San Rafael urban farm among 17 eco-friendly gardens to tour in Marin and Sonoma counties
He also grows California native edibles, such as elderberry, huckleberry, strawberries, blackberry, California native hazelnut tree and the Northern California black walnut
By PJ Bremier
Marin Independent Journal
April 28, 2023
Excerpt:
When Miller first saw his new garden, it had a mix of fruit trees, herbaceous plants, roses and many non-native weeds, such as tough Bermuda grass. His vision for the garden was “to select plants and trees that provided the greatest benefit to people and animals with the aim of being able to walk around our garden picking at these edible plants and trees and leaving plenty for our animal and insect friends.”
He began the process of renovating the property immediately, using his moving boxes to sheet mulch the front yard and some of the backyard to smother the weeds and to improve the health and permeability of the soil.
He removed three non-native trees that posed safety hazards but kept their trunks and mulch on-site. He also removed an old concrete foundation and salvaged old stone pavers found underneath it, using them to create a pathway in the front yard and a patio in the backyard.
Design and installation of the front path, the patio, a trio of raised beds and many native plants was done by California Native Landscapes in Mill Valley.
With the help of rebates from the Marin Municipal Water District, he installed a 410-gallon rainwater storage tank, a Flume leak detector and a Rachio smart irrigation controller for his new irrigation system.
