We (Bill & Mary Mellentin) are very honored by your visit. We are very proud of our garden. We began it in 1997 on a solid clay surface that unfortunately was spread over the forest duff from the excavation for our house. We had some topsoil in a depression toward the bottom of our property. We moved the topsoil & formed a large naturalistic pond lined with some of the clay. We graded some beds close to the house & added major amounts of purchased planting soil. Each year we have added 40 to 80 cubic yards of dairy compost & volcanic sand to the property so that plants now can be sustained in good soil virtually anywhere on the property. We also make our own compost. Automatic sprinkler & drip systems cover the garden. We added lined waterlily, koi, & bog ponds. The waterlily & koi ponds are linked as part of a professional filter system. We recently added an automated, heated propagation facility with misting & ebb & flow irrigation (not fully activated due to impending move). The fountains are also new.
The open area is surrounded by large redwoods, native macrophyllum rhododendrons, huckleberries, sword ferns, trillium, sorrel, & other native plants. We built the garden inward from that natural backdrop. It contains large collections of species & hybrid rhododendrons, azaleas, heathers, heaths, Japanese maples, hostas, hellebores, hydrangeas, ferns, maples, pieris, gunneras & bamboos. There are few duplicates & many plants that are unusual on the northwest coast. We have expanded & added plants continually, so many are quite young.
Some plants of special note are: Camperdown Elms (rare); Hellebores; Hostas ; Bamboos, including Chusquea Coronalis (“Among the world's most beautiful bamboo”), Himalayacalmus Hookerianus, Castillon; & R macrophyllum, occidentale & many other rhodies. We are 1/2 mile from the Pacific Ocean just South of the village of Mendocino on
California's North Coast. The garden covers about 1 1/2 acres. The main area around the sides & back of the house is fenced to exclude deer. The fence is 7 1/2 feet tall of plastic mesh. It was reinforced with electric fence at 2 heights with deer attractant to make sure the deer learn to stay outside. The front of the house & a facing hill are planted with deer resistant rhododendrons, heathers, conifers, grevillea , & pieris. Some ornamental trees are fenced to above deer eating level (about 3 1/2 feet).
The property is on a south-facing hillside for maximum sun. It is protected by trees & a ridge from the strong winds from the north & west. Temperatures are moderate, rarely into the 80's or high 20's. Rarely, temperatures as low as 25 have been briefly experienced. The soil & well water are slightly acid. It is said that anything can be grown here except vegetables requiring summer heat & fruit requiring winter chill & summer heat.
We are 1/2 mile from the Pacific Ocean just South of the village of Mendocino on California's North Coast. The garden covers about 1 1/2 acres. The main area around the sides & back of the house is fenced to exclude deer. The fence is 7 1/2 feet tall of plastic mesh. It was reinforced with electric fence at 2 heights with deer attractant to make sure the deer learn to stay outside. The front of the house & a facing hill are planted with deer resistant rhododendrons, heathers, conifers, grevellia, & pieris. Some ornamental trees are fenced to above deer eating level (about 3 1/2 feet).
Some Plant Sources: Fort Bragg - Celeri & Son Nursery; Heartwood Nursery (Dan Charvet); Hortus Botanicus (Trees & Roses - Robert Goleman); Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens Nursery; Cathi Love (heathers); North Star Nursery; Mendocino Maples (Robert Jamgochian); Foliage Gardens (Ferns - Sue Olsen – Bellevue, WA); Pine Knot Farm (Hellebores – Clarksville, VA); eBay & Internet Sellers; & Various ARS Conferences.
These pages are intended to show the best of the garden at different times or for different species:
Visit Our Related Sites
Mendocino Holiday Lodging - B&B; Vacation Rental in Private, Quiet, Flowerful Garden Estate Setting Close to Top Restaurants & Fort Bragg
Bonsai - Year around Beauty - Inside & Out - Apartment or Estate.
