San Pablo: Abella Shopping Center

Abella Shopping Center (former El Portal Shopping Center), 2300 El Portal Drive at San Pablo Ave., San Pablo. Map

Wide, colorful rain gardens soften the refurbished El Portal shopping area
Swales and bioretention areas soften the parking lots at the rebuilt El Portal shopping area, and colorful plantings harmonize with bright-colored buildings that in turn echo the Hispanic theme of San Pablo’s commercial area along San Pablo Avenue.

Below: Although malls will never be prime wildlife habitat, this broad swale rang with calls of migrant redwing blackbirds, like the one at the top of the tree.
A redwing blackbird, one of many in rain garden

Swales planted in bands of gray, green, and orange.

Landscape colors harmonize with bulding color
Above: Most of the swales are planted in bands of contrasting color. Click image to enlarge it.

Below: Some bioretention areas have a cooler palette. Plants are tough, common garden mainstays. Bottom: Where adjacent new stores are under construction, drain box and irrigation pipes show some of the plumbing used to create green infrastructure, or low-impact development.

Many tough, common garden plants flourish in swales and bioretention areas.

New construction with drain box and irrigation pipes in ditch excavated for swale.