San Mateo

Residential Project

Project Summary

This project was a collaboration with our friend Patricia Algara of Base Landscape Architecture. Farmscape focused on the edible garden portion of the design, located on the downslope of the property to avoid interfering with the spectacular views of downtown San Francisco and the Bay Area. We grow hundreds of pounds of food here annually as part of our weekly maintenance, all with rainwater and greywater, courtesy of the unique irrigation system installed by the building contractor.

SERVICES PROVIDED

Design Collaboration
Installation
Maintenance

Location Details

LOCATIONSAN MATEO
PROJECT AREA3,500 SQ FT
SUNSET ZONEZONE 17
CHILL HOURS600 HOURS
WINTER SUN6 HRS/DAY
SUMMER SUN8 HRS/DAY
ANNUAL RAINFALL19 INCHES

Project Goals

  • Produce homegrown, organic food for a family of four
  • Use crops that relate to Spanish and Jewish food traditions for a multicultural family
  • Include low-water perennial plantings
This environmentally conscious family focused water usage on food crops, keeping the surrounding landscape simple

This was a fun one, as we got to collaborate with our longtime business bud Patricia Algara and her great team at Base Landscape Architecture to revegetate and reinvigorate the land surrounding this historic compound. Base handled the major site elements, which let us focus on food and farming. This was the first site we did that is fully irrigated with rainwater —  a collaboration with WaterSprout, a local engineering firm we worked with again at the Core Agrihood.

Contract grown espaliered pear trees
Corten steel and timber raised beds
Low-water perennial plantings
Seating area above the orchard with incredible views

Photography by Caitlin Atkinson

“We wanted our landscaping to focus on food production, but we also were in the midst of the worst drought California had ever experienced, so water conservation was key.

Neighbors and guests just say one word when they come in: ‘Wow!’ When we show them the extent of our work, including the orchards and the terraces out back with annuals, the general feedback is, ‘I wish we would have done this. We didn’t know that this type of resource, people who would plan landscapes for food, existed.'”

—David Leventhal, homeowner

Quit landscaping.
Start Farmscaping.

Are you ready to start enjoying fresh produce from your backyard year round while supporting pollinators and saving water? Contact us today to schedule your consultation.

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