Using water wisely is one of the most sustainable choices you can make. A trend in landscaping is xeriscaping your yard with plants that need very little water to conserve resources and create beautiful look. This cottage was transformed with a new landscape. Check it out after the jump.
Shirley describes the plantings and landscape techniques used to achieve this look:
Tall berms and a dry stone river along the bottom helped to” break up” the deep void left after the lawn was taken out. We used a 70/30 soil blend that incorporates 70% topsoil and 30% organic amendments to keep the berm from “deflating” after watering. Medium sized boulders punctuate and accent the gardens. Yellow, “gold coin” groundcover will knit together and contrast with the burgundy Phormium.
Great planting choices along with a bright shutter color have transformed this facade completely. Find out more at Eden Makers Blog.
(Images: Eden Makers Blog)
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Cute yard, but why you would leave trees directly in front of the only windows that provide light is beyond me. They should have been moved to the corners of the house or right beside the stairwell, and pulled further away from the house, they appear quite close.
Really not my style, especially for the climate/location. I agree that the trees are poorly located. Too close to both the house & the windows.
Great intentions!
Having lived in a hot, tropical climate, I would definitely have chosen to plant trees in front of the windows. In moderation, the sun is wonderful. Too much of a good thing, however, is brutal.
Nicely done.
Not sure why I don't like it at all. Maybe the the shutters totally clash with the door?
sweet! I love the shutters!
Hi Allison,
Thanks for sharing my landscape project with your readers.
It looks like the makeover has mixed reactions and I appreciate them both, especially for the issues that they bring up.
@JBerickson & Queen of the Fall- Your observations about the tree placement:
The Tolleson's Weeping Juniper (penudulous tree) is a very slow growing tree and grows deep roots (as most Junipers do) that does not pose a problem by it's proximity to the house foundation. In many landscape applications, it can be used as a foundation plant depending on the design intention and can be planted in large containers! It behaves like a large shrub, rather than a tree.
What is fantastic about these trees is that they have a dramatic, twisting trunk that is meant to be revealed by stem pruning.
This tree is being used as a "living sculpture" and the bottom 6-8 foot branches will be "laced" and pruned when the tree grows taller. As the trees grow, the two trees higher branches will then be "trained" to cascade over the entrance for a weeping arbor effect. This is why we planted them in close proximity to the steps.
The cypresses are "Monshel" a dwarf cypress that grow 3 feet wide and about 10 feet tall.
The house bakes in the sun all day with the southern exposure so a little sun filtering is called for.
Due to the very small yard, all of the plants were selected for their compact growth, year-round interest and low water needs.
FYI- I don't like the front door screen, but the homeowner wanted to keep it. You can't tell by the photo, but the door is the same color as the shutters!
Allison, thanks again for sharing. Let me know if you have a special garden story in mind, I have hundreds of projects that fall under the green-sustainable category.
Shirley Bovshow "EdenMaker"
I like the change. The house went from BLAH to interesting.
love it! well done :)
the trees will be so beautiful when they grow out they way they are planned to That I'd love to see! When I own my house I plan to do something like this but for a NY house so different plants probably i'd like a garden for my whole front yard filled with plants that need little attention because they would die if they need too much, i kinda kill them... :(
For a rental property I say "Well done!" Just the fact that your landlord allowed you to plant anything is a miracle! And, with that in mind, it is quite obvious that you had to contend with several factors beyond your control: like being careful to not pour too much money into a house you don't own & will have to leave it all behind someday when you move, like the landlord calling some of the shots, because it is his/her property after all, like thinking about what is appropriate for the climate, the neighborhood, the future tenants, how much maintenance you have time or inclination to upkeep....
I don't know about the naysayers, but I saw the "For Rent" sign immediately & wondered what you would be permitted to do with the property and the lawn! I am both amazed and impressed!!!
I love the rocks!! No need for water, won't grow too high, they don't invite pests, never needs chemicals, no mowing... I am not a fan of lawns- all that work and water for a patch of grass that no one uses anyway, is really only their to placate the neighbors. But those same neighbors will call code enforcement to complain about if it grows over the "legal height limit"...
The only thing I would add, for movement and balance, is a small water fountain. I'd get one that ran on solar power. It would invite birds to your yard.
But overall, a very good job and oh, I love the popping color of the shutters!
I agree 100% with ecuadoriana1. The whole thing is absolutely wonderful, and I'm somewhat in shock that a rental would be that cute out front!
We're the ones who maintain our rental, and I would love if we could just have a little garden like this one.
All we get to play with are the window boxes.
Hi All,
This yard makeover was actually authorized by the owner of the rental home because she was tired of paying for water utilities for a lawn that no one took care of!
My design partner and I proposed the lawn removal and replaced with interesting plants that have year round interest.
We seemed to have started a trend on the block as a few other homes adopted the "no lawn" design style. In this area of Los Angeles, the sun is relentless and the water restricted by the utilities department to watering 2x per week!
The yard is in compliance and the home is a "renter's dream, no vacancy!
Shirley Bovshow
Love it! As a neighbor of renters, I'm always delighted when renters take charge of a property and landscape it with this much attention to detail. It looks lovely, and is a welcome addition, I am sure, to the neighborhood.
While I appreciate that grass requires a certain amount of maintenance, having a front yard that does nothing but reflect heat back at the house must require a good deal more cooling (read as: energy) than a simpler front yard without heat-reflective textures.
Always hard to judge a landscape right when it's installed. I think this is adorable and perfect for LA.
This is pretty cute. I would have liked to see a higher ratio of succulents or drought-hardy herbs to gravel, though. Visually and functionally cooler than reflective rock.
Being in a similar climate here in Australia I can see why a bit of shade in front of the windows is welcomed rather than disdained for blocking sunlight. I think I might have gone with something that was more open/lacy than a cypress but I totally understand the drive to work with what was there.
Really impressive for a rental, and much cuter than what was there before.
The nice thing about adding succulents is you can divide them many times over and incorporate them into this new garden a bit at a time, too.
Much better looking than before. And much better looking than the last, sad post with a gravel front yard and a gun command center.
I think the change is wonderful. I'd love to see photos once everything has grown in.
Joejeep, you're just plain rude.
I live in AZ where we see a lot of xeriscape. Some attractive, some not so much. I do like this, and I'm sure it'll be absolutely gorgeous when everything grows up and fills in. :)