When I heard that Catherine Pannell and Robert Waters purchased their home in Downey 38 years ago for its garden potential, I knew they were kindred spirits.

Having already gardened extensively with cacti, palms, succulents, fruit trees and more on their original 1/3 acre lot, the couple’s native garden was born when they purchased the vacant lot next door. Though only 8 ½ years old and begun with plants no larger than 5 gallon, the garden is already an oasis in the midst of the city.  It receives supplemental hand watering from June – October, but is otherwise irrigated solely via rainfall.

You can visit this weekend, when the Pannell-Waters garden will be on the Theodore Payne garden tour. (Come visit mine as well.) Meanwhile, here is a sneak peak:

I visited the Pannell-Waters garden with the Southern California Horticultural Society. Check out their website for lectures, meetings and events.

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2 Responses
  1. Thanks June!

    That was so interesting and I am sorry to have taken so long to have replied but I was finishing a very taxing but successful biology lab course toward my BA degree in Mass Strategic Communication. Almost done with only three classes left.

    Anyway the tour looked very relatable as I now live in Riverside county and am familiar with this sort of planting design.

    All my best to you!

    Ricardo Lloreda/Richard London

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