For years, this small front yard in Oakland’s Maxwell Park neighborhood was not the happiest welcome home. The lawn had long died, the weeds took over, and the native clay soil just seemed to harden even more. Then one autumn, the owner sprang into action, ripping out the lawn himself, amending the soil with clodbuster, and building a retaining wall and planter box to delineate the front yard from the sidewalk. When he and his wife were ready to make plant selections, they contacted me for guidance.

Together, we curated a sophisticated array of plants in a variety of textures and bold pops of burgundy as the main color story. The lineup was exciting! It included Cercis candensis ‘Forest Pansy’ (Eastern Redbud), Leucadendron ‘Ebony,’ Loropetalum chinense (Chinese Fringe Flower), Cestrum newellii (Red Cestrum), Drimys winteri, Hydrangea quercifolia (Oak Leaf Hydrangea), Lomandra longifolia ‘Platinum Beauty,’ Rubus calycinoides (Creeping Raspberry), Abutilon ‘Tiger Eye,’ and Acacia cognata (Cousin Itt Acacia). Next, I recommended a planting layout that would best complement a few boulders thoughtfully chosen by the client. I also wanted the plant selection to include plants that attracted pollinators. Ultimately, the design came together beautifully, resulting not only in a more attractive landscape, but also in demonstrating how big an impact even a small garden can have.