In this video, This Old House landscape contractor Jenn Nawada helps a homeowner add flare to her front yard while also promoting safety during wildfire season with thoughtful plant and design choices.

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Landscape contractor Jenn Nawada takes us on a road trip to San Francisco to help a homeowner renovate her front yard. Homes in California are highly susceptible to wildfires, so Jenn enlists the help of a local expert to design a safe landscape that is filled with fire-resistant plants while also meeting the homeowner’s tastes and needs.

Understanding Zones [https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/]
When it comes to firescaping around a home, there are two zones to be aware of: the 0-5 zone and the 5-30 zone. The 0-5 zone describes the area up to 5 feet from the foundation, and it should not have any plants or burnable materials inside it. The 5-30 zone can contain native plants separated by hardscape materials like stones, pavers, or larger boulders.

Where to find it?
California Flora Nursery [https://www.calfloranursery.com/] is a nursery in Northern California that specializes in harvesting, propogating, and distributing native only plant species. Owner Josh Williams recommends a number of plants for the project, including:

Franciscan manzanita [https://bit.ly/3uC1KYy]
Narrow milkweed [https://bit.ly/3uJ3LSL]
Showy milkweed [https://bit.ly/3T2gZ6I]
Yarrow [https://bit.ly/3uElomY]
Buckwheat [https://bit.ly/3T5i3qw]
Eyebrow grass [https://bit.ly/42Kq3A5]

These plants can be found at local nurseries and some can be found in home centers.

Jenn then worked with April Owens Designs [https://www.aprilowensdesign.com/] to create a “firewise” landscape. For the stones, Jenn and April installed the following:

Crushed stone [https://homedepot.sjv.io/jr31Dv], for the base
1-½ ft Yosemite tan decorative stone [https://homedepot.sjv.io/9gPeQW] for the patio area
Small Noiyo cobbles [https://bit.ly/42GmpHu], for the walkway and accent area around the patio.

Each of these stone types can be found at certain garden centers and landscape supply stores.

Expert assistance with this project was provided by E. Lopez Landscaping [https://e-lopezlandscaping.com/] and Pollinate Collective, LLC. [https://pollinatecollective.com/]

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From the makers of This Old House, America’s first and most trusted home improvement show, Ask This Old House answers the steady stream of home improvement questions asked by viewers across the United States. Covering topics from landscaping to electrical to HVAC and plumbing to painting and more. Ask This Old House features the experts from This Old House, including general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, landscape contractor Jenn Nawada, master carpenter Norm Abram, and host Kevin O’Connor. ASK This Old House helps you protect and preserve your greatest investment—your home.

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How to Firescape a Yard | Ask This Old House
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