Restoring a classic

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• Varni garden in Oceano: A taste for succulents

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  Charles Varni says he’s always been “a nature boy.” As a child, he sometimes went to work with his father, a gardener at Lotusland in Santa Barbara. He particularly recalls his fascination with the succulent gardens that the estate’s owner, Ganna Walska, was developing at the time.

  But Charles’ interest in succulents lay dormant during many of the 40 years that he taught Sociology and Human Services at Hancock College. It was rejuvenated only after he took some courses in handbuilt pottery at Hancock for his own enrichment. He soon became adept at pot-making, and his favorites were pots that were suitable for succulent plants.

  When Varni moved to his current half-acre location in Oceano in 2001, he created his pots in an unheated greenhouse. After retiring from teaching in 2003, he became a full-time potter, and began growing the succulent plants that seemed appropriate for his pots. He also installed a photovoltaic system that produces electricity for the kiln in which the pots are fired, as well as for

• Patios: Public yet private

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  In the 16 years since he earned his horticulture degree, Braden Lloyd of Rhythm &Roots Landscaping has developed a knack for making the most of small front yard gardens. Three of his recent projects demonstrate how that space can be made more private, attractive, useful and comfortable for residents.

  Here’s a closer look at them.

• Sanchez garden in Morro Bay: Petite and picturesque

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  Sylvia Sanchez says she was lucky to find a house within walking distance to the beach.

  Undeterred by the fact that the small cottage needed a lot of work, she did much of its renovation herself over a two-year span, finishing with a bright and cheerful exterior paint job.

  Aside from a large variegated agave and an overgrown Hollywood juniper in front, the neglected yard was all weeds. Desiring a welcoming front garden and a private hideaway in back, Sylvia envisioned a low maintenance “picturesque landscape.”

• A morning visit to San Francisco’s Japanese Tea Garden

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  In contrast to what we normally think of San Francisco, there is a quiet little garden that continually draws tourists and locals to enjoy its surprises. The Japanese Tea Garden at Golden Gate Park is only minutes from the crowded sidewalks and clanging trolleys of downtown, yet it offers a moment of solitude and reflection once you enter its gates.

  When we arrived early one morning, we noticed a sign for a free walking tour of the garden offered by San Francisco City Guides, knowledgeable locals who volunteer to share their city. Our guide, Linda Cahill, an expert on the Japanese garden, enthusiastically educated us on the history and meaning of the garden and the tea ceremony.

  The five-acre tea garden was inspired by Mikoto Hagiwara in 1894 for the California International Exposition. A successful landscape designer, Hagiwara constructed the garden and teahouse, and remained manager of the garden for 30 years, living on the property and personally financing much of the development.