The wonderful South Western architecture of this Albany home inspired this fun, drought tolerant garden. Once we removed the sixties style Juniper and Camelia the design for a new California dry garden came together with an assortment of our favorite plants from around the world. The Agave from Mexico, Aloe and Leucadendron from South Africa, and Aeonium from coastal Spain feel right at home here in the San Francisco Bay area.

Fire-resistant succulents are excellent choices for wildfire-prone areas because their high water content and fleshy leaves slow flames, acting as natural firebreaks. Gravel mulch is excellent for fire-resistant landscaping, especially within 5 feet of buildings, because it's non-combustible and creates a vital firebreak, preventing embers from igniting structures, unlike flammable organic mulches.