HABITAT GARDEN
San Jose, CA
Installed fall 2022
Photographed fall 2022 and fall 2023
Designed by Golden State Gardens
Installed by Zazueta Landscaping
The homeowner is a lover of all things outdoors, so creating a habitat garden at the owners property was of the utmost importance. After Golden State Gardens attended an on-site consultation where we presented the owner with ideas and recommendations, he chose to work with Golden State Gardens to create a place for wildlife to thrive in the front and back yards.
At the on-site consultation, Golden State Gardens identified that his street tree was looking stressed, probably a result from not receiving enough water. The solution was to install a rain garden from two downspouts, which would help distribute water throughout the property, reduce water runoff/evaporation, and replenish the underground aquifer. The rain garden also allows the established street tree to draw water from the underground aquifer in the summer, thus reducing the need for supplemental summer irrigation.
Another front yard design element was to improve the walkway to the front of the house. Previously, the straight walkway was uninviting and lacked imagination as it hugged the garage. Golden State Gardens created an inviting, curved walkway that complimented the rain garden layout.
The front porch was in good condition, but needed a refresh. The entry steps were widened to improve the presence of the front door and Bluestone tiles were cemented onto the existing porch. This updated the space and give it a finished appearance without greatly increasing the cost.
For the plantings, the previous lawn didn’t support wildlife, so it was transformed into an eco-system. Plants selected in the landscape were all drought tolerant, low water, California native plants, which attracted a wide variety of wildlife including hummingbirds, lizards, bees, butterflies, birds, and beneficial insects. Deer Grass adds movement to the garden and defines the neighbor’s border, while other areas were seeded with wildflowers that add dramatic spring color. Three mounds were built with soil removed for the rain garden and topped with Manzanitas that serve as the focal points. The client enjoyed selecting plants that he has seen on local hikes.
For the backyard, the client wanted a place where he could relax and entertain with several close friends. While the backyard is small, Golden State Gardens took advantage of creating different levels to enjoy the space.
A small deck was built off of the sliding glass door to sit and read. Stepping down and mimicking the “L” shaped deck, Golden State Gardens designed an “L” shaped gabian seat wall and fire pit lounge space. Behind the fire pit area are variety of shrubs and perennials that add a colorful background and accent to the fire pit.
Golden State Gardens also always considers the view from inside the house when designing an outdoor landscape. The view from the sliding glass door provides a focal point to the Manzanita specimen, which is framed between the deck and fire pit.
An in-ground garden was placed in a less traveled area of the yard, which houses the owners many beloved tomato plants, and plenty of fruit trees were planted along the property line.
