Gathering Ground
On a winding mountain ridge of California’s southern coast range rests a vineyard, homestead, and event space. The design goal for this venue was to provide focal color surrounding the venue with heat, drought, wind, and deer resistant plants to provide a simple accent to the incredible and vast natural beauty of this site. The clients wished to create a cozy space among the expansive vistas for guests to enjoy themselves.
HABITAT TYPE
Oak Savanna • Chaparral • Rural
DESIGN CONSTRAINTS
High winds • Rocky soil • Steep Slopes • Intense Sun Exposure • Deer/Rabbit Grazing
DESIGN FEATURES
Fire pit • Outdoor kitchen / dining • Low Maintenance Landscape • Hardscape (pathways)
SUSTAINABLE DESIGN FEATURES
Pollinator Garden • Organic/Permaculture Practices • CA Native and Drought Tolerant Non-Native Plants • Permeable Pathways • Increased Biodiversity • Soil Ecological Health
From every part of this property guests take in sweeping vistas
Guests arrive at a simple parking area and are welcomed to the trail by focal plantings signaling the path that takes them through an oak grove to the wedding ceremony knoll. The landscape along the trail utilized shrubs to screen views as guests approached the ceremony deck surrounded by tall flowing grasses and wildflower accents.
The guests then continue down an Olive tree lined path with a vineyard just on the other side. The trail ends at a large reception area after passing through a small grove of olive trees. The recepetion area is surrounded by colorful gardens in the foreground and sweeping vistas everywhere you look.
The primary focus in the planting design was the use of structural shrubs and succulents mixed with textural grasses to provide year round beauty and interest, with additional pockets of colorful accents.
Featured Plants
Agave various species • CA Lilac 'Ray Hartman' and ‘Snow Flurry’ • California Buckwheat • Deer Grass • Giant Buckwheat St. Catherines • Lavender • Manzanita ‘Howard McMinn’ • ‘Dr.Hurd’ • ‘St.Helena’ • Olive ‘Little Olive’ dwarf
Non-Fruiting:
Olive ‘Mission’ fruiting • Peruvian Feather Grass • Rock Purslane • White Muhly Grass
