Creating a native garden has proven to be more challenging and more rewarding than I ever could have imagined when I began thirty years ago. When we acquired the 1.3-acre property on a Lafayette hillside, it was covered with annual grasses, the original oak woodland having been cleared for agriculture early in the twentieth century. The grasses were removed when the site was graded for construction; the remaining vegetation consisted of oaks, bays, walnuts, buckeyes, and willows, all growing along acreek at the base of the slope. I envisioned a naturalistic garden, with spaces designed for outdoor living, trees for shade and paths throughout.
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