The Jefferson's saga of "One Mound" started in 2000 when Dave and Catherine first started dating. After learning that Dave had been searching unsuccessfully for land on which to build his "retirement" home, Catherine suggested he look in Kenwood where she had lived since 1982, brought up her 2 children, and where she was a local realtor. This wonderful parcel had a small cottage built in the late 1930's. The land is, by virtue of a 1935 subdividing anomaly, surrounded by a 100+ acre ranch, which provides views of vineyards and horses.
Dave and Catherine began work on construction plans upon purchase in March of 2002. The septic system took until 2004 for design and installation. The replacement bridge was built with great effort (Fish and Game, Army Crops of Engineers, the State Water Board & the County of Sonoma!) by 2005. The construction of the "Big Red Barn" commenced in 2006 and was finished by 2007. Catherine moved from the original cottage into the Barn (now one of the vacation rentals), and Dave continued to visit on weekends.
In 2008, they took a year off from actual construction to meet with their architect every Saturday for hours, poring over the plans which they had started in 2002 for the Home.
Construction began in 2009. Dave and Catherine moved into the finished home Christmas of 2010. Then they began the mighty landscaping effort. They had planted 14 Mission and Arbequina Olive trees and three redwoods in 2003 to block the utility wires and line the driveway on the North boundary. The grand 2-acre plan was designed by Mark and Kathleen Bunte of Sonoma Valley Landscape in 2012 and executed in stages, bed by bed, starting around the house and fanning outwards. This effort is still going on today as the landscape is ever growing, changing, and morphing.
If you are interested in seeing photos of the construction of One Mound, visit our photo galleries page and click on the album called "Building One Mound".
More on the Landscaping
This Riparian Corridor is planted largely with California and Northwest Pacific natives. The evergreens are the “bones” of the landscape. The evergreen shrubs are are varieties of Arctostaphylos (manzanita), varieties of Pittosporum (mock orange), Mahonia (Oregon grape), Daphne, Rhamnus Californicus (California Coffee Berry), Gardenia, Sarcococca (Asia, Fragrant Sweetbox) , Pieris Japonica (Japanese Lily of the Valley), Loropetalum, Picea Pungens ‘Globosa’ (Dwarf Globe Blue Spruce)
The Evergreen Trees are Chamycyparis Lawsoniana ‘Lutea’ (Lawson’s Cypress), Thuja Picata (Canadian Gold/ Western Red Cypress), Cypressus Nootkatensis (Alaska or Nootka Cypress), Olives (Mission and Arbequina and the one by the back fence was transplanted in 2015 and is over 125 years old!), Redwoods...
Deciduous Shrubs-Philadelphus, Berberus, Calycathus (spice bush), Hydrangea, Rhododendron, Azealeas, Cotinus Coggygria (Smoke Bush)
Some of the Roses include “Play Boy” and “Altissimo”.
The Perennials that intermingle with the shrubs and trees are Echinacea (cone flower), various Salvias, Hellibores (Lenten Rose), Rudibeckia (Black Eyed Susan), Yarrow, Campanella, various Ferns, Phylomis (Jeruselums Sage), Japanese Anenomes, Ajuga, Heuchera (Coralbells)
Various Iris, Stachys (lamb ears) Matilija Poppy (Romneye Coulteri “White Cloud)
Deciduous Trees
-Cornus- “Florida”, (the American native), ‘Kousa’ (a Korean native), Cornus Capitata- (“Thomas Haddon”),
-Ginko Biloba (Mariken and Autumn Gold”)
-Japanese Maples- Acer Palmatum ‘fireglow’, and var. Atropurpureum ‘Bloodgood’. Acer Shirasawanum, ‘Moonrise’ and ‘Full Moon/Autumn Moon’, Acer Pentaphyllum (Asia) Acer Palmatum (‘Coral Bark’) Acer Palmatum Dissectum
-Magnolia Salangiana (Tulip Tree)
-Circis Occidentalis (Wester Redbud)
-Corylus Avellana ‘Contorta’ (Harry Lauder’s Walking Stick)