Rewilding is a conservation movement that aims to restore and protect natural habitats and ecosystems, often by reintroducing species that have been locally or globally extinct. The goal of rewilding
Gardens of Earthly Delight
At Reynolds-Sebastiani, we blend innovation with craftsmanship as a premier design and build firm in the Bay Area. Nestled within the heart of the vibrant communities of San Francisco, Oakland, and Sonoma County, our mission is to transform dreams into tangible landscapes. Our journey with each client unfolds from a heartfelt consultation, leading to designs that echo their aspirations. From the intricacies of natural stone masonry and woodcraft to the artistry of plant selection, our dedication shines through in every endeavor. Join us in crafting spaces that don't just reflect aesthetics but also harmonize with California’s distinctive climate. With Reynolds-Sebastiani, every landscape is a narrative waiting to be told.
gallery // STYLES: Project
^ MODERN: Albion
^ FORMAL TRADITIONAL: Broadway
^ Native Left Coastal: Maxwelton
^ CLASSICAL: Capp
^ MODERN POOL PARTY: Hartford
^ ZEN: Russian Hill
^ RUINED JUNGLE: States
^ MODERN IMPERIALIST: Vallejo
^ MID-CENTURY MODERN: Panarama
^ MODERN BOHEMIAN: Washington
^ MODERNIZED QUEEN ANNE: 29th Street
^ MODERN LUXARY: Phoenix
Before: We started with a barren, parched, compacted hillside in West Sonoma County, California with no biodiversity at all. This shot shows how we stated. We filled it with mostly coastal chaparral native plants and a splash of native-ish ornamentals with the goal of recreating habitat for displaced wildlife.
After: One year on and the same hill teams with life! Now it's home to a family of quail, lizards, finches, a pair of California thrashers, butterflies, bees, beetles, a fox, and weasels! This is the power of Edenism.
Edenism in theory // the philosophy that human communities can, and must, live again in harmony with indigenous flora and fauna in landscapes of bounty & delight.
Edenism in action // the practice of ecological restoration using site specific indigenous native plants paired with a touch of permaculture, and a dash of pure joy.
Why are indigenous native plants so important? Landscapes are systems. Plants are the foundation of ecological webs. They provide the baseline habitat and food sources for all other life in an ecological system. Insects and animals coevolved specific interdependent relationships with the plants. Apart from parks and preserves who’s mass make up a very small fraction of the overall landmass, wildlands no longer exist. Nearly all of our natural world has been carved up into private property and the original ecologies have been profoundly altered by human development.
For humanity to escape a bleak existential future of climate change, dwindling resources, and species extinctions, we must restore the ecological systems in which we live. Since nearly all the land is privately owned, this means that property owners must collectively restore their land. The more diverse the mix of indigenously native plants on a piece of land, the greater the capacity that land has to support indigenous wildlife AND consequently people. Biodiversity begets biodiversity. The origin of all biodiversity is native plants. The good news is that nearly all system functions can be restored simply by planting native plants where they once grew.
Does it have to be all native plants we plant? No, it is scalable. The more native plants there are, the better the system functions but our lands must also balance our need for food, shelter, and enjoyment. Until recently, landscape design only factored in our needs at the expense of the needs of ecological systems. Edenism is the belief that we can have both healthy ecologies AND have all our needs and fancies met. If non native plants provide for our basic needs or bring us joy then they are welcome just not at the expense of overall balance. We will have our cake, and eat it too.
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