Keith Hamby’s garden
El Cerrito
Lot size: 750 square foot front garden and 300 square foot side garden only are on the tour, 99% native
Garden Age: Garden was installed in 2004.
Years on the Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour: 3
Showcase feature: A gently curving path winds gracefully through this lovely front garden, leading visitors up and through an antique wrought iron gate to the attractive side garden, which is bordered with elegantly waving bunchgrasses, hardy gum plants, and brightly flowering monkeyflowers. This garden, designed and installed by Rick Alatorre of Alatorre Design, was designed for year-round color. Raised are beds bordered by antique gold rock; Sierra gold fine covers the paths.
Other garden attractions:
- Mulch keeps weeds at bay and conserves water.
- Fragrant coyote mint, tar weeds, and sages are scattered about this garden.
- Pink lupines, purple penstemons, and yellow and white tar weeds make this garden a visual pleasure in spring.
- Coffeeberrys and a variety of manzanitas—Dr. Hurd, Howard McMinn, Carmel Sur, and Emerald Carpet —add winter color.
Gardening for Wildlife: Crevices in the rock provide shelter for caterpillars as they spin their cocoons in the tarweed. Elsewhere, ladybugs and bees dart happily about, hoverflies and native bees zip around, and many types of birds pass the day in this peaceful haven in suburbia.