We replaced this 1950s ranch house's front lawn with a meadow and orchard enclosed by a redwood hedge that provides privacy, food, and wildlife habitat. The rear garden balances comfort with ecology: a custom hot tub, a built-in fire pit with banquette, and a lawn framed by native plantings that attract beneficial insects and birds. Every plant either provides food or supports local ecology through species chosen for year-round interest, and water features serve as aesthetic focal points, cooling elements, and crucial resources for wildlife.