Bernard Trainor — Marin County, California
Australian-born designer Bernard Trainor is now based out of Pacific Grove in Northern California. A recent project is this residential garden in Marin County.
Photo by: Jason Liske
The rolling Coast Range with its oaks and redwoods and the subtle, smoky peak of Mount Tamalpais (Mount Tam) creates the backdrop for Bernard Trainor's Marin County, California, landscape for a San Francisco couple. The 75-foot-long swimmer's pool sits mirrorlike in a native-grass meadow.
Photo by: Jason Liske
A concrete wall outside of the master bedroom planted with Juncus patens.
Photo by: Jason Liske
The main interior hall looks out to a water rill edged with native needlegrass (Nassella cernua and N. pulchra).
Photo by: Jason Liske
A view of the swimmer's pool.
Photo by: Jason Liske
The swimmer's pool, surrounded by poppies and a bay tree.
Photo by: Jason Liske
The master bedroom appears to rise purely from the wild meadow.
Photo by: Jason Liske
The guest house.
Photo by: Jason Liske
A stone seat wall surrounded by deer grass (Muhlenbergia rigens).
Photo by: Jason Liske
A simple retaining wall of Montana stone provides a counterpoint to the mountain vista and shelters a round terrace — planted with creeping thyme and now used for outdoor dining — from the wind.
Photo by: Jason Liske
The house as an object in the landscape.
Photo by: Jason Liske
Working with the sloping contours of the 20-acre site, Trainor took to heart his clients' wish to avoid disrupting views with anything "gardeny." Instead, he planted an approximation of what once grew here naturally, a mix of California needlegrass, deer grass (Muhlenbergia rigens), California poppy, lupine, and coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia).
Photo by: Jason Liske
The house's motor court.
Photo by: Jason Liske
Sculptural sprays of reedlike South African restios (Thamnochortus insignis) throw shadows on walls curving around the property's motor court.
Photo by: Jason Liske
For some areas immediately surrounding the couple's contemporary house (by San Francisco firm Kotas/Pantaleoni Architects), Trainor designed intimate patios that offer seclusion within the larger setting. This patio features a water rill edged with native needlegrass (Nassella cernula and N. pulchra).
Photo by: Jason Liske
The century-old California bay tree existed on the site before the garden was built.
Photo by: Jason Liske
Trainor's exuberant meadow surges right up to the edge of a sitting area.
Photo by: Jason Liske
The dining spot has views of neighboring fields and stands of evergreens.
Photo by: Jason Liske
Bernard Tranior, pictured, holds a diploma from the English Gardening School at the Chelsea Physic Garden in London.
