Garden Award Winners 2020

To create a sustainable and integrated habitat for wildlife/pollinators, and produce food for own consumption.

I (Anthony) moved to SB in the Fall of 2018, and have since worked on turning the lawn-dominated landscape present on my property into a varied, sustainable, drought-resistant habitat for wildlife and pollinators; as well as integrating a resilient food forest into the driveway and outer-areas of the yard (40+ fruit trees, 15+ raised beds, 7 chickens, 4 beehives, 1 pond).

Fruit, Bees and Flowers.

No comment.

Best hobby there is.

Despite the infamous Tea Fire that ruined the garden, I rebuilt it and now it stands as bees, butterflies and birds' habitat.

The garden is a never-ending creation, an ongoing collaboration and experiment. A prior owner planted many fruit trees decades ago. I have worked hard to reduce water consumption, keep the garden lush, and maintain the trees. The apricot out front is as old as I am (64 years)! In the back, there is a green gauge plum - no one told it there weren't enough chill hours to grow in Santa Barbara. I keep bees to pollinate the trees, and just to give them a home. They like the rosemary hedge, the statice (limonium) and the alstroemeria in front. (Actually, the hummingbirds, the butterflies...everyone seems to love the alstroemeria.) I have a solar powered fountain in the apiary to supply the bees with water. In addition, I have a fountain as well as multiple bird baths in the back. The sound of water brings in the goldfinches and migrating bluebirds, and provides the moisture the chorus frogs need. I have identified 90 species of birds in or over my yard, as well as multiple nesting species (wrens, nuthatches, and oak titmouse etc.). In addition to providing habitat for the pollinators, birds, and critters, the roses out front attract the homo sapiens: they walk by and smell the flowers (the white hybrid tea "Sugar Moon" is the best!). 

I am an organic gardener and believe in feeding the soil (so I treat the roses with composted chicken manure each winter, and remove diseased leaves by hand the rest of the year). I took out the back lawn a few season ago and now have tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, string beans, and potatoes instead. I'm collecting cardboard right now to take out the front lawn next. I do all my own gardening and pruning. I see myself as a steward. The creatures that live here know me as the caretaker.

Bees and drought friendly plants.

Sublime gardens helped us to install drought friendly, beneficial plants. We also have 2 bee hives and have had as many as 5.

I didn't want to mow the lawn that was there when we moved in.

The entire yard (front and back) was lawn when we moved in 5 years ago. We planted only plants that are friendly to birds, bees, and butterflies, plus edibles for us, and native when possible. We've planted 17 trees, all fruit or native!

My career has been managing and restoring natural areas for the conservation of ecosystems and rare and endangered species. I grew up spending much of my time outdoors in SB County and have always loved the native flora. Having a native plant garden and associated birds, insects, etc. reminds me of the all the great places I have worked now that I am retired.

I started the garden in 1978 when I purchased the property. The front yard was covered in blacktop (painted green to look like lawn) and the backyard was 3 to 4 feet in weeds, so I had a blank slate to start with. I have focused on California (with a few Baja Calif) native species. Probably have over 150 native drought tolerant species, some over 40 years old. Over 90% of the yard is native species; rest are fruit trees, berries, tomatoes and basil as well as a small drought tolerant buffalo grass lawn. Plants range from herbaceous wildflowers to shrubs to trees. Something is always in bloom throughout the year. No pesticides are used. Property now covers about 3/4 acre and has a small recirculating stream for year round water - our water bill is the lowest of anybody I know. Plenty of native bee species (along with honey bees) around the yard.

Usable landscape, I am a floral designer and I wanted material I could use for arranging, I am also a gardener and I love to mix my edibles with annuals and perennials which bees love. With this being said I also have planted flowers and trees for the bees and other pollinators. I encourage beneficial insects and have created a butterfly waystation for Monarchs. I plant for birds as well and especially for hummingbirds. My garden is a little oasis for birds, bees and butterflies in the summer months for them to eat and forage when its so dry.

I am a landscape designer and my garden does have a lot of test plants to see how well they do in out Santa Barbara climate.