Creekside and Carefree
A successful design collaboration between the homeowner and her brother, an artist, has resulted in a garden full of multi-dimensional texture and color. A desire to move towards the use of California natives was the impetus for change in this garden.
Bold robust plantings provide privacy for the brick courtyard, a comfortable space to relax throughout the day. A low brick wall, brick pilasters and a pair of Kumquats that flank the entry establish a sense of arrival to the space.
Exposed aggregate pavers in a variety of sizes lead deep into the garden, make you want to explore further and provide access for maintaining the garden. Edibles are also an integral part of this garden, including grapes, Kumquat, a pair of Pear trees and others in containers.
Red foliage amongst a variety of greens punctuates the garden and extends the brick color of the façade into the landscape. Plants such as Smoke Tree, Chinese Fringe Flower, Red Japanese Maple and the Blackbird Spurge deliver deep reds in abundance.
Situated adjacent to Laguna Creek and the Camden greenbelt, provides views and a sense of borrowed open space making this garden ‘creekside and carefree’!
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Plant List
- Bloodgood Japanese Maple, Acer palmatum ‘Bloodgood’
- Santa Barbara Daisy, Erigeron karvinskianus
- Purple African Daisy, Osteospermum fruticosum ‘Serenity Dark Purple’
- Chinese Fringe Flower, Loropetalum chinense
- Mexican Feather Grass, Stipa tenuissima
- Wormwood, Artemisia ‘Powis Castle’
- Morning Light Maiden Grass, Miscanthus sinensis ‘Morning Light’
- Matilija Poppy, Romneya coulteri
- Ascot Rainbow Spurge, Euphorbia x martinii ‘Ascot Rainbow’
- Blackbird Spurge, Euphorbia ‘Blackbird’
- Purple Smoke Tree, Cotinus coggygria ‘Royal Purple’
- Lion’s Tail, Leonotis leonurus
- Gaura, Gaura lindheimeri
- Beardtongue, Penstemon hybrid
- Jerusalem Sage, Phlomis fruticosa
- Copper Yellow African Daisy, Osteospermum ecklonis 'Side Show Copper Yellow'
- Japanese Maple, Acer palmatum
- English Lavender, Lavandula angustifolia
- Jagged Lavender, Lavandula pinnata
- Grape, Vitis species
- Pear, Pyrus species
- Nagami Kumquat, Fortunella margarita ‘Nagami’
- Cyclamen, Cyclamen species
- Kaffir Lily, Clivia miniata
- Heavenly Bamboo, Nandina domestica
- Lily-of-the-Nile, Agapanthus africanus
- California Fuschia, Epilobium canum
- Deer Grass, Muhlenbergia rigens
- Pink Muhly, Muhlenbergia capillaris
- Orange Stalked Bulbine, Bulbine frutescens
This 'greener' garden is within the Laguna Creek Watershed. A river friendly garden like this one reduces runoff and the pollutants that would otherwise drain into Lower Laguna Creek.
