Dream Landscape 2009

A kitchen garden, planted in four easy-to-work raised beds, holds a variety of veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, spinach, kale and lettuce) and herbs (rosemary, thyme, tarragon, oregano, marjarom, sage, parsley) — all within steps of the kitchen.

"No garden in California is complete without a kitchen garden and because we have gophers, we tend to put our veggies in raised beds," says Linda. "The beds are lined with hardware cloth. Gophers can get over a 12-inch barrier, so these beds are about 18 inches up."

The beds also contain plants like echinacea, sage and milkweed, which serve as host plants for beneficial insects.

The growing media is a mixture of compost and regular soil, a rich but light blend that's fluffy, rich and well-draining. The boxes are lined with a waterproof barrier so the wood won't rot.

Nearby are tangerine trees, and — right by the kitchen door — a Meyer lemon tree.

Also in this sunny area is a collection of rose standards (roses that have been grown as trees, a plant that was common in Victorian gardens), using repeat-blooming varieties like 'Amber Waves', 'Secret', 'Bonica' and 'Lady X'. "Probably for eight to nine months out of the year, there will be roses in bloom," Linda says.