Sweet Harmony - Lily's Garden in San Jose, California

 Lily is a darling customer who we never miss a chance to visit, even just for tea. We've been maintaining and upgrading her garden for the past five years, replacing older, overgrown plants with evergreen plants that are drought tolerant and native to the California environment. With nectar producers and ready pollinators, this garden is a true oasis for local wildlife and is especially beautiful in the Spring months of March and April when all the flowers bloom in unison - a calming symphony of colors.

Iris douglasiana 'Canyon Snow'

Island Alum Root (Heuchera maxima), Shasta Sulfur Buckwheat (Eriogonum umbellatum polyanthum), Red Buckwheat (Eriogonum grande rubescens), Salvia 'Dara's Choice', California Fuchsia (Zauschneria/Epilobium)

Yellow flowering Shasta Sulfur Buckwheat (Eriogonum umbellatum polyanthum)

In February, Salvia sonomensis 'Dara's Choice' groundcovers are the first to bloom after a winter's rest.

Salvia sonomensis 'Dara's Choice' groundcover blooming in February.

Purple flowering Salvia greggii 'Mesa Azure' in the foreground with hot pink Salvia spathacea (Hummingbird Sage) in the background.

White flowering Carpenteria californica 'Elizabeth' grow alongside purple flowering Salvia greggii 'Mesa Azure'.

Tall flower spikes of Island Alum Root (Heuchera maxima) add height and subtle color.

Low Water Urban Gem

This three year old garden literally sparkles with light and life. The owner had a talented local artisan (Lyndon Johnson) custom create the planting beds and walkways in cut stone, while her extremely handy husband hand-built the craftsman-style dual facing street side benches, as well as the fence and entryway deck.

More than almost any other garden we've ever helped to create (and thanks to the keen benches) neighbors seem drawn like magnets to lounge in front of the garden and simply enjoy a friendly chat. With such a beautiful, practical selection of plants complementing the avaunt-garde walkway & planters as a backdrop, who can blame them? This garden is ultra relaxed, effortlessly natural and yet still manages to express a firm modernity reflected in the eclectic hardscape design and low water garden plan. Talk about curb appeal. This garden is, we daresay, tres chic mon ami!


The Front Garden

The Plan

Visit this garden at our website:
http://taprootgardens.com/garden_landscape_design_mg_garden.htm

View this garden design process, from mapping to drawing:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.229288725548.176252.221024455548&type=1