The Garden of Raul Zumba

Visit a Designer’s Living Laboratory

The legendary Oakland hills garden of Raul Zumba. Photo: Raul Zumba

The legendary Oakland Hills garden of Raul Zumba. Photo: Raul Zumba

Raul Zumba and Bob Clark began their legendary Oakland hills garden in 1988 on the site of a llama farm. Together, Bob and Raul designed and constructed the just more than a one-acre garden, adding plantings and art over the years. Bob moved to Mexico in 2001. Since that time Raul has continued to design and maintain the garden and has constructed additions to the main house and rebuilt the property’s cottage. Today the garden is Raul’s laboratory where he experiments with plant combinations and design work that inspire his work in his clients’ gardens.

Enjoy this visual feast of this garden’s riches. And if you’re in the Bay Area in early June, you are invited to join us for a rare and remarkable event. Details here.

The gently sloping sites filled with rare plants and art. Photo: Raul Zumba

The gently sloping site is filled with rare plants and art. Photo: Raul Zumba

Abundant plantings orchestrated by the plantsman yield a kaleidoscope of bloom and foliage, color and texture. Photo: Raul Zumba
Abundant plantings orchestrated by the plantsman yield a kaleidoscope of bloom and foliage, color and texture. Photo: Raul Zumba

Garden rooms in the Zumba garden welcome visitors and provide an immersive experience. Photo: Raul Zumba

Garden rooms in the Zumba garden welcome visitors and provide an immersive experience. Photo: Raul Zumba

Small and large water features throughout the landscape attract birds and other wildlife. Photo: Raul Zumba

Small and large water features throughout the landscape attract birds and other wildlife. Photo: Raul Zumba

The garden in its riotous maturity just gets better and better with time. Photo: Raul Zumba

In riotous maturity the garden just gets better and better with time. Photo: Raul Zumba