In 1999, landscape architect Karen Ford took a hike with a client to view the potential site for his new home and garden on the San Francisco peninsula. Sixteen years later she is still visiting the property and is surprised by how the plants are "settling in."
"The 20-acre garden site was untouched and surrounded by 550 acres of open space,” says Ford, who is based in Oregon. “We wanted to make it look like the house and landscaping had been dropped in from above, without disturbing the wildness.”
Photography by Marion Brenner via Karen Ford Landscape Architect.
Above: The house’s secluded location presented many challenges. A lone two-way gravel access road had to be built around existing trees before any work could start. Curved lines and a green roof help to hide the house from the trails above.
Above: The site consisted largely of five species of native oak trees and native grasslands. Yet, amazingly, the planting process required removal of only one oak tree. “The client requested all native planting indigenous to a 100-mile radius,” says Ford. This made it a challenge to source plants; it took more than a year to complete the planting phase.
Above: One of the main challenges of the project was to control erosion of embankments. A hydro-seed mixture (seed mixed with mulch) containing grasses and wildflowers prevented soil loss. Seasonal seeding and mowing complies with local fire district guidelines.
“In the beginning our main challenge was clearing the invasive plants," says Ford. "Later on, we had different challenges including a flock of wild turkeys trampling our plants.”
Above: Several stonemasons built test walls to decide the ideal height and tolerance for each situation. Dry-stacked stone walls proved to be least destructive to the native oak roots.
Above: Lower walls border the driveway. On a sloped and hilly site, drainage was another consideration. Thoughtful but graceful drainage details were put in place.
Above: In the guest parking area water is directed towards stone "grates" with partially open mortar joints. A concrete trench is hidden beneath decorative gravel and paving stones.
Above: The client requested outdoor entertaining space that would easily accommodate 100 people for his fund-raising events. This was split over two spaces, the pool area and the green roof, to help reduce the amount of large paved surfaces and minimize runoff issues.
Above: Selecting non-invasive plants was important to the project and so Achillea, Mimulus, Arctostaphylos, Ribes, Garrya and Salvia were used in abundance.
“I was just at the house recently and the natives have finally taken hold," says Ford. "It takes them a while to establish, but I think the recent drought has actually helped them.”
For more of our favorite western landscapes, see:
- Privacy, Please: A Garden Where Trees and Shrubs Hide the Neighbors.
- Vineyard Haven: A Napa Valley Garden That Belongs to the Land.
- Rehab Diary: A Garden Makeover for a Ranch-Style House in Oregon.
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