Blue and Gold Hillside
This long, narrow corner lot that sits lower than the street offered a golden opportunity for maximizing the view from above and below. The goal was to create a water-wise Japanese/California cottage-style garden, in a palette of blue and gold to honor the owners’ alma mater. Layered shrubs screen the stadium-like slope from the street. A collection of Japanese Maples offers divine fall color. Mass plantings of low-water perennials (Penstemon, Grevillea, Iris, Rosemary, ornamental grasses) create a beautifully textured, colorful tapestry year-round while also standing up to visiting deer. Handrails with elegant curves and retaining walls in alternating heights define and grace the space with structure. Black basalt pavers, fashioned into Mondrian-esque geometrics, add further allure.