97514 Franklin Ridge – The Rocks Star
Largely inspired by William Robinson, a charming, controversial contrarian and prescient Irish garden designer, this garden is a master class on gardening within the terrain. It features the visionary use of rock, terracing, and deer resistant planting on steep slopes. The angled rock crevice garden bordering the front driveway is a recent addition. As part of a 2014 renovation, the owners replaced and expanded the back deck and patio while extensively redeveloping the rear garden with the goal of bringing the garden into the living space. They sculpted their garden on this rocky mountainside, designing and arranging hardscapes and plantings around massive natural stone outcroppings and boulders. A surrounding rock wall covered with gleaming lichen and moss and the immense boulders anchor their creation. Your view from the expansive back deck is an awe-inspiring array of terraces fronted by sinuous stone walls, winding pathways, and stone swales. The garden’s water features include a fountain and a waterfall cascading into a Koi pond.
The garden sculptures are the owner’s original creations, and each has a backstory. Copious, colorful blooms spring from rocky nooks and crevices, enveloping the waterfall, enticing pollinators, and delighting the eye. Designed with a naturalistic edge that blends into the adjacent woodland, the garden does not include deer fencing. Rest in the calm of the Japanese garden with its pleasingly arranged stone lantern, California juniper, and pine. Immerse your senses in the peace and quiet of this secluded garden, enjoying the sound of running water, birds singing, and the kinetic sculpture moving in the mountainside wind.
Special Instructions for accessing this garden
Highlighted Plants: (click on name for information on the plant)
Terrain: Climbing hills and/or uneven terrain