Kkum Namu, a dream crafted into a small corner of North Oakland, is a visual and tactile manifestation of the Korean phrase 꿈나무, which translates as “dream tree”. This phrase refers to a young person who embodies and aspires to a bright future. In this project, trees symbolize resilience, growth, and endless pursuit of dreams.

We called ourselves SOFT STUDIO because we were sick of the harsh, rigid, prescribed culture of the landscape architecture industry — it made us want nothing more than to find a way to stay soft and nimble and curious. Our journey of working together and learning about plants has been joyful and exploratory for the most part, and we try our best to stay soft as we navigate through the challenges of running a business. And what better way to stay soft than by gently tending to your own garden? It’s the best medicine for plant nerds like us.

Once a hodge-podge yard filled with foxtails, hardpan soil, broken glass and concrete slab, Kkum Namu now serves as a sanctuary amongst an asphalt sprawl — a reminder that even in the bustling energy of a city, there is room to breathe. 

This experimental garden currently showcases over 100 species, though the list is constantly evolving. Seasonally blooming plants invite local pollinators, who dance through the air like tiny, glided messengers, feasting on sweet nectars of sun-kissed plants. They hover and hum, drawn by the vibrant, native flora carefully chosen to draw them in, as if the garden were a composer conducting a musical note just for their delicate wings. In every bloom and petal, bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds find refuge here.

Yerba buena welcomes the bees in the mid-morning light, and by afternoon the milkweed and goldenrod shimmer with the fluttering of monarch butterflies. The hum of life swells in the evenings, when the sunlight softens and the sacred datura and evening primrose unfurl. By night the yard fills with gentle moonlight and the pungent scent of brugmansia from the neighborhood. Hummingbirds dart in and out all day long, sipping nectar from the echiums and bathing in the fountain.

With the help of a local horticulturist and palm expert, Jason Dewees, we introduced a hardy Guadalupe Palm (Brahea edulis) to provide a major focal point for the planting and to anchor the corner of the backyard. Turns out Clementine’s partner had always dreamed of having a palm in the corner of the yard – hence the name, Kkum Namu 꿈나무. The curve of the palm also makes it perfect for hugging!

The front yard is filled with sculptural moments — Jurassic looking echiums rise between large, mossy boulders. Most echiums you see in the San Francisco Bay Area are Echium fastuosum (Pride of Madeira) but here we’ve planted Echium simplex (Tower of Jewels) alongside a California native giant, Heracleum maximum (Cow Parsnip).

The carpentry and hardscaping speak in a simple, refined language, making the most of a limited palette. 2×2 Redwood create a rhythm that weaves through fencing, gates, and seating. The choice of material ties these elements to the existing redwood deck, and over time the new redwood will soften and weather into the same gentle gray. 

Each element of Kkum Namu speaks to a dialogue between the built world and the natural one, between the designed and the wild. We build with living materials, and in doing so, time becomes a co-author. Patience is essential — for plants, like dreams, cannot be rushed. They humble us, and no matter how tightly we try to guide them, we must ultimately surrender to their whims. Though the garden is filled with drought-tolerant and “low” maintenance plants, Clementine often finds herself kneeling in the dirt, hands in the soil, marveling at the delicate new shoots emerging from the plants. Sometimes they thrive beyond our hopes, flowering into unexpected blooms, while other times they struggle, withering from transplant shock. Tending to a garden teaches you how to let go, a gift in itself. We hope our designs encourage others to experience this tender stewardship — to find joy in the slow, patient journey of nurturing a landscape.

Design & Photography by SOFT STUDIO - Clementine. Landscape Construction by BWD Gardens.