California has had a drought problem for decades and even as the January rains sometimes alleviate the problem in the short term, the long-term impacts remain. Measures are being implemented to address the problem. One is the rebate program for homeowners that are willing to change their lawns with more water-friendly gardens. We did not apply for the rebate but this made us decide to replace our front lawn landscape as our own small way of saving some water. This also saves us the tedious job of maintaining a grass lawn from mowing and weeding out.
This is our front lawn taken one summer. It’s patchy, the grass and weeds competing for survival (LOL). Not a pleasant sight. Of course, they grow back green in spring but the weeds grow faster.
We decided to have a small rocks garden instead and began designing and sourcing materials.
Then the job of taking out all the grass and the weeds. We did it ourselves with no outside labor and since we can do it only on weekends it took us about three weeks to clear it.
The design was to encircle the sago palm with white rocks and two straight rows on both sides of the lawn. The rest of the area, with red lava rocks which we think is a great contrast to the white.
Laying out the white marble chips on the circle around the sago palm. The black edging served as a fence to hold the rocks in place and maintain the design.
Planting the ice plants as borders along the side of the lawn.
A straight row on one side of the lawn was already filled up with white marble chips. The holes covered with plastic pots are the spaces to plant the mini sago palms.
The one side was already completed, covered with white marble chips, and planted with sago palms and ice plants.
The completed project. For us, this is the perfect alternative to maintaining a plant garden without mowing, weeds, and less watering. It can be enjoyed throughout the year as over the seasons it will remain almost entirely the same no matter how much rainfall or sunshine it gets.
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