I posted recently about the Blair property that was on tour this month, 33 acres of whimsy - and solid restoration work, in the redwoods. A world away and just down the road I visited the Andrews garden, set in an upscale development on a sunny lot. It was designed by the owners' daughter who is a professional landscape designer, and her skill definitely appears in the "bones" of the garden, which show form and structure both in the plants and the hardscape. I hope you enjoy the photos...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd7zEog4Oan8XJZuKskNgMgBkgTJDHix5tdOl1Zx9ymcqC3iMPhtIcVqj2STtw8048rfE20LTHvWkz-zLaN-oZ3DAlB5iKCgLiUbQRkcxOE9k694_w0JwcdO3sn-FGsOn0pxcTiYLQ12X3/s400/andrews-formal-informality.jpg)
I love the lumpy fescue lawn, with a formal path down the center, and low informal edging plants. Sorry I don't have details on the individual plantings.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-C2Mzi1w1A2_oNriNA4GJtKesGoP_k730Wprv7tVxFYFVPu_Z3gKD0bIpMlr89EkJQ9XjLx6FOOz1O5awYjjjF685J9v8aQUZf0qVfANgDNkqNM3BeTmHj2bY2_f8Q9jmg-i09-7R2rGz/s400/andrews-elegance2.jpg)
Fabulous spreading effect of a carex (I think) on the patio above. And below, colorful penstemons and a fruit tree - deer come through the garden so it has to be protected while young.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEB2_ulY51rkuMutKvGzdt9MDBICsOJUqCl4dBy2vXojj9IKKwNkbkCKYkG26GJ80G7L_bhQl-HXzXvPNLJypFj42kzYj6ZfmpY7llFnc36jSYwtCTOfND1UGIsOxsj9QDWmLOcr1r3dD9/s400/andrews-texture-color.jpg)
The shady side yard had attractive plantings too:
Coming around towards the front:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzwlGk4gzKodVp_kr1urATdPgwmwv91dmuXp8LQ4pFOvKQTU4wqwV4dWUTECx_EviuNVxQNHc7hBTf1X89EFtLKGRQvAzL3yBCQnwP9nnvfdm2lWi1UKdRW4HaDeHgAfGWNFXnNdjXsy32/s400/andrews-texture-color-shade.jpg)
Here is wild ginger and fern - not sure what kind of fern - looks too skinny to be sword fern.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXOM5WAP6rOpGdMeFTADipFT3gvet-2QRB-zAyT-2__7zK_U77dw-0qnJA7aVmSk7MjAfmP12xhB0rcvgn9Le3C_5YI5sJjeAkNgSVpEttgsWa4whT76sSTVQTJpzKiFTAYhEQ-iyx5_Qh/s400/andrews-container-w-ginger-fern1.jpg)
Along the road, a nice decomposed granite path and balanced plantings on either side:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhushQaZyw-QN2akGEZloCMTd3b5J4t7vPrDWpgrc0ScYtsuzIlo6f4VODN97MTq5CVUwKrKuSHXviEe8dts6_UKNReFVPl-MasiYz1CIfOeDbMmM8DUCaPpBtXdQ74OwPOXSIeTREMTLxv/s400/along+the+roadside.jpg)
Very nice all around!
Just by way of contrast, here's another garden on the tour that I enjoyed for very different reasons - it's really wild and somewhat unkempt, but I like the idea of wandering in it.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyheweufArvYDi3khy_gv30NnX-w8FiMSCl__0PTUFFMK2frj2LaapPqr5a5ob12ZOaxkoO5peFPK5H2tcNeuk6De1EMuCTBYYJeBlZlpADOwAPv8yPJjwBea56pz1blMxsFgFNxDtgxJ7/s400/wild-garden.jpg)
Ah - summer is here for sure!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd7zEog4Oan8XJZuKskNgMgBkgTJDHix5tdOl1Zx9ymcqC3iMPhtIcVqj2STtw8048rfE20LTHvWkz-zLaN-oZ3DAlB5iKCgLiUbQRkcxOE9k694_w0JwcdO3sn-FGsOn0pxcTiYLQ12X3/s400/andrews-formal-informality.jpg)
I love the lumpy fescue lawn, with a formal path down the center, and low informal edging plants. Sorry I don't have details on the individual plantings.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-C2Mzi1w1A2_oNriNA4GJtKesGoP_k730Wprv7tVxFYFVPu_Z3gKD0bIpMlr89EkJQ9XjLx6FOOz1O5awYjjjF685J9v8aQUZf0qVfANgDNkqNM3BeTmHj2bY2_f8Q9jmg-i09-7R2rGz/s400/andrews-elegance2.jpg)
Fabulous spreading effect of a carex (I think) on the patio above. And below, colorful penstemons and a fruit tree - deer come through the garden so it has to be protected while young.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEB2_ulY51rkuMutKvGzdt9MDBICsOJUqCl4dBy2vXojj9IKKwNkbkCKYkG26GJ80G7L_bhQl-HXzXvPNLJypFj42kzYj6ZfmpY7llFnc36jSYwtCTOfND1UGIsOxsj9QDWmLOcr1r3dD9/s400/andrews-texture-color.jpg)
The shady side yard had attractive plantings too:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDrqCmORgy9iv7RClChIzH7oiIqi6IFAlrNIcJYwO7iaYENaMLnRtmA61rZ4G879ZrP7RdF3_oTBXulZAQFQKG70SvvQPzbxQtWSScx6Y9x-0Pr5HqebG3sjDZJ2XbFpWWAWh1ty3ZURFo/s400/shady-side.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzwlGk4gzKodVp_kr1urATdPgwmwv91dmuXp8LQ4pFOvKQTU4wqwV4dWUTECx_EviuNVxQNHc7hBTf1X89EFtLKGRQvAzL3yBCQnwP9nnvfdm2lWi1UKdRW4HaDeHgAfGWNFXnNdjXsy32/s400/andrews-texture-color-shade.jpg)
Here is wild ginger and fern - not sure what kind of fern - looks too skinny to be sword fern.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXOM5WAP6rOpGdMeFTADipFT3gvet-2QRB-zAyT-2__7zK_U77dw-0qnJA7aVmSk7MjAfmP12xhB0rcvgn9Le3C_5YI5sJjeAkNgSVpEttgsWa4whT76sSTVQTJpzKiFTAYhEQ-iyx5_Qh/s400/andrews-container-w-ginger-fern1.jpg)
Along the road, a nice decomposed granite path and balanced plantings on either side:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhushQaZyw-QN2akGEZloCMTd3b5J4t7vPrDWpgrc0ScYtsuzIlo6f4VODN97MTq5CVUwKrKuSHXviEe8dts6_UKNReFVPl-MasiYz1CIfOeDbMmM8DUCaPpBtXdQ74OwPOXSIeTREMTLxv/s400/along+the+roadside.jpg)
Very nice all around!
Just by way of contrast, here's another garden on the tour that I enjoyed for very different reasons - it's really wild and somewhat unkempt, but I like the idea of wandering in it.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyheweufArvYDi3khy_gv30NnX-w8FiMSCl__0PTUFFMK2frj2LaapPqr5a5ob12ZOaxkoO5peFPK5H2tcNeuk6De1EMuCTBYYJeBlZlpADOwAPv8yPJjwBea56pz1blMxsFgFNxDtgxJ7/s400/wild-garden.jpg)
Ah - summer is here for sure!
Comments
I like the circle designs or motifs in the first garden. Even in a wild garden, I think you can have some structure, but I'm like most gardeners...I plant as I go and design the same way. I'd like to add some circles to my garden somehow, maybe at an intersection of these paths I'm making. Fun!
I liked your comments about how you read the post, Sue - I can relate to that pattern too! Thanks for coming by!