Native Rain Garden : Sunnyvale, Ca.

 A private rock patio space allows the family to enjoy the neighborhood while in the garden.

Salvia apiana, Artemesia californica, Salvia Bee's Bliss, Mimulus auranticus Fragaria chiloensis

The creamy flowers of a young Elderberry Sambucus mexicana.

Sambucus and Myrica growing into a privacy hedge.

Spring brings an explosion of colors as Poppies frame a mix of sages.

Sambucus mexicana will grow to offer privacy for the new boulder bench and stone patio.

 Myrica makes a great screen for privacy.

Myrica californica with Salvia Clevelandii, Calamagrostis foliosa and Pumpkin.

This Pumpkin volunteered from the corner of the new patio and grew to soften the hardscape while the new garden fills in. Thanks, nature!

Asclepias fascicularis Narrowleaf Milkweed is among the new plantings to invite Monarch butterflies.

With all the hardscape elements, irrigation, paths and sheet mulching finished this little garden is ready for native plantings.

A thick top layer of bark mulch completes the sheet mulching process.

Organic compost makes the second layer of the sheet-mulch lasagna.

Sheet mulching will act as a weed barrier and a soil builder once the compost and bark mulch are added.

Here is the beginning of the sheet-mulching process. The cardboard has been layered to catch water on the contours of the new landscape. Also, irrigation and a path of gold fines was completed before the sheet mulching began.

Low retaining walls elevate areas for drainage as part of the rock work. The grade is done by hand, taking care where possible to not disturb the remaining soil biology. As basins were dug to collect water from surrounding hardscape, the excavated soil is added and compacted into the low raised berms.

This boulder doubles as a natural bench for the family to feel more connection to the garden.

Once boulders were set, this blue stone patio was built to extend the front porch away from the house and offer an outdoor room to enjoy life in the new garden.

Small boulders and dry-stack work adds spacial interest along with small earthworks such as low berms and basins, a foundation for a rain garden is built.

A Sunnyvale residence overgrown with weeds and non-native grasses. The clients project goals were to transform this into a drought tolerant native garden.