Our Gardens

San Anselmo Kitchen Garden

A REDWOOD RAISED BED KITCHEN GARDEN FOR A FAMILY OF THREE IN SAN ANSELMO.

This project was intended to start this family with a young daughter on their food growing journey. After touring the property, we decided on this small, flat space off the garage, in close proximity to the kitchen. This family puts priority on healthy eating + exercise, and have strengthened their connection to extended family throughout the country through a shared love of growing their own food.

We turned the so-called “eyesore” into a thriving kitchen garden with two 3ft by 8ft beds, obelisk trellises, flagstone pathway and pollinator strip with CA native plants. We’ve helped them understand the seasonality of growing and plan on three seasons of growing for their Marin micro-climate: Spring, Summer and Fall/Winter.

We prioritized accessibility with 3ft wide pathways around the beds, from the garage to the kitchen garden and through the to a gate that leads to the lower portion of the property so everyone (including the dog!) could enjoy the garden at the same time.

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plant HIGHLIGHTS FROM THIS POLLINATOR FRIENDLY HERB GARDEN

Milkweed (Asclepias curassavica & fasicularis): Silky Gold tropical milkweed and narrow-leaved milkweed are both hosts for monarch butterflies, whose populations are in sharp decline. Narrow-leaved (fasicularis) are native to California, and host the monarch who overwinter on the Pacific coast.

Tulsi Basil (Ocimum sanctum): A beloved staple in an home apothecary, this powerful herb boasts anti-inflammatory, anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties. The flowers have an intoxicating, sweet scent and the leaves have an aromatic flavor similar to thai basil.

Chamomile (Matriarca chamomilla): Revered world-wide for its sleep inducing properties, the dainty white flowers with a yellow, coned center are also a favorite for bees. They also produce a sweet fragrance that brings your garden to life.

Lagunitas Pollinator Garden

An unproductive compost bin turns into a thriving pollinator garden.

A years old compost bin was neglected in an existing vegetable garden. After choosing a better location to create a two-part compost bin, we rehabbed the space to put in a new, pollinator-friendly herb bed.

We removed the cinder block compost bin, then dug out 10 inches below the soil level to install gopher wire. We then amended the existing soil with compost, potting soil and lava rocks. We mounded the plot approximately 8 inches above the soil line and ran irrigation in a spiral to take advantage of gravity and produce a natural overall water flow to all the plants.

Are you an herb lover? Book a pollinator/ herb design consult below.

GIVE ME ALL THE BUTTERFLIES

San Mateo Small Space Kitchen Garden

CUSTOM GALVANIZED PLANTERS FOR A BUSY TECH SENIOR MANAGER IN SAN MATEO.

What to do with a sun-soaked apartment balcony? For this busy client, we wanted to add some greenery and some space for growing food, without overwhelming the space with raised beds, or overwhelming the client with too much garden for her time constraints.

We built a custom patio planter out of reclaimed wood and galvanized sheet metal panels. We also added two herb boxes out of the same reclaimed wood.

After about a year, the client upgraded to an apartment with a postage stamp backyard and decided to expand her food growing. We added a twin planter to match the existing and built a redwood platform both to lift the planters off the mulch and to create a minimal barrier from her large-breed dog.

Twin planters, herb boxes + slatted redwood platform

Even with dappled sun, this client is able to grow year round. In the fall, winter and spring she grows plentiful green and herbs. In the summer she grows a few fruiting plants, flowers and herbs.

Added customizations include screen mesh covers for pest protection, trellises and terra cotta planters for summer peppers.

Do you have a small space begging for greens? Book a kitchen garden consult with us.

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Forest Knolls Native Plant Refresh

“Make it wild! I want an ecosystem.”

This existing overgrown garden in Forest Knolls, West Marin, was in desperate need of a redo. The client, an herbalist, said it loud and clear: “Make it wild! I want an ecosystem.”

The garden consisted of three existing plots, bordered by driftwood and surrounded by pathways of decomposed granite. We decided on a mix of California native and useful, herbal/ medicinal plants to replace the overgrown weeds and previous plants that had been eaten by gophers, birds and other critters. The existing garden materials only added to the coastal California feel, so no changes were made.

We dug out the in-ground beds and lined with gopher wire AKA hardware cloth. We amended the soil with compost, topsoil and drainage rock and planted over 50 native plants into their comfy new home.

The current tenant has described a flush of pollinator life returning to the yard: butterflies, bees and hummingbirds are enjoying the feast of nectar provided by the flowers, host plants for larva and edible leafy greens for important California native insects and bugs.

After about a year, the client upgraded to an apartment with a postage stamp backyard and decided to expand her food growing. We added a twin planter to match the existing and built a redwood platform both to lift the planters off the mulch and to create a minimal barrier from her large-breed dog.

plant HIGHLIGHTS IN THIS NATIVE, POLLINATOR FRIENDLY GARDEN

Calif. Seaside Buckwheat (Eriogonum latifolium) A drought tolerant, deer resistant, native plant and host to at least 10 moth and butterfly species.

Western Blue Flax (Linum lewisii) Another drought tolerant, deer resistant native with beautiful pale blue flowers. Host to 9 California moths, visited by bird and bees.

Yampah (Perideridia californica) Is drought resistant host plant to the native Anise Swallotwtail.

Is your yard lacking an ecosystem? Start one with a pollinator garden consult.

Make it Wild

Fairfax Rooftop Succulent Garden

An Existing Rooftop Garden Gets a Water-Wise Face Lift

A existing raised bed kit was taking up space on this sunny rooftop spot in the hills above Fairfax, CA. The clients wanted a welcoming place to relax in the sun, without compromising the structural integrity of this garage roof. These eco-conscious clients were also mindful of the thermal heat from the asphalt roof, plus nearly full sun, and decided on water-wise succulents in stylish corten steel planters. The design was pushed to the edges to put the majority of the weight on load-bearing walls and a large enough space for an outdoor rug and cushions to draw together an outdoor living room.

The view from the front door needed a bit of help. We consulted on the best way to revamp the space, what materials to use and water kind of garden to install. This was April, 2021 and California was already in severe drought. We designed a small hoop house vegetable garden, to be used in the future with less water restrictions and went forward with a succulent border garden to help close off the space from the edge of the roof.