Projects

For years, this small front yard in Oakland’s Maxwell Park neighborhood was not the happiest welcome home. The lawn had long died, the weeds took over, and the native clay soil just seemed to harden even more. Then one autumn, the owner sprang into action, ripping out the  lawn himself, amending the soil with clodbuster, and building a retaining wall and planter box to delineate the front yard from the sidewalk. When he and his wife were ready to make plant selections, they contacted me for guidance. Together, we curated a sophisticated array of plants in a variety of textures and bold pops of burgundy as the main color story. The lineup was exciting! It included Cercis candensis ‘Forest Pansy’ (Eastern Redbud), Leucadendron ‘Ebony,’ Loropetalum chinense (Chinese Fringe Flower), Cestrum newellii (Red Cestrum), Drimys winteri, Hydrangea quercifolia (Oak Leaf Hydrangea), Lomandra longifolia ‘Platinum Beauty,’ Rubus calycinoides (Creeping Raspberry), Abutilon ‘Tiger Eye,’ and Acacia cognata (Cousin Itt Acacia). Next, I recommended a planting layout that would best complement a few boulders thoughtfully chosen by the client. I also wanted the plant selection to include those that attracted pollinators. Ultimately, the design came together beautifully, resulting not only in a more attractive landscape, but also in demonstrating how big an impact even a small garden can have.

I’ve helped beautify this garden since 2016. The sloped front garden has multiple levels and the established plant collection is wonderfully diverse, a reflection of the wide range of plants that can thrive in Oakland. Pine, azalea and rhododendron, Japanese maple, saucer magnolia, apple, citrus, rosemary, wild strawberry, and Santa Barbara daisy live together in sun-kissed harmony. The homeowners were looking to fill the planting beds to the left and right of the steps with additional plants to complement the existing plants. For each bed, I selected Rubus calycinoides (Creeping Raspberry), an evergreen groundcover that forms a dense carpet; an array of dwarf conifers; Acacia cognata (Cousin Itt Acacia), a mounding shrub with soft, needle-like foliage; and burgundy-hued cordyline. The client had a selection of boulders and wanted to showcase alongside plantings that together would exude a zen aesthetic. The garden has filled in beautifully and I’m happy to report that this effect was achieved.

The back garden is another story — understory to be exact. Heritage Monterey pines tower over multiple focal points and destinations: a main deck with barbecue area and hot tub; a soothing zen space with water feature and Asian statuary; a grape arbor flanked by mature Japanese maple and bamboo; and multiple container plantings which I helped select, style, and place. In 2019, the mid portion and beyond of this backyard sanctuary was reimagined by Peter Bowyer, whose design included the addition of an extensive Japanese maple collection, temple-like structure for quiet reflection, two additional seating areas, and a winding path of stairs beckoning you to explore it all. Since the redesign, I continue to keep the multiple container plantings and garden features looking their best and placed where they can best be enjoyed up close. I also helped select and place two antique Japanese lanterns purchased at East Bay Wilds in Oakland and a trio of one-of-a-kind horse sculptures created by local artist Amy Evans McClure.

It was an honor to be invited to this minimalist-chic residence to refresh and rehab the homeowner’s indoor and outdoor container plants. The multi-level home has undergone significant renovations in recent years, including the installation of a magnificent interior stairway and a landscaped slope that flanks a long path to the entryway. The home is tucked among mature conifers and an enormous bay laurel whose foliage offers a constant supply of soothing herbal scent and natural mulch. Understory plants include Japanese maple, rosemary, pittosporum, fern, ornamental grasses, and several varieties of succulents. The home’s numerous large windows offer plentiful natural light and invite the outdoors in. I kicked off this project by moving a large, potted bird of paradise onto an exterior deck for more light and air flow. Then I gave its foliage a thorough wipe-down with diluted hydrogen peroxide because I’d immediately noticed a small infestation of mealybug and scale. I also cleaned and sanitized the ceramic planter it sat in, replaced the moss top dressing, and thoroughly watered the plant. Because of all the amazing natural light, I encouraged the homeowner to expand her indoor plant collection to include easy-care varieties of Alocasia, Ficus, Peperomia and Syngonium, all of which I styled with decorative pots and top dressings. A sitting/meditating space to the right of the entryway featured three large cement containers planted with Chalk Dudleya, Mangave, and a few struggling succulents.

I removed all spent plants and supplemented the planters with red Yucca for height and added texture, more Mangave varieties, Agave ‘Blue Glow,’ and pops of Meerlo Lavender to bring softness to a mostly spiky and structural plant selection. Ease of care, deer resistance, and textural beauty guided all exterior plant choices. To break up the straight lines of the large rectangular containers and introduce “curve” appeal, I added a single round pot planted with a large, showy Mangave. On a raised platform closer to the front door, I replaced a struggling cactus (likely due to improper watering and insufficient sunlight) with a sculptural Fan Aloe. The back of the home has a fire deck which receives strong afternoon sun exposure. Its features included a metal dining table, the same style of large rectangular cement planter near the entryway, and a potted kumquat. I removed all spent plants and weeds from the cement planter, freshened the soil, and replanted the container with a mix of existing succulents and cacti as well as new plants like Agave ‘Blue Glow’ to create cohesion with the planters at the side of the home. I also redesigned a table centerpiece planter by adding a new prickly pear plant, mounded and then top dressed with pumice. For the large terra cotta pot containing the kumquat, I created an understory of Meerlo Lavender and complemented the potted citrus with two terra cotta pots of Black Mondo Grass.