Los Angeles -- Davis-Yust Garden

Located in a 1920s neighborhood four miles west of downtown Los Angeles, this Italian-style garden is divided into four sections: a formal garden, a secret garden, a woods (including a shade garden), and an orchard. East/west and north/south axes set the basic structure of the garden. The plan of the square-shaped formal garden has changed little since its initial development. Plantings include myrtle hedges (thought to be original), hybrid tea roses, vintage pomegranates, dombeya, and citrus. Situated throughout are European artifacts imported by the original architect and owner. The secret garden, reached through the living room or from the woods, features an original Moorish-tiled wall and Corinthian capital that serves as a fountain. The woods lie along the southern edge of the property and include eucalyptus, fir, and native California oak remaining from the original plantings. The trees are arrayed along a wide gravel path in a long park-like "room" used for entertaining. North of the woods at the eastern edge of the property is the shade garden, which is divided into quadrants by one of the main axes and the gravel path. Its predominantly green plantings combine interesting textures with clipped hedges contrasting with bold foliage. Beyond the shade garden lie the orchard and service area.

Persons and organizations associated with the garden include: Francis Pierpont Davis (former owner, architect, landscape architect, 1921-1930s) and the Churchill Family Trust (former owners, 1930s-1986).