Coastkeeper: A Demonstration Garden, and an Enthusiastic Gardener

I took advantage of some cool weather way back in early July to visit the Coastkeeper Garden at Santiago Canyon College in the Orange foothills.  To my delight, garden director Austin Brown and his dog Nala were in residence, as they often are.

Nala greets vistors to the Coastkeeper Garden.

Coastkeeper Garden showcases different styles of low-water, ecologically sound gardens. It features California natives and desert and Mediterranean-climate favorites.  The five different areas are each designed and hardscaped like a classy suburban yard, all surrounded by a border of less manicured (mostly native) garden.  I focus on the native plants, of course.

This mixed border features Deergrass, a favorite of Austin's, and Sticky Monkeyflower, one of our bloomingest natives.

The Garden had an ambitious start in 2008.  The Great Recession set back development considerably.  Austin got the call in 2010 to turn it around, and discovered a 2.5 acre plot of six-foot-tall weeds.

Now a tour of the garden shows pleasing combinations of natives and low-water ornamentals.  A non-native favorite of mine, variegated Mockorange (Pittosporum tobira, the light colored plant), grows happily alongside Coffeeberry (Frangula californica, far right) and Catalina Perfume (Ribes viburnifolium top and near right), all with once-a-week watering.

Austin is the kind of gardener you want to consult when planning your low water garden. He was an unlikely candidate to become a low-water gardening expert: in 2010 he was all about ocean sports and hadn't a clue about gardening.  But he was game to try, and after five years of hard work and experimentation he has made Coastkeeper Garden shine.  He has also gained some knowledge  through plant death.  He is straight up about explaining what worked and what didn't, and he has been both flexible and determined about finding ecological ways to craft gorgeous gardens.  

A microspray emitter– preferable to drip irrigation for most natives.

Although the Garden was initially designed with all drip irrigation, this has not held up well.  Austin prefers microspray emitters on drip hose (which distribute the water more evenly, and you can tell if they are not working) or better yet, rotator sprinkler heads on 12-inch risers.  (Each emitter covers a very small area, and can clog easily.)  Nobody told him that natives don't like summer water; about the time he figured that out,  runoff from the adjacent over-irrigated soccer field was finishing off the last of his Flannelbushes. He now has a section of mixed Buckwheats that are not watered at all, because they were on the same sprinkler zone as plants needing significant summer water: design fail!  Once again, sprinkler capping saves the natives.

Look Ma, no water! A hillside of California Buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum) with St Catherine's Lace (Eriogonum giganteum, past its peak) in back. 

The purpose of the Coastkeeper Garden is to empower people to create ecologically sound gardens in their own yards.  To this end, Austin loves giving tours and answering questions about the garden.  The organization provides a contact number to aid anyone wishing to convert to a low-water landscape. I'm still waiting to hear back; talking with Austin is the way to go.

Austin explaining "How to Kill Your Lawn." (From Coastkeeper's Facebook page)

In addition to sparing water, the Coastkeeper Garden uses no pesticides and little or no fertilizer, and has abundant strategies for collecting rainwater and allowing it to percolate into the earth. These practices reduce urban runoff that pollutes bays and beaches.  It's all connected!

Deergrass is Austin's favorite lawn substitute.  Large swaths of it decorate the garden, providing a wild meadow vibe.  Nala loves to roll in Deergrass, which doesn't hurt it at all.  Austin has horror stories about some of the other lawn substitutes routinely recommended by "low water gardening experts."

Coastkeeper Garden is inland enough to get serious heat in the summer, and the occasional frost as well.  Austin gave up on coastal staples like Seaside Daisy and native Artemisias.  Instead, Buckwheats and Deergrass predominate.  As trees grow, the garden will evolve. Austin has expansion plans too.

Professional signage and hardscape help make the Garden a class act.  But Austin's dedication is the most important factor.

The most delightful part of the Garden is the Natural Play Garden.  Natives there are allowed to come and go as they please, not an arrangement that your neighbors would thank you for reproducing in your front yard.  Free Range Kids (well almost– the area is fenced in) can get dirty and modify the landscape, a no-no in most of suburbia.  Boulders and logs to clamber over and under, brush to bushwhack, sticks and stones to glean and pile... This review will give you more details. If you don't have kids to take with you to Coastkeeper, borrow some!

Nala is waiting for us to play.

The Garden hosts classes every first Saturday and family events every third Saturday.  Check the website or call for details.  If you are contemplating creating a low water garden in Southern California, Coastkeeper Garden is worth a trip.  If you visit between 8 and 4, Tuesday through Saturday, you can likely quiz Austin in person about his gardening strategies, and find Nala frisking in the Deergrass.

Nala approves of Deergrass.

To subscribe to this blog, click here.
To use text or photos from this blog, click here.
To share this post (do share!) click on the appropriate tiny icon below (email, facebook, etc.)