This country home has magnificent panoramic views of the northern Napa Valley with a primary focus on a dramatic rock escarpment called The Palisades. While the view could not be improved upon, the long driveway and the area around the two residences lacked intimacy and immediate visual appeal. We set about to create plantings in the living zone that would enhance the experience, providing close-up color, fragrance and texture. The challenges involved extreme summer heat, little available water, intense windstorms and the expansive scale of the site. By using extremely tough plants with bold features, the houses now enjoy the added beauty of being set into a garden.