Dry Creek Garden

These homeowners were frustrated by the long, narrow porch that one had to navigate to reach their front door. And that was after having to sidle past multiple cars parked in the driveway.

Now, a grand new entrance welcomes everyone. A curving flagstone walkway, flanked by a post and rail fence overflowing with pink Cecile Brunner roses, guides visitors over a graceful bridge that spans a new dry creek. Broad stone steps lead to a new opening in the porch railing and the front door.

We viewed the former awkward slope as an asset. The dry creek takes full advantage of the drop, with rainwater flowing off the roof into gutters and downspouts that are linked to the top end. During heavy rains, water truly does flow through the creek to the pool at the lower end. Meanwhile, new Santa Barbara sandstone walls lift the grade against the left side of the house, concealing what had been an exposed foundation and creating new planting beds.

Decomposed granite paths meander past an assortment of succulents, lavenders, roses, ornamental grasses, the homeowners’ prized iris and an ancient staghorn fern hanging from a streetside pepper tree.

The garden – and Joan’s approach to designing it – are featured on a recent episode of Santa Barbara City TV’s Garden Wise television program, which you can view by clicking here.