This Meditative Home in Silicon Valley Offers Garden Views at Every Turn

The house was a "fall-down," the lot long neglected. But as soon as Paul and Melonie Brophy saw the towering old oak out front and the tangle of overgrown plantings inside the fence, they imagined a green sanctuary just a few blocks from Palo Alto’s vibrant downtown. While most of the plants would eventually be removed, the Brophys knew it was the landscape that made the property an oasis, and the sense of discovery they’d felt after passing through the gate would ultimately inspire the design of their new home.