Charming Santa Monica Native Hillside

A California native garden for a cozy 1951 cottage in the canyons of Brentwood

A functional hillside

The clients sought out Studio Petrichor after seeing one of our gardens on the Theodore Payne Native Garden Tour in 2017. The home was built in 1951 and is situated on a hillside, which required careful consideration and meticulous attention in the design phase, attributes that we bring to all our projects. Their wish was for the rear garden area to be functional, easy to use, and a delight for the senses with California Native plant material.

Colorful california natives

The result is a vibrant garden that celebrates all aspects of the space and creatively used California Native plants such as Yankee Point Ceanothus, Dwarf Coyote Bush, Emerald Carpet Manzanita, Sulphur-yellow Buckwheat, Yerba Buena, and Dudleyas. Existing apple trees, a new Sentinel Manzanita, and a new Strawberry Tree are surrounded by drifts of groundcovers that were selected for their complementary foliage and texture as well as their ability to prevent erosion thanks to their dense roots.

“We were very pleased with the way our little bit of canyon paradise has turned out. The final design brings our steep and linear hillside together as a whole using color and texture. Shawn has also made a clear long-term commitment to follow up on the job as these plantings mature. We have already scheduled another small job, “phase 2”, on another side of the property.”

HOMEOWNERS

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