Designer Mat McGrath's garden at age 3: front yard
Last weekend I had the opportunity to revisit the garden of landscape designer Mathew McGrath of Farallon Gardens and his wife Mali in the East Bay town of Rodeo . I had been there last in June 2023 . Back then, the garden was 1½ years old. Now, 16 months later, it’s 3 years old. but looking far more mature than its age suggests. That’s what you get when you combine design experience, smart plant selection, and fertile new soil. I took 150+ photos and will split up this post into two installments: the front yard (today) and the backyard (coming in a few days). The company van parked in the driveway sports two of Farallon Gardens’ designs: one symbolizing succulents, the other tropical plants. These are Mat’s primary design focuses. The company’s clientele is mostly in the Bay Area where succulents and tropical plants flourish side by side. In the three years since starting his garden, Mat’s plant preferences have begun to shift a little from succulents towards tropical plants, especi