This large country estate contained a horse corral and an asphalt road that were no longer used. The long and narrow section was the perfect location for a bocce court that is now a gathering place for their multigenerational family.  Avid bee keepers, the family wanted their property to have a native-plant focus to attract bees, butterflies, birds and other pollinators.

 

Our challenge was to find a design that would retain some of the lawn for the  children, while honoring the nearby creek and mature oaks that abut the property. A number of California native plants including Coyote mint, Yerba Buena and Sweet Box provide a fragrant backdrop to the welcoming patio area beneath the olive. In an attempt to limit waste, bricks from the old pathway were repurposed in the construction of the new patios.