Garden at a Glance

* Gardener: Blythe Fair

* Location: Costa Mesa in Sunset Zone 22.

* Land: A flat, suburban 50-by-150-foot lot.

* Soil: Good sandy loam.

* Watering: Sprinklers on timer.

* Fertilizing: Bio-Dynamic compost spread around plants.

* Labor: Homeowner does it all. About six hours a week, “because I’m such a fusspot.”

* Favorite plants: Pittosporum tenuifolium for its black stems. Loropetalum ‘Razzleberry’ for its red leaves. Lily-of-the-valley shrub (Pieris japonica). Loves to cut the flowers.