Inspiring and educating San Francisco South Bay and Peninsula plant enthusiasts since 1963

Garden of Sherry Austin, Soquel CA

Saturday, June 21, 2025

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Every garden has its own story to tell. Odonata has a history going back to the 1800’s
when a lumberman named Olson cleared the forest and built a pleasure garden with
ponds and stone paths. Although the original garden was derelict for many decades
when Sherry Austin bought the property, she wanted to honor the garden’s past and
created stone walls and features that speak to an era gone by. As a plant collector, she
arrived 28 years ago with over 350 rare and unusual plants obtained from arboretum
sales and mail order sources and set about planning a garden. Magnolias, dogwoods,
rare conifers, and spring flowering trees were planted for spring bloom, fall color and
winter interest. Woody plants and perennials were added for fragrance and foliage
contrast. There are varieties of both old and modern roses, and an abundance of
variegated plants. It was the siren song of Irises however, that lured Sherry into
amassing over 1,000 varieties of bearded iris that are scattered about the property,
both in dedicated beds, and mixed in with the garden plantings. There is no end to this
garden story. Like plot twists in a novel, it continues to evolve and change with each
season.​​