Lemons and Lavender Homestead
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Garden Features
Drought Tolerant
Edible Garden
California Natives
Drip Irrigation
Pesticide Free
Rainwater Harvesting System
Reclaimed/Recycled Materials
Lawn-Free Landscaping
Urban Homestead
Wildlife Habitat
Partner: North Marin Water District
I have a small suburban homestead in Novato.
My garden demonstrates many permaculture techniques, which is a sustainable system of gardening, and provides food, beauty, and entertaining space for my family. I cook a meal for the four of us almost every day, and it’s safe to say that nearly every meal I make uses at least one ingredient from my garden, whether it is something freshly harvested, something I have harvested in the past and preserved, or an herb from my culinary & medicinal herbal plant collection. Most of my garden has been made using reclaimed materials, and it is always a work in progress!
About the Garden:
Low Water Use Practices
Many people think that growing food takes a lot of water, but with the right techniques this isn’t necessarily true. A few of the things I do that help keep my water usage lower are building up healthy organic soil that holds moisture, mulching thickly, shaping the land to collect rainwater during our wet season, and relying heavily on perennial food plants.
A Wild Looking Landscape
When seeing my garden for the first time, people often remark on how “wild” it seems for a food garden. There are no neat and tidy rows anywhere! I plant a lot of reseeding annuals, and I sometimes let the plants come up themselves and grow wherever they are happiest. I find that plants that have chosen their own location grow best, sometimes without any fussing or care at all. Plants like California poppy, nasturtium, borage, cerinthe (honeywort) and feverfew are a few plants that will fill in wherever I don’t have anything planted.
Pollinator Friendly
My garden is also home to many pollinator-friendly, drought tolerant and native California plants. Many California native plants can provide food and medicine, like the Elderberry tree and the herb Yerba Buena. The wildlife that these native plants support also helps to keep my food plants healthy and productive. It makes me happy to know that my garden is a home not only for my family, but also for many other families of wild creatures.
North Marin Water District Resources:
North Marin Water District is calling on customers to reduce water use by 20 percent due to the persistent drought conditions. We hope that you will join with us in this commitment to conserve and use water efficiently, and that you will find the following water conservation programs, information, and links useful:
- Novato Service Area Drought Guide: To learn more about the current water waste prohibitions in effect.
- Landscape Rebates and Programs: Ways to efficiently use water in your yard and available rebates.
- Indoor Rebates and Programs: Current rebates for fixtures and appliances.
About the Gardener
Favorite Plants
Salvia ‘Bee’s Bliss’
Bee’s Bliss native sage is a fantastic, low maintenance ground cover. It has beautiful, silvery leaves, and spreads low and wide, suppressing weeds and helping to keep moisture in the soil. Perfect for sunny slopes. In the spring, showy purple flower spikes attract pollinators, giving this native sage its name.
Salvia spathacea (Hummingbird Sage)
This plant is a very useful spreading groundcover for partially shaded spots in your garden. I often plant it under deciduous trees to help protect their roots and slow down evaporation. The leaves are very aromatic. This Salvia blooms almost year round, with unusually striking magenta flowers.
Polystichum munitum (Western Sword Fern)
There’s something about a fern that captures the imagination; they make me think of fairy gardens and magical places. Western sword fern can be found growing wild in redwood forests. It can get quite large and is a wonderful choice for a difficult, shady spot in your garden, under an evergreen tree or along a north-facing fence.
Achillea millefolium (Yarrow)
Although this plant is quite common, I still get excited about it! Unfussy and beautiful, there are so many cultivars in vibrant colors. If you deadhead regularly, you will get lots of cheerful blooms from spring until fall. This plant adds nutrients to your soil, beauty to your garden, provides food for pollinators, and has a plethora of medicinal applications in herbal medicine. I started my yarrow from seeds I purchased from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds.
Santa Rosa Plum
So, even though this tree is not a California native plant in the traditional sense, it is a fruit tree that was developed by Luther Burbank specifically for our Sonoma/Marin climate. It is very easy to grow, self-pollinates (so you only need one tree to get fruit), and produces heavy yields of deliciously sweet purple plums. It is a perfect choice for someone wanting to start growing fruit at home. One of my favorite home orchard varieties!
Favorite Garden Suppliers
Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds
110 Petaluma Boulevard North Petaluma
Cottage Gardens
3995 Emerald Drive Petaluma