Brenda Senturia and Gary Cooper’s garden
Hayward
Lot size: ½ acre, 99% native
Garden Age: Garden was installed in stages, beginning in 2006
Years on the Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour: New this year!
Showcase feature: Dry-stacked moss rock retaining walls and paths lined with decomposed granite and mulch are beautifully designed to provide access to the steep slope in the back garden. It’s hard to believe that this lovely, tranquil oak woodland, with its attractive understory of shade-loving natives, was fairly recently a sea of French broom, Cape ivy, thistles, and poison oak. Brenda selected the native plants; Randy De Valle created the overall garden design and oversaw the installation of the rock walls, paths, and potting shed.
Other garden attractions:
- If you have a shady or hillside lot, this inspirational garden is a must-see.
- The sunny front garden contains heat-loving plants such as manzanita and sages.
- The rustic potting shed in the back garden will soon be covered with native grape.
- Wear comfortable walking shoes (did we say this slope was steep?).
- Don’t miss Brenda’s nifty plant binder, which contains photos of the plants in the garden, along with information about them.
Gardening for Wildlife: Mature oaks and toyon, understory plants of diverse heights, and the sound of water splashing through the three-step waterfall attract a variety of wildlife, including 35 species of birds seen in, or from, the garden. Chestnut-backed chickadees, oak titmice, and Nuttall’s woodpeckers are attracted to the oak woodland; red-shouldered hawks perch in the trees; hermit thrushes and cedar waxwings bathe in the cascade.
Garden Talks: 10:30 and 4:00 “The challenges of creating a hillside garden” by Brenda Senturia