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The homeowners have taken a DIY approach to their landscape. Their pragmatic goal was to reduce as much as possible the maintenance costs and water requirements of the yard…and do so using plants and hardscape features that would provide interesting views and habitats for wildlife.
The homeowners have taken a DIY approach to their landscape. Their pragmatic goal was to reduce as much as possible the maintenance costs and water requirements of the yard…and do so using plants and hardscape features that would provide interesting views and habitats for wildlife.
Succulents predominate in this
landscape, which features agaves, euphorbias, and aloes, with additional
California natives, salvias, and other drought tolerant plants rounding out the
yard. There are currently more than thirty varieties of succulents ranging from
two inch sedums to six foot euphorbias. California poppies and wildflowers have been sown throughout the slope
and the easements. The landscaping also
includes: salvias, mallows, ceonaothus,
rosemary, lavender, valerian, tagetes, artemisia, and butterfly bush.
This home sits on a hill that
was originally covered in ivy, with the flat areas featuring sad patches of
grass and a sickly, poorly maintained pine tree. The homeowners removed the ivy and sick pine
tree, then started work on their new design, building the hardscape (walls,
berms, drywells, patio and pond) and installing the drip irrigation and LED lighting
systems. Mortarless garden walls were
built along the crest of the hill and a natural rock berm was installed midway
down the slope. These additions created
swales to capture water as well as tiered planting beds. All rain runoff is now directed into either
soil berms or drywells, such that virtually no water is draining to the street.
This process has been on-going
for several years and continues to evolve. The soil has been amended repeatedly with free mulch from the city. The homeowners also continue to use worm
composting to supplement the soil. The
landscaping is watered by hand with a deep soaking on average once a month.
The homeowners added a water
feature in the past year as part of a water permeable flagstone patio. The
water feature has been an unexpected success at attracting wildlife! Finches and hummingbirds are especially fond of
it.
Raised
vegetable beds, which are just taking off, are the most recent addition.
This yard is a work in progress. The homeowners’ aim is to landscape with
nature, and let nature tell it what works with the soil and climate.
