Here is another wonderful example of switching out water hogging turf for water conserving plants. Echoing the look of a stream running through the yard, the landscape architect, Jack Kiesel, used soft edges and varying layers of plants to create the visual illusion of depth that clearly isn't there in the "before" shot and to offset the hard lines of the home. This design certainly gives the eye a lot more to be exited by than a flat plot of sod.
The design literally flows to the driveway by incorporating the same pavers and small bunch grass to give the entire space visual and thematic continuity.
Jack Kiesel's firm, Kiesel Design, has graced the pages of Sunset, The Los Angeles Times and Wine Country Living with their residential and commercial projects.
• Read More: Another Good Example of a Turf-Free Yard at Sunset Magazine, and The Vanjoy Residence Project at Kiesel Design.
(Images: Kiesel Design via Sunset Fresh Dirt)
(Re-edited from a post originally published 07.22.11 - NM)
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I lived in Southern California for almost 18 years without realizing it's a coastal desert. You can't tell because of all the lawns that require far more water than the natural environment provides.
This is just beautiful and I hope the trend towards climate appropriate landscaping gains more traction.
@Penguin Dreams
I know, I grew up in SO-CAL and it wasn't until my family moved to a less arid climate that I realized how much effort my mother put into having that green lawn (and why she hated us having grass clod wars)...I'm fairly certain that more water went into the lawn than was used in the house
This is a beautiful example of a turf-free yard, but I do wonder what happened to the sidewalk.
I think the pics only show the yard behind the sidewalk. You can see the edge of the pavement.
I am definitely bookmarking this post. I think this landscaping would work well in Geogia's hot climate. Love the idea of creating depth within the landscape layers!