Zinfandel Lane Garden | St. Helena, California USA

Zinfandel Lane Garden
Zinfandel Lane Garden

Zinfandel Lane Garden is set within one of the oldest Zinfandel vineyards in California, the St. Helena residence floats above the surrounding vines, extending the landscape into the house and pulling life out into the garden. An olive tree-lined gravel driveway frames the entrance, culminating in the oak‐lined property edge, where an existing heritage oak anchors the property. This oak orients the site, marking the central axis of the house, pool and— through the vineyard—the barn. Salvaged ancient olive trees are integrated into the barn landscape, tying into the reclaimed wood of the barn siding and framing the entrances to the building. Exuberant perennial plantings frame the trees and provide seasonal interest—Nepeta flowers and Little Bunny grasses bloom in early spring, followed by a flurry of summer color from Agastache, Perovskia, Lavender, and Gaura.

Zinfandel Lane Garden
Zinfandel Lane Garden
Zinfandel Lane Garden
Zinfandel Lane Garden

Framing the teak porch at the entrance to the house, the Moon Garden comprises a series of white blooms that reflect the light of the moon. White Digitalis spires weave through Gardenias and Ranunculus, with light groupings of White Lavender and Geyser White Gaura providing a backdrop to seasonal Anenomes and Rose blooms.

Zinfandel Lane Garden
Zinfandel Lane Garden

Moving through the house, windows frame the foreground of perennial plantings and pull the eye out to the greater vineyard and the hills beyond. At the pool patio, a Valley oak anchors the patio and is accented by smaller scale Chitalpa trees that emerge from the teak deck and stone patio. Set within the patio is a smaller garden filled with fragrant citrus and mint. The pool edge is softened by a larger perennial garden that bleeds into the vineyard and brings butterflies and hummingbirds to the edge of the pool.

Zinfandel Lane Garden
Zinfandel Lane Garden
Zinfandel Lane Garden

Zinfandel Lane Garden

Location: St. Helena, CA

Landscape Architect: Surfacedesign, Inc.
James A. Lord, FASLA, Partner Roderick Wyllie, ASLA, Partner

Photography: Marion Brenner

Plan Image: Surfacedesign, Inc.

About Damian Holmes 3387 Articles
Damian Holmes is the Founder and Editor of World Landscape Architecture (WLA). He is a registered landscape architect (AILA) working in international design practice in Australia. Damian founded WLA in 2007 to provide a website for landscape architects written by landscape architects. Connect on Linkedin at https://www.linkedin.com/in/damianholmes/