A backyard meadow of grasses and wildflowers was the farthest thing from Catherine and Greg Stern’s mind when they bought their Spanish-colonial style house in Mill Valley, California nearly two decades ago. With water shortages a major concern in California, Greg wanted to get rid of the lawn.
A backyard meadow of grasses and wildflowers was the farthest thing from Catherine and Greg Stern’s mind when they bought their Spanish-colonial style house in Mill Valley, California nearly two decades ago. With water shortages a major concern in California, Greg wanted to get rid of the lawn.
Photography by Mimi Giboin for Gardenista.
Photography by Mimi Giboin for Gardenista.
From a bedroom balcony, you look down into a backyard meadow full of flowing grasses.
From a bedroom balcony, you look down into a backyard meadow full of flowing grasses.
“As the time has gone on, it’s gotten prettier and prettier. It changes throughout the year. The plum tree blooms in March. In April we have pink dogwood blooms.”
“As the time has gone on, it’s gotten prettier and prettier. It changes throughout the year. The plum tree blooms in March. In April we have pink dogwood blooms.”
A path of stepping stones set in a base of gravel runs alongside the side of the house, connecting the front garden to the backyard meadow.
A path of stepping stones set in a base of gravel runs alongside the side of the house, connecting the front garden to the backyard meadow.
Says Coates The inspiration came from Greg wanting a meadow and me wanting to implement what I learned about making meadows from John Greenlee the utility and beauty of a meadow over lawn and also how...
Says Coates The inspiration came from Greg wanting a meadow and me wanting to implement what I learned about making meadows from John Greenlee the utility and beauty of a meadow over lawn and also how...
...a meadow isn t a water mowing and fertilizer monocultural hog like most sods Rather it is a flowing dancing living piece of art that you can plant flowers in and attract butterflies and other good insects
...a meadow isn t a water mowing and fertilizer monocultural hog like most sods Rather it is a flowing dancing living piece of art that you can plant flowers in and attract butterflies and other good insects
Introduced in 1937, ‘Ballerina’ is a hardy shrub rose with clusters of single flowers.
Introduced in 1937, ‘Ballerina’ is a hardy shrub rose with clusters of single flowers.
Georgia loves to run laps around the backyard where Greenlee and Coates chose meadow grasses, including Carex pansa, Festuca mairei, and clumps of Sesleria autumnalis ‘Greenlee’.
Georgia loves to run laps around the backyard where Greenlee and Coates chose meadow grasses, including Carex pansa, Festuca mairei, and clumps of Sesleria autumnalis ‘Greenlee’.
Salvia Nemorosa ‘Caradonna’ has deep purple spikes, is drought tolerant, and will bloom throughout the summer.
Salvia Nemorosa ‘Caradonna’ has deep purple spikes, is drought tolerant, and will bloom throughout the summer.
Two wooden folding chairs Greg had made while living in Indonesia sit in a shady spot in a back corner of the garden, the former site of the treehouse.
Two wooden folding chairs Greg had made while living in Indonesia sit in a shady spot in a back corner of the garden, the former site of the treehouse.
Strawberries and herbs grow in planting beds on the corners of the wooden platform.
Strawberries and herbs grow in planting beds on the corners of the wooden platform.
Foxgloves re-seed themselves and will pop up serendipitously in unexpected spots in the meadow.
Foxgloves re-seed themselves and will pop up serendipitously in unexpected spots in the meadow.
With a weathered teak base and concrete tabletop, a Belgian Trestle Table is available in five sizes at prices ranging from $4,144 to $6,210 at Restoration Hardware.
With a weathered teak base and concrete tabletop, a Belgian Trestle Table is available in five sizes at prices ranging from $4,144 to $6,210 at Restoration Hardware.
On their gently sloped property, the Sterns installed a French drain system and drainage to divert water from the house.
On their gently sloped property, the Sterns installed a French drain system and drainage to divert water from the house.
A ridged metal side table is actually a planter, turned upside down.
A ridged metal side table is actually a planter, turned upside down.
“It feels like we added two rooms onto our house,” says Catherine.
“It feels like we added two rooms onto our house,” says Catherine.
Garden designer Coates and landscape contractor Brian Robinson sourced the fire bowl and ceramic fire balls from Concrete Creations in Los Angeles.
Garden designer Coates and landscape contractor Brian Robinson sourced the fire bowl and ceramic fire balls from Concrete Creations in Los Angeles.
