Growing Together

These first-time gardeners encountered an essentially blank slate when they began their work in 2009, finding only western red cedars and a Japanese maple. Over the years, they have added layers, textures, colors and form to their landscape, creating a lovely diverse garden.

Among drought-tolerant plants growing on the west-facing parking strip notice two yuccas trained to look like palm trees (think Dr. Seuss), many coneflowers and two fast-growing Chitalpa trees, a cross between desert willow, which provides the drought-tolerant trait, and the catalpa tree for lovely blooms. Along and behind the fence, look for are potentillas, Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’, and a tropical looking Himalayan honeysuckle.

A showy Japanese snowbell graces the front of the house along with a terraced bed of peonies, witch hazel and a ‘Red Dragon’ Japanese maple. Lemon cypress brightens the area behind a little pond.

In the back, behind the peanut butter tree or harlequin glorybower, grow blueberries, sweet bay, huckleberries and Chilean myrtle berries. Across the path is a seven-son tree, vine and coral bark maples, and an ‘Alice’ rhododendron with giant pink blooms. A huge smoke bush provides privacy for the backyard, where a Japanese ‘Beauty’ plum catches your eye. Throughout the garden are allium, hardy fuchsias and lilacs.

First-time home buyers and first-time gardeners have found joy growing their garden, kids and cats together on this beautiful property.