Al and Barbara Kyte's Garden
Moraga
Gardening experience: Thirty years at this location
Garden size: 8,500 square feet
Showcase feature: This lovely, low-maintenance garden provides great habitat for people and wildlife alike. In the front garden a sun-dappled bower of vine maples create an inviting garden entrance, welcoming visitors who wish to wander among the half-dozen species of manzanitas that keep the front garden attractive throughout the year. In the back garden, a twenty-five-foot long stream, with off-set pools, a meander, and a bird beach spills into a pond.
Other garden attractions:
- Established native plants (more than 80 species of natives are found in this garden) receive no summer water.
- Japanese design concepts shaped the design of this garden.
- Note how the mountain mahogany is used to soften the lines of the house, and the artful use of trees one can see through, such as California lilac.
- Al, a professional flyfisher, carefully designed one straight line in the back garden—this allows him to practice casting from the patio into the stream.
Gardening for wildlife: Bird houses and baths, suet and seed bird feeders, the bird beach adjacent to the stream, and the sound of falling water has attracted over 30 species of birds, including tanagers, which hadn't been seen before water began splashing its way over the rocks and toward the pond. Thoughtfully placed brush piles attract western fence and alligator lizards. Sharp-tailed snakes reside in the garden, and gopher snakes pass through.
Garden Talks: 12:00 and 3:00 "Concepts that Guided My Landscaping"