Exploring Our Southern California Garden Journey

Welcome to our not-so-little garden in beautiful, sunny Southern California. We have inherited quite an overgrown masterpiece that I hope brings you some inspiration to take home to your own garden.

The garden suggests there might be a place where we can meet nature halfway.” — Michael Pollan

Birds of Paradise

I am pleased to present the bird of paradise. We have quite a few scattered about – it’s as if this infamous bird threw its seeds here and there, creating a tropical paradise as it flew. This first image is my favorite picture of the plant. It looks as if it is drinking the sunlight. If I could capture gardening in an image, this is the closest I can get to the satisfaction of botany.

A close-up of a vibrant orange flower emerging from large green leaves, surrounded by lush greenery and a stone pathway in a garden.

A lush cluster of vibrant green leaves with striking bird of paradise flowers, set against a rocky background and surrounded by various other tropical plants.

Here, in the second image, is the full plant; you can even see the asparagus fern climbing out from behind, as if to take some of the spotlight for itself.

We have a traveler’s palm in the third picture, which is in the family of a bird of paradise, and this one may be the largest I have ever seen. They have similar blooms; sadly, ours are all dried up at the moment. Shockingly, this plant has grown well over 40 feet high!

By the Poolside

The backyard is quite the show with its many tropical plants. Wide, different varieties of palms overtake the pool yet artfully blend in with the water. It feels very natural.

I am so happy to show you our biggest succulent. It steals the show in every season; here, I caught a picture of it blooming! So special.

A stone pathway beside a green pool surrounded by tropical plants and shrubs under a clear sky.

A flowering succulent shrub with white blossoms, growing against a backdrop of vibrant red bougainvillea and lush greenery.

Below, you can even see the super invasive morning glories attempting to overtake it! Don’t worry, this big guy has survived a lot worse than him. Last year, we had to cut off its largest branch because it dried out completely! The branch was about three feet long, which was so sad. But in gardening, you have to get used to death. And in gardening, you are often rewarded with new life.

A lush green garden featuring various plants, including purple morning glories and flowering succulents, with vibrant red bougainvillea in the background.

A scenic view of a garden pathway lined with lush greenery and blooming flowers, leading to a white house under an overcast sky.

This is one of the best spots in the garden. So much diversity and room for outdoor entertaining. In this area alone, there is an orange tree, a cactus, multiple succulents, a ponytail palm, and a lime tree!

Outdoor Dining

We just brought down our outdoor table in preparation for a party celebrating the Lunar New Year. You can see some of my gardening nutrients. I am trying to enhance everything, especially during this spring season.

Two black gift boxes with white ribbons placed on a round, black lace table in a garden setting, surrounded by greenery and flowers.

A cozy outdoor setting featuring a round table covered with a black lace tablecloth, surrounded by four chairs. The table displays a vase of white roses and a bottle of cleaning solution. In the background, lush greenery and vibrant red and white flowers create a picturesque garden atmosphere.

After a fun day at HomeGoods, we brought home some new seat pads. Hopefully, they will be more weather-resistant than the last ones. Rest in peace.

Here are the steps leading up to the upper backyard. They are so whimsical with their twists and turns. There is a very large bougainvillea that attempts to overtake the steps, but it is so beautiful, and you can see it from the kitchen window.

A lush garden pathway lined with greenery and brick stones, leading to a paved area.

A winding stone pathway leading up a garden with flowers and greenery on either side, bathed in sunlight.

Take a trip with me up the dilapidated staircase to the upper backyard. There is so much gardening to be done; when we first bought the house, we knew it would be a lifetime project. This is half an acre of property that has been poorly maintained for the past seven years. We have gone through over 50 green waste cans, just clearing debris and tree trimmings. This area is particularly bad, and I get paralyzed when trying to make any progress.

The space is especially charming because of its elevated lookout point. It has an amazing view, and I have even considered putting a telescope here.

The Secret Garden

Here is the walkway, which is hanging on by a proverbial thread. It takes you to the back exit, which has been gated off with not one, not two, but three gates.

A narrow stone pathway surrounded by greenery, including trees and bushes, leading through a wooded area. — Why does my cat look so confused?

A white cat on a leash standing on a path surrounded by greenery, looking back towards the camera. — Why does my cat look so confused?

I love the wrought iron gate so much; it reminds me of a movie I watched as a child – The Secret Garden. I promise I have been cleaning up, but it feels like I haven’t made a dent! How is this possible? Gardening is more than just an art; it is a game of will. Fighting the seasons, fighting death, and ironically fighting too much growth!

The Front Yard

Well, let’s take a turn to the front yard’s side garden. You take another staircase down to the gazebo and can enjoy a view of the lake. I am working hard to create an area with even more unique plants. I would love another wisteria- the beautiful purple plant that has hanging flowers. Wisteria is my plant of choice, but it is also invasive in California; it can even uproot foundations.

A lush garden scene featuring stone steps leading up to a house, surrounded by various green plants and flowers, with a glimpse of a chimney in the background.

A pathway made of red bricks leads down to a gazebo surrounded by lush greenery and a tree with clusters of red berries.

The staircase down to the gazebo is very bohemian; the rock sides and white wood give the feel of a beach townhouse. Morro Bay is one of our favorite beach towns, and even though we live in Southern California, we are still hours away from the beach and five or more hours away from the most gorgeous Northern California beaches.

This rose bush produces some of the largest roses I have ever seen. It is important to trim your roses after they have bloomed. This will result in even larger roses the next time they bloom. It can be hard to part with your rose even when it starts to wither, but it will be worth it!

A close-up view of pink roses blooming on a bush in a garden, with a blurred white picket fence and hammock in the background. — My curious cat is exploring the garden fence, eager to see what’s on the other side.

My curious cat is exploring the garden fence, eager to see what’s on the other side.

Here is our gazebo getting ready for the Lunar New Year! You can see our oversized chandelier; thank you, Facebook Marketplace. We have a ton of spiders that have made it their new home as the light attracts many moths and flies. So clever. I am still praying that a hummingbird makes a nest in it, I saw that once on Tik Tok.

The Charming Shed

This is our 100-year-old oak tree, of which I am very proud. It is right next to our shed, and it is all brought together by the massive bougainvillea, which blooms in a bright pink color. The oak tree produces a huge amount of leaves during the fall and coats all of the walkways in a colorful mosaic of reds, oranges, and yellows.

A large, leafless tree with thick branches stands in a garden, surrounded by vibrant green bushes and flowers. A house can be seen partially obscured by the foliage in the background.

Here is part of the inside of the shed. I love the chandelier I was given by an old friend. I am trying to reinvent the space and create a chic gardening work area. We have a basement for most of our yard tools, but we still use this for some of our nicer gardening equipment. We have a Ryobi pole saw, which is my favorite gardening piece ever. If you have a lot of trees, it will more than pay for itself!

The Street View

Here is our front steps centerpiece! I recently got this fountain working again, which I am very proud of. I believe it is also original to the house, which was built in 1927. I have seen a few different renditions of it in houses nearby. Every garden needs a fountain! Why not a mermaid?

A stone sculpture of a woman with an outstretched arm amidst lush green foliage and a clear blue sky.

A landscaped path with lush greenery and palm trees, leading up to a staircase surrounded by neatly trimmed hedges and vines, under a cloudy sky.

Finally, the last steps lead to the house. I hope you didn’t bring too much, as it’s going to be a journey. Everyone who comes up comments on the number of steps. We should get one of those electric stair seats you would see on infomercials. I added a picture from my post on rose trees, where I added rose trees to my front yard. It was so rewarding, and they are doing amazing in the ground several months later.

The Entryway

A flowering bush with pink blooms surrounded by green foliage, growing beside a house with a clear blue sky in the background.

Another honorable mention in the garden is our Camellia tree right outside the front window. The number of blooms it produces is insane. It is one of my most recommended plants. Once it becomes mature, it is very satisfying to care for and enjoy.

There is so much more to the garden than I can show in one post. However, I hope that this has given you inspiration for your garden and provided you with insight into our own journey. Thank you for reading, and happy Gardening!

HOUSE ON RANDALL