Folktales tell of little creatures such as elves and fairies who inhabit the garden and work wonders while the owner is away. Such is not our experience.... More likely, we find evidence of gopher infestation, snails eating away at rare treasures, and the like. And the weeds! The wonderful weather in El Cerrito encourages aggressive and undesirable plants to grow and grow and grow. While the garden is only half an acre, it is full of nooks and crannies, winding paths, rockeries, little rooms, and thousands of plants. It is the kind of garden that requires a lot of hands-on work, and much as we enjoy the presence of elves (disguised as pets, birds and tree frogs), we cannot rely on their efforts alone.

The current owner, Marjory Harris, moved to the garden in October 2000. Before she met him in early 1982, Ms. Harris had read Mr. Hand’s "The Color Garden" (Pacific Horticulture, Spring 1978) many times, seeking guidance and inspiration as she developed her first garden on a steep hillside in San Francisco. In 1988, Mr. Hand designed Ms. Harris’s second garden. She is honored to have as her third garden the horticultural masterpiece of her dear friend and mentor.