Jeff and Julie Johnson’s garden
Castro Valley
Lot size: 1,000 sq. ft. back garden only on tour, 50% native
Garden Age: Garden was redesigned in the fall of 2006.
Years on the Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour: New this year!
Showcase feature: The small back yard, reduced to bare dirt and two linear retaining walls by a home expansion project, was redesigned two years ago; curving retaining walls and a large pond, waterfall, and dry stream bed have changed the look of this garden! (Don’t miss the “before” photos.) This low-maintenance garden contains a variety of micro-climates—from blazing hot sun to full shade, and everything in between. Initially planted with 10% natives, a wide range of natives is now being incorporated into this garden in order to meet the varying light and water requirements.
Other garden attractions:
- This lawn-free, low-water-use back yard garden was watered sparingly (soaker hose every 10-14 days) during the summer of 2007. Thick mulch layer helps to retain soil moisture.
Gardening for Wildlife: Small trees, large shrubs, and boulders provide wildlife with areas for nesting and shelter. The waterfall and large pond provide water and additional habitat for the dragonflies that flit around the water’s edge and butterflies that frolic in the shallows. The diversity of natives (more than 50 species are found in this small garden) includes plants with berries, such as pink flowering currant, thimbleberries and snowberries (which draw in birds), and plants with big landing pads for butterflies, such as buckwheat and yampah. Butterflies, moths, and several species of bees frequent the garden. Other winged visitors include woodpeckers, hummingbirds, finches, and thrushes. Newts, snakes, and lizards call this garden home.
Garden Talks: 10:30 and 4:00 “Small gardens bring big rewards” by Jeff Johnson