![LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA-FEBRUARY 16, 2020: The front of the Glatstein home is seen on February 16 , 2020, in Long Beach, California. The garden designer, Dustin Gimbel tried to keep scarcity and abundance of water as the guiding theme. (Photo By Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/2de3c42/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4000x2667+0+0/resize/1440x960!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F29%2F5b%2Fd7c62d2147089c7c6a288cddb896%2Fla-photos-1staff-488238-la-hm-glatstein-garden-557.jpg)
Th Glatstein’s garden is a haven for birds and butterflies. (Dania Maxwell/Los Angeles Times)
![Nili, Ari and Talia Glatstein, left to right, play with their dog Bing Bong on a tub of variegated St. Augustine grass.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ca42b66/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4000x2667+0+0/resize/1440x960!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F4f%2Fc3%2F56f5112c47f2b19b674fc27b4d3b%2Fla-photos-1staff-488238-la-hm-glatstein-garden-124.jpg)
Nili, Ari and Talia Glatstein, left to right, play with their dog Bing Bong on a tube of variegated St. Augustine grass. (Dania Maxwell/Los Angeles Times)
![Nili Glatstein climbs a Dombeya wallichii tree, left, with mom Allison and Talia Glatstein, right, in what was previously the driveway.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/06bdc62/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4000x2667+0+0/resize/1440x960!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F75%2F27%2Fa51e9899477dbbf8ff73beb6477f%2Fla-photos-1staff-488238-la-hm-glatstein-garden-608.jpg)
Nili Glatstein climbs a Dombeya wallichii tree, left, with mom Allison and Talia Glatstein, right, in what was previously the driveway. (Dania Maxwell/Los Angeles Times)
![Nili Glatstein, 7, colors on an easel with her dad, Jeremy Glatstein, right, in the backyard. Garden designer Dustin Gimbel created a custom planter, left, for Jeremy's plant collections.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/f591d2a/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4000x2667+0+0/resize/1440x960!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fe9%2F1a%2F5acb78cd4f8fb4f2592add848d2c%2Fla-photos-1staff-488238-la-hm-glatstein-garden-155.jpg)
Nili Glatstein, 7, colors on an easel with her dad, Jeremy Glatstein, right, in the backyard. Garden designer Dustin Gimbel created a custom planter, left, for Jeremy’s plant collections. (Dania Maxwell/Los Angeles Times)
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![Ari Glatstein hangs with Bing Bong, center, and sister Talia Glatstein underneath a painting by garden designer, Dustin Gimbel.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/3bec612/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4000x2667+0+0/resize/1440x960!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F25%2Fc4%2F1ab9e5d745659c02d88383120bfa%2Fla-photos-1staff-488238-la-hm-glatstein-garden-63.jpg)
Ari Glatstein hangs with Bing Bong, center, and sister Talia Glatstein underneath a painting by garden designer, Dustin Gimbel. (Dania Maxwell/Los Angeles Times)
![An Arbutus ‘Marina’ tree in the front garden.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/3487d0d/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4000x2667+0+0/resize/1440x960!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fca%2Fd9%2Fbe1772064b9d9e69f5ab34aff17c%2Fla-photos-1staff-488238-la-hm-glatstein-garden-346.jpg)
An Arbutus ‘Marina’ tree in the front garden. (Dania Maxwell/Los Angeles Times)
![Thunbergia alata 'Rose Sensation' vines and Tillandsia decorate a shade structure designed to cool the back of the house.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/d460efa/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3840x5760+0+0/resize/640x960!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F4b%2F6a%2F0b95c25b4b8aa0c27b27f5187bc8%2Fla-photos-1staff-488238-la-hm-glatstein-garden-408.jpg)
Thunbergia alata ‘Rose Sensation’ vines and Tillandsia decorate a shade structure designed to cool the back of the house. (Dania Maxwell/Los Angeles Times)
![A flower from a Dombeya wallichii, also known as a Pink Ball Tree, which smells like cake batter.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/4044f54/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4000x2667+0+0/resize/1440x960!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fb7%2Fb9%2F34d95ee547948dff1253b141c52a%2Fla-photos-1staff-488238-la-hm-glatstein-garden-711.jpg)
A flower from a Dombeya wallichii, also known as a Pink Ball Tree, which smells like cake batter. (Dania Maxwell/Los Angeles Times)
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![Two "bug hotels" in the side yard. A bug hotel is part garden art and part winter habitat for beneficial insects, the garden army that helps to keep the bad bugs under control.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7ff3e0c/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3840x5760+0+0/resize/640x960!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F82%2Ffd%2F140da0b34d1497932d42b1ce1b82%2Fla-photos-1staff-488238-la-hm-glatstein-garden-578.jpg)
Two “bug hotels” in the side yard. A bug hotel is part garden art and part winter habitat for beneficial insects, the garden army that helps to keep the bad bugs under control. (Dania Maxwell/Los Angeles Times)
![A bee collects pollen from a Salvia melissodora.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/692ab72/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4000x2667+0+0/resize/1440x960!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fc8%2Fe2%2Ffff253e7438ba916132f32148534%2Fla-photos-1staff-488238-la-hm-glatstein-garden-695.jpg)
A bee collects pollen from a Salvia melissodora. (Dania Maxwell/Los Angeles Times)
![The front yard is a haven for wildlife.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/034533c/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4000x2667+0+0/resize/1440x960!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F9c%2F8f%2Fc6d8428a4e6d82c0b38f254d32cc%2Fla-photos-1staff-488238-la-hm-glatstein-garden-561.jpg)
The front yard is a haven for wildlife. (Dania Maxwell/Los Angeles Times)
![A goldfinch is seen perched on a tree in the front yard.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/a59acee/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3840x5760+0+0/resize/640x960!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F96%2Feb%2F609c0a0d4f29abc301a08a7dcee6%2Fla-photos-1staff-488238-la-hm-glatstein-garden-643.jpg)
A goldfinch is seen perched on a tree in the front yard. (Dania Maxwell/Los Angeles Times)
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![A fish pond filled with waterlilies is a refuge for ducks, birds and kids.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/1f31fcb/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4000x2667+0+0/resize/1440x960!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F08%2F74%2F6ee840a44ffaad77eb6aa8ee5221%2Fla-photos-1staff-488238-la-hm-glatstein-garden-231.jpg)
A fish pond filled with waterlilies is a refuge for ducks, birds and kids. (Dania Maxwell/Los Angeles Times)
![Allison and Jeremy Glatstein in their backyard.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/1e5211b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3840x5760+0+0/resize/640x960!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fa7%2F08%2Fcd63dd844f9aa66ce84abe1845ad%2Fla-photos-1staff-488238-la-hm-glatstein-garden-488.jpg)
Allison and Jeremy Glatstein in their backyard. (Dania Maxwell/Los Angeles Times)
![Talia Glatstein plays in the gravel pit.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/fb0b657/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4000x2667+0+0/resize/1440x960!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F0a%2F84%2Faa7173294fe0aad0e5dbd7ede274%2Fla-photos-1staff-488238-la-hm-glatstein-garden-584.jpg)
Talia Glatstein plays in the gravel pit. (Dania Maxwell/Los Angeles Times)
![A detail of an agave guadalajarana.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/6785752/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4000x2667+0+0/resize/1440x960!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F23%2F4f%2Fd81cb2fc4965909e53972ea5e846%2Fla-photos-1staff-488238-la-hm-glatstein-garden-287.jpg)
A detail of an agave guadalajarana. (Dania Maxwell/Los Angeles Times)
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![An existing duck run connects to the newly redone backyard.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e4fdb2c/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4000x2667+0+0/resize/1440x960!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fa0%2F2c%2F3c70112447958a85bc2e91b6bed0%2Fla-photos-1staff-488238-la-hm-glatstein-garden-34.jpg)
An existing duck run connects to the newly redone backyard. (Dania Maxwell/Los Angeles Times)