Similar to many of my projects, the main criteria for this Royal Oaks project included low-water and low-maintenance plant selections. This farming family is busy and wanted a beautiful garden to match their beautiful home. The result was a particularly stunning complementary color scheme with multiple shades of purple and lilac, along with orange, rust and yellow. Low-growing, mounding ground covers prevent weeds from recurring and are interspersed with fountain-like grasses, architectural cordylines, leucadendrons, and boulders. The back garden frames a view of the Watsonville farmlands and distant Santa Cruz Mountains. Couldn't be prettier!