by Kirk Walden
photos by Lori Daul
Once you accept wildlife as your neighbor and embrace native and adapted plants, the possibilities are almost endless. That plays out beautifully across JaNet and Hugh Booher’s expansive garden. Built on an undulating hillside, the space emphasizes year-round blooms to attract birds, butterflies, lizards and toads, among other fauna.
The garden has evolved substantially since they began in 1976. The topography and trees dictated much of the landscape design, with the rest determined by their goals and energy levels. They made changes as the mood struck them. Nothing was rushed.
Hugh began the hardscape work in 1990, building a bench and birdbath. A brick patio came next, followed by more patios, raised beds in shady areas, a gazebo, a swing-pergola, and dry-stacked rock beds built from rocks mined from the property. Plantings create “rooms” beckoning the visitor to explore further. They added berms—some not visible—to slow down water run-off. Decomposed granite pathways connecting major features with the house brought a wonderful structure to the garden.
One dominant feature is a dry creek bed with its many plantings, statue, bridge and beckoning paths. Visitors might miss the rough stone path through the largest bed, where plants partially conceal fairy and little people villages and vignettes. They live among the greenery. A wide variety of plants thrive by matching their needs to the different microclimates throughout the garden. Spots of full sun give way to full shade under towering trees. Blooms are everywhere.
The Boohers see their garden as an extension of their home and a peaceful and rewarding pastime. For them, gardening is a process. It is certain that their garden will continue to evolve … beautifully.
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