Lawn Reduction

This landscape design will be installed in phases.  The irrigation has already been reduced to the shortest time possible to maintain a living lawn.  Additionally, the existing spray heads were fitted with rotars for better efficiency and less water loss.  The area hit hardest was by the driveway and determined the beginning of the lawn reduction plan.Step pavers create a path from street parking to the front path at the front of the house and echo other step pavers on site.  Creeping thyme, not only drought tolerant, will add texture and color in addition to inviting pollinators to the garden.  Fountain grass will grow to give some balance.  More pavers planted with Elfin thyme are inserted along the driveway to add extra footing when three cars are parked in the driveway.  The existing and buried plumbing clean out was unburied from sod and then camouflaged with a dry pond and stream of river rock and decomposed granite. Access is a matter of moving a few small rocks. 

 In this landscape design, head sized rocks were used to accent the sidewalk side of the small berm and the fountain grass.  Other drought tolerant plants include Mexican Feather Grass, Blue Fescue, Santa Barbara Daisy, various sedum, Pink Knotweed and succulant Hen and Chicks.  In time, other plants will be added and remaining areas of lawn will gradually be sheet mulched.

After one and a half years of growthNative Blue Fescue In the Feather Grass, Black and Blue Sage adds a bright spot.

Between the two main Fountain Grasses, a vignette of perennials was added of two species of blue flowered sages, sedge, and sunflowers 'Tuscan Sun'.

After 2 years, the second phase of lawn reduction has begun with sheet mulching.  The process of sheet mulching requires mowing the lawn short and then layering newspaper or cardboard on the lawn while watering it down.  This lawn was then covered with 5" of fallen leaves from the street tree which was covered with 3" of mulch containing chicken manure and then a decorative 1-2" layer of fine bark mulch.  In spring the next planting phase will begin.