this garden home.
Garden Talk: 11:00 and 2:00 "Native Grasses: They're Not Just for Hippies Anymore"
Plant Sale: Plants sold or given away: Dainty Horkelias and beefy Festuca californica's will be given away.