12527 Westminster Avenue



The homeowners had two main goals in this front yard remodel. They wanted to replace their hillside grass/crabgrass lawn with drought tolerant plantings and to capture rainwater rather than allowing it to run off the property and into the street.  To that end, they leveled a portion of the hill by installing a stone retaining wall.  They then chose an assortment of climate-appropriate plantings, which compliment the house’s new pathway, making the front yard more welcoming to those approaching from the street. Using elements suited to our local climate, they have a yard full of plants that will eventually grow to fill the space, rather than overwhelm it.

Another feature that they hope will help with water conservation is the futuristic automatic watering system that is linked up to a satellite weather sensor so it waters only when necessary.

Although they originally hired a professional landscaper, the homeowners’ current design came from their own hard work. They altered the initial design to create an orderly landscape while still enjoying the benefits of drought tolerant landscaping.  It took two years of plant research and experimentation with placement and spacing for the design to complete their our version of the plan, which was then professionally installed.  They were inspired by Sunset Magazine and Mar Vista Garden Tours!