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In the Oakland Hills, we have amazingly disparate yards and gardens. They showcase natural woodlands, carefully planted local perennials, private valhallas that blossom all year, fruit and veggie plots, and well-manicured lawns.
Some folks take their gardening very seriously indeed, with constant efforts to make their personal Eden shine. Others merely comply with fire codes, creating 30 feet of defensible space around homes. Of course, there are many residents who fall between these extremes, depending on their green thumbs or terrain constraints.
Bushman in Oakland
Variety in the hills:
Among all the possibilities, the triumphant topiaries are most visible as you drive by homes. There are many ways to trim trees and bushes, and this topiary guide identifies shapes like platters, pom-poms and swirls. You start to appreciate the potential of the old-fashioned front lawn.
There are mature versions, such as the Piedmont entryway which features “tree cones” emerging from the hedges. Some homes have whimsical creatures that almost rival Fairyland's Dragon, like this Oakland Bushman complete with soda can eyes and a wide grin.
Topiary in Piedmont
By contrast, many gardens are typical of what you see in the Southwest U.S. or even the Mediterranean instead. East Bay Municipal Water District (EBMUD), which currently restricts water consumption, would be happy if we all had xeriscapes with different types of succulents or other hardy plantings.
Jennifer Ketring, who organizes the annual Bay-Friendly Garden Tour, has seen every type of garden imaginable. She described “the relationship dynamics that [can] exist within a family's garden - the Dr. Jekyll and Mrs. Hyde garden. That is, the native plant enthusiast who is cultivating wildlife habitat, juxtaposed with the power-tool enthusiast, quick on the draw with the edge trimmer."
She pointed to the wide range of possibilities, including an urban farm in Berkeley where “the gardeners tend to a herd of goats and flock of ducks & chickens. In order to keep the goats healthy, they can be seen taking walks around the neighborhood.”
Montclair 4-H pigs (Kat Wade)
There are more barnyard creatures than you might expect around town. Our 4-H Club kids raise pigs, chickens and goats right in Montclair. These pampered creatures are then shown at the Alameda County Fair and subsequently sold. However, they are raised in barns and pens rather than an open garden.
In the Hills, Ketring explained that residents address the challenges of their steep slopes in interesting, terraced ways. She added that we have to be especially creative when considering fire potential, as well as park and wildlife interfaces.
Showcase your garden:
Right now, Ketring is looking to fill in her slate of Oakland Hills gardens for next year’s Garden Tour, sponsored by Alameda County’s StopWaste.Org. Their goal is to showcase gardens that respect the natural environment, without adhering to any politically correct styles. They welcome all “native plant enthusiasts, wildlife gardeners, urban food growers, and other natural gardeners.”
Succulents in Oakland
The Garden Tour is planned well in advance and applications are officially closed. However, there’s an exception made for local gardeners, who may apply through this month.
Tour organizers want to develop a cluster of gardens surrounding the Joaquin Miller Native Plant Nursery, where Friends of Sausal Creek (FOSC) grows seedlings to nuture the eponymous watershed running through Oakland.
“Host gardeners have found visitors to be respectful and appreciative of the opportunity to see their garden,” said Ketring. "One host gardener last year commented that they had one ripe strawberry in the berry patch at the beginning of the tour day, and one ripe strawberry at the end of the day."
If you are proud of your little patch of Mother Earth, then apply to be one of the garden havens featured in the Bay-Friendly Garden Tour. Some 4,000 people tromp around the tour each year, and anywhere from 150-400 individuals appear at an individual garden. It’s your chance at gardening fame!
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