This planting design in Lafayette was created for a lifelong gardener and an environmentally-minded science writer. Botanical richness and variety are key influences on the selection of plants. The design creates an ecologically vibrant tapestry that evolves throughout the seasons. 

The plant palette harmonizes a wide variety of California native plants with a mix of naturalized species. Woodland understory plants including native douglas iris and currant inhabit the shady notches around the patio.

The hillside was transformed into a drought-tolerant meadow, accented by native milkweed, Asclepias fascicularis, to support monarch butterflies. Salvias, coneflower, and aster also attract pollinators. The grasses’ seedheads catch the filtered sunlight coming through the oaks as they wave in the breeze.