I am a garden designer and gardener

I am a garden designer and gardener influenced by the natural plant communities and wildlife habitats I have experienced while hiking, fishing, and backpacking throughout California for decades. For example, my husband Jim and I were camping in Death Valley National Park during the 50-year bloom in 2005. It was a spectacular, and emotional experience that I can still visualize! I particularly love California’s oak woodland, coastal prairie, and coastal scrub plant communities around the San Francisco Bay. I try to convey the feeling of these California natural wildlands in my urban garden designs.

In 2005, I completed the University of California (UC) Cooperative Extension Master Gardener Program in Alameda County. Through the Master Gardener program, I was educated by UC professors and other experts in the field on home horticulture and pest management following the practices in the California Master Gardener Handbook (UC Agriculture and Natural Resources Publication 3382). Since then, I have enjoyed helping people grow food sustainably and organically and integrating California native plants into their landscapes. For example, I was one of the first backyard farm mentors for City Slicker Farms, where I volunteered and collaborated with families in west Oakland to grow organic produce almost year-round. 

My own native garden, located in western Contra Costa County, has been featured on the Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour since 2011. Please visit my garden website here: https://www.bringingbackthenatives.net/donna-bodines-garden

View my Spring 2020 Virtual Tour presentation:

I created two videos for my May 2, 2021 segment of the Bringing Back the Natives Virtual Garden Tour, entitled “Combining Natives and Edibles”.

In the first video, I describe how I designed and created my small urban farm. My urban farm combines fruit trees, berries, vegetables, and other edible plants with California native plants. I give a virtual tour of this highly productive space, which functions extremely well for people, pollinators, and other wildlife.

In the second video, I give tips on how to select California native plants that will attract bees and other pollinators to your garden or urban farm.

My garden was also featured in the San Francisco Chronicle in May 2013. Read the Article here.

I am a ReScape California Qualified Professional Member for landscape design and maintenance practices. This further demonstrates my commitment to regenerative landscape practices and principles that protect watersheds, nurture soil, conserve water, and create habitat for wildlife.