This is a garden to live in. There is a small porch off the kitchen with built-in masonry benches. A few steps down and across the flagstone path is the summerhouse (officially, it’s an arbor or pergola, but we liked the term “summerhouse” better.)

In the warm Santa Clara evenings, the computer-controlled lighting system can take the mood from meditation to party in a fraction of a second.

The green-stained architectural details extend throughout the garden, screening from view raised vegetable beds, a lath house and a glass house. As a matter of fact, even the dog run has a stylish green stained entrance.