Award-Winning Tour Garden Among the First to Incorporate a Home Protection Zone
Theodore Payne Foundation selected the Taylor’s lush, low water, La Canada meadow for the 2019 Native Plant Garden Tour. During the tour, a local representative recognized the Taylors and their garden for water-saving stewardship and inspiration. It’s since been renovated with an ember resistant home protection zone.
See coverage of the garden and tour in Earth Day coverage from the San Gabriel Valley Tribune.
In the six years since the tour, the garden’s native foliage has evolved. Once petite Western Redbud canopies now extend over shade-loving understories. Planted beds surrounding the front meadow spill-over with blooms in spring and seed heads in fall. In back, heat and drought-hearty Oregon Grape adds greenery and depth around a seating area, now shaded by an expansive umbrella. Raised beds of cold rolled steel that once contained edibles now host a Strawberry Tree and more vibrant native foliage.
Lush, Leafy and Wildfire-Ready
After hearing a presentation about wildfire prepared science and upcoming policies in 2022, the Taylor’s evolved their space to include an ember resistant zone in the 5-feet closest to their home. LA County Fire Department reviewed and approved their wise decisions. In January of 2025, the new home protection zone added to their peace of mind as they evacuated during the Eaton Fire. They knew their home was as ready as they could make it, and they focused their attention on pets, family and neighbors.
Here’s a closer look at the changes that secured the homeowners’ peace of mind, ongoing insurance coverage, and their fire inspector’s stamp of approval.
In back, the changes are even more subtle. The space between the home and garage has always been brick and concrete. The mostly-metal al fresco dining set is now kept umbrella and cushion free when not in use. Vickie is in the process of repotting exceptional container gardens of cacti and succulents, placing larger specimens on casters for quick removal.
Vickie and Alex noted a few intentions after January’s fires. There are a couple of areas where they still have plants rooted within 5-feet of their structure – a camellia along the drive and some vines near the garage. They love the aesthetics and are considering how they’d like to proceed there. As Vickie repots her succulents, new options emerge. For now, the ground is mulched with gravel, which may slow the ability for embers to build enough heat to ignite the plants. With the clean and clear 5-foot of space around the home, they are also considering key home hardening measures.
Even in a prepared space like this, behaviors matter. Keeping the place fully wildfire-ready means storing the cushions and umbrella when not in use and parking cars closer to the curb, where they will not provide fuel between the fence and the home. After hearing how trash bins behaved in the Eaton and Palisades fires, they keep their against a rock wall instead of the home. Each step crosses an item off the Taylors’ evacuation checklist – that adds more time and more peace of mind.
Homeowners’ Perspective
The photos that follow feature the young garden on tour in 2019. In between now and then, Vickie and Alex Taylor shared their observations about lawn free life.
The variety of color, form, texture
Vickie Taylor, Houzz Review
and movement created by the plantings
… we enjoy every day – as do birds, bees, butterflies, etc.
Every single member of the FormLA team
was a delight to work with, and we
never could have achieved the
garden of our dreams without their
knowledge, expertise and guidance.
We continue to engage FormLA to handle
our garden maintenance.
Project Snapshot
Native Plant Garden Tour visitors delighted in the front meadow’s vivid green mix of IdealMow grasses, including Dune Sedge, Deer Grass and Juncus in 2019. Punches of pink, from Pink Ribes’ chandalier-like blooms to the bubble gum blooms of Western Redbud, inspired selfies.
See the garden’s seasonal changes in the full project gallery in Houzz, where you can save your favorite ideas.
Plant Palettes
Looking for lush, lovely, livable space? Check out the plant palette for the Taylor Garden, and save your favorite IdealMow Lawn and Meadow ideas in Pinterest.
