Our story.

We are Kent and Hadley. We purchased Western Hills Garden with our friends Laura and Michael in September 2021. We fell in love, took a risk, believed in possibilities. We are now ready to broaden how we share the space with others. 

In March 2023, we had the opportunity to purchase the adjacent three-acre property. This land has long been connected to Western Hills in a variety of ways and we are grateful to link the properties formally through this pilot project-based residency initiative. We have always dreamt of building community by hosting people for short-term project-based experiences. We look forward to having you visit.

Western Hills Garden is located one mile outside Occidental, a lovely small town eight miles from the rugged Sonoma coast and 15 minutes from the Russian River.. There are small markets, restaurants, boutiques, galleries, and a hardware store. The closest bigger town is Sebastopol about a 15 minute drive away.


  • Kent is an aspiring plantsman who pays the bills for now by lawyering. In addition to handling HR and finances for Western Hills Garden he is the consummate handyman and loves playing with succulents, making bouquets for garden visitors, and spending time with his beloved dog Eloise.

  • Hadley is a creative producer and nonprofit executive. She leads the day-to-day operations of Western Hills Garden and Project Uchi.

    She is constantly dreaming up new ways to activate these properties and provide new experiences for visitors. She loves to host, cook, and weed the garden beds and paths.