Northern California Country Garden: Japanese Maples and Perennial Tapestry

A Labor of Love in Sonoma

Landscape designer Jaquie Tomke-Bosch and husband Al Bosch moved from the Bay Area to Sonoma with 23 containerized Japanese maples and a vision for a long, narrow side yard. They removed lawn and an oversized deck, then formed rounded planting beds to soften the space. Each maple anchors a bed, underplanted with a tapestry of perennials and ornamental grasses in yellow tones—alstroemeria, euphorbia, Japanese forest grass, Jerusalem sage—to draw the eye through the garden.

Garden Cottage and Year-Round Interest

Steppingstones embedded in the lawn lead to a garden cottage at the rear, built for potting and storage. “It’s a fun country garden with something happening every month of the year,” says Tomke-Bosch.