Quiet shade, bold plants

Tucked beneath the dappled canopy of a 100-year-old avocado tree, this small garden was designed as a quiet retreat—a secret corner to lounge, dine, and breathe in the scent of herbs and flowering shrubs. The client wanted a space that felt both lush and personal, so we surrounded the seating area with aromatic perennials and bold-flowering mallows, creating an atmosphere that hums with life and color.

A simple picnic table sits under the avocado tree for outdoor meals, and at its base, we inoculated the soil with wine cap mushrooms—edible, soil-enriching, and quietly doing the work of holding moisture and filtering runoff. Artichokes (a client favorite) spill their architectural foliage into the mix, and a small raised bed near the entry provides seasonal produce just a few steps from the kitchen.

This is a garden that doesn’t try too hard. It just feels good to be in.