Berkeley rocks

No, not that kind of rocks. Rocks poking up from the ground. Big chunks of volcanic Northbrae rhyolite, some 30′ to 40′ in height. A popular spot for picnics in the late 1800s (and for Native Americans in the thousand years before that), the Thousand Oaks neighborhood was developed in the early 20th century by people who wanted to preserve its natural beauty.

Rather than blast the rocks to smithereens, the developers left them in place. They built houses next to rocks, on top of rocks, and nested amid rocks. The beauty and drama of these backyard Matterhorns take your breath away. And yesterday, on a tour sponsored by the Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association, I visited the gardens and houses of seventeen examples.

Same rock, about 30′ tall, from the yards of neighboring houses

All you see from the front of the house of the left is rock. And how green is this? Fill your garage with a rock instead of a car.

Related post on walking in the Berkeley Hills.