Private Gardens of Santa Barbara: The Art of Outdoor Living

An exclusive look at the exquisite residential gardens of the American Riviera.

Private Gardens of Santa Barbara is an invitation into eighteen distinctive private gardens: large estates, modest homes, and surf retreats range from sublime and naturalistic to bold and urban. What they have in common, however, is what makes them truly great. These gardens are a response to the unique character of each site, the existing architecture, and the larger environment; each garden adapted to the lifestyle, personality, and practical needs of the people who live there.

Margie Grace, principal of Grace Design Gardens, is known for incorporating as many ecosystem services as the property will support. These gardens are designed with water-smart, maintenance-smart, and fire-smart priorities in mind, with high habitat value and plants native to the world's Mediterranean climates.

A plants and materials list serves as a helpful resource, as readers take away ideas and inspiration for their own garden-making.

Twice named International Landscape Designer of the Year, Margie Grace is a well-regarded, nationally known landscape designer with 35+ years in the landscape design-build profession. She is the founding principal of Grace Design Associates, Inc. (GDA), based in Santa Barbara, California, considered the premiere landscape design-build firm in the region.