These clients found me through an ad I used to run in that wonderful Bay Area resource, "Pacific Horticulture Magazine." They had recently discovered the joys of Mediterranran climate gardening, and wanted to experiment with a wide range of exotic plantings. As so often happens, one of the pair wanted a low key design, while the other was hoping for something tropical and edgy. Thus the design of the garden involved a constant process of steering between polar opposites.  At any rate, the wavy lines of the colored concrete driveway and walks (loosely based on the work of Roberto Burle Marx at Brazilia) are fun, and the plants seem to thrive in this “banana belt” area near the public rose garden in San Jose. The integral color stucco spa was designed to suggest the wells or “fondas” of old Mexico. This garden is just a year old, and will take another year or two to "fill in." Project planning and design: Chris Jacobson, GardenArt Associate designer: Beverly Sarjeant, ASLA Landscape contractor: Dave Romeri Mason: Martin Garcia