Debbie Rheuark’s Garden
Richmond
Gardening experience: all my life
Years gardened at this location: 4 years
Size: front yard only - 400 square foot front, 200 sq ft parking strip, 100 sq foot side
Showcase feature: This small, charming garden, designed and installed by Debbie, is a riot of color in the spring. Milkweed, clarkias, buckwheat, and yarrow reseed and move about the garden at will, creating changes the gardener hadn’t expected. This pleases Debbie, who “didn’t want a lawn, and did want plants that would grow with little attention paid to them.” A lush California grape climbs gracefully up the porch rail and across the front of the house.
Other garden attractions:
- Wondering what to do with your parking strip? Take a gander at this gorgeous one.
- Removed lawn, built up a small berm, and planted with 100% natives.
- Great 'before' photos.
- Sacrificial milkweed plants are left for the aphids (which bring in birds).
- Check out the fragrant sage in this garden.
Gardening for Wildlife: Deborah reports an invasion of butterflies—buckeye, monarch, skipper, West coast, and painted lady. They are attracted to the abundance of flowers in her vibrantly flower-filled front garden. Hummingbirds love the many fuschias, penstamens, and monkeyflowers. Leaf cutter bees visit the parking strip in order to gnosh on the redbud leaves. Doves began to visit the garden once the lawn was removed, and they now nest in an orange tree in the back garden. Deborah saw their fledgling resting on the recycling bin after its first flight.
Plants for sale or free: Buckwheat, seaside daisy, blue-eyed grass, beach strawberry, hummingbird sage, milkweed, Catalina island snapdragon, and yarrow will be available for a nominal charge, while supplies last.