Black House Pollinator Garden and Food Forest
BACK TO FULL TOUR
Garden Features
Drought Tolerant
Edible Garden
California Natives
Deer Resistant
Drip Irrigation
Pesticide Free
Rain Garden
Sheet Mulching
Smart Irrigation Controller
Lawn Conversion
Lawn-Free Landscaping
Permeable Surfaces
Wildlife Habitat
Partner: City of Petaluma
When we purchased our property in 2019, it had a grass lawn in front and a well-established garden with mature trees in back. Due to a fire later that year, we had to demolish the 1950s house and rebuild from the ground up. During the demolition and rebuild, we shut off the irrigation and let the existing water-intensive garden die. All hardscaping was removed, the entire plantable area of the property was sheet-mulched, and drip irrigation was installed.
Two years later we had a brand-new home and a blank slate for planting. We hired Sebastopol’s Permaculture Artisans to help with landscape design. Though we initially envisioned a Japanese garden to complement the house’s architecture, we changed course after going on a water-wise garden tour organized by Petaluma nonprofit Daily Acts. Inspired by what we learned and guided by permaculture principles, we reimagined our property as an ecosystem. The more formal front area would become a drought-tolerant native pollinator garden, and the back would become a wilder food forest.
The front garden was designed around the pathway from the sidewalk to the front porch. The original concrete slabs were replaced with natural stone pavers and gravel, which minimize heat absorption and increase water absorption. Two rain gardens fed by downspouts from the roof of the house were installed to manage stormwater. During heavy rains any overflow from the rain gardens is directed under the sidewalk and into the planted strips on the opposite side of the sidewalk.
Drought-tolerant sedges and grasses in and around the rain gardens soften the edges of the hardscaping while improving soil health and stability. Hardy native perennials including yarrow, buckwheat, sage and penstemon provide year-round color and attract pollinators. The centerpiece of the front garden is a weeping Santa Rosa plum tree that explodes in spring with white flowers that pop against the black house— pollinators love it too!
The food forest in back was laid out around the existing trees and structures. Natural stone pavers and permeable gravel are repeated here and serve to connect the guest house and pergola with the main house. Three distinct planting areas were laid out with a high density of plants in various heights in order to mimic a natural forest ecosystem.
The mature orange, dogwood and magnolia trees function as a shade canopy over the new plantings. The sub-canopy includes fruit (apple, stone, fig) and citrus trees (lemon, lime) that create shade and habitat for birds, pollinators, and insects, and improve air quality. Shrubs and edible berries including blueberry, currant, leucodendron and leucospermum thrive in the understory. The herbaceous layer features edible plants such as artichokes, comfrey, and salad burnet while culinary herbs like mentuccia, thyme and Vietnamese coriander serve as ground cover. Grape and passionfruit vines climb the structures, extending the vertical reach of the garden. Once established, these layers will act together as a carbon sink with moist, nutrient-rich soil, and produce food, flowers and herbs for our family, friends and neighbors.
