Cheryl Chi and Brandon Young's garden
San Leandro
Garden Lot size: 600 sq. ft. front garden only on tour, 99% native
Years gardened at this location (Gardening Experience): Native garden was installed in Sept. 2006
Years on the "Bringing Back the Natives" Garden Tour: New this year!
Showcase feature: Inspired by the Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour, Cheryl and Brandon visited other gardens Rick Alatorre of Alatorre Garden Design had created, and then hired him to design their garden, and to purchase their plants. These hardy do-it-your-selfers removed the rocks and junipers in their existing so-70’s front garden, laid down cardboard covered by mulch (to discourage weeds), brought in soil to make low berms, set the Three Rivers flagstone in sand, and planted the garden themselves. This small, simple garden is drought-tolerant, low maintenance, and was fairly inexpensive. (It is a lot of work to install!)
Other garden attractions:
- The purples of the penstamen, seaside daisy, sage, and native flax contrast nicely with the yellow tar plant, orange monkeyflowers and columbines, and the pinks of the current and rosy buckwheat. Neighbors love this garden!
- California lilac and manzanita provide structure and greenery throughout the year.
Garden Talks: 12:00 and 3:00 “Lessons learned by do-it-your-selfers: Costs; hiring a designer; irrigation; and the ups and downs of installing a native garden on your own” by Cheryl Chi and Brandon Young