Seamless Garden Flow on a Santa Fe Hilltop

Stone Terraces Link Steep Slopes

At a hilltop site in the Tesuque Valley north of Santa Fe, landscape architect Faith Okuma designed stone terraces to gracefully link an upper property section with a lower area 25 feet below. Rain and irrigation runoff from the upper terrace supports a blue grama grass lawn, which in turn percolates to a sunken courtyard at the lowest level, keeping it cool and moist for aspens and coral bells.

Three Great Ideas

• Use tough plants. “Settlement plants” that survive abandoned properties: catmint, ‘Hyperion’ daylilies, santolina, Veronica spicata ‘Red Fox’, ‘The Fairy’ rose.
• Let nature draw the lines. Random planting creates a natural look blending with wild surroundings; easier to maintain.
• Embrace tradition. Vintage gates and walls provide Santa Fe mood even if not needed for privacy.