John Hobson's Garden
Livermore
Gardening experience: Native garden was installed in stages, over 2-7 years
Garden size: 600 sq. foot front only on Tour
Showcase feature: John's garden, which he designed and installed, evolved from juniper, ivy, and lawn (which he removed slowly, by hand, and enjoyed the exercise) to drought-tolerant plants, then, as he puts it, he "graduated to California natives." Now a variety of fragrant sages (pitcher, white, black, Cleveland, and California) and buckwheats (redflower, Santa Cruz Island, and naked), adorn the front garden. Plants native to Livermore were purchased from the Mines Road Nursery. With luck, some of the bulbs, such as elegant and long-rayed brodiaeas, and superb Mariposa, or round tooth snake lilies, will be in bloom.
Other garden attractions:
- Mountain mahogany and native berries create privacy hedges.
- The sea of poppies came from one plant.
- A variety of berries-oso, snow, and fuchsia-flowering gooseberry-are found in this garden.
- Take a gander at the beautiful native flax, which just keeps flowering.
Gardening for wildlife: Doves, scrub jays, mocking birds, cedar waxwings, finches, and many kinds of bees enjoy the seeds, berries, nectar, and shelter this garden provides. Hummingbirds adore the native fuchsia. Bees riot in the buckwheats and sages.