Saying good-bye to thirsty lawns: hello sustainability!

Our friends at Clos Pegase Winery have commenced installation of an expansive garden project on the grounds of their beautiful Calistoga estate. The project, in partnership with renowned San Francisco garden design company Flora Grubb Gardens, will replace water-thirsty lawns with a special collection of rare, drought-tolerant plants and trees.  

“The Clos Pegase project represents a shift in the way we look at the garden landscapes of Northern California,” explained Terry Wheatley, Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Vintage Wine Estates, owner of Clos Pegase. “The drought is making all of us rethink our approach to water. This is an opportunity to enhance the property’s dramatic setting and architecture with rare and unusual plants and show our commitment to both water conservation and design.”

The garden will serve as a living memorial to Michael Graves, acclaimed architect who won the design of Clos Pegase in an international competition in 1984. Graves passed away in March of this year at the age of 80. July 9 was Graves’ birthday, coinciding with the delivery of 19 gorgeous wine palms to the estate.The winery will hold a formal dedication and tribute to Graves once the garden is complete.

One of the most stunning elements in the garden will be those 19 wine palms (Jubaea chilensis). Rare in California landscapes, yet perfectly adapted to our wine-growing region, this tree reigns with a grandeur no other palm can match. The Clos Pegase jubaea collection will be the largest publicly accessible California planting north of Santa Barbara.

Like the winery itself, the garden design combines classical elements with a modern California feel. Plants in the collection act as pollinator resources, attracting foraging bees and hummingbirds. Choosing drought-tolerant species represents a commitment to botanical diversity, water conservation and the idea of responsible landscape design as living art.

“There is no downside to reducing water consumption of an ornamental landscape.” explained Terry Wheatley. “Creating a garden of spectacular, long-lived, drought-tolerant plants will only bring more joy and awe to our visitors.”

If you love gardens, be sure to check in for regular updates, from us and Clos Pegase!