This is the magic of the Mar Vista Green Garden Showcase...

Both gardens were on the tour in 2009 and they met when Loree walked the tour route after the tour. She was oogling over Julie’s front yard and was invited in. Julie dug up a volunteer milkweed, not more than 2 in. high and gave it to Loree. She left it in her driveway with hundreds of other plants, and boom!  Monarchs found it in a week or so and laid eggs on it, so she had a delightful responsibility on her hands.

She purchased some more, planted more seeds and started a habitat of 100+ milkweed plants. Julie is with the Master Gardeners - they stayed in touch and Loree ‘gave back’ by donating milkweed and other plants to the MG for their giveaways at the monthly booth at the Mar Vista Farmers Market. Twice they held  Butterfly Sundays at the booth, where Loree brought monarchs, plants, and some wonderful children to provide information and enthusiasm and encourage habitats.

They’ve become wonderful friends and  organized informal neighborhood   "plant get togethers" that have  grown to a monarch "group" of  25+ who stay in touch through e-mail and caterpillar fostering (express deliveries of caterpillars and milkweed  wherever needed!). So fun.   They estimate that through the MG booth and other word of mouth activities directly as a result of the green tour probably 50+ new habitats are forming, including Beethoven Elementary.  Meet Loree at this garden on Meier to learn about what they are doing.

Who would think that in an "urban" area you could have so much fun without getting into a car? That you could meet so many interesting people who share not only common interests but have other fascinating hobbies? That you can leave kumquats on a doorstep, or say "hello" to so many recognizable faces at the Sunday Market?

Loree shared - I’ve lived here for 22 years and truly can say that as a direct result of the green tour the last 2 years have trumped the first 20 in terms of feeling we're living in a caring neighborhood with a big heart.  The tour encourages communication and helps you realize that environmentally the other creature friends and plants with whom we share earthly space don't give a hoot about where property lines begin or end, and we as humans could use more of that mindset in our habits as well.   Many of us grew  up in small towns or at least knew that feeling of sharing day to day pleasures of life, especially those of the outdoors, with others, and to find that unveiling as the result of a single community tour is truly a testament to the organizers - it's magical really what has happened.  My husband John's famous quote is, "another tour coming through, somebody's outside staring at your goose plants" 

Please try to attend one of these DWP workshops!

Let's use our voices!

Please try to attend one of these workshops.

The LADWP is having two public workshops on the Draft 2010 LADWP Urban Water Management Plan February 3 and 9th 2011. This Plan is required by the State of California every five years. Info on this and other pertinent information is at this link.


There are five downloads on the page 1) the pdf flyer for the two upcoming Feb workshops. 2) the 258 page pdf draft of the 2010 plan under consideration 3) the pdf of presentation slides they will be using at the February workshops 4) the pdf of the Final 2005 Urban Water Mgmt. Plan and 5) the January 2010 meeting comments for the updating of the current draft 2010 Urban Water Mgmt. Plan .

Comments will be accepted until March 15th (info on the pdf flyer) The LADWP will present Final plan to LADWP Board Of Commissioners in May.

3745 Meier Street (Map 6 - R)

Aka "Archie's Garden", this garden is “super-natural” in many ways; organic, non-manicured, sustainable, packed with interest, color, and a bit of whimsy. These homeowners have created a friendly, peaceful, abundant place to relax, socialize, and enjoy the wonders of nature in their own backyard, and to share a little bit of the earth’s loveliness with their neighbors. Read about the special presentation they will have on Monarch Butterflies here.

When the homeowners moved in ten years ago, they removed the grass, laid  bluestone, and started seeds/plants in the interstices. They keep an easel in the front yard for seed-sharing, info about the seasons, garden creatures and plants. Many of the flowers and bulbs now growing are gifts they have received over the years from other garden aficionados in the area.

Watering is done by drip irrigation once or twice per week during dry weather, turned off during the wet season.  They also hand water with water gathered from the shower each day (buckets catch the cold water as it’s warming up, and saved in their rainbarrel for later use.) Now that most of the plants are well-established, the need for water is greatly reduced.

This garden teems with life, especially bird life, surges in certain plants and insect populations, and (with their recent butterfly plant additions) a delightful population of caterpillars and butterflies.  Loree Bryer, monarch habitat specialist, will be on hand the day of the tour to answer questions about these lovely, endangered creatures. All forms of life are further enhanced and protected by the absence of leaf blowers.

Come prepared for a wriggly treat!  Two homemade worm compost bins will provide a gift of worms with those who bring their own containers. 

3616 Ocean View Avenue (Map 2 - F)

The front yard garden resembles a wildflower meadow, with both planted and “volunteers” popping up in a whimsical manner.  It was designed by Sarah Herman Landscape Design and installed a few years ago.  It requires very little water and a minimal amount of trimming after bloom.

The back garden is a mixture of mature shrubs, trees, vegetables, and plants that thrive with a minimum of water and maintenance. The sprinklers are set for twice a week, about six minutes each time and turned off during the rains.  Rain barrel water capture, edible plantings and regular composting are a testament to the homeowner’s commitment to living lightly on the planet. 

This is one of the oldest homes in Mar Vista - the house was built in 1907.  After World War II, it was purchased by Rosemarie Valaire - a director of the Westside Ballet of Santa Monica, Calif., and a former dancer with the Royal Ballet of England.  They raised three children here, and subdivided the property to make room for another home.  The current owners are only the third family to have lived there. Rosemary was a gardener and the owners have added and subtracted during their residency.  

3527 Greenwood Avenue

About 5 years ago these homeowners started with a simple need for a bigger driveway. One thing led to another and eventually they created an oasis of sustainable plantings and water capture. Inspired by examples from other gardens they had toured, they decided to convert the property into works of art/secret rooms/outdoor living spaces/a slice of sustainable paradise. Here are a few of the details…you can get the full picture when you visit their home.

The flagstone walkway adjacent to the driveway allows water to seep into the soil rather than run off into the street. Decomposed granite was used in various areas of the front and back yard, which allowed the homeowner to eliminate their grass. Gullies, dug in various spots in the yard, serve as catch basins for the water to percolate back to the water table. A rain barrel was also installed in the backyard. Most of the garden is filled with new or repurposed succulents. Various groundcovers were used (sedums, dymonia) to fill in the open spaces.


There is a secret patio on the house side of a large berm, created with dirt excavated to create the driveway. It is slightly below grade to catch a little run off. A palo verde tree will eventually shade the patio and front windows. The patio is screened from the driveway with a cluster of vibrant colored (purple/orange/green) pots. Australian tea trees along the property line provide a living light privacy screen.


In addition to the succulents there are a wide variety of drought-tolerant grasses. When the flowers are in bloom there are lots of bees and butterfly to show that spring is alive in Mar Vista!

LA Stormwater will be a guest presenter at this booth with information on their water capture programs. Visitors will also be given a free reusable bag.

3622 Coolidge Avenue (Map 2 - B)

In early 2009, the homeowners decided to kill their front lawn and started to plan their drought tolerant landscape. The main inspiration was the high cost of watering the grass. 

Later that spring, they went on the Mar Vista Green Garden Showcase and met Deni Friese. They were so happy with what she had done with their front yard that the following year they had her redesign the back yard.  The front yard is California natives and drought tolerant plants with crushed rock/gravel.  There is a lovely dry stream bed meandering through the garden.  A variety of curvilinear shapes soften the hardness of the rocks.  Plants include flaxes, day lilies, succulents, California natives and sea lavender.  A shade garden nestled under the neighbor’s Jacaranda tree includes a tea tree, a variegated maple and other interesting plants. 

Automated drip irrigation is used once weekly during the summer and hand watering as necessary during the winter has greatly reduced water consumption.  Like many environmentalists, they recycle some household items for garden use, such as milk jugs, plastic bottles, etc.

3721 Barry Avenue

This garden is truly an extension to the home. They have created areas for different activities - entertaining space, fire pit area, pool and sun deck area. Drought tolerant, California friendly, beautiful outside rooms.

The homeowner is a Garden Designer (Grow Garden Design) and the goal was to create space that had a strong sense of design and sense of place in our desert by the sea. They incorporated drought tolerant plants from around the world to create an outdoor environment that proved that drought tolerant gardens do not need to be hard, barren and uninviting.

The designer was most inspired by gardens that have a strong sense of design and drama whilst remaining climatically correct and site specific. They love the garden's created by Jay Griffith in Venice, a Dutch Garden Designer Piet Oudolf and Dan Pearson from England.

Irrigation is a combination of drip and conventional sprinkler. They water only occasionally between November and March. In the hotter months they can get away with a deep soak once per week. Water consumption is way down and there is no run off at all.

They love plants that have natural movement - grasses like Miscanthus sinensus and Stipa tenuissima. A favorite small tree is Cersis candensis -'forest Pansy' - it has something to offer all throughout the year. Succulents are also a big favorite for year round color and minimal maintenance. Agonis Flexuosa 'jervis Bay afterdark' is a current favorite. This year they installed a raised vegetable bed.

2801 S. Westgate Avenue (Map 4 - I)

This homeowner removed the front lawn and installed a drought-tolerant garden in the spring of 2009, after hearing about the turf removal program sponsored by the Metropolitan Water District. Planning the garden with a landscape designer seemed important since this was the first house on the block to install such a garden. The homeowner chose a design that reflected a clean, orderly look with pathways for access to the front and side of the house. After attending a seminar on California-friendly gardening and nursery visits with the landscape designer, they selected a variety of plants that are water wise, with different textures, heights and interest.



The list of plants include ceanothus and Manzanita (both California natives), fescue, phormium, leucandendron. A drip irrigation system has significantly reduced water use. There is also a rain barrel installed in the backyard as an additional water source. The homeowner hopes to inspire others in the neighborhood with this classic example of a “non-lawn” front yard.


Their landscape designer, Horacio Cerutti of Sierra Landscapes, will be at the garden from 11 AM to 1 PM to answer questions.

11944 Modjeska Place (Map 2 - H)

This drought-resistant garden was planted in 2009 and is now thriving.  The native plants are diverse and display a wide variety of sizes, colors and growth patterns.  They attract and provide food for migrating birds and butterflies, and save money by requiring less water, very little fertilizer, and a minimum of other maintenance chores. 

The 'green' composite deck (Trex) is made from 50% recycled and reclaimed plastic and 50% reclaimed wood, materials that would otherwise go unused in landfills.  The deck is termite-resistant, and drip irrigation in the garden reduces water consumption.  The garden is composed primarily of plants from the following families:  agave, aloe, sage, succulents, California lilacs, grasses and flax and fruit trees for year-round interest and color.

3644 Berryman Avenue (Map 2 - C)

For some time they wanted to transform their front yard into an outdoor living space.  They are very friendly with their neighbors, their children and their pets and enjoy spending outdoor time where they can interact with them, rather than being isolated in their fenced back yard. Read about their love affair with Monarch Butterflies here. This garden has just been certified as a Monarch Waystation.

They knew that they wanted to remove the grass and replace it with more drought tolerant vegetation.  They also knew that they wanted a patio space where they could enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning or a glass of wine in the evening.  They wanted a garden that was aromatic and attracted birds, insects and other wildlife and wanted it to feel more like a meadow than a desert landscape. And they wanted a fountain.  

After spending hours walking Mar Vista during last year’s Green Gardens Showcase, they were inspired to finally start the project, which was completed in the Summer of 2010.   Their landscaper, Heather Trilling (Trilling Landscape and Design), also replaced the large Hollywood Juniper in front of the house with a raised bed, which adds to the space available for growing fruit, vegetables and milkweed.  They have dwarf citrus trees (Bears Lime, Meyers Lemon and Pink Lemonade) in containers as well as a Wonderful Pomegranate tree in the raised bed.   They grow seasonal vegetables and herbs year round.  They have had milkweed for several years and have dozens of monarch butterflies hatching several times a year.   Their ceanothus, a native plant which was planted on the parkway and has been slow to grow, is finally spreading and blooming!

They have so many birds, bees, butterflies and ladybugs in the garden.  During the rainy season, they don’t water the front yard garden at all.  Otherwise, they water two times a week for a limited period of time and water the raised bed and the side garden by hand as needed.

Heather Trilling will be at the garden to answer questions.

Thank You!!!

Why is this going to be the best Mar Vista Green Garden Showcase ever?  Because it is our third time (whew!) and you have some amazing neighbors who are helping in the form of Area Captains.  Each of these specialized volunteers brings enthusiasm and expertise to the process of creating positive environmental changes.  Feel free to contact them to suggest a home or garden, offer to help out with tasks or just to give them a pat on the back.  To better serve you, they have taken responsibility for specific areas (hence the term AREA Captains)

Nancy Knapp –Washington to Palms, Walgrove to Centinela

Melissa Stoller - National to Palms, Centinela to Sawtelle

Kristin Glover, Chris McKinnon, Yvette Roman – South Mar Vista, Oval

Susan Feinstein-Black – General

A huge THANK YOU to each of them!!

Save the date - April 30th, 11 to 4 - See the gardens on the tour here.

2312 Walgrove Avenue (Map 6 - L)

New garden on the 2011 Tour! See all of the gardens here. The front garden of this contemporary home was completely re-designed and installed in December 2010.

Grow Native Nursery will have a guest booth at this garden.

The homeowner met the landscape designer Nancy Knapp, Weeds Garden & Interior Design, at the Mar Vista Fall Festival earlier in the year and together they envisioned a garden that incorporated plants for a natural wildlife habitat, a vegetable garden, a fence to create a sense of privacy, a water feature and many of the existing boulders.

This freshly planted garden is now a Certified Wildlife Habitat; a large part of the design process was making sure that all of the criteria for the certification were met. Just about every single plant provides seeds, berries, nectar, pollen and shelter for whatever bees, birds, butterflies and wildlife visit, as well as plenty of flowers to satisfy the homeowner. There are nooks for shelter created in the placement of boulders – which are arranged for comfortable human perching too. The multi-height re-circulating water feature also serves as a butterfly, bird, critter and dog drinking area and even as visual entertainment for the cats and dog through the front window.

Filled with California native and climate-appropriate plants, vegetables, a gravel/stone/plant infiltration area at a downspout, drip irrigation with a weather-based controller, a composting area, a step stone path made from recycled broken concrete (from the site demo), permeable surfaces such as unstabilized decomposed granite, mulch and groundcover (no lawn), LED landscape lighting and a berm to utilize some of the excess soil, this garden exemplifies sustainable outdoor living in an urban environment.

To top it off, the home also has solar panels that were installed several years ago and provide approximately 75% of the household’s electrical needs. Although the back yard is not accessible (stay tuned for Phase 2!), there are fruit trees, more veggies and a rain barrel in the rear. The landscape designer, irrigation installer, contractor and solar panel company will be present to answer questions.



12618 Indianapolis Street (Map 5 - J)

This home is proof that a climate-appropriate garden does not have to be an intimidating enterprise and can be done inexpensively with great results.

It all started about eight years ago when the homeowners replaced their weedy front lawn with common, mostly Mediterranean, drought-tolerant plants, such as geraniums, rosemary, lantana, lavender and an herb garden.  The parkway now consists of low plants, including blue fescue and flowering ice plants and stepping stones. The result is a yard with color and texture that rarely needs watering and requires minimal maintenance.  They nurtured this garden slowly – planting fewer plants and allowing them to grow in at their own pace, gradually supplanting the weeds that used to be out of control.

They proudly take credit for every aspect of the garden’s creation.   No landscape designer or specialist was involved and they used plant materials that are easy to find and care for.  They even installed the drip irrigation.

One side of the front yard is dominated by a large specimen Coral Tree.  As the front yard is never irrigated, the tree has strengthened with deeper roots, and damage to the sidewalk has thus been minimized.  This is another benefit of the drought tolerant garden. The drip irrigation system in the front has not been used much in the last two to three years.  For the 2009 Garden Tour, the calculated water savings were at about 30% over 2007.  Since then, water use for their family of four has reduced further, to 36% less water than 2007, dropping to as low as 11 HCF in a two-month billing cycle.

Last May, the homeowners installed an 18-panel solar photovoltaic system using micro-inverters, which has to date produced more than 4 MW of power, supplying 100% of energy use through October, and reducing bills to well below the Tier 1 level since then.  The Sun Power black panels, installed on the lower and upper rooftops are not highly noticeable from the street, (but are visible to be featured on the tour).  Aesthetically, they are very happy with the system.

3243 Mountain View Ave (Map 3 - J)

This garden has been a loving process of playing in the dirt for years now.
They ripped out the lawn and put in gravel, way before it was 'In Vogue' to do so. Then slowly added organic fruits, vegetables & self seeding spring flowers to coincide with the cyclical climate changes in Southern California's desert - it will be in full, spring bloom for the garden tour. Not at all what it looks like by summer's end. When there is no rain what-so-ever and it goes into complete drought tolerant mode. Everything, except the fruit trees go without water for the final months of summer, before the California 'winter' rains set in.
So, this garden is very seasonal. Three distinctly different looks.
Spring- with annual flowers like a hardy variety of sweet pea, roses in full bloom and a vegetable bounty such as artichokes, green onions, strawberries, beans and potatoes for the nitrogen added to the soil.
Summer - with all annual flowers gone, showing the succulents and blue tuft grasses covered over by spring flowers and some roses will still bloom. They pretty much let the roses hibernate and often cut them back for the late of summer- intense heat- of California summers.
Winter- when everything gets cut back and/or dug up, horse manure and natural mulch is added for 'looks' and goodness. Only the baby seedlings of annuals, tuft grasses and succulents can be seen with the odd rose that will sprout back and bloom early.
They have a love of rocks, rock inuksuks and that whole natural wild look, which is very evident throughout the garden. As well as being an artist, the owners 'play' with their rocks a lot, creating different textures & pathways, alongside drought tolerant or cactus potted plants all mixed into the whole garden space.
This garden is their Zen and they are an active hands-on participant in it, so there is always something morphing or changing.

12719 Dewey Street (Map 5 - I)

VIDEO TOUR OF GARDEN

This is a wonderful stop to learn about plants you will want in your life! This homeowner is an herbalist who wanted to create a sanctuary for patients - a transition, magical world. Make sure you rub your hands in the sagebrush and Grandmother sage. Enjoy a rest - they will be offering lemon verbena water, chair massages and Zhuba's lemonade stand while they share insights on their plants.

The garden has been a process over maybe 6 years. They took up the lawn twice and last year dug one foot deep throughout half of the garden to remove the Devil’s grass, then added the raised bed front garden and mulched with cardboard. They planted many natives, drought tolerant, fruit trees and veggies. They have many favorites - the queen is the elder bush, the plant of beauty and wisdom which they use to make elder liqueur from the flowers and berries. They adore the figs daily all summer and the magical giant rosemary with squash growing in it. They love to smell the labdanum and enjoy eating the kumquats and tangerines. The lemons are also useful. They adore eating the cactus fruit. Many of their plants - particularly the cactus - have been in their life for years in pots going back to their apartment porch in the 80's.

They water minimally - the few months that they do use sprinklers it's a maximum 5 minutes twice a week plus the water captured in two rain barrels. Ask to see their compost as well!

While you're visiting, ask about the classes that will be offered in May on medicinal  uses for plants that thrive here!

3139 Purdue Avenue (Map 4 - D)

The homeowners wanted to replace the front and back lawns with drought tolerant landscaping for several years. From time to time, they would see examples which interested them. This led to purchasing a number of books on the subject. However, reading about landscape design and drought tolerant plants didn’t inspire them with the confidence in ripping out the lawn and getting started. They met a landscape designer at a party, whose landscape work at the friend’s home was fantastic. They told him they had wanted for years to go drought tolerant, but had a limited budget. The designer, Bill Shapiro, came over and made up plans. His work transformed typical boring and water wasting suburban lawn into very special spaces. The royal palms and Mexican sage are among their favorite plants.

3373 Cabrillo Boulevard

This garden was the conception and largely the work of Andrea Dembrowski (born April 1947 and died June 2008). Andrea made the decision in 2006, after another year of Southern California drought and brown lawn, to redo the lawn portions of the front and back yards. Her primary motivation was conservation. According to her son, Alex, Andrea had long been environmentally conscientious and had been at one time a Sierra Club member.

Andrea’s inspiration was to reduce water, to achieve a more natural look than turf, to recycle materials from the demolition of the old garden and hard surfaces, and to use drought tolerant plants and gardening techniques. At the same time, she had in mind using lavender and sage in the garden, two of her favorite scents, incorporating a dry river bed in the garden design, and installing a deck over a good portion of what had been the back yard.

In 2006 and 2007 Andrea worked on totally killing the front and back lawn by cessation of watering and digging up the roots. She had a poured cement patio removed from the back of the house and stacked chunks of the cement to use for future pathways in the back garden.

During 2007, she enrolled in a course on California-friendly (xeriscape) gardening at Santa Monica College to learn sustainable landscape design, planting and watering techniques, and plant selection. This course led her to procure stone, pebbles and nylon/rubber sheeting to use in shaping areas of the garden and help control weeds and conserve water.

It was in the back yard that Andrea carried out her concept of the “dry river bed.” She hired helpers to dig out a “gulch” which was lined with stone. The excavated dirt was used to build .mounds raised alongside the “gulch” and these were covered with the nylon/rubber sheeting. For each variety of succulent planted in a mound, Andrea cut away sheeting around the planting “basin” allowing the plant to be watered and but shielding the rest of the mound from watering. The sheeting was ultimately covered with wood chips to achieve a natural look ant control weeds.

In stretches of the back yard, the cement chunks were laid as stone pathways and to widen the walkway extending to the rear of the garage. Small pebbles were used to fill in and level the spaces between cement chunks. Andrea planted sage and lavender along the cement pathways. She planted blue fescue along the riverbed gulch. Along the newly-constructed redwood deck in the back of the house, she planted decorative grasses.

In the front of the house along the front porch, Andrea planted a flowering ground cover that required low water once established. She created a large succulent “island” in the former turf area of the front yard and added more succulents and flax plantings along the curb. She mixed in grasses and lavender plants throughout the front garden to unify it with the look of the back garden. The three dwarf citrus in the north portion of the front yard were the last plants she added to the garden in fall 2007.

In Summer 2008, after her death, friends completed the front garden by adding stepping stones, stone edging and blue fescue plantings around the citrus trees, and yarrow plants in between the citrus. The last planting added in the front garden is the variegated mahonia plant in the northwest corner of the yard.
This garden is largely hand watered, with the exception of soaker hose added by friends in Summer 2008 to enable watering the succulent “islands” and stretches of lavender in the back yard.

11443 Clover Avenue (Map 4 - E)

The co-creator of Inspire the Change takes the message literally – beginning with their own garden which was designed by Grace Phillips!

They were inspired by the time they spent living in Berkeley! They fell in love with plants while living there, and wanted to have a low water, low maintenance front garden in Los Angeles. They love the fact that their yard maintenance requires no noise and no co2 making machines

They have fruit trees, some natives and less thirsty plants – some Australian. The plants surround two “gravel rooms” and attract hummingbirds and monarch butterflies. They use minimal water for irrigation in the summer and hardly at all in the winter.

They are very partial to the trees they planted – one large pomegranate, and three minis, a fuyu persimmon, an olive tree from the city. And the fact that there’s almost always something flowering makes them very happy. Right now, the ceanothus are in bloom.

They dug up their lawn in the fall of 2005, and planted in February of 2006 – almost everything came in four-inch pots! They figured that the neighbors would think them nuts, but many stopped to complement them on their efforts.

3560 Frances Avenue (Map 5 - Q)

This garden designer was inspired by taking tours of sustainable gardens given by the city of Santa Monica starting about 13 years ago, led by Suzanne Jetts. Also by a visit to the Theodore Payne Foundation in Sunland.

The garden contains California natives and sustainables which are both drought tolerant.

They have Pride of Madera (Echium), rockrose (Cistus), Ceonothus, Tacoma Capensis, Westringa, Manzanita, Lavender, California Poppies, and coyote bush. They have recently planted succulents. The favorites are all the plants that have survived over the last 10 years!

They originally planted with no overall planting plan and the plants have gone through a lot of changes with some parts being 10 years old. Now they are trying to incorporate the survivors into the new plan. The plants that are still growing have endured very little watering in compacted soil.

They combine hand watering and manual sprinklers. They do not water in the winter unless something has been recently planted. In the summer, they water twice a week with the sprinkler and maybe one more time with hand watering in extreme heat.

11607 Clover Avenue (Map 4 - F)

Before this house was built, this was farm land. They have an original lemon tree and an original lime tree and it has been designated at a Natural Wildlife Habitat. There is a native Californian Grape vine and many drought tolerant plants. The parkway in front of the house is completely water conscious.

The garden was designed by Marilee Kuhlman and was inspired by the house, which has a lot of Asian and Craftsman influences. The original garden was re-planted in 1996 and then re-designed when in 2004.

The garden is watered by sprinklers twice a week with structured water , a new concept in water filtration. They love what it does for their garden - increasing biomass production and their garden requires less water and fertilizer.

12001 Navy Street (Map 4 - J)

The front garden is entirely California Native and, of course drought resistant. This garden was created in 2008. It was designed by Curt Klebaum to reflect the tastes of the homeowners.

Their goals were to save water, to have a garden appropriate to our climate, to reduce waste, and the aesthetics. They chose pink flowering currant, wooly blue curls, flannel plant, seaside daisy, bush anemone and fremontia California glory among others. They love the scents of the sages. Their water bills have gone down substantially - currently $27 per two month period. It is an ongoing experiment due to the fact that California Native plants can sometimes be fussy and erratic.

They have seen a proliferation of hummingbirds, butterflies and other birds on the property since they installed the garden. It is really wonderful to see so much activity on the property!

They use a drip irrigation system. Watering is done very, very infrequently. They do not water in the spring or summer, perhaps watering a few times in the fall before the rains begin.

They do not need a gardener and do not use leaf-blowers. They are illegal in the City of Los Angeles and we should do whatever we can to stop their use.

Curt Klebaum, their landscape designer, will be there from 3 – 4pm to answer questions.

3321 Grand View Blvd - Grand View Parkway (Map 3 - G)

One thousand feet of Hilltop pride. What you’ll see is what the community and City government can create - and did, in Mar Vista, in 2006.

Hilltop Neighbors, residents, volunteers, LA City Dept of Recreation and Parks, Department of Beautification, Ocean View Farms, Neighborhood Council, Little League, and others gave of their time, talent and money to take a blighted strip along Grand View Blvd and gave us all this beautiful landscape.

The city provided them with a list of plant recommendations, candidates hardy and beautiful low/medium water use plants. The Grand View Parkway team, a subcommittee of Hilltop Neighbors Association and Ocean View Farms chose the plants, installed the watering system (low watering). They raised funds and coordinated volunteer workers, mostly Hilltop residents.

The maintenance has been done by Hilltop residents and Ocean View Farms farmers.
They recently received a grant for replacement plants, which have filled in a few spaces they like to say was the result of attrition and gophers.

They’ll have labels for most of the plants and this will introduce you to a wonderful Mar Vista walk!

While you’re there, be sure to look westward at the vista of open sky over this hilltop and know that the Pacific Ocean is there. It is called Mar Vista for a reason.

P.S. If you would be willing to be an ongoing/sometime maintenance angel, e-mail HilltopNeighbors@aol.com

3823 Beethoven Street (Map 6 - S)

This homeowner is a set designer for film and very knowledgeable regarding all types of design - including landscape. Two years ago the front garden was just crab grass – now it has been transformed into a living oasis.

Their garden is a wonderful mixture of native California drought tolerant plants combined with some desert species and a few tropical – a blend of California deserts and lush coastal flora.

With no regular lawn, the garden is drought tolerant it needs very little watering - summer about twice a week, winter not at all.

There are many varieties of succulents, a beautiful pencil tree, brugmansia, Abyssinian red banana, giant bird of paradise, yucca, Egyptian papyrus, various cacti and fan palms. They use no leaf blowers or any gas or electric powered tools – they do everything themselves and all by hand.

12613 Appleton Way (Map 5 - O)

This drought resistant garden was designed with a grey/purple theme and is planted with mostly California native plants from Native Sons, Armstrongs and other far-flung nurseries. Everything was (and continues to be!) done by the homeowner – they were inspired by an article in the Home section of the newspaper and built the garden over the course of six months.

It has various kinds of sages and manzanitas and several fijoa plants that fruit. It is anchored by an olive tree and has several ornamental plum, Australian tea trees and three melaleucas.

12310 Stanwood Drive (Map 3 - H)

This homeowner got tired of choosing between a lot of watering and an ugly yard. In Fall of 2008, they hired Eco-nomical Landscape to design and install this drought resistant garden. Using cacti, California Natives and other drought resistant plants, they water once a week in the summer and not at all the rest of the year. Their landscape designer may be on hand to answer questions.

They also have a solar heated pool in the back and will be happy to share information on that!

3375 Moore Street (Map 5 - D)

This homeowner turned a very plain, suburban lawn into an enchanting sustainable garden. Using drought tolerant plantings to highlight existing, well-established shrubs, the property has a look of natural wildness, yet all elements are balanced. The designer is well-known local landscape architect Jay Griffith. This garden, re-landscaped in 2002, requires from 6 to 15 minutes of watering per week. The Liquid Amber maple trees, along with visits from birds and butterflies, create an oasis of peace and tranquility which is further enhanced by the complete absence of leaf blowers. Both front and back yards will be open during the tour.

3300 S. Centinela Ocean View Farms (Map 3 - I)

Don’t miss this Mar Vista treasure! Enjoy some views in this LA Times photo essay.


There are 500 plots with approximately 310 gardeners growing vegetables, flowers and fruit organically. From artichokes to agave, OVF has it all. This season gardeners are planting tomatoes, corn, beans, squash, potatoes, chard, lettuces, and onions. Many gardeners have nurtured roses throughout OVF’s 30+ year history. Several gardeners have cactus and native plants, and the perimeter of the garden is filled with fig, avocado and citrus trees, as well as pine, eucalyptus, black walnut and palm trees.


OVF has a huge composting operation through which they literally take thousands of tons of manure (otherwise going to a landfill) off the city’s hands each year. Stable waste is mixed with their own garden waste, shredded and composted for several months. Weekly crews turn the piles and prepare it for harvesting by gardeners, who then use it as soil amendments in their plots. It is located at the bottom of the hill between Phase 1 and Phase 2.


Vegetables need to be watered twice a week in winter, but in our sandy soil, sometimes they need watering every day in the summer. Luckily the land provides us with sustenance, which makes up for the higher water usage. Organic Gardening Magazine donated a 1,100 gallon cistern to OVF last year. It sits at the top of the hill (at the far end of the parking lot) and is connected to one of the dugouts near the little league baseball field. Just one rainy day collected over 600 gallons of water. The water is piped down to the composting area to be used on the pile.


Ocean View Farms is on 6 acres of land owned by the DWP and under the jurisdiction of the Department of Recreation and Parks and is the largest of more than 60 community gardens in Los Angeles County. It is a workday, so there will be gardeners and leadership present from 1-4 p.m. Please park on Centinela and come in through the bottom gate.


Also notice the wonderful drought resistant landscaping that OVF volunteer gardeners have done along the property on Grand View Boulevard.

13248 Dewey Street (Map 5 - E)

This local designer did Beechwood Restaurant, Alibi Room and Rose Café – what fun to get a peek into what he designed for himself!

The landscaping was inspired 18 months ago by low water consumption, dry climate aesthetic, natural movement from off-shore breezes and traffic. Agaves were collected and donated by neighbors or harvested and reused from the site, grasses were planted along a busy street for movement and to provide a visual buffer to street.

Berms were added for the small lawn in front for capturing water so it only needs water twice a week (3 minutes for each zone) in the summer and not at all in the winter.

The plant selections are California Native and indigenous drought tolerant with working gardens and small crops in the rear and on side yards.

2039 Walgrove Avenue (Map 6 - N)

This front garden is mostly succulents and the perimeter of the front is segueing into more drought tolerant plants. The back garden is mostly edibles, vegetables, herbs, bananas and some flowers.

The owner teaches teach others how to grow vegetables through the Los Angeles County Master Gardener program and will be on hand to answer questions.

Since 1991 the garden has been an ongoing process. It’s gone through many permutations from focusing on growing flowers for drying in order to make dried flower arrangements and wreaths to what it is today, a succulent garden in the front and mostly vegetables in the back.

This homeowner also can share information and their composting, worm compost and rain barrel water collection.

Plants are watered when they need it. There is no irrigation system. Some time ago the owners received a report from the DWP saying they use ½ the water of similar homes in our neighborhood.

11837 North Park Avenue

See a video from last years tour here. 
At this location The Bureau of Sanitation Department of Public Works will have delivered approximately 200 sample bags of the free city mulch program made from yard clippings gathered from our Green bins weekly collection. One bag per family, first come first served. Information will be available where residents can pick up more bulk compost. They will also be giving out 200 copies of the Terrible Ten posters - the top ten invasive plants in Southern California.

Native Green Gardening, LLC the certificated green gardener program will have a booth at this location to explain their service for residents and businesses seeking maintenance for drought tolerant gardens.

This landscaping is now almost three years old. For the front yard, they’ve chosen California natives, some existing legacy plants a new California cypress pine tree and an organic vegetable garden.

The homeowner did all the design and majority of the work done by hand. Some rocks, most gravel and all decomposed granite were free from craigslist searches. River rocks were gathered free on several trips to two locations in Redlands and Claremont. Tons of free City of Los Angeles mulch made from all of our green bin waste was collected in Van Nuys and on Jefferson Boulevard. Used our old newspapers to cover dirt under mulch to suppress weeds. Under the gravel we used corn based natural weed block available at Home Depot.
They’ve adapted the existing sprinklers to work when needed - estimating once or twice a week - mostly off in winter. They now have 4 rain barrels 3 of them painted and decorated by the owners, see the video link above. They collect rainwater in from their gutters and use to hand water with hose and watering cans as needed in winter.


This garden will be a great source of inspiration and resource information for how to do it yourself. It is also certified as a wildlife habitat. Watch for the flocks of birds overhead as you visit the gardens on Map 1. Parrots? Parakeets? Read about them here.

3991 Marcasel Avenue (Map 1 - F)

Read about this garden in the April 21 edition of The Argonaut

When these homeowners moved in to their South Mar Vista home in the Spring of 2008, they inherited an exquisitely designed garden courtesy of the previous owners and the landscape company Dry Design.  They also made good use of the two raised garden beds in the back yard which served as the perfect location for tomatoes and herbs. Each Spring they experiment with something new. 

Sprinklers are on timers and monitored carefully to reduce water usage. Composting and the addition of solar panels are part of their commitment to make yearly green improvements.

An abundance of hummingbirds and bees, along with a variety of fruit trees creates the feeling of being out in Nature rather than right here in the heart of Mar Vista.  Drop by and experience it yourself!

11819 North Park Avenue

Check out the article on Fresh Dirt to see other views of this garden and learn more about the artist owners.

The front garden is an abundance of large succulents and drought resistant plants. The back yard is an artistic arrangement of succulents, droughts resistant plants, ceramic tiles and outdoor seating – truly an added open air room. There is even a small area of artificial turf. This garden is a must see example of outdoor living!