The owner of this garden, Jeanne Rose, is a professional herbalist. One of the pioneers of aroma therapy, her books are well-known treasures of herbal lore. In addition to her need for a growing ground for experimentation, she needed to somehow contain the two sled dogs that her son was raising.

The primary design criteria was that there be no straight lines in the paths (folklore has it that the devil walks a straight line), and that the garden should feel as if it were in the country, many miles from its central San Francisco location.

The major design vocabulary used is that of rural America, “crazy” paving, higgledly piggledly split rail fences for the dog run, with assorted found and gifted treasures stuffed in between. You judge if this looks like a city garden.

Published: Image Magazine, Herbal Quarterly

Garden design and project supervision: Chris Jacobson, Gardenart

The split rail fence was built by Chris as well