13004 Venice Boulevard: The Learning Garden at Venice High School is Showcase Central

SHOWCASE CENTRAL:  The Learning Garden at Venice High School

We'll kick off the 2018 Mar Vista Green Garden Showcase at 10am with 11th district Councilmember Mike Bonin welcoming visitors at The Learning Garden at Venice High School.  The Learning Garden was the first school garden started by community activists, setting the model for many of the other school gardens in the Mar Vista area. Attaching their endeavors to the existing gardening classes at Venice High School, The Learning Garden has been a beacon for the community since 2002. Great place to start your tour.  Tour this enormous peaceful and sustainable garden and learn about what David King does for the community.  Then pick up a map and figure out your route for the day, apply your sunscreen, talk to experts and meet lots of garden lovers. 

The entirety of The Learning Garden is grown without any pesticides, herbicides or fertilizer and depends on the soil food web to provide the plants with the appropriate nutrients. 

The garden is watered by hand; as a teaching institution, part of learning how to care for plants is watering them. Some passive water saving is employed, capturing runoff and sequestering it back into the aquifer. The gardens are well mulched. There are three or four (depending on the week) different ways of composting in the garden.

Inca berries

You'll also be able to dig deep into the expertise from the Seed Library of LA (SLOLA), the local organization protecting the diversity of our food supply. SLOLA is a collection of seeds and a community of passionate gardeners and volunteers, which facilitates the growth of open-pollinated seeds among residents of the Los Angeles Basin. A hub and repository for seed collection, SLOLA's mission is to educate members about the practice of seed-saving through their free monthly workshop and outreach events, such as MVGGS.  





Please note that you enter through the gate on Walgrove just south of Venice Blvd.

12552 Barbara Avenue

I started the transformation of my yards the same year the financial crisis hit. I thought that if worse came to worst I could sell my high-value fruit at the corner of Venice and Centinela. It was also my bit part to stimulate the local economy and make the world more sustainable. All the hardscape materials were recycled from previous walkways, driveway and the chimney. The fruit trees were selected by my friends who committed to harvesting "their" trees each year. The native plants were selected by my landscape designer for their textures, colors and drought tolerance. Today, I enjoy sitting out in the front patio watching the world go by, greeting the neighborhood dogs and their guardians as well as the young families that frequent my patch of Mar Vista.

This year, I added three more fruit trees in the backyard. My landscape designer tells me "that's it", there is no room for more trees after these three grow up.  I hope to live in my house until I leave feet first. Before that happens, I hope my trees thrive and give many people a taste of their sweetness. Christie Kruse Landscape Gardening designed this garden. She came up with a plan to create an outdoor dining room in the front yard so that 20 people could be invited for a  sit-down dinner.  Irrigation is a combination of soaker hoses, drip, and sprinklers targeted to the fruit trees. In the winter, the irrigation is turned off.  In spring and fall, the garden is watered once a week and twice a week in the summer.  The composter was provided by the city for $20.

I'll have a special guest with me at my garden.  Naomi Curland of Pachamama Alliance, whose mission is to bring forth an environmentally sustainable, socially just, and spiritually fulfilling human presence on this planet. The core outreach of the Pachamama Alliance is the Awakening the Dreamer symposium, but recently they've been developing coursework based on Project Drawdown.  online. Drawdown is the most comprehensive plan ever to reverse global warming and offers the top 100 solutions to do this. Naomi will have information about how we can make changes in our lives and homes right now to become part of this movement to reverse global warming. 

12545 Barbara Avenue

Our garden is a mixture of a variety of agave, aloes and fruit trees and it is truly drought tolerant. We first planted fruit trees in 1997 and while remodeling in 2010 we removed all the grass and that's when the fruit trees really flourished. We created a recycled limestone stone wall, steel garden borders and planter boxes, and a "river" of river rocks that greets you at the entrance and leads you throughout the property. Many of our succulents started out as cuttings and have been collected over time from friends and trips to other desert climates. Through the years we have grown vegetables and seasonal flowers, but our love of succulents and our busy schedules have shaped what you see today. We enjoy ruby red grapefruits, lemons, figs, blackberries, and peaches at different times throughout the year. The birds, butterflies and lizards are the biggest benefactors of the garden and we have seen a huge increase in all of them over time. We love to pick our dinner from the garden and show off our night-flowering cacti.  We love living here and have seen a lot of changes since we arrived in 1995.

3635 Grand View Blvd

One year ago most of this front yard was a concrete driveway (1400 sq.ft.) and now it's transformed into a two car garage surrounded by eclectic, self-seeding, drought tolerant and drought resistant gardens (1200 sq. ft.) utilizing lots of repurposed pots, bricks and broken cement materials throughout. Pinwheels and Nepalese flags add color and movement to the environment. 

I use a Do-It-Yourself approach and improve the yards as time, budget and energy permits. I built a small retaining wall in the front to address the slope of the yard and used broken concrete creates pathways throughout the property.

Many plants and flowers were started from free seed packets and seedlings from the Master Gardeners at the Mar Vista Farmers Market or from 99 cent store plants.  Neighbors contributed mulberry saplings to my endeavors. Large agave, some fruit trees, grape vines, and artichokes were transplanted from other parts of the property. 

Shade trees (some from City Trees), flowers, fruit trees, herbs, vegetables and vining plants invite lots of bees, birds and butterflies. Monarch butterflies frequent my milkweed plants. A layer of mulch (supplied by the City) keeps the soil moist. Water efficient drip irrigation is monitored by a Rachio Irrigation controller, accessible by my smartphone. 

There's also a beautiful mural on the side of the garage by local artist, Gus Harper.

3610 Ocean View Avenue

This fantastic 120-foot deep front yard was an uninspiring swath of half-dead lawn. The homeowners asked Kevin Connelly of Park Connelly Landscape Design to make it into something welcoming. The aim was to make the long access to the house a pleasant stroll through a park-like setting, with various areas for lounging, entertaining, meditation and vegetable gardening. 

The design incorporates an existing Chinese Elm and a mature pine. A rectangular concrete patio which was cracked and displaced was recycled into a more gracious, wandering and “softer” walkway leading from the sidewalk to the front door. 

The homeowners' favorite feature is a yin-yang symbol constructed with white and black river stones as a 6ʼ diameter “junction” midway in the yard. A secondary gravel path leads from here to a quiet area bench and continues on to the raised vegetable planter box. It also helps to visually break up the distance to the house. A water feature near the deck entrance also reflects the welcoming aspects of a Feng Shui design. 

Landscape designer Kevin Connelly will be on site all day to answer your questions.

3590 Ocean View Avenue

This front yard garden was added eight years ago when the owners moved into the house. The previous yard was nothing more than weeds and the owners wanted to make it into a water-wise garden. With the help of a local landscaper, they designed the garden to feel like a wild field and to include specific plants such as the Foxtail Agave, Firesticks, Dodonea, Sage, Aloe and other drought-tolerant plants. The biggest addition was the California Live Oak Tree. While the main layout hasn't changed, some plants had to be changed or removed over time. The best part of the garden now is the maturing FireStick plants which tower over the front yard. The owners love to watch the ever-present hummingbirds zoom around the garden.

The garden has no irrigation so plants must really be able to survive dry conditions. During the summer months, the garden is watered by hand but mostly survives on its own during the winter.

13014 Morningside Way

Come sit on one of these bonafide Dodger Stadium seats.

There's a lot to see and learn in this garden!  

On an average residential lot, these garden owners have used every inch to incorporate chickens, bees, vegetable garden - especially heirloom tomatoes and herbs - succulents and mostly low water California native plants. It's their "urban farm."

About 15 years ago, one took a class at Theodore Payne to learn about California native plants and was hooked. They removed the backyard lawn and installed an all CA native landscape complete with a fountain for birds and other animals. Recently they replaced one section with succulents.

Seven years ago, inspired by the tranquility of their new backyard, the homeowners decided to transform the front as well, incorporating a dry-rock river bed that serves as a swale into the design. They left several existing trees and a few camelia bushes, then filled in with drought-tolerant plants. Ceanothus, manzanitas, fairy duster monkey flower and blooming sages grow along the dry river bed.

The parkway has less dense plantings and decomposed granite to ensure easy access from a car parked on the street. A six-inch wide rock drainage around the parking strip to control water run-off from the sidewalk solved an erosion problem and also adds a design element. 

The areas that were once thirsty lawn now use almost no water except in severe drought. Irrigation is almost completely by underground drippers and individual bubblers.  

The owners keep two compost bins going, utilizing the chicken manure. They have several bird feeders and big pots with milkweed for the Monarch butterflies. The house has solar panels installed by Sungevity.

The garden owners will have information about free mulch locations and can help with questions about chickens and beekeeping. They'll also have forms for certifying your habitat with the National Wildlife Foundation.  There will be a beekeeping demonstration, as the homeowner is part of HoneyLove, and strained and comb honey for sampling.  

 

3967 Coolidge Avenue - Cluster 1F

Volunteers from the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Foundation completed this demonstration rain garden just in time for the 2012 Showcase

It's featured in a new DWP Public Service Announcement: Pretend

Come see how it's grown!

All the plants are CA natives. The garden is full of sedges, rushes, grasses with interspersed colors and scents of California Rose and Yerba Mensa, Canyon Sunflower, Monkeyflower, Sages, Yarrow, Mugwort. 

Milkweed is planted for Monarch butterflies. The garden attracts many butterflies, bees, birds & insects. 

All the rainwater, which is captured by house and garage downspouts, flows into the garden. It is dispersed by the plants and by underground gravel pits.

Watering is done by hand once every 2 - 3 weeks in the dry season. Mulch and compost tea are added for maintenance. 

Last year, the garden owners installed a plank bridge along path to the house.

What qualifies it as a rain garden?
A rain garden is a garden of native perennials, shrubs and small trees planted in a small depression designed to temporarily hold and soak in rainwater runoff that flows from impervious surfaces such as roofs, driveways, walkways and compacted lawn areas. Basically a rain garden receives rainwater channeled via gutters and connected pipes, allowing the rainwater to soak into the ground, as opposed to flowing into storm drains. Compared to conventional lawns, rain gardens allow for 30% more water to soak into the ground. Most rain gardens are built to hold a 1" rain event.

Every time it rains, the water runoff from impervious surfaces collects pollutants such as particles of dirt, fertilizers, chemicals, oils, garbage and bacteria along the way. The pollutant-laden rainwater enters the storm drain untreated.  Storm water runoff accounts for 70% of all the water pollution nationwide. Rain gardens collect rainwater runoff allowing water to be filtered by vegetation. A rain garden retains water just long enough to percolate into the soil where the plants and soil microorganisms breakdown and remove the pollutants. By keeping the water onsite and preventing it from flowing onto impervious surfaces, a rain garden lessens the amount of contaminated water entering storm drains.

Native plants are recommended for rain gardens because they have adapted to Southern California's dry conditions. Native plants attract birds, bees, wildlife and beneficial insects that have evolved alongside these plants. In keeping with the idea of improving water quality, they do not require fertilizers. A rain garden using selected plants native to the region requires little watering once it's established. The plants are selected with large root structures to allow runoff to soak into the ground. Water that makes it past the roots moves through filtering soil layers before entering the groundwater system. Rocks may be strategically placed so that storm water runoff is slowed, allowing for better absorption and preventing erosion.

In summary, a rain garden:

• Attracts a diversity birds, bees, and beneficial insects.
• Protects oceans land-based runoff pollution.
• Provides an attractive alternative to a traditional lawn.
• Doesn't need mowing or fertilizer as with traditional lawn.
• Requires little watering after plants are established; 60% to 70% of drinking water is used for conventional landscaping.
• Saves money that would be spent on irrigation.
  

3616 Ocean View Avenue - Cluster 2F

Cookies, water and tours guided by grandchildren await visitors to this garden 

There will be a place to rest and sit on the patio, if you're tired. One owner has gardened for many years and can explain the habit and needs of many of the plants. 

The front yard is drought resistant, planted with California natives and plants from other parts of the world that require little or no water. The garden resembles a wildflower meadow, with both planted and “volunteers” popping up in a whimsical manner. The owners have added plants since Sarah Herman Landscape Design did the original design. Sarah, a designer who is becoming well known in the Berkeley/Alameda County area, is the owners' daughter. 
The front yard requires very little water and a minimal amount of trimming after bloom. The owners capture rainwater from the gutter when it rains or fill their can with the hose when necessary, and water shrubs by hand.

The backyard contains fruit trees and vegetables, along with drought resistant flowers and shrubs. There are greens, herbs, blueberries, lemons, oranges, tangerines, apples and struggling stone fruit and avocado trees. It's a haven for wild creatures, glorious butterflies and lots of birds.

The back garden is a mixture of mature shrubs, trees, vegetables and plants that thrive with a minimum of water and maintenance. The backyard 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. Rosemarie was a gardener and the owners have added and subtracted during their residency.  

12425 Appleton Way - Cluster 3H

This garden features mostly California native plants in the front yard and some natives in the back along with succulents and UC Verde buffalo grass. 

Look for a variety of native buckwheats (Eriogonum) including Santa Cruz Island, Ashyleaf, Sulfur, Saint Catherine's lace, and Red-Flowered. Native Ceanothus include Ray Hartman, Concha, and Frosty Dawn. Manzanitas (Arctostaphylos) include Emerald Carpet, John Dourley, Howard McMinn, Sunset, Sentinel, and Louis Edmunds. Also look for grasses, salvias, coffeeberrys, heuchera, native iris and beach strawberry, and more.

This 2 1/2-year-old garden proves the adage: "native plants sleep, creep, and leap." In other words, most grow slowly, and this garden is just beginning to fill in nicely. But there's lots to see, as the garden owner has expanded on the original landscape design with many literal "placeholders" while waiting for the "leap" phase of the larger natives and the manzanita groundcover.

Landscape architect Mary Sager McFadden designed the garden. Victor Barrios and his crew at Barrios Maintenance handled installation of plants and irrigation.