Palo Alto Craftsman Garden

The owners of this gray Craftsman were done watering a front lawn.

The project

Lawn out, natives in, on the water district's rebate.

The water district was running a lawn-conversion rebate, and that is what brought the owners to me. The front yard was lawn, thirsty and doing nothing else; it came out, and redbud, clarkia and native grasses went in under Japanese maples and white-barked birches.

I designed this garden and built it through Seven Scapes, the design-build firm I founded and ran. I simulated it over photographs before a shovel touched ground, directed my own masons on the stone entry walk and steps, the slate-and-copper fountain, and the hot-tub screen, then stayed on to tend it as it grew in.

Before — the front lawn browning on both sides of the old straight walk to the porch — Before — the front lawn, thirsty on both sides of the old walk

After — the native garden filling the former front lawn — After — the same view: a native garden where the lawn was

Palo Alto Craftsman — the rebuilt entry walk approaching the gray Craftsman house through the native garden — The rebuilt entry walk approaches the house through the native garden.

Before — the original entry walk and steps prior to construction — Before — the old entry steps

After — the new stone entry walk and steps, built by my own crew — After — the same steps in stone, built by my own masons

Slate-and-copper column fountain rising from a copper basin ringed with silver santolina, princess flower blooming behind — The slate-and-copper fountain, ringed with silver santolina.

Custom wood screen giving the hot tub its own sheltered garden room — A wood screen gives the hot tub its own garden room.

Flagstone path stepping through groundcover and native planting — Flagstone steps through the native planting.

Project credits

Design & constructionSharon DeBell

Garden careSharon DeBell

PhotographySharon DeBell

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