Home Ground Habitats
BACK TO FULL TOUR
Garden Features
Bees
Drought Tolerant
Edible Garden
California Natives
Deer Resistant
Drip Irrigation
Pesticide Free
Rain Garden
Sheet Mulching
Wildlife Habitat
Partner: North Marin Water District

Home Ground Habitats is a center for environmental education and plant propagation that nurtures sustainable and ethical land stewardship.
Home Ground Habitats is located in the ‘horse country’ area of Marin; large old ranchettes, open spaces, and networks of horseback and hiking trails all close by. On our nearly one acre we have gardens that are vibrantly alive and beautiful. Butterflies, bees, and birds abound, bringing the natural world to a landscape that also provides sustenance for humans.
The demonstration gardens at Home Ground showcase a sustainable, organic approach to creating a truly California friendly landscape using native plants, other drought-tolerant Mediterranean species to increase the bio-diversity. Winding gravel pathways lead to hedgerows, wildflower meadows, a small fruit orchard, a vegetable garden, edible and medicinal California natives, pollinator plants, a ‘Monarch Way Station, and numerous larval host plants for other common garden butterflies. The whole property is a ‘pesticide free zone’.
About The Garden:
Our habitat pond is designed with a bog to filter and cleanse the water: all the drainage on the property leads water to this bog thru swales and French drains. Small waterfalls bring in the birds, and a beach assures the safety of creatures entering the pond. The pond is our attempt at ‘reconciliation ecology’; creating a habitat as close to a natural pond as we can make it.All the stonework is dry-stacked to create hiding places for insects, amphibians, and reptiles. Pathways are all permeable, and we have also installed a large rain-catchment tank. One area is devoted to a large composting system.
Sheet mulching helped prepare the soils for the hedgerows and various ‘bermed gardens’ to showcase collections of California native plants: manzanitas, salvias, and desert plants. Shady borders, seepy areas, and hot sunny spots are planted with plants that thrive in these conditions. A variety of irrigation systems help create the perfect conditions for plants in thriving, healthy habitats.
A major feature at Home Ground Habitats is an extensive volunteer-powered nursery. Our gardens provide us with the ‘mother plants’ from which we propagate thousands of plants each year; collecting seeds, taking cuttings and making divisions. We sell or donate these plants to support school and community garden projects, and other small non-profit organizations.
All our plants are grown organically; we have a greenhouse, shade houses, and multiple grow areas; all using best management practices to assure healthy plants to help establish many more habitat gardens throughout the Bay Area!
Day of the Tour:
Home Ground Habitats will be having a plant and seed sale for garden tour guests. They will also be having live demos around the gardens for those interested. Make sure to check out this amazing project, and work of art in the heart of horse country in Novato!
Special Events











Plants in this Garden
Favorite Plants
Salvia apiana - White Sage
Ceanothus 'Antonette'
Lupinus albifrons var. collinsus - Silver Bush Lupine
Heuchra 'Opal'
All the CA native wildflowers - Clarkias, Tidy tips, Globe and Birds's Eye Gilias - Phacelias
Favorite Garden Suppliers
Emerisa Gardens
555 Irwin Lane Santa Rosa
California Flora Nursery
2990 Somers Street Fulton
Cottage Gardens
3995 Emerald Drive Petaluma